\ . . ? *mW *3 m m% < *.:>* %Va?p: SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION / ,> j r M H | > - . ? ? : SMITH *HEMP6TOtfE OLIVE&* ? i d DONALD H. BER?EBILE ?t4* tf J! - S E R I A L P U B L I C A T I O N S O F T H E S M I T H S O N I A N I N S T I T U T I O N The emphasis upon publications as a means of diffusing knowledge was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan for the Insti? tution, Joseph Henry articulated a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This keynote of basic research has been adhered to over the years in the issuance of thousands of titles in serial publications under the Smithsonian imprint, com? mencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Annals of Flight Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes original articles and monographs dealing with the research and collections of its several museums and offices and of professional colleagues at other institutions of learning. These papers report newly acquired facts, synoptic interpretations of data, or original theory in specialized fields. These pub? lications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, laboratories, and other interested institutions and specialists throughout the world. Individual copies may be obtained from the Smithsonian Institution Press as long as stocks are available. S. DILLON RIPLEY Secretary Smithsonian Institution WHEELS AND WHEELING Wheels und Wheeling THE SMITHSONIAN CYCLE COLLECTION Smith Hempstone Oliver and Donald H. Berkebile SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY ? NUMBER 24 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1974 COVER: Smith Star bicycle of 1884, as restored by Henry W. Mathis of the Southeast Cycle Shop in 1960. Rider is Smithsonian magazine staff member Meredith White Riegle. Photo appeared on the cover of the February 1972 issue of the magazine. FRONTISPIECE: This photo, from about 1888, shows the Copeland steam- propelled tricycle in front of the Smithsonian building on the Mall. Driver of the tricycle is its inventor, Lucius D. Copeland; the passenger is Frances Benjamin Johnston, who later became a noted Washington photographer. Standing to the left are patent attorney B. C. Poole and an associate, and the builder and promoter of the tricycle, Sandford Northrop. To the right are E. H. Hawley of the Smithsonian staff, W. H. Travis, and J. Elfreth Watkins, curator of the section of transportation in the Smithsonian's U.S. National Museum, 1885-1903. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SI PRESS NUMBER 4793. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Oliver, Smith Hempstone. Wheels and wheeling: The Smithsonian Cycle Collection (Smithsonian studies in history and technology, no. 24) First published in 1953 under title: Catalog of the cycle collection of the Division of Engineering, United States National Museum. Bibliography: p. 1. Bicycles and tricycles?Catalogs. 2. Motorcycles?Catalogs. 3. National Museum of History and Technology. I. Berkebile, Donald H., joint author. II . Title. I I I . Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian studies in history and technology, no. 24. TL410.043 1974 388.34'7'09034 73-16103 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 ? Price $1.90 Stock Number 470-00268 CONTENTS Development of the Bicycle The Smithsonian Cycle Collection PAGE 1 25 30 HOBBY HORSE, ABOUT 1818 31 HOBBY HORSE OF 1818 (REPRODUCTION) 32 VELOCIPEDE, ABOUT 1868 33 VELOCIPEDE, ABOUT 1868 34 VELOCIPEDE, ABOUT 1869 35 VAN ANDEN DEXTER VELOCIPEDE, 1869 36 LAUBACH VELOCIPEDE, 1869 38 ROPER STEAM VELOCIPEDE, ABOUT 1869 40 GREENE AND DYER MONOCYCLE, 1869 42 ADULT'S TRICYCLE, ABOUT 1875 43 CHILD'S TRICYCLE, 1876 44 UNZICKER TRICYCLE (MODEL), 1878 45 SHIRE VELOCIPEDE, 1879 46 VELOCIPEDE, ABOUT 1879 47 HAMMELMANN TRICYCLE (MODEL), 1880 48 FOWLER TRICYCLE (MODEL), 1880 49 LONG STEAM TRICYCLE, ABOUT 1880 52 STANDARD COLUMBIA ORDINARY, 1881 53 KLAHR BICYCLE (MODEL), 1883 54 SMITH STAR BICYCLE, 1884 55 BOY'S ORDINARY, 1885 56 COLUMBIA LIGHT ROADSTER ORDINARY, 1886 57 OVERMAN VICTOR ORDINARY, ABOUT 1886 58 HUMBER "GENUINE BEESTON" RACING ORDINARY, 1886 59 STARLEY PSYCHO SAFETY BICYCLE, ABOUT 1887 60 RUDGE RACING ORDINARY, ABOUT 1887 61 TWO-TRACK TRICYCLE, ABOUT 1887 63 COLUMBIA LIGHT ROADSTER ORDINARY, 1888 64 SMITH TRICYCLE, 1888 65 ST. GEORGE'S NEW RAPID BICYCLE, 1889 66 OVERMAN VICTORIA BICYCLE, 1889 68 SMITH PONY STAR BICYCLE, 1891 69 COLUMBIA MODEL 41 BICYCLE, 1896 71 COLUMBIA MODEL 43 TANDEM BICYCLE, 1896 73 CHILD'S SAFETY BICYCLE, ABOUT 1897 74 CLARKE GASOLINE TRICYCLE, 1897 76 REX CYCLE, 1898 78 PIERCE BICYCLE, ABOUT 1900 80 ANDERSON "MILITARY BICYCLE," ABOUT 1900 82 WABASH CHILD'S IRISH MAIL QUADRICYCLE, ABOUT 1900 83 INDIAN MOTORCYCLE, 1902 85 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MODEL 9-B MOTORCYCLE, 1913 87 POPE MODEL L MOTORCYCLE, 1913 89 CLEVELAND MOTORCYCLE, 1918 91 AUTOPED MOTOR SCOOTER. 1918 93 IVER JOHNSON BICYCLE, 1925 94 SNYDER BICYCLE, 1927 95 REINHARDT BICYCLE, 1935 97 SIMPLEX SERVI-CYCLE, 1935 98 WHALEN AND JANSSEN LAMINATED-WOOD- FRAME BICYCLE, 1942 99 RALEIGH BICYCLE, ABOUT 1949 101 SCHWINN VARSITY TOURIST BICYCLE, 1965 102 SCHWINN SUPER DELUXE STING-RAY BICYCLE, 1965 Bibliography 103 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BICYCLE The bicycle, with a history that spans nearly two centuries, has frequently been looked upon in the United States as a child's play? thing. Recent trends seem to indicate that Americans may come to follow the example of those other nations where the bicycle is an important means of transportation, extensively used by businessmen and workers traveling to and from their jobs. In the United States, during the late 19th century, the cycle's greatest use was likewise among adults, and this use sparked the early good-roads movement. Of equal importance was the role of the bicycle in demonstrating the possibilities of independent personal transportation, thus creat? ing a demand that facilitated the introduction of the automobile. The first known bicycle was shown by the Comte de Sivrac, who in 1791 was seen riding a two-wheel "wooden horse" in the gardens of the Palais Royal in Paris. Called a celerifere, the machine had two rigidly mounted wheels, so that it was incapable of being steered. To change direction, it was necessary to lift, drag, or jump the front wheel to one side. In 1793 the name was changed to velocifere, and, as these machines became increasingly popular among the sporting set of Paris, clubs were formed and races were run along the Champs Elysees. At some time during the first decade of the 19th century the ve? locifere lost favor temporarily until, in 1816, Nioephore Niepce of Chalons, better known as the "Father of Photography," demon? strated an improved type in the Luxembourg Gardens. Niepce's machine, still not steerable, was considerably lighter, and the larger wheels helped smooth the ride and permitted greater speed. A revolutionary improvement in the velocifere occurred in 1817, when Charles, Baron von Drais, of Sauerbrun, devised a front wheel capable of being steered. As chief forester for the Grand Duke of Baden, von Drais found the machine useful in traversing the forest land under his supervision. He also gave it a padded saddle, and an armrest in front of his body, which assisted him in exerting force against the ground. Granted a patent in 1818, he took his Draisienne to Paris, where it was again patented and acquired the name veloci? pede, a term that was to continue in use until about 1869 when the word "bicycle" came into use. The velocipede gained rapid popularity in France, and almost im? mediately migrated to England, where it was known variously as a 1 g^ "Johnson's Pedestrian Hobby Horse Riding School in Lon? don," an 1819 aquatint by H. Aiken. "The Ladies' Hobby, 1819," contemporary aquatint showing a hand-and-foot-operated tri? cycle. Draisine, Swiftwalker, Hobby Horse, Dandy Horse, or Pedestrian Curricle. In England one of its chief exponents was the London coachmaker, Denis Johnson, who not only added improvements, but even designed a woman's drop-frame model. Riding academies were established to teach the fine points of balance and management, and soon many riders were seen in the streets and parks about London; yet the pastime declined almost as rapidly as it had risen, and after the early 1820s velocipedes were rarely seen. In the United States, W. K. Clarkson, Jr., of New York, was granted a patent for a velocipede on 26 June 1819, but it is no longer known what this patent covered, for the records were destroyed in the Patent Office fire of 1836. There is no evidence that the