Phattiremike
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
This bike was picked up a few weeks a go with a few others from a former museum. It's suppose to be an 1887-92 Elliott Hickory. I brought it out into the sunlight to go over this machine trying to find identifiers. I can't find any markings, dust cover/badges. There are 2 holes I found but that would appear to be for a wooden chain guard which is missing.
While researching I discovered an article written the former owner Jeff Archer, see below.
This bike features a 31-inch rear wheel and 25-inch front wheel with a step-through frame design. Originally, the frame was marketed as a unisex design but Elliot also sold a traditional diamond frame for men. Since the safety bikes were new to the market, there weren’t the standardized parts like we see today. You didn’t buy off-the-shelf parts to assemble into a bike.
Unique parts can be found in almost every area of this bike. The wheels use wagon wheel technology with hickory rims, spokes and hubs. The framework aft the crank is also constructed from hickory. The lower chain stays would flex giving a more comfortable ride on the wagon-rutted “roads” of the day. The built-in hickory fender is also the sole support for the seat mast assembly which again would absorb vibration. The rear spoon brake is operated by a small chain running inside the frame which runs over a series of rollers inside the stem, head tube and frame. Since the chain stays are a fixed length, the crank assembly has built in adjusters to remove the slack from the chain.
I posted a few picture the night I brought the Hickory home here are more and with a bit more detail. So, if someone owns one does yours have any markings to help with it's identification and actual year built.
I need a seat and chainguard!!!
This bike was used as an advertising tool and maybe in a vaudeville act in it's former live. I have attached a picture showing a gentleman Sam Shands with the bike in an unknown year. The bicycle also came with a very tattered golden colored silk suit.
Mike
While researching I discovered an article written the former owner Jeff Archer, see below.
This bike features a 31-inch rear wheel and 25-inch front wheel with a step-through frame design. Originally, the frame was marketed as a unisex design but Elliot also sold a traditional diamond frame for men. Since the safety bikes were new to the market, there weren’t the standardized parts like we see today. You didn’t buy off-the-shelf parts to assemble into a bike.
Unique parts can be found in almost every area of this bike. The wheels use wagon wheel technology with hickory rims, spokes and hubs. The framework aft the crank is also constructed from hickory. The lower chain stays would flex giving a more comfortable ride on the wagon-rutted “roads” of the day. The built-in hickory fender is also the sole support for the seat mast assembly which again would absorb vibration. The rear spoon brake is operated by a small chain running inside the frame which runs over a series of rollers inside the stem, head tube and frame. Since the chain stays are a fixed length, the crank assembly has built in adjusters to remove the slack from the chain.
I posted a few picture the night I brought the Hickory home here are more and with a bit more detail. So, if someone owns one does yours have any markings to help with it's identification and actual year built.
I need a seat and chainguard!!!
This bike was used as an advertising tool and maybe in a vaudeville act in it's former live. I have attached a picture showing a gentleman Sam Shands with the bike in an unknown year. The bicycle also came with a very tattered golden colored silk suit.
Mike