Premier Cycle Works / Chicago

[johnmp12]

I am planning on putting Robert Dean tires on the bike. The original tires are off already, and they did not come off without falling apart. I plan to clean it up as much as possible and rideable (although it may never get ridden).

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Nice bike.
The bicycle frame (and perhaps the fork or most of the assembly) may be Davis-built.
The embossed head badge is much nicer than most Premier badges, (in my opinion).

That is the 3rd style of Premier badge that I have seen; (the one pictured in post-8 being most common). Not sure if the different badges hint at different manufacturers.

The bicycle might have a sideways serial number stamping close to the side of the bottom bracket crank hanger; (and perhaps the bearing cups might also be stamped somewhere?).

 

[johnmp12]

Nice bike.
The bicycle frame (and perhaps the fork or most of the assembly) may be Davis-built.
The embossed head badge is much nicer than most Premier badges, (in my opinion).

That is the 3rd style of Premier badge that I have seen; (the one pictured in post-8 being most common). Not sure if the different badges hint at different manufacturers.
View attachment 1567230

The bicycle might have a sideways serial number stamping close to the side of the bottom bracket crank hanger; (and perhaps the bearing cups might also be stamped somewhere?).

 

[johnmp12]

Beautiful Machine there! Those tires are valuable as is. Anymore pictures to share?

Premier is a short lived offshoot of Mead Cycle. Yours is a perfect match for this 1913 catalog image. Imported 1/2" chain dates it to teens, not '05.

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More pics!

 

[locomotion]

very interesting tread, great bicycle you have
thank you for posting it, it might answer some of the questions I have about one of mine as well

I found a bike a few years back and it was badgeless
after identifying it as a Premier, I tried finding a badge for it
found a Premier badge for it, but it might not be the right badge after looking at your badge ...... or maybe it is for my YOM
when found, my bike didn't have fenders, but had holes in the bridges for fender attachments, so I found some proper fenders but with the wrong color scheme, I will have repaint them with the black/red combo

I need to remove my bike from the sale section and start looking at my bike again
here is the tread with pictures for some comparisons.

Sold - deleted | Archive (sold or withdrawn)

deleted

thecabe.com

I just noticed that my pictures suck in my old sale post ..... no wonder it hasn't sold

 

[Clarner]

The story I got with this bike is that it was bought as a gift for a couples young boy and that the boy died in 1912 and it was put up and never ridden again. I will have more pics soon. I have it in pieces to clean it up. I would like to find tires for it. The tires on it are hard and flat. I plan on leaving the original paint on the frame but may re-chrome. Thanks for the catalog pics. I agree that it may be a later year model. Family stories tend to get dates wrong.

These are the bikes and the stories I am here for. Great find; bike looks awesome.

 

[chitown]

I am now seeing that the bike didn't come with fenders

They were available in 1913. But these were imported from England. I'd imagine they switched to US made fenders as the war made imports harder to get here if not impossible so I'd say you got the right ones for your 1915.

 

[locomotion]

They were available in 1913. But these were imported from England. I'd imagine they switched to US made fenders as the war made imports harder to get here if not impossible so I'd say you got the right ones for your 1915.

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thank you very much for all the catalogue pictures @chitown
do you have a page showing what the correct parts the bikes should have? especially the rear and front hubs and types of wheels (wood, steel clad, ect).

sorry to @johnmp12 ....... not meaning to highjack your tread
but I taught it would be a better to bring all the discussions on Premier bikes, all in the same place for easier references for all of the member
if you think that I should start my own tread, let me know
thanks
Max

 

[johnmp12]

thank you very much for all the catalogue pictures @chitown
do you have a page showing what the correct parts the bikes should have? especially the rear and front hubs and types of wheels (wood, steel clad, ect).

sorry to @johnmp12 ....... not meaning to highjack your tread
but I taught it would be a better to bring all the discussions on Premier bikes, all in the same place for easier references for all of the member
if you think that I should start my own tread, let me know
thanks
Max

no worries

 

[Archie Sturmer]

More pics!
View attachment 1567243

The decal reads, “11–1–22” so maybe it is a 1911 diamond frame (also looks like 22in.).

Does not look like the few Davis-built 22” diamond frame Mead or Premier badged bicycles that I have seen; (1914-15?).