sport gained much popularity here, yet it is known that Charles Willson Peale, the noted American portrait painter, was an enthusiastic rider of one in 1819, at the age of 78. As early as 1819 attempts were made to have mechanical devices assist the rider in propelling the velocipede, but these efforts failed due to over-complication. Lewis Gompertz, of Surrey, England, in 1821 developed a workable device whereby the steering handle was pulled backwards to work a toothed quadrant against a pinion on the front hub, the pinion containing a free-wheeling device that per? mitted the handle to return to its forward position. Then followed a lengthy period of inactivity in velocipede devel? opment and use, punctuated by only one significant improvement. Hand-operated velocipede designed in 1821 by Gompertz in England. From J. T. Goddard, The Velocipede: Its History, Varieties, and Practice (Cambridge: Riverside Press, 1869), page 11. This flier of 1869, advertising the Lallement velocipede, is from the scrapbook, now in the Museum's collection, of Charles E. Pratt, first president of the League of American Wheelmen. An 1869 Pickering velocipede in a rare contem? porary photo that shows the rear saddle brace supported by a spring, so that a backward movement of the rider's body brings a brake- shoe down against the rear wheel. * * $> , O ?*,. ' * > , AvonuO d? W i u r n n i . TO PARIS ySTHDLISSAllS Retail and for Exportation S T E A M W O R K S In the Ardennes NEAR CHARLEVILLE P R I C E L I S T F O R I 8 6 0 BICYCLE OR TWO WHEELS STHiiMi WHOniHT [ROX, fltli'il with Hivak. Iron I'HIHN, Turning in Brasses, fiivasp Boxes ami Leafln-r Saililli- ( ..xul Qnalil.i) >\.MK MODKI., Kxlra Flnisli. ? Varnishcil Wheels. ? I'olisheil sled. Bmn/.e I'l-iliils I.V.MK \ln|i|-;i.. i;,-; yualil.y ? lliirlih Fiiusliiil. This was the treadle-operated machine of the Scottish blacksmith, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, who in 1839 attached cranks to the rear axle of a velocipede, and turned them by means of treadles hung from the front of the frame. Macmillan's velocipede performed well, operating at between ten and fourteen miles an hour, yet he is not known to have sold any, and his work was copied to only a limited extent. One of the copiers was another Scot, Gavin Dalzell, who moved the treadles slightly to the rear in 1845, so that they were more nearly under the operator. An important milepost in velocipede development was the addi? tion of pedals to the front axle. This occurred in Paris about 1863 in the workshop of Pierre Michaux, but to this day it cannot certainly A velocipede riding school as depicted in the frontispiece to volume 10 (1869) of The New York Coach-Maker's Magazine. be said whether he or his employee Pierre Lallement is entitled to the credit. The use of the velocipede increased modestly but steadily in Paris during the mid-1860s, but the disgruntled Lallement left Michaux and took up residence in New Haven, Connecticut. Here, on 20 November 1866, he was granted U.S. Patent 59,915, covering an "improvement in velocipedes." The patent drawing reveals a sad? dle attached to a spring mounted above the frame of the machine, as well as weighted, pivoting pedals. The Hanlon brothers of New York City, a popular team of travel? ing acrobats, on 7 July 1868 were granted Patent 79,654 for an improved version of the Lallement vehicle, their patent covering ad? justable pedals and seat. In addition, they suggested that rubber TG W m P. SARGENT & GO. r YWtt/i;Y 0/ &?.??&$/, GALOP. 5 B O S T O N , i Si KOPPITZ.PPUFER&CO N E W Y O R K , Wm A P O N D a CO A number of poems and songs such as this were published during the brief reign of the velocipede in the late 1860s. rings could be used on the wheels to make them noiseless and to pre? vent their slipping. Here was an early use, suggested at least, of the rubber tire. Another Hanlon patent (No. 86,834, granted 9 February 1869) covered a mudguard over the front wheel, and a brakeshoe operating against a wheel and controlled by twisting the handlebars. The Hanlon machine helped promote the velocipede in America, and, oddly, in Great Britain, where an illustration was shown in the English Mechanic in 1868, though the French machines were known there slightly earlier. Americans paid little attention to the velocipede for several years after Lallement's patent, but in December of 1868 began to show an immense enthusiasm for it. By early 1869 a number of carriage builders were making cycles, since the services of the blacksmith and wheelwright were essentially those required. Likewise, numerous rid? ing schools were established in many of the eastern cities, and the sport of riding became suddenly popular, especially among the stu? dents of Harvard and Yale Universities. "Boneshakers," as veloci? pedes came to be known, were at first priced around 125 dollars, though before long cheaper models were available for as little as 75 dollars, still a rather costly novelty for 1869. They were usually brighdy finished in red, blue, white, etc., frequently with heavy strip? ing that was similar to that of horse-drawn commercial vehicles. Iron parts of the better machines were not plated, but were sometimes highly burnished, and polished bronze castings were also evident. Early in 1869 J. T. Goddard published his manual The Velocipede, and in the same year W. C. King edited a journal entitled The Velocipedist. The craze ended as suddenly as it had begun. By the end of May in 1869 the sport was dying, and by August the Coach-Makers' In? ternational Journal was advising its readers diat the bicycle was a drug on the market in New York, where machines that would nor? mally be selling for 75 dollars were bringing no more than 12. The reasons for the decline were that the cycles were heavy and cumber? some, and the rider's position far behind the pedals created an awk? ward angle of thrust for the legs, which tended to push him back and away from the pedals when the going became heavy. The final blow came when cities began to pass ordinances against cycle riding on pedestrian walks, and the roads of the period did not encourage rid? ers to prove the reason why their machines were called boneshakers. Further use and development in the United States remained nearly at a standstill during the 1870s. At least one early inventor, S. H. Roper, of Roxbury, Massachu? setts, constructed a steam-powered velocipede, and his machine (now in the collections of the National Museum of History and Technol? ogy) appeared about 1869 at fairs and circuses in New England. Resembling a Hanlon-type velocipede, with wooden wheels and iron tires, the machine is described and illustrated on pages 38-39. Alfred D. Chandler of Boston, an early Ameri? can rider of an Ordinary, shown on the Duplex- Excelsior he purchased from Timms & Lawford, of Baltimore, at the close of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Photo was made in 1877. Participants in one of America's first orga? nized bicycle tours lined up with their Ordinaries on the road outside Readville, Massachusetts, 11 September 1879. The first rider is Charles E. Pratt, noted bicycle author, coorganizer, and first president of the League of American Wheelmen, and later attorney for the Pope Manufacturing Co. The second man is Col. Albert A. Pope, president of the famed com? pany bearing his name, manufacturer of the Columbia bicycle. i - * George M. Hendee, American amateur champion racer, 1883-1885, with his 55-inch Rudge. In 1901 his Hendee Manufacturing Co. began the manufacture of a motorcycle designed by another noted bicycle racer, Os? car Hedstrom. The firm was later renamed the Indian Motocycle Co. Photo is from the scrapbook, now in the Museum's collection, of Abbot Bassett, secretary, 1887-192U, of the League of American Wheelmen. The man astride the 1882 Columbia Expert in this posed studio portrait is believed to be W. H. Miller, of Columbus, Ohio, second president of the League of American Wheel? men. The young boy, possibly his son, is on a child's Ordinary of unknown manufacture. Uniforms such as they are wearing were commonly used by bicycle club members. Few ladies rode Ordinaries, but some of the more competitive types excelled as riders. Annie Sylvester (left) was a noted trick and fancy rider in 1885. Louise Armaindo, shown here (right) with her full-nickeled Royal Mail, was famed as a racing and long-distance rider who defeated men and women alike. From The Springfield Wheelmen's Gazette of, respective? ly, April and February 1885. The English also began to use the velocipede in the late 1860s, u unlike the Americans, they did not develop an initial wild