ID Ladies 1900 Bike

[oldy57]

I had a call from a guy to come look at his wood wheel bike. It has been in his family since he was a child maybe earlier. He thought it was a Mead. I don't think it is a Mead. It looks to be around 1900, maybe a little earlier. It had singletube front wheel but rear rim was changed to a clincher wood rim. The tires are newer from maybe 20 years ago, never glued on. Block chain, wood fenders and chainguard. the skirt strings are now piano wire. The wood is perfect, no chips or cracks. the front rim is perfect, the rear is a liitle out of true and the fingerjoints are swelled a little. The whole bike has original paint and some nice pinstripes and transfers. The saddle has a newer leather top attached to the original top. I cannot get it apart to see the brand. The headbadge is a transfer but the name is hard to see. It has Syracuse i 2 spots. My guess is it is a Syracuse Cycle Company, Syracuse NY 1894-1898 from the Wheelmen site. Anyone know the brand from the transfer. I am thinking of buying it but don't know what to offer. He knows it has value.

 

[oldy57]

 

[twowheelfan]

i responded without reading the whole thing, sorry.

Its a beauty! for sure

 

[Mole]

I can't completely tell from the pictures but, are the fender and skirt/ chain guard bent wood?

 

[oldy57]

The fender and chain/skirt guard are bent wood. Painted same as bike with pinstripes and scrole transfers. The strings are gone and now are piano wire. They are not split , warped or damaged at all.

 

[Nickinator]

Wow that's a cool bike! Love the skirt guard.
Darcie

 

[willswares1220]

Nice Early Bike !!!

Great original condition bike!!
The rear rim appears to have been respoked at one time and there are traces of nickle plating under the aluminum paint on the handlebars. They should cleanup quite nicely. Also those pedals could be stripped to expose what plating might be left. Put on an early saddle and away you go!
I do love the original paint & the fancy stripe & decal work. They do not build them like they used to......

 

[Rambler]

I had a call from a guy to come look at his wood wheel bike. It has been in his family since he was a child maybe earlier. He thought it was a Mead. I don't think it is a Mead. It looks to be around 1900, maybe a little earlier. It had singletube front wheel but rear rim was changed to a clincher wood rim. The tires are newer from maybe 20 years ago, never glued on. Block chain, wood fenders and chainguard. the skirt strings are now piano wire. The wood is perfect, no chips or cracks. the front rim is perfect, the rear is a liitle out of true and the fingerjoints are swelled a little. The whole bike has original paint and some nice pinstripes and transfers. The saddle has a newer leather top attached to the original top. I cannot get it apart to see the brand. The headbadge is a transfer but the name is hard to see. It has Syracuse i 2 spots. My guess is it is a Syracuse Cycle Company, Syracuse NY 1894-1898 from the Wheelmen site. Anyone know the brand from the transfer. I am thinking of buying it but don't know what to offer. He knows it has value.

I believe you are correct, it is a Syracuse Cycle Company bicycle most likely built sometime between 1896-1898. The seat is incorrect for this bike so the brand of seat is inconsequential. I would estimate the seat currently on the bike is from the 1920's era. As you stated, the rear rim is not original to this bike. The front rim clearly is original as it is correctly painted the same color as the bicycle, same as the wood chain guard and wood fender are also painted. Painting the wood wheels, fenders, chain guards, during that time period is correct. Today many collectors and restorers tend to varnish these parts to show off the wood but that is not correct as these parts were typically painted originally. That is what makes this bike particularly special is that it is so very original!!! A real time capsule as to how these bikes really looked when original. I strongly suggest if you do purchase this bicycle that you clean it, lubricate it, replace the tires so you can ride it, but please don't repaint it or varnish the wood parts. It is a real beautiful treasure just as it is. Here are a couple advertisements for Syracuse Cycle Company bicycles from the time period of this bike.

 

[oldy57]

The bike is very nice. I was amazed when I saw it. Too bad the original rear rim is missing. If I buy it I would get it ridable. I would find a rim to match the front one. I would also find a correct saddle for it. The bike would stay original, I would never paint it or modify it. What would be a reasonable price to pay for it. $500, $750, $1000 or more. I am not sure what to offer.

 

[Larmo63]

I would say that $500 is about right, but, these are going up along with the men's versions of

this era. The whole saddle is jury rigged. It appears also to be a men's saddle of two different

manufacturers. Luckily, women's saddles of this era aren't particularly hard to find or super duper

expensive. Pre 1900 or right there in my estimation. Block chain, nice hubs. Sexy geometry.

It's a lovely example, good luck with it.