Front matter
Reading edition
COPYRIGHT BY THE COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER ASS’N. A. D. 1898.
THE MODERN BICYCLE AND ITS ACCESSORIES
A COMPLETE REFERENCE BOOK FOR RIDER, DEALER AND MAKER
Republished from the Series of Articles Written for The Commercial Advertiser by Alex. Schwalbach and Julius Wilcox Under the Caption of “Bicycles for 1898,” Setting Forth the Improvements and Changes in Manufacture Since 1816.
THE COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER ASSOCIATION, 29 Park Row, New York, Publishers. 1898.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. EVOLUTION OF THE BICYCLE, 1816 TO 1899
The Year 1898 a Memorable One in Its History; Improvement in Quality, Reduction in Price, the Reincarnation of the Chainless, and the Abolition of the National Cycle Show—Tendencies Toward Fixity, and Reversion to Type—The Earliest Creations in Bicycle Construction and the Steady March Toward Improvement—A Brief Sketch of Development—Marked Characteristics and Changes Adopted with the Season of 1898.
Pages 1-9
CHAPTER II. THE CHAINLESS WHEEL.
Its Advent Upon the American Market, After Long and Costly Experiments—The Various Methods Employed to Transmit Power—A Single Successful Foreign Wheel of This Type—The Bevel Gear, Spur Gear and Pin-Roller Gear—A Study of the Chainless Type, with Illustrations and Descriptions of Popular Models.
Pages 10-27
CHAPTER III. CHAINLESS VS. CHAIN.
