When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Slotted forks date

#eBayPartner    Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
I don't know when, but I've got a 1897 men's roadster with a slotted fork.

Sean
What brand? Or from where? I have bikes later than that with no slots, and I'm pretty sure I've seen unslotted ones well into the 20s.
 
It's a Clipper badged Grand Rapids MI Cycle Co. bicycle. I'm in the process of removing the black over paint.

Sean

20220313_203018.jpg


20220318_191924.jpg
 
Last edited:
I know @Rambler has the ladies version of my bicycle with open end forks as well.

Sean
View attachment 1664246
I was just at a bike show with bikes from 1890s-1920 and not a single one was slotted; one of the experts there said he thought they started doing it pretty close to 1930. It's wild that a company thought to do it in 1897 and no one else copied the idea for 30 years!
 
I was just at a bike show with bikes from 1890s-1920 and not a single one was slotted; one of the experts there said he thought they started doing it pretty close to 1930. It's wild that a company thought to do it in 1897 and no one else copied the idea for 30 years!

Somewhat similar situation with the change in 1940-46 when the rear fork ends became a rear fork end drop out.
 
The following bicycles in my collection have slotted front forks:

1891 New Mail cushion tire safety
1892 Common Sense pneumatic safety
1892 Monarch pneumatic safety
1893 Winton Men pneumatic safety
1893 Winton Women pneumatic safety
1894 Crescent Men pneumatic safety
1894 Crescent Women pneumatic safety

All of my other bicycles are pre-1908 and do not have slotted front forks.
 
Back
Top