enthusi? asm, nor did the sport there die a sudden death. Instead, a rapid de? velopment of the bicycle began, and England soon took the lead away from France, where unfortunately the Franco-Prussian War ar? rested cycle development in 1870, though French innovations of 1869 showed them to have been clearly in the lead. At a Paris bicy? cle show in November of 1869, for example, were seen such radical features as wire wheels, solid rubber tires, tubular frames, front- wheel brakes, mudguards, and primitive types of change-gears. The French are also credited with having in 1869 a chain-driven bicycle, and one of the high-wheel variety. By the early 1870s, bicycles and tricycles using wire-spoke wheels were commonly seen, notably in England. James Starley of Coventry was one of the pioneers in this field, and, until his death in 1881, fa? thered many new and ingenious features pertaining to cycling, earn? ing for himself the title "Father of Cycle Industry." His famous Ariel, introduced in 1871, a high-wheel bicycle with wire spokes, was to be 10 A tricycling family (top) from Lowell, Massa? chusetts, on wheels in 1885. Junior will learn how later. The 1887 Boston-area tour (center) shows a variety of cycles, single and tandem tricycles, an Ordinary, and a Sociable (see eleventh and twelfth persons from left). In an? other 1887 tour (bottom), this one from Swamp- scott, Massachusetts, all are riding tandem tri? cycles. Seen in the wagonette is the style-setting 1886 Rover Safety Dwarf Roadster, manufac? tured by the English firm, Starley & Sutton, of Coventry. All photos from the Abbot Bassett scrapbook. . > m^j^^j'-rHj ii G O R M U L L Y & J E F F E R Y MFG. CO., C H I C A G O , ILL. 41 AMERICAN BICYCLE LAMPS, Manufactured Expressly for us. These lamps are unquestionably the best in the market. They are. strongly made, riveted or locked (instead of soldered), and they are a thorough piece of workmanship. Being of large size they throw a very powerful light, and they are pro? vided with red side lights. The im? provements are: Wind up burner by which the light may be regulated from the outside, to avoid the annoyance of opening the lamp. Adjustable axle bearings or a t tachments , adjustable for length and diameter of axle without difficulty on the part of the purchaser. THE IDEAL LAMP Will fit all sizes from 3ft inch upwards, or any other makeof boy's oryouth's bicycle. See cut. Price, japanned $2.'25 " nickeled 3 00 The Challenge Lamp g Fits any size except smaller sizes of " Ideal." See cut. Price, japanned S3.00 " nickeled 8 76 The Champion Lamp Fits any size over 50 inch. See cut. Price, japanned $6.00 " nickeled 6.00 Ideal Tricycle Lamp. Useful also as a bicycle head lamp. Price, japanned $2.'25 " nickeled 3 00 In 1887, an oil lamp of this type could be suspended from the hub, inside the front wheel, of an Ordinary for night tours, as shown on the Columbia advertising card (right). 12 Important cycling accessories of the 1880s, from the Museum's collection, were this warn? ing whistle and the telescoping tool case, the latter being suspended under the saddle. M. W. Wright, famous English bicycle racer of the 1870s, with his Arab Ordinary. Note the rear-wheel brake. b *>^ 1?-- 8**\ * > ? * ? * . ~ w ? A group of professional racing cyclists at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1886. From Abbot Bassett scrapbook. 13 ?S*?3! ^-aME' r/iis silver-and-velvet 6-day bicycle championship belt of Scotland now in the Museum's collection was won at Glasgow on 19 June 1880 by H. W. Higham of Nottingham. A pair wearing the uniforms of Washington's Capitol Bicycle Club (left), pedal along on a Sociable, or side-by-side tricycle, in the 1880s. The fashionable couple (right), photographed behind the White House in Washington, D.C, ride what appears to be a Club (Coventry Machinists' Co., Ltd.) tandem convertible quadricycle roadster of about 1885. It could be converted into a single tricycle by separating it in the center, and detaching either the front or the rear portion. 14 copied for two decades. Its design offered higher speed through the greater circumference of the large front wheel, while putting die rider more directly over the pedals. This type, rapidly improved by Starley and others until it became, in comparison to the old bone? shaker, a comfortable, lightweight machine, gained quick popularity and eventually became known as an "Ordinary." At the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876, several English firms exhibited diese Ordinaries. At the close of the Exposi? tion the unsold Ordinaries were taken by die Baltimore firm of Timms and Lawford, and most of them were soon sold to the newly organized Cunningham Co., of Boston, Massachusetts, which, in Though a Columbia sign appears in the back? ground and the man in this picture also appears on the back of an 1883 Columbia catalog (riding a different tricycle), the machine shown here does not appear to have been a regular Colum? bia model. It is probably an experimental Co? lumbia, an English tricycle, or half of an English convertible quadricycle. 15 A Georgetown, D.C, tricycling tradesman, be? lieved to have been photographed about 1941. The machine is an 1884 Victor Rotary, made by the Overman Wheel Co., Chicopee, Massachu? setts. "Wheeling on Riverside Drive," a wood engrav? ing appearing in Harper's Weekly, 17 July 1886. The machine in the foreground is a Sociable. 16 Lucius D. Copeland with his steam-driven Star bicycle, which he operated successfully in the mid-1880s. The engine and boiler of this vehicle are in the Arizona Museum at Phoenix. 1877, was the first bicycle-importing firm in America. In the same year Albert A. Pope also began importing English bicycles, and in 1878 his company, as the Pope Manufacturing Co., of Boston, became the first manufacturer of bicycles in America. In that year Pope began building bicycles under the trade name "Columbia" in the factory of the Weed Sewing Machine Co. at Hartford, Connecticut, and by 1895 all of his interests were concentrated in that city, includ? ing the offices formerly located in Boston. In Boston during 1877, Frank W. Weston began publication of The American Bicycling Journal, which two years later was merged with The Bicycling World, also of Boston. As many of the early bicy? cle riders in America were Bostonians, and since the first bicycle club in America was the Boston Bicycle Club, jointly founded by Charles E. Pratt and Frank W. Weston on 11 February 1878, Boston soon became the center of bicycling in this country. The Ordinary, or high-wheel bicycle, was especially hazardous, since the rider's center of gravity was only slightly behind the large front wheel and the rider was in danger of taking what came to be called a "header." This common accident occurred when the front wheel struck an obstruction in the road, or when the brake was ap? plied too quickly, causing the rider to be thrown head-first onto the road, as his cycle tipped over forward. Serious injury, and occasion? ally even death, resulted. Partially because of the Ordinary's height, few women were attracted to riding, yet there were some who not only rode, but even became known as racers. Soon, the costume of both men and women was modified to suit the sport. Because of the Ordinary's inherent danger, early efforts were made to design a safer bicycle. Many of these efforts were modifications of the high-wheeler, with the large wheel slightly reduced in size, and the speed thus lost being compensated for by die use of such indirect- drive methods as chains, levers, or other mechanical devices. The rider's center of gravity was also shifted slightly backward. In the United States, one of these early efforts produced die well- known Star bicycle, which had the large wheel in the rear, driven by treadles instead of pedals. This design eliminated the danger of tak? ing headers, and became relatively popular, though it never ap? proached the popularity of the Ordinary. Lucius D. Copeland, in 1884 or 1885, equipped one of these Stars with a small steam engine and a boiler, and successfully operated the machine. Two or three years later a tricycle was similarly equipped for Copeland by the Nordirop Manufacturing Co., of Camden, New Jersey. Articles on these machines appeared in many engineering magazines of that time, and Sandford Northrop issued advertising brochures publicizing the formation of his Moto-Cycle Manufactur? ing Co. (of which J. Elfreth Watkins, then curator of the Smidi- sonian's section of transportation, was president), but the venture proceeded no further. It was, nevertheless, another one of die many 17 On the Copeland steam tricycle, shown also in the frontispiece, the passenger sat directly in front of the operator, over the tank holding fuel and water (see photo, right). A headlamp was mounted on the passenger's footrest. The oper? ator sat with his back against the boiler (left photo), steering by means of the single rear wheel, over which a jingling warning bell was mounted. 