mike cates
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
EARLY COLUMBIA PEDALS 1888-1892 - COURSE 101 - MIKE CATES, CA.
This is in response to New Mexico Brant's posting on 1885 Columbia Pedals of Sat 04/29/23 but his post was closed after the sale so I couldn't respond:
PLEASE COPY & PASTE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR FILES OR KEEP RECORD OF THE BELOW (YEARS OF MY RESEARCH) AS ONE DAY YOU'LL NEED THIS:
I have attached photos from Brant's closed posting to clarify and thanks Brant for giving me the OK to repost your photos.
These style pedals started with the 1887 Columbia high wheel bicycle with the 3 overlapping pedal throw holes on the crank arms and continued 1888-1892 on Columbia high wheel models that had slotted hole crank arms. Also correct for Columbia safety bicycles of the 1888-1892 era. And used on the circa 1890-91 Elliott ladies and gents safety bicycles that had wooden spokes and felloes that employed Columbia parts and also Kirkpatrick saddles. Columbia pedals were again used on Columbia's other brand "Hartford" safeties of the late 1890's.
There are also Columbia pedal of these eras that had a sealed domed and screw driver slotted end dust cap as an improvement for keep the outer ball bearings clean from dirt.
You'll notice that pedals of these eras (no matter what brand American or European manufactured) had raised side plates or spikes on the inner and outer pedal plates to hold the width of the riders shoe soles.
The stamped outer pedal plate patent date of '85 and the script COLUMBIA were prominent on original Columbia ball bearing pedals for their run from 1888-92 on all model bicycles (high wheel or safety) types and Elliott and Hartford brands where Columbia supplied them with pedals.
All the above pedals were available in certain years in a standard width between pedal outer plates of just under 4" (since people were smaller in stature having an average width shoe of size "A" in those days) and catalogs state that wider widths were available in certain years as well.
Ask any high wheel rider today do their size "4EE" width New Balance tennis shoes fit between the outer pedal plates and the answer will more than likely be "NO".
Today's high wheel riders usually place the inside sole of their shoes against the inside of the inner pedal plate (crank arm side) and let the outer bottom of the sole rest on top of the outer raised side plate or spike when riding.
Also is the rubbers are original there will be molded into the white rubber COLUMBIA DOUBLE GRIP and a PATENT DATE on another side of the square pointed shape so look for these closely.
Authentic exact reproduction white pedal rubbers with this script molded in for COLUMBIA (and also available for VICTOR OWCO) can be purchased from Wheelmen Allen Polhill in Illinois (815) 225-7986). Allen was fortunate enough to find decades ago excellent surviving examples of both Columbia and Victor pedal rubbers to make his master molds from. His formula for the rubber compound and color is spot on. He has a process that he uses where he cures the filled molds in an oven to make it supple enough to grip your shoe soles and also last over time (I've had a pair for nealy 40 years now and they're still like the day I got them from Allen). These are as perfect as could be hoped for with fine detail of molded in script, shape and size. Frankly, I suggest buying a pair of both Columbia and Victor pedal block rubbers from Allen and put them away for the future for "finds" and/or "restoration" work. Allen has supplied The Wheelmen for decades and I have purchased numerous sets from him and craftsmen like him may not keep this going in the future.
Nice pair of pedals Brant!
Mike Cates, CA.
This is in response to New Mexico Brant's posting on 1885 Columbia Pedals of Sat 04/29/23 but his post was closed after the sale so I couldn't respond:
PLEASE COPY & PASTE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR FILES OR KEEP RECORD OF THE BELOW (YEARS OF MY RESEARCH) AS ONE DAY YOU'LL NEED THIS:
I have attached photos from Brant's closed posting to clarify and thanks Brant for giving me the OK to repost your photos.
These style pedals started with the 1887 Columbia high wheel bicycle with the 3 overlapping pedal throw holes on the crank arms and continued 1888-1892 on Columbia high wheel models that had slotted hole crank arms. Also correct for Columbia safety bicycles of the 1888-1892 era. And used on the circa 1890-91 Elliott ladies and gents safety bicycles that had wooden spokes and felloes that employed Columbia parts and also Kirkpatrick saddles. Columbia pedals were again used on Columbia's other brand "Hartford" safeties of the late 1890's.
There are also Columbia pedal of these eras that had a sealed domed and screw driver slotted end dust cap as an improvement for keep the outer ball bearings clean from dirt.
You'll notice that pedals of these eras (no matter what brand American or European manufactured) had raised side plates or spikes on the inner and outer pedal plates to hold the width of the riders shoe soles.
The stamped outer pedal plate patent date of '85 and the script COLUMBIA were prominent on original Columbia ball bearing pedals for their run from 1888-92 on all model bicycles (high wheel or safety) types and Elliott and Hartford brands where Columbia supplied them with pedals.
All the above pedals were available in certain years in a standard width between pedal outer plates of just under 4" (since people were smaller in stature having an average width shoe of size "A" in those days) and catalogs state that wider widths were available in certain years as well.
Ask any high wheel rider today do their size "4EE" width New Balance tennis shoes fit between the outer pedal plates and the answer will more than likely be "NO".
Today's high wheel riders usually place the inside sole of their shoes against the inside of the inner pedal plate (crank arm side) and let the outer bottom of the sole rest on top of the outer raised side plate or spike when riding.
Also is the rubbers are original there will be molded into the white rubber COLUMBIA DOUBLE GRIP and a PATENT DATE on another side of the square pointed shape so look for these closely.
Authentic exact reproduction white pedal rubbers with this script molded in for COLUMBIA (and also available for VICTOR OWCO) can be purchased from Wheelmen Allen Polhill in Illinois (815) 225-7986). Allen was fortunate enough to find decades ago excellent surviving examples of both Columbia and Victor pedal rubbers to make his master molds from. His formula for the rubber compound and color is spot on. He has a process that he uses where he cures the filled molds in an oven to make it supple enough to grip your shoe soles and also last over time (I've had a pair for nealy 40 years now and they're still like the day I got them from Allen). These are as perfect as could be hoped for with fine detail of molded in script, shape and size. Frankly, I suggest buying a pair of both Columbia and Victor pedal block rubbers from Allen and put them away for the future for "finds" and/or "restoration" work. Allen has supplied The Wheelmen for decades and I have purchased numerous sets from him and craftsmen like him may not keep this going in the future.
Nice pair of pedals Brant!
Mike Cates, CA.
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