Teens Period The Girard Duplex - Girard Cycle Company, Lincoln, Nebraska

[New Mexico Brant]

Does anyone know anything about this company or have a Girard Duplex bicycle? I have a nearly NOS example that may have been a factory or dealer display model? I purchased it this past Spring at Monroe from the John & David Traum. @David T The previous year I had purchased the chain ring and crank from them on my trip East to Memory Lane. They bought a collection that belonged to an old Wheelman who sadly tore many of his bicycles apart.

Thank you for any information. Photos to follow in the next few days.

This ad is from a 1915 issue of Bicycle News:

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Page 41 of this issue of the September 1915 Bicycle News definitely confirms Girard Cycle Co. sent out display models ("a working model") per the last paragraph of this article below:

Here is a Google transcription of the article and the original text to read:

GIRARD DUPLEX CRANK HANGER After long and tedious experiments AL Girard of the Girard Cycle Company 140 North Fourteenth Street, Lincoln Neb. has patented and is now marketing a device known as the Girard Duplex crank hanger which it is asserted solves the problem of eliminating from the crank hanger the element of side draft. There are two sets of bearings employed. The sprocket is mounted on its own bearing independent of the crank bearings. The crank is equipped with a lug that fits loosely through one of a series of holes in the sprocket. In this way although each individual member has its own bearing they combined do the work of one bearing. Side draft which has so often been argued as a mechanical imperfection in bicycle construction is eliminated almost entirely. This common fault of side draft results in unnecessary friction which in turn impedes the free running qualities of the bicycle. The Girard Duplex will make a strong appeal to the critical buyer It is a new and a very soundly logical talking point and it hits home at a vital spot. The DETAILS OF DUPLEX CRANK HANGER. Showing two sets of ball bearings which eliminate side draft man who pedals a wheel is very directly concerned in having his bicycle propelled just as easily as possible and the radical advance presented by the Girard Duplex is something that will be appreciated even by those of little mechanical experience. The sprocket carrier is equipped with a race which carries the outer row of balls. The inner race of this bearing is a ring which fits over the projecting end of the hanger shell The crank bearing is housed inside the shell pro jection in accordance with common practice. The bearings are so arranged that mounting or dismounting is very easily performed It is merely necessary to remove five screws to change the sprocket. The rows of balls remain in the carrier and in the hanger shell extension respectively so that there is no danger of losing the balls or of get ting them dirty through handling. The lug in the crank fits loosely through the sprocket in this way precluding the possibility for binding between the crank bearings and the sprocket bearings. The Girard Duplex Hanger is designed to fit almost any crank bracket and so possesses a strong advantage over other hangers. A working model is on display in the BICYCLE NEWS offices 110 West Fortieth Street, New York City where its ingenious details can be gone over by interested persons.

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Here is The Girard Duplex badge. It shows a patent date of May 11th, 1909.

photo credit to: @decotriumph, thank you for selling me the badge.

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Arthur Girard's US Patent:

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Clearly Girard was producing bicycles before the Duplex patent: The Wageworker., August 29, 1908, Labor Day Edition​

 

[Heatwave]

I had never heard of them… Very cool!

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Here is the initial article I stumbled upon after first buying the chain ring. Pure accident as I was viewing this August 5, 1915 of Motorcycle illustrated while trying to find something else.

 

[SKPC]

Very cool Brant, exceptional post with most all the details. Seems like an attempted early "Center Drive" solution that moved the sprocket inboard towards the center of the frame. I wonder if this crankset fit only a frame designed for it? In the text it reads otherwise. ("The Girard Duplex Hanger is designed to fit almost any crank bracket and so possesses a strong advantage over other hangers.") In post #4, (patent diagram) the frames' BB shell on the drive side looks much shorter, allowing the sprocket driveline to run inboard along with the entire crank arm assembly. If the frame has a normal BB shell, would it need to be machined down shorter? The Miami Merkel center drive crankset had an extended, longer drive-side BB shell incorporated into their design that held the bearing assembly and sprocket. Excellent stuff.

 

[New Mexico Brant]

I did come across the frame in the move yesterday. The chain ring is MIA. Note the double ball bearing down tube script is hand done.