Lenape Cycle Works restoration project

[locomotion]

I was able to get the headset disassemble and found that the stem for the handle bars was snapped off and stuck inside the fork upper tube. Has anyone been successful welding this type of damage? Would love to use the original parts. While removing some of the paint, I also revealed the "knurling" that is circles, not sure i have seen this design on a bearing cap yet. Anyone else seen this design defore?

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Crescent does use a similar type of bearing cups. close but not identical
here is a close-up on one of my Crescent

 

[Ricker]

I have had luck tig welding stems back together with that damage but the heat affect area becomes brittle so It needs to be done slowly, with cooling time between small passes. I would be curious to see what is under the paint on that stem. I have found that the old stems are very soft metal and I wonder if that one was heated to bend it that way. If it was bent or is original it really is still a very a unique stem!

 

[Tommy2X]

Crescent does use a similar type of bearing cups. close but not identical
here is a close-up on one of my Crescent

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That is similar. Your looks like it may be cast. The one I am working with appears to be machined. Thanks! I will be able to identify a Cresent if I see one in the future pretty easily.

 

[Tommy2X]

I have had luck tig welding stems back together with that damage but the heat affect area becomes brittle so It needs to be done slowly, with cooling time between small passes. I would be curious to see what is under the paint on that stem. I have found that the old stems are very soft metal and I wonder if that one was heated to bend it that way. If it was bent or is original it really is still a very a unique stem!

I know someone who does heat treatment of metals. I think I'll have him take a look at it and see if his company can weld it. Thanks for giving me hope for a repair. There was a previous reply that was helpful as well.

 

[Tommy2X]

Here are some Lenape and Fauber references:

May 7, 1896 - Trenton Evening Times (Trenton NJ)
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February 24, 1898 - The Central News (Perkasie PA)
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May 23, 1898 - Yonkers Statesman (Yonkers NY)
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April 24, 1899 - The News (Paterson NJ)
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April 29, 1899 - The Wall Street Journal (New York NY)
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May 7, 1899 - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn NY)
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December 20, 1899 - The Philadelphia Inquirer
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March 9, 1900 - The Allentown Leader (Allentown PA)
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January 19, 1899 - The Wheel:
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January 25, 1900 - The Wheel:
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Thanks for all the info! Are you a Lenape bike fan?

 

[Blue Streak]

Thanks for all the info! Are you a Lenape bike fan?

I am a fan of all pre-1900 bicycles and enjoy researching them. I had not heard of Lenape until you posted it here. Thanks for the full photo and look forward to seeing more of it.

 

[locomotion]

I have had luck tig welding stems back together with that damage but the heat affect area becomes brittle so It needs to be done slowly, with cooling time between small passes. I would be curious to see what is under the paint on that stem. I have found that the old stems are very soft metal and I wonder if that one was heated to bend it that way. If it was bent or is original it really is still a very a unique stem!

i was also wondering if the stem was bent that way later in life.
But, IMO, it would be extremely difficult to bend a stem like that even with a lot of heat. Especially with an almost perfect bend.
But I guess anything is possible in the right circumstances and the right tools. I couldn't myself achieve that result.
I also wouldn't be able to reweld those stem pieces back together and guarantee that they would hold. But I am not a professionnal welder, I get by with simple repairs, but not technical ones. A pro could probably get it done.

 

[Quakertownrich]

Cool! Being a Bucks County, PA native, Lenape instantly got my attention. In these parts, the Lenape Valley refers the native Lenape Indians. Never knew of the bicycles.

 

[Craig Allen]

Just as a side note- most people pronounce the word Lenape as "Len- A- Pee" with the accent on the first syllable. Actually the correct pronunciation is Len-Op-Pee with the accent on the second syllable.

 

[Tommy2X]

i was also wondering if the stem was bent that way later in life.
But, IMO, it would be extremely difficult to bend a stem like that even with a lot of heat. Especially with an almost perfect bend.
But I guess anything is possible in the right circumstances and the right tools. I couldn't myself achieve that result.
I also wouldn't be able to reweld those stem pieces back together and guarantee that they would hold. But I am not a professionnal welder, I get by with simple repairs, but not technical ones. A pro could probably get it done.

I got the paint stripped off and it look like the piece may be a casting. All tubea are hollow. There are pits in the steel that looks like they used lead to fill and level prior to painting. I will be warming it up with a torch to see if the silver is paint or lead....

I think the bend is as it was when manufactured. I can't see any evidence of heating and bending and no tool marks. There is also no id for manufacture. I fid find one on ebay that is similar, but much shorter.

Here is a pic of it stripped of paint.