What's your ideal antique bike?

[pelletman]

Are you asking me what my ideal is or you want me to answer what yours should be? I don't understand what you are saying.

 

[kenji]

read my original post
does my ideal bike exist?

not what it should be
or what yours is

after you tell me if mine exists or not then argue my false supposition

 

[kenji]

maybe this is close?

 

[pelletman]

Just about any of the men's bikes in the 1890s would fit the description as long as you converted them to a coaster brake

 

[pelletman]

Certainly seemed to me you were asking a question of the reader..

"What's your ideal antique bike?"

 

[Andrew Gorman]

I've had a hankering for a Barnes White Flyer for myself, but what you are describing is any post-1900 bike BUT they might have non-standard headset and bottom bracket sizes. Any Iver Johnson is a fine machine, and there's one on eBay right now with a reasonable buy it now.

 

[DonChristie]

My ideal antique rider would have:
a standard men's diamond frame with a seat post - Yes
pneumatic tires - yes
not a fixie (be able to coast) - yes
brakes other than rubbing on the tire
chain drive - yes
a bottom bracket with loose bearings or cage with replacemet parts on the open market - yes
a common head set/ stem setup - yes
quality workmanship and materials - oh yes!
be mass produced in great numbers back in the day - yes
from the 1890's to WW1 - no
so what is my bike? Iver Johnson
does it exist?

I was going to suggest an Iver Johnson but I thought that would be a slanted view. Since you mentioned you had an eye on the IJ on the bay, I thought I would chime in. That one is very similiar to mine. In fact, I threw a bid on it last week.

 

[kenji]

it's over

The ND Model A was old, but regreased and new bearings. It just does not have a lot of braking area. Bikes are pretty simple machines, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of ca. 1900 bicycles. Heres a link to a similar question at the Wheelmen which recommended an English bike because they have brakes that work and use common tires.
http://thewheelmen.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3462&SearchTerms=raleigh

looks like you are right... the single pneumatic tire is a pain:
Quote:
Patents, Profits, & Perceptions
The Single-Tube Tire and the Failure of the American Bicycle, 1897–1933
Paul Rubenson
"The single-tube story finally ended in 1933, when forward-thinking Schwinn introduced detachable balloon tires on his breakthrough B 10-E. Shortsighted business practices and consumer complacency had undermined a promising technology for forty years. Within a year, the single-tube all but vanished from the market."

because of this tire problem i'll call this quest a bust and look for a english clubman
But if a early era bike with stock clenchers should come my, way i'd reconsider

 

[Andrew Gorman]

Clincher rims are out there! Just keep looking.

 

[sam]

Mead ranger 1910-1919