18 pioneer attempts in America to produce a commercially successful self-propelled vehicle. While on the subject of self-propelled vehicles, it would be appro? priate to mention that the early efforts of the German inventors, Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz, are in reality a part of cycle history. In 1885 Daimler produced a two-wheel, gasoline-powered veloci? pede, while Benz produced in 1886 a large gasoline-powered tricycle with wire-spoke wheels, the single front one being the steerable wheel. The back of this photo of an unidentified quad- ricycle carries the name of the Moto-Cycle Manufacturing Co. Possibly it was a vehicle which the firm had hoped to motorize with one of Copeland's steam engines. A group of early Safeties and a Star (far left) on an 1889 Boston area tour. Those with wood wheels are believed to have been made by The Sterling Cycle Co., Newton, Massachusetts. From Abbot Bassett scrapbook. 19 Arthur A. Zimmerman, noted American bicycle racer of the early 1890s, with his trainer. From Abbot Bassett scrapbook. Simultaneously with efforts to make the high-wheeler safer by means of modifications came other efforts to completely redesign the bicycle into what became known as the "Safety." In England, H. J. Lawson produced his Bicyclette in 1879, this being a compara? tively low-profile safety design, with a chain-driven rear wheel and indirect steering. Unattractive, and apparently too far advanced for its time, the Bicyclette was a commercial failure. By the mid-1880s, a number of British manufacturers were pro? ducing various types of Safety bicycles, die object of which was to bring die rider closer to the ground. The most successful were the several machines of John Kemp Starley (nephew of James Starley), whose third model Rover of 1885, with chain drive, diamond frame, and low wheels, influenced bicycle design to the present day. Curi? ously, diis was a return, after many years of evolution, to the propor? tions of the old Hobby Horse, which also had two wheels of equal or nearly equal size. Soon after the advent of the Safety bicycle, another important de? velopment assured the success and popularity of the bicycle. In 1888 and 1889, John Boyd Dunlop, a veterinary surgeon of Belfast, Ire? land, obtained English patents on a pneumatic tire, and in 1890, a United States patent. Despite criticism and ridicule, the increase in "Have Dinner at One, Dear." Stereoscopic view, from 1897, of women's lib on a bicycle?which happens to be a man's Safety. Have Dinner at One. Dear/ ' Copyrighted 1897, by WUlmm H.R*v- A '.-;< 20 An early group of Safety cyclists using rail attachments to enjoy a smooth ride on a spur line of the Pittsburgh and Wectern Railroad, between Cluffs Mills and McCrays, Pennsyl? vania, in the 1890s. speed and comfort quickly established die value of Dunlop's inven? tion, and die pneumatic tire rapidly gained acceptance in the United States during 1891 and 1892. Another important improvement was die development of die coaster brake. By 1898, bicycles were occasionally being equipped with braking mechanisms that were associated widi the driving sys? tems, whereby die brake was operated by a backward pressure on die pedals. In most instances, however, these devices did not include coasting or free-wheeling features. During 1898, free-wheeling brakes began to appear, and the added safety and convenience provided by this innovation caused it to gain quickly in popularity. The closing years of the century offered one final mechanical ad? vancement, this being a multiple-speed driving system. The idea was ?a? m m SMfc&t&reS ,-?*.> ??? 5T^ * r ? -*%|1? )(' v &>? m': 21 I W^j^t^ Medals, in the Museum's collection, awarded to Frederick L. Oliver, father of coauthor Smith Hempstone Oliver, for racing events in 1897. not new, it having been applied years earlier in more unsophisticated forms, such as the device that changed the operative length of the Star bicycle's treadle-levers. Effective though they were, these de? vices did not receive immediate acceptance in the United States, pos? sibly because of the cost. While they were more widely accepted in England, many years were to pass before multiple-speed devices be? came common on American bicycles. During the 1890s, interest in bicycling reached boom proportions. Production rose from an estimated 200,000 bicycles in 1889 to 1,000,000 in 1899, and the machine attained an importance in Amer? ica that it is only now regaining. By 1899, only a few score automo? biles had been built, horses and carriages were expensive to maintain in crowded cities, and urban public transportation was, with few ex? ceptions, slow and frequently inadequate. The bicycle met the need for inexpensive individual transportation?much as the automobile has in recent times?for going to and from business, for business de? liveries, for recreational riding, and for sport. What to us seems a simple device of modest and limited perform? ance was, in the relatively unmechanized 1890s, a swift vehicle and a fine machine. Owners were drawn together by their interest in it as a mechanism, as well as in its use for riding or racing, and bicycle clubs were a part of the social and sporting scene. A nationwide bicy? cle club, the League of American Wheelmen, was formed on 30 May 1880 at Newport, Rhode Island, through the joint efforts of Kirk Munroe, of New York, and Charles Pratt. Membership reached 150,000 in 1900, and the influence of its numbers was an effective promoter of the good-roads movement that was to be so important an element in the acceptance of the early automobiles. Bicycle racing as an international sport had a large and enthusias? tic following in the United States 70 years ago, and the demand for lighter and faster bicycles accelerated many of the improvements made by the manufacturers. The successful racers were the sports heroes of the day. Charles M. Murphy was one who attained lasting fame by an amazing performance on 30 June 1899. On a board sur? face laid between the rails of the Long Island Rail Road, Murphy, riding within a hood built at the rear of a car, kept up with the car as it was pulled by a locomotive going just over 60 miles an hour. For this feat he became known as "Mile-a-minute Murphy." His record was surpassed on 17 May 1941, when Alfred Letourner pedaled a mile in 33.05 seconds on a highway in California, traveling at die rate of 108.92 miles an hour in the wake of a shield attached to the rear of a midget racing automobile. Many well-known bicycle racers of the early days ultimately became famous in the automobile racing field, Ralph DePalma and Barney Oldfield probably being the best known of the converts. Directly and indirectly the bicycle had a decided influence on the introduction and ready acceptance of the automobile. In addition to 22 A selection of oil lamps and self-generating acetylene lamps on a page from the 1916 cycle catalog of J. W. Grady & Co., Worcester, Massachusetts. Il l l 11 l . l > . Mil l o H i \t l . l > \ M > - I M I K I i : NO. 2 :>IITH C K X T I IM ? . \ * L A M P M a d e " i b r a s s nil I,. 1 p l a t i .1 h e i g h t ", i n - i K h s 22 oz . h a - . . . i t c a p a c i t : f I oz.. fitted w i t h .i (4" l i u r n v i B u r n s ram I to 6 h o u r s Pr i ce c o m p l e t e *:t.ll- I s made- of b r a s s , n i c k e l p l a t e d , r i d o u b l e c o n v e x l e n s ami a g a s v a l v i u l a t i n g flam.-. P r i c e c 'SEARCH? LIGHT T i l l : ??!: I l l l I II .11 .I l l ' 1. \ s M i l l> ? l i i i - l amp h.i- I,. . , i hi m,11 k.-i i. ... - . ,ml h a s , i lwa> s ma i l . g o o d ? t a m " In I, ivll h 2 '??" i l n u b l c c o i n ex lei l l ick l I. 