ID On This Bike? It’s a Weird One!

[Danimal]

First off, no, I don’t have this nor have I seen one in person. But for as long as I’ve been into vintage bikes, my dad has been asking me if I’ve ever seen or heard of a two person, side by side bicycle. I hadn’t and could never find any evidence of what he described.

But last weekend at a flea market I stumbled on this photo. The seller actually had the original negative which I bought.

Here we see a two wheel, side by side bike. Has anybody seen such a thing? Is it original or a custom thing from back in the day? I would love to know and you guys will have the info if anybody does.

Thanks.
Dan

 

[pedal4416]

Ive seen a few as well as many pictures, look up sociable bike.

 

[Danimal]

Ive seen a few as well as many pictures, look up sociable bike.View attachment 833854

Damn, that was fast. Thank you! I’ll research it now that I have a name.

 

[Dan the bike man]

I’ve seen them, want to own one!

 

[kreika]

Had a friend with one these along time ago. It was strange but fun to ride. Kinda needed to comparable weighted people.

 

[Blue Streak]

I looks like a circa 1896-1900 Punnett Companion made by Punnett Cycle Manufacturing Company of Rochester NY.

 

[joeduhclown]

Had a friend with one these along time ago. It was strange but fun to ride. Kinda needed to comparable weighted people.
View attachment 833905

I have one of the model in the photo. It hasn't been ridden for quite a while and could use some work but it is still in great shape.

 

[Superman1984]

I have heard tales of these things ; they used to advertise a group of friends having get togethers & then 2 by 2 they would pair up ( Good Ol'Dr Seustearsofjoy: they would ride away gang style and all be happier looking than kites in a wind storm. There is a thing that looks like a merry go round with wheels and pedals that was a "socialable" contraption .... I Swear I am Crazy but I know what I am talking about

 

[rollin2]

The American Pickers bought one on the show. Don't know which episode.

 

[juvela]

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In 1976-77 American inventor Robert C. Barrett of Berkeley California and Angola New York designed and patented a side-by-side with fourteen distinct improvements over previous designs.

features of the Barrett design include a cantilevered chainset which operates on a single bottom bracket assembly. seating for the two riders can be staggered slightly so that they can ride a bit closer together, somewhat reducing the width of the vehicle. steering is accomplished via a chain drive.

everything bolts/clamps to a standard road single frameset without modification. early production examples employed a frameset from Takara.

Mr. Barrett produced by hand fourteen different one-off examples of his design as he refined it. these included collapsibles, planetary drive examples, derailleur drive examples, cantilever frame examples, etc.

had the opportunity to ride one of these prototypes about 1977. a fun experience. does not matter if riders of different weights; the vehicle just goes down the road with a slight list.

the left seat is for the "captain" with steering, gear and brake controls. the right seat rider is analogous to a stoker on a standard tandem.

the yellow machine in post nr. five above is of the Barrett design.


Images for barrett side-by-side bicycle

Sociable - Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Sociable

one which came up at Copake in 2012:

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