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Rambler bicycle question?

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Sevenhills1952

Wore out three sets of tires already!
I collect Rambler cars. I have an (early 50s?) Rambler bicycle.
My understanding is Thomas Jeffrey made bikes and started making the Rambler car in 1897. Is/was there an overlap of cars and bikes, a connection between that name? The last Rambler car was 1969. I tried researching online but couldn't find that exact answer. Thanks in advance.
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According to the Wheelmen website Gormully & Jeffery (G&J) made Rambler brand bicycles from 1888-1900. From what I can find Thomas Jeffery broke off from the company to pursue making the Rambler automobile in 1902. In about 1898 G&J became part of the American Bicycle Company wich Became the American Cycle Company and ended up being owned by Pope Manufacturing Company, the makers of Columbia Bicycles. Pope Mfg became Westfield Mfg in 1916. Pope/Westfeild Mfg used the Rambler name from the time they aquired G&J and was still using it for a line of bikes right up through the 1970's.

To answer your question direct, both Rambler Bicycles and Rambler Automobiles were being made at the same time but by different companies although their roots were in the same place so there is an indirect connection between the Rambler bikes and cars.


The bike you have pictured is a Westfield Mfg bike sporting the Rambler badge.
 
I believe that there was once a fairly high level law suit that made it to the US Supreme Court, (important?), between Pope/Westfield and either Gormully or Jeffery or both, regarding the validity of an agreement not to build certain bikes.
 
Archie is correct about the court case. The Wikipedia article can be found at Pope_Mfg._Co._v._Gormully.

Like MrColumbia says, there is a connection. Wikipedia says that Thomas B. Jeffery Company was an auto manufacturer from 1902 until 1916 and manufactured Rambler and Jeffery brand cars. The article about Jeffery is at Thomas_B._Jeffery_Company.
 
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