'I Tr ice *2.r.ll rm introducing thousands of persons to individual and independent me? chanical transportation, die bicycle proved the value of many mate? rials and parts diat were subsequently taken over by die automobile designers. Ball bearings found one of dieir earliest uses in die bicy? cles of 1880 or earlier. The differential unit was employed in tricy? cles, and various forms of free-wheeling and gear-shifting devices were in use. Steel tubing, developed largely for cycle frame construc- 23 tion, was adopted by some early automobile builders. Pneumatic tires, previously mentioned, and wire wheels were also in use on bicycles prior to the introduction of the gasoline automobile in America. Many pioneer automobile builders were at first bicycle manufac? turers. Among these were Charles E. Duryea, Alexander Winton, Colonel Albert A. Pope, H. A. Lozier, and George N. Pierce, all of whom manufactured automobiles bearing their names. Furthermore, Wilbur and Orville Wright were bicycle manufacturers in Dayton, Ohio, before they turned their attention to the aeronautical field, and Glenn H. Curtiss, another aviation pioneer, started out as a bi? cycle manufacturer. As the 19th century closed, the bicycle industry began a rapid de? cline. Between 1900 and 1905 the number of bicycle manufacturers in the United States shrank from 312 to 101. Interest in the automo? bile was only partly responsible for this. Additional factors were a switch to other forms of recreation, and the fact that a considerable number of electric railways took over the sidepaths originally con? structed for bicycle use. Thereafter, for over half a century, the bicy? cle was used largely by children, although tire and gasoline rationing brought it into temporary use as adult transportation during World War II . Recent cycle development has not involved significant changes in construction, but rather a refinement of earlier features, resulting in today's durable, lightweight, comfortable and easy riding machine. During the late 1960s there began a reawakening of adult interest in cycling as a non-polluting, non-congesting means of transportation and recreation. Increasingly, too, members of the medical profession have pointed to the bicycle as one of the best means of obtaining physical exercise for sedentary, coronary-prone Americans. A century earlier an 1869 velocipedist's manual, in a chapter entitled "Veloci- pathy," had pointed the way with the statement that die bicycle gave "a natural exercise and general development to every muscle of the body." In 1970 nearly 5 million bicycles were manufactured in the United States, and an estimated 75 million riders shared 50 million bicycles, making cycling the nation's leading outdoor recreation. Growing numbers of commuters ride bicycles today, and bikeways continue to spread in both rural and urban areas. Widi some dealers barely able to meet customer demands, one wonders whether the present boom will suddenly slacken or cease entirely?as has happened before in cycle history?or whether, one hopes, it will become a permanent and important factor in American transportation. 24 THE SMITHSONIAN CYCLE COLLECTION The Smithsonian's cycle collection began in 1889 when a veloci? pede was presented by Joseph Z. Collings. Received when it was about 10 years old by J. Elfreth Watkins, curator, from 1885 to 1903, of the section of transportation, in the division of technology, this was the third wheeled vehicle to be accessioned, having been pre? ceded by a steam locomotive and a horse-drawn carriage. Though not the donor, the man who was instrumental in bringing the veloci? pede to the collection was Lucius D. Copeland, inventor and builder of experimental steam-propelled road vehicles. Copeland also was an associate of Watkins', who, in addition to his museum curatorial du? ties, was president of the Moto-Cycle Manufacturing Co., of Phila? delphia, a firm organized to manufacture steam vehicles following Copeland's designs. Several other velocipedes and early-type Safety bicycles also were taken into the collection during the years of Wat? kins' curatorship. From 1893 to 1897 two bicycles were loaned to the museum by Herbert S. Owen, a Washington, D . C , bicycle dealer and manufac? turer who had employed the automotive pioneering Duryea broth? ers, Charles E. and J. Frank, as mechanics in his bicycle shop in Washington, during the late 1880s. Owen claimed that one of the cycles, built by him in October 1887, was the first woman's Safety bicycle to be made in the United States. Regretfully, he witiidrew it from the collection in February 1897 when it was needed as evidence in New York in the legal proceedings of Owen vs. die Pope Manu? facturing Co. His other loan, an 1885 Starley and Sutton Safety, was withdrawn at the same time. Following Watkins' death in 1903, George C. Maynard's respon? sibilities in the museum's division of technology included that of cu? rator of the transportation collection until his own death in 1918. During these 15 years the cycle collection grew by only two veloci? pedes and two H. B. Smith bicycles. Subsequent responsibility for the transportation collection was borne by the late Carl W. Mitman, Paul E. Garber, and Frank A. Taylor. The position of curator of land transportation was created in 1946 and was filled by Smith Hempstone Oliver during a 10-year tenure. John H. White assumed this position in 1958. 25 HrjTVfO^Y' 0 F j ^ E Ric/CLE. The following caption accompanied this illustration, which appeared in a newspaper some time after the introduction of the modern Safety. This description applies to an ordinary diamond frame wheel. There are many extra attachments, and different makers have different ways of putting a wheel together, so that they may differ in one or two minor details. The description given, however, is in the main correct. It includes mud-guards and their fittings, which are used but little here, but are on all wheels made in England. They are used generally on drop-frame wheels in this country. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. IS. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Upper main tube. Lower main tube. Front frame tube. Back stays. Back forks. Centre stay. Crank bracket. Contains cones at outer ends, crank axle, with ball-bearings and adjustment clip bolt. Upper ball head race, or cup. Lower ball head race, or cup. Saddle post adjustment clip. Back fork end. Handle-bar. Handle-bar stem. Handle. Ferrule, or nickel tip. Brake lever. Brake lever crank. Brake lever handle. Brake plunger connecting bolt. Brake plunger. Brake plunger adjustment nut. Brake shoe. Brake shackle?, bolts and nuts. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. Brake spring. Handle-bar clip and ball h Lamp bracket. Lock nut for handle-bar cl Ball head adjusting nut. Front fork crown, with front. Fork sides, right and left. Coasters. Fork ends. Step. Saddle. Saddle post. Saddle clip. Set screw. Chain adjustment bolt. Crank axle. Detachable sprocket whee Sprocket bolts. Chain. Detachable link in chain. Crank. Cotter pin nut and wash able crank on other side Pedal. ea ip b er of d cone. ake for lug in detach- machine. 48 49 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63- 65 66 67 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. , Pedal pin. . Nut and washer. . Steering wheel. . Tire. . Rim. , Air valve. , Valve cap. . Spokes. . Hub, which comprises outside shell with bushes, axle, and ball bearings. . Washers for fixing to forks. . Driving wheel. . Driving wheel hub. , Front mud-guard stays. Front mud-guard. -4. Front mud-guard screws. Back mud-guard stays. Back mud-guard. Back mud-guard screws. Back mud-guard screws. Saddle frame. Front saddle spring. Rear saddle spring. Leather top, with tension adjustment screw in front, underneath. 26 For purposes of comparison with the early diamond-frame Safety, the nomenclature of the 1971 Schwinn 10-speed Continental is shown. Photo from Schwinn Bicycle Co. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Chainwheel (or front sprocket) Pedal Chain Chainstay Rear derailleur Derailleur tension roller Freewheel gear cluster Spoke Rim Seat stay Seat post Saddle (or seat) Top tube Handlebar stem Seat mast (or tube) Front derailleur 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. Headset (top and bottom) Bottom tube (or down tube) Gearshift lever Brake cable Brake lever Steering head Handlebars Caliper brake Fork Hub (high-flange type) Tire Valve Quick-release lever Crank Bottom bracket, or crank hanger (behind sprocket) 27 This photo of an unidentified early bicycle, apparently taken in the Museum, is believed to be of the 1887 woman's bicycle built by Herbert S. Owen (see page 25). xtvjjn "' ?:* j ] Prominent among donors during the years of these last-mentioned curators is the late Albert E. Schaaf, of Cleveland, Ohio, who not only restored and presented two high-wheelers to the collection, but also collected and presented a valuable library of early bicycle litera? ture that includes rare historic scrapbooks and unbroken runs of trade magazines. Not on public exhibit is an important adjunct of the collection in the form of an interesting assortment of reference material composed of early manufacturer's catalogs, trade journals, and photographs, as well as the aforementioned Schaaf library collection. Significant examples from die museum's comprehensive collection of cycles, most of them restored, are exhibited in the Vehicle Hall in the east end of the first floor of the National Museum of History and Technology. The Vehicle Hall in the National Museum of History and Technology, showing part of the cycle collection on exhibition. 