Help identify my dad's bike

[irontrader]

My father is 83 and when he was young he bought a bike which was old at the time he bought it.

I'd like to fix it up to surprise him and also be able to identify the bike.

I don't have pictures of it to post at this time, but can add some pictures later.

Looking on the internet the closest I've seen to it was a picture of a 1910 Redwing.

Excuse my lack of knowledge on vintage bikes, but the main identifying feature I think is the double cross bar with the lower crossbar arched and a short vertical connector bar at the middle of the arch.

I've also read about a Henderson Arched Truss (?) bike, but couldn't find any pictures.

Although the 1910 Redwing frame looks close, the skip tooth chain sprocket is not the same. My dad's bike has what I've been told is a sweetheart sprocket because of the heart shape pattern in the sprocket.

Also this bike has the truss rods which attach to the front wheel.

The bike needs new tires, but I don't know the correct size or where to get them. It takes an early type of tire as the rim does not have a cinch bead or whatever, a measurement of the rim alone shows the max width to be 1.5" and the diameter is about 25". I read somewhere that this is considered to be a 28" since the tire size isn't based on the rim. Don't know if these tires come in only one width or not.

I'm hoping that from the description someone can help me identify the bike, and if nothing else tell me where to get tires for the bike.

Thanks.

 

[kunzog]

Many companies made variations of the arched truss frame. Iver Johnson, Columbia, Indian, Harley Davidson and Schwinn among others. Schwinn probably made the Henderson you mentioned. If the rim measures 25" in diameter it is a 28": wheel. When the tire is installed it will measure 28" diameter. the tire is 1 1/2 diameter. Reproduction tires are available at Memory Lane in Ohio http://www.memorylane-classics.com/ and Harper Machine in Dunbar W.V. ph 304 768 1147 Be prepared to spend over $100 each. ML's are available in black, sometimes red or white. They are very heavy solid rubber with a button tread. Harpers are black only and a lighter weight tire with a tread patternn that runs around the tire. Tires are cementer onto the rim. To answer your question on another post, they can be hard to remove if petrified, pry or use a hack saw carefully not to cut into the rim. Be carefull removing the original tires they are valuable to a collector no matter what shape. If there is an outline of the headbadge it may help in identifying the bike, also the location of the badge holes. Iver Johnson use 3 offset holes, others used holes top and bottom or at oposite sides. It would be easy to restore that bike, strip down to bare metal, prime and fill dents. Paint with spray cans, you can do it yourself.

 

[irontrader]

Have added photos to help

I've added some photos of the crossbar, sprocket, and seat on my Epson photo album.

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4019318&a=32255260&f=

Hope these photos help identify the bike.

Thanks.

 

[kunzog]

There are lots of pics on Daves site: http://www.nostalgic.net/
Just go to the "Photo Archives".

 

[irontrader]

There are lots of pics on Daves site: http://www.nostalgic.net/
Just go to the "Photo Archives".

Thanks, but I've already looked there. That's where I found the 1910 Redwing which has a similar frame.

I was hoping the pictures I posted would have been enough of a clue that a serious collector would immediately know what make it was.

 

[eazywind]

Kunzog is one of the best and most knowledable of the traders out there. I would classify him as a very serious collector. The problem with bikes from the teens is that they were mass marketed by a consortium of manufacturers because cars were taking off as transportation and bicycles were not in demand as much and therefore there was not much to distinguish between them except for badges. The heart shaped sprocket was used alot also and maybe from a later time. There just is not enough to go by with what I can see. Marc

Thanks, but I've already looked there. That's where I found the 1910 Redwing which has a similar frame.

I was hoping the pictures I posted would have been enough of a clue that a serious collector would immediately know what make it was.

 

[bikeman21]

Similiar Bicycle

Hi,
My bicycle has the same frame that you described. Mine has the truss frame with a 6 pointed star pattern on the sprocket. The name plate on the front says "FOLSOM". I searched for this brand on Google and found nothing. I would like to find out what year my bicycle is and who made it.
Thanks, bikeman21

 

[bikeman21]

Similiar Bike

Here is a picture of my Folsom bike. What year is it? Who made it?