29 Hobby Horse, about 1818 Gift of Preston R. Bassett in 1964 One of only a few original Hobby Horses to be found in the United States, this machine is unidentified, but is believed by die donor to be possibly of French origin. The frame, or backbone, is a 47-inch wooden bar, curving upward at the rear. This bar was probably originally made of one piece, but now has a splice near the front, and is reinforced at diis point widi iron plates. The saddle is mounted on a separate bar which is elevated above the main bar by three adjusting screws, the two forward screws being fixed between two short crossbars situated near the front of the saddle. On the saddle bar is a firmly padded seat, covered with maroon mohair that is believed to be either original, or an early re? placement that is contemporary widi the machine's use. An upright post at the front of the saddle supports the rest for the rider's fore? arms. Three curving iron rods brace this rest. The saddle assembly can be elevated from 30 to 33 inches above the ground. A two-arm iron fitting is bolted to each side of the frame in the rear, thus forming the fork in which die rear wheel is mounted. The front wheel is held by an iron fork that terminates above in a long, backward-curving stem on which the curved wooden handlebar is mounted. A coil spring around the stem bears upward against a pin through the stem, to take up any vertical play in die steering head. Both of the 10-spoke wooden wheels are 24 inches in diameter, and carry a 1-inch iron tire. Wheelbase is 38 inches. Traces of the original light green finish are visible, bearing both yellow and black striping. This Hobby Horse was probably made about 1818. 30 Reproduction (1924) of an 1818 Hobby Horse. Hobby Horse of 1818 (reproduction) Gift of Buster Keaton in 1924 This reproduction of die Pedestrian Curricle, or Hobby Horse, popularized in England in 1818 by Denis Johnson, was used about 1924 in the motion picture Our Hospitality. A wooden bar, 55 inches long, and curved downwards slightiy in the center, supports by means of iron braces a wheel in die rear. A vertical iron fork, supporting anotiier wheel, is pivoted at the front of the bar. The fork is steered by means of a curved tongue attached to die bottom of die fork. A wooden armrest for die rider is mounted upon iron braces at die front of die bar. A felt saddle is carried on the center of die bar. Each wheel is 30 inches in diameter and contains eight spokes. The spokes, hubs, and felloes are of wood, with the spokes staggered in the hubs. Narrow iron tires are fitted to the felloes. 31 Velocipede, about 1868 Gift of William R. Beisel in 1894 This velocipede, made about 1868, originally had a white frame and red wheels. This velocipede, which is of the Hanlon type noted on page 5, is believed to have been manufactured by J. N. Hazelip, otherwise unidentified, for his name is uniformly stamped into it in two places. On the left front fork the name is accompanied by the number "43" which possibly could be a size, for the distance from die ground, un? derneath the front wheel, to the centerline of the frame, is 43 inches. No date appears on the machine. A forged-iron frame, terminating in a polished bronze casting at the front, supports a forged-iron front fork. The top of the fork is fitted with curved iron handlebars that undoubtedly were originally fitted with wooden grips, now missing. The wheels of the vehicle are of wood, each with 12 spokes slightly staggered in the hub. The 41J4-inch front wheel and the 36-inch rear wheel carry iron tires. On the front axle, wooden, spool-shaped pedals are fitted to nonadjustable cranks having a throw of 6^2 inches. A thin metal saddle, probably originally covered with leather, is suspended on a broad, curved, single-leaf steel spring directly over the center of the frame. Originally this machine, now under a coarse, later finish, had a white frame striped widi red, and red wheels, die striping of which cannot now be discerned. 32 Velocipede, about 1868 Gift of William Sturgis Bigelow in 1907 Velocipede believed to have been made in Bos? ton, Massachusetts, about 1868. It was restored in 1972. The donor of diis machine, which is of the French pattern, stated diat it was made by either Sargent or French, carriage builders of Boston, Massachusetts, about 1868, and that it sold for 160 dollars. An illustration of an almost identical machine is captioned "Ameri? can velocipede of 1869" on page 22 of Charles Pratt's The American Bicycler (1880). Another similar machine, illustrated on page 28 of Harry Griffin's Cycles and Cycling (1890), is described as an "Im? proved Boneshaker of 1870," made by Charles Pomeroy Button, of 142 Cheapside, London. A heavy forged bar, terminating in a fork at its lower end, serves as a frame. A vertical iron fork, topped by a horizontal handlebar mounted in brackets, swivels in die front of die frame. A forward projection of the frame carries a pair of footrests for use while coast? ing, and ends in an ornamental scroll. Wood-spoke wheels with 1 % g - inch-wide iron tires have, respectively, diameters of 37 inches in front and 31J4 inches in the rear, and 16 and 14 staggered spokes. Weighted bronze pedals hang from the cranks, adjustable from 4J^ to 7 inches, that are secured to the live front axle. Twisting the handlebars in the mounting brackets winds up a cord which presses a brake shoe against the tire of die rear wheel. A padded, pigskin-covered metal saddle is mounted on a flat steel spring, on which it can be adjusted forward or backward to suit die length of the rider's legs. This velocipede was restored in 1972 by Dale C. Price, of Cam? bridge, Maryland, who duplicated the original finish, which was typical of the better machines of the period. The frame and wheels are a rich, medium blue, heavily striped widi gold leaf. The long spring supporting the seat, die front fork, handlebars, and pedal cranks are highly burnished. The wooden grips of die handlebars are fitted widi brass ferrules and brass tips, and die counterbalanced ped? als are of polished bronze. There is little doubt diat diis is die finest velocipede in die Museum's collection. 33 Velocipede, about 1869 Gift of S. R. Sturdevant in 1889 As with several of die odier velocipedes, no identifying marks can be found on this machine, but the donor apparently believed it was made in Dayton, Ohio. His personal knowledge of die machine may be correct, for die velocipede was one of the first vehicles to come to the Museum's transportation collection, being only 20 years old when he presented it. The mechanical description of the 1868 velocipede made in Bos? ton will suffice for diis cycle, for die two are nearly identical. This one is slightly larger; its 14-spoke wheels have diameters of 38 and 32^4 inches and ^-inch tires. The adjustable pedal cranks are also longer, giving a throw of from 6 to 9 inches. The absence of two fea? tures, foot rests and a brake mechanism, distinguish diis velocipede from die 1868 model. Oddly, die handlebars turn and have an eye, as if for a brake, yet there is no evidence that this accessory was ever added, nor is there a passageway through which a brake cord could pass. The finish, now almost gone, was originally red, with a %6-inch black stripe split with a fine gold line, reminiscent of die decoration applied to commercial horse-drawn vehicles. Velocipede of about 1869, believed to have been made in Dayton, Ohio. 34 Van Anden Dexter Velocipede, 1869 Gift of Mrs. William M. Van Anden in 1930 93 Snyder Bicycle, 1927 Gift of the Homer P. Snyder Manufacturing Co., Inc., in 1927 Snyder bicycle of 1927. This tubular, diamond-frame bicycle was made by the Homer P. Snyder Manufacturing Co., Inc., of Little Falls, New York. At the time of its receipt at the Museum it was new and was among the most modern types of bicycles then manufactured in diis country. The hollow steel wheel rims carry the original 28-by-l/2-inch, single-tube tires, No. 66 E. H., made by the Fisk Rubber Co., of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Each wheel contains 36 tangentially laced wire spokes, and the rear-wheel hub incorporates a Model C New Departure coaster brake. Both wheel hubs run on ball bearings. Adjustment of the chain tension is obtained by moving the rear axle backward or forward in slots at the rear of the frame. The drive to the rear wheel is by sprockets and a Diamond roller chain, located to the right of the wheel. The pedal throw, 63/4 inches, is nonadjustable. The two pedal cranks are in one piece, unlike the two-piece construction of the 1896 Columbia bicycle in the collec? tion. The rubber-covered pedals are mounted on ball bearings. The curved, tubular metal handlebars, with Grip-Well rubber grips, are strengthened with a crossbrace. A hand-operated Klaxon- type horn is mounted on the brace, and a McKeelite electric lamp is attached to the front of the bars. The frame is strengthened at the top by means of an additional horizontal member, while the fork is supplemented with two vertical bars at its front. A metal toolbox is placed between the two horizon? tal members of the frame. Beneath it hangs a metal container for the dry cell for the lamp. A switch is built into the cover at the front of the container. The Troxel saddle of wood, leather, and coil springs is adjustable in all directions. Front and rear mudguards, a luggage rack over the rear guard, which carries a red glass reflector, and a stand are provided, but no chain guard is supplied. The bicycle is finished with orange and black paint and with nickel plate. Its weight is approximately 50 pounds. 94 Reinhardt Bicycle, 1935 Gift of Fred A. Birchmore in 1938 The German-made Reinhardt bicycle that Fred A. Birchmore rode on his around-the-world journey in the mid-1930s. The donor, a resident of Athens, Georgia, bought this bicycle in Gotha, Germany, in July 1935. An "Original Reinhardt," it was made by Fahrradfabrik Otto Reinhardt, Bielefeld, Germany, and was bought for 67 reichsmarks. In the course of the next two years Mr. Birchmore rode it through western Europe, eastern Europe, Crete, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Siam, Indo? china, and the Philippines, before pedaling his bicycle home across the United States from California. It has been estimated that his travels covered approximately 40,000 miles, of which about 25,000 were on the bicycle, and die rest by boat. Approximately four saddle covers and seven sets of tires were worn out during the journey. The present tires were purchased from a shop in Calcutta, India. 95 The tubular frame is of the diamond, Safety type, and is supported on metal-rimmed wheels, each containing 36 tangentially laced wire spokes and fitted with 26-by-2.00-inch tires with inner tubes. The rear-wheel hub incorporates a coaster brake inscribed "Torpedo- System Sachs." Both wheel hubs run on ball bearings, and an oil cup it fitted to each. Adjustment of the chain tension is obtained by moving the rear axle backward or forward in slots at the rear of the frame. The drive to the rear wheel is by sprockets and roller chain, located to the right of the wheel. The driving sprocket is mounted on a 3-piece crank assembly supported in two ball bearings in the crank hanger, which has an oil hole for lubrication. The pedal throw is 6/g inches and is nonadjustable. The pedals are rubber covered and are mounted on ball bearings. The curved, tubular metal handlebars carry composition grips, and mount a warning bell on the left side. A Radsonne front lamp is attached to the front fork, just below the handlebars, and turns with it. The light switch is contained in the lamp. An Energie gener? ator is clamped to the left side of the fork. The presently installed saddle cover, a Luxus, is mounted on a metal-and-coil-spring base that is fully adjustable. Front and rear mudguards, a Pallas luggage rack over the rear guard, a tire pump, and a small leather tool bag are provided. The front brake, which formerly rubbed against the tire, is now missing. No chain guard is supplied. An American pennant is attached to the front mudguard. The weight of the machine is approximately 43 pounds. 96 Simplex Servi-Cycle, 1935 Gift of Paul Treen in 1960 First production model Simplex Servi-Cycle, 1935. The Museum's Servi-Cycle, designed by Paul Treen and built by the Simplex Manufacturing Corporation, of New Orleans, Louisi? ana, features simplicity in every respect. The motor bears the number 19351, indicating that it was built in 1935 and was the first of the series. The single-cylinder, 2-cycle, 2-horsepower engine is air cooled and equipped with a rotary valve. The tiny carburetor on the back of the motor is controlled by a wire operating from a knob located behind the steering head, and a lever near the right grip operates a compression release. To start the engine, the operator opens the compression release with his right hand, pushes the cycle to gain speed, then closes the release. A V-belt drive transmits power to the rear wheel. There is no clutch, so the engine must be switched off in stopping. This is accomplished by pressing an electric button, of the type generally used to operate a bicycle horn, located near the left grip. This apparently shorts the low-tension side of the magneto, an Eisemann Model 71L bearing the serial number 2003. The tires bear the name of the Simplex Manufacturing Company and are marked "26 x 2.250." An ordinary cycle coaster brake, made by Morrow, is operated by a pedal at the left of the engine. The bicycle's stand can be moved up to form a footrest. The gasoline tank is in front of the seat, and the muffler is to the left of the rear wheel. An electric headlamp, mounted on the cycle's spring fork, receives current from the magneto. 97 Experimental wood-frame Whalen & Janssen bicycle of 1942. Whalen and Janssen Laminated-Wood- Frame Bicycle, 1942 Gift of Webster E. Janssen in 1946 At the beginning of World War II , John T. Whalen, witii Webster E. Janssen of the Janssen Piano Co., Inc., developed this laminated- wood-frame bicycle to conserve critical materials yet provide essential transportation. Wood subsequently proved to be more critical than metal, so the bicycle was not marketed. The fork, saddle, handlebars, and elliptical frame are of lamin? ated wood. The wheels are of metal, with 36 tangential steel spokes, and are 24 inches in diameter, mounting 26-by-1.375-inch Goodyear tires and tubes. A New Departure Model D coaster brake is incorporated in the rear-wheel hub, and the drive, by roller chain with metal sprockets and wooden pedals, is on the right side of the frame. Ball bearings are used throughout the machine. The saddle is unsprung but is adjustable. There are no mud? guards or chain guard, and no grips on the handlebars. The ma? chine's weight is approximately 31 pounds. 98 Raleigh Bicycle, about 1949 Gift of Alvaro Zabala in 1950 On 3 January 1950 Alvaro Zabala left Bogota, Colombia, on diis bicycle, and headed for New York City. After pedaling through Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, the Mississippi Valley, and Ontario, Canada, he reached New York City on 2 June, five months later. It is estimated that about 8,000 miles were covered during the trip. Subsequently, Mr. Zabala pedaled the bicycle to Washington, where the machine was presented by him to the Museum. The Raleigh bicycle, made in Nottingham, England, is a well- known machine. The lightweight, tubular frame of diis example is of the modern diamond type and is supported on two Dunlop metal- rimmed wheels, with 32 tangentially laced steel spokes in the front wheel and 40 in the rear. Each wheel runs on a pair of ball bearings, an oil hole being provided in each hub for lubrication. Large wing nuts are provided on each wheel axle to facilitate the removal of the wheels. The 26-by-1*4-inch tires are equipped with inner tubes. The fork, also of lightweight tubular construction, is mounted on This British-nnade Raleigh bicycle was used by Alvaro Zabala on his trip from Bogota, Colom? bia, to New York City in 1950. 99 a pair of ball bearings, while the curved handlebars are made of tubular aluminum and are provided with rubber grips. The sprockets and the Perry roller chain are on the right side of the frame. The 46-tooth driving sprocket is mounted on a 3-piece crank assembly supported in two ball bearings in the crank hanger. An oil hole in the crank hanger permits their lubrication. The 6/2- inch crank arms are detachable from the center section of the crank assembly, but are not adjustable. A ball-bearing-mounted, all-metal pedal with a metal toe clip is fitted to each crank arm. Attached to the rear wheel is a 3-gear, compound sprocket, made by Cyclo, of Birmingham, England, that contains 16, 20, and 24 teeth, respec? tively, in its three gear sections. These turn as a unit with respect to the wheel, and contain an overrunning clutch between the hub of the unit and the hub of the wheel so as to permit coasting. In use, the chain is engaged with one of the three gear sections, depending on the terrain to be covered. Changing is accomplished by loosening the wing nuts of the rear axle, placing the chain over the gear section desired, adjusting the chain tension by moving the wheel and axle within slots provided at the rear of the frame, and tightening the wing nuts. Another 16-tooth gear is rigidly attached to the other side of the wheel. By removing the wheel and turning it around in the frame, this gear, which allows no coasting, can be used. Front and rear brakes are provided, and each consists of a pair of rubber-faced, metal shoes which clamp against the metal rim of its wheel. Each pair of shoes is controlled by a cable and hand lever attached to the handlebars, the right lever for the front wheel, and the left lever for the rear wheel. A heavy wire spring keeps each pair of shoes normally away from the rim. Lighting equipment consists of a tail light, a Lucifer "Aero B l " front lamp with two bulbs and a built-in switch to select the bulb that is to be used, and a Lucifer "Baby 700" generator, clamped to the left side of the front fork, that operates through contact with the side of the revolving front tire. Both of the Lucifer items were made in Switzerland. A Brooks B-l7 Champion Narrow saddle, made of heavy leather on a wire framework, is attached to a tubular aluminum post adjust? able for height. The saddle is fully adjustable. There are no mudguards on the machine. A removable aluminum tire pump bearing the name "Britannialloy" is secured to the lower tube of the frame. Carried on the handlebars are a pair of aluminum water flasks and a tool bag. Small flags of the 10 countries through which Mr. Zabala travelled are draped from the handlebars to the saddle. The complete machine weighs approximately 33 pounds. 100 Schwinn Varsity Tourist Bicycle, 1965 Gift of Arnold, Schwinn & Co. in 1966 Designated by Schwinn as the Varsity Tourist, this cycle is inter? esting because of the 10-speed, French-made Sprint derailleur with which it is equipped. This is so named because the chain can be "de? railed" from one sprocket to another, offering ten different gear ratios. The rear hub is fitted with five sprockets (14, 16, 20, 24, and 28 teeth), and the 6/2-inch pedal cranks have two sprockets (39 and 50 teeth). Two small levers mounted on the lower main tube of the frame move cables that operate the derailing devices, the left one moving the chain sideways behind the pedal sprocket and the right one moving the chain sideways below the wheel sprocket. This lateral movement causes the chain to crawl up or down to the next sprocket as the cycle is pedaled forward. With this type of drive, Weinmann caliper brakes are used, the pairs of brake shoes gripping the rims of the wheels when hand levers are squeezed?the left one operating the front brake, and the right one, the rear. The 36-spoke wheels have tubular chrome rims and carry 27-by- 1%-inch nylon sports touring tires. The frame is of the usual light? weight diamond pattern. The frame and forks have a coppertone finish, the tourist-style handlebars have white plastic grips, and the spring saddle is in white and coppertone. The fenders are chrome plated, the rear one carrying a red reflector. A built in kick-stand is mounted on the left, just behind the pedals. Schwinn 10-speed Varsity Tourist of 1965. Schwinn Super Deluxe Sting-Ray Bicycle, 1965 Gift of Arnold, Schwinn & Co. in 1966 Schwinn Super Deluxe Sting-Ray of 1965. Used primarily by youngsters as a fun bike rather than for serious road work, this Super Deluxe Sting-Ray is Schwinn's "sports car" model. Sturdy and durable to stand the abuse often given it by chil? dren, this cycle has a cantilever frame in which all members but die center stay are curved. The back stays sweep forward in a continuous curve, drop below the upper main tube, and are secured to the sides of the lower main tube. Chrome-rimmed 28-spoke wheels carry 20-inch whitewall tires, the front being 13/4 inches in diameter and the studded rear, 2.125 inches. The front wheel is mounted in Schwinn's spring-fork. A 36- tooth front sprocket and a 20-tooth rear sprocket carry the driving chain, and the pedals turn on 5 / - i n c h cranks. The rear hub con? tains a Bendix automatic 2-speed coaster brake, which is shifted from one speed to another by back-pedaling slightly, while the brake is applied in the usual manner by back-pedaling more firmly. A chain guard protects the r iders clothing. Handlebars of the high-rise type have white plastic grips. A white, padded "banana" seat is unsprung, but adjusts to three different heights at 1-inch increments. Finished in a metallic sky-blue, this Sting-Ray has a short chrome- plated rear fender, and an even shorter front fender. Since the rear fender does not extend far enough downward to carry a reflector, a large red reflector is mounted under the rear of the seat. The cycle is supported when not in use by a built-in kick-stand to the left rear of the pedals. 102 BIBLIOGRAPHY BARTLEET, HORACE WILTON. Bartleet's Bicycle Book. London: Ed. J. Bur? row & Co., Ltd., 1931. BOWDEN, K E N , AND J O H N MATTHEWS. Cycle Racing. London: Temple Press Books, Ltd., 1965. BURY, VISCOUNT, AND G. LACY HILLIER. Cycling. London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1887. CAUNTER, C. F. The History and Development of Cycles. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1955. Cycles: Handbook of the Collection. Science Museum. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1958. GODDARD, J. T. The Velocipede: Its History, Varieties, and Practice. Cam? bridge: Riverside Press; New York: Hurd and Houghton, 1869. GRIFFIN, HARRY HEWITT. Bicycles and Tricycles of the Year 1886. Lon? don: L. UpcottGill, 1886. Cycles and Cycling. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1890. HOUGH, RICHARD, AND L. J. K. SETRIGHT. A History of the World's Motor? cycles. New York: Harper & Row, 1966. MCGONAGLE, SEAMUS. The Bicycle in Life, Love, War and Literature. London: Pelham Books, 1968. PAGE, VICTOR W. Motorcycles and Side Cars. New York: The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co., 1924. PALMER, ARTHUR JUDSON. Riding High. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1956. PORTER, LUTHER H. Wheels and Wheeling. Boston: Wheelman Co., 1892. PRATT, CHARLES E. The American Bicycler: A Manual for the Observer, the Learner, and the Expert. Boston: Rockwell and Churchill, 1880. SCHWINN, FRANK W. Fifty Years of Schwinn-built Bicycles. Chicago: Arnold, Schwinn & Co., 1945. SCOTT, ROBERT P. Cycling Art, Energy and Locomotion. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1889. SHARP, ARCHIBALD. Bicycles and Tricycles. London: Longmans, Green &Co., 1896. SHELDON, JAMES. Veteran and Vintage Motor Cycles. London: B. T. Batsford, Ltd., 1961. SLOANE, EUGENE A. The Complete Book of Bicycling. New York: Tri? dent Press, 1970. SMITH, ROBERT A. A Social History of the Bicycle: Its Early Life and Times in America. New York: American Heritage Press, 1972. TRAGATSCH, ERWIN. The World's Motorcycles, 1894-1963. London: Temple Press Books, Ltd., 1964. WOODFORDE, J O H N . The Story of the Bicycle. New York: Universe Books, 1970. 103 In addition to these publications there are many periodicals, most of which are no longer being published, that provide contemporary descriptions of many cycles and contests. Among these are the following: American Bicycling Journal, The (Boston), 1877-79, then merged into The Bicycling World. American Bicyclist and Motorcyclist (New York), 1906 to present (various titles). Bearings (Chicago), 1890-97, then merged into The Cycle Age and Trade Review. Bicycling World, The (Boston), 1879-1915 (various titles). Cycle (Boston), 1886-87. Cycle Age and Trade Review, The (Chicago), 1888-1901 (various titles). Cyclist, The (London and Coventry), 1879-1911 (various titles). L.A.W. Bulletin, The (Philadelphia and Boston), 1885-88, then merged into The Bicycling World. Springfield Wheelmen's Gazette, The (Springfield, Massachusetts), 1883-86, succeeded by The Wheelmen's Gazette. Wheel, The (New York), 1880-88, published by the League of American Wheelmen. Wheel and Cycling Trade Review, The (New York), 1888-1900, then merged into Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review. Wheeling (London), 1884-1901. Wheelman, The (Boston), 1882-83, then merged into Outing. Wheelmen's Gazette, The (Springfield, Massachusetts), 1886-1908, suc? ceeded The Springfield Wheelmen's Gazette. ft U . S . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1974 0 5 0 S - 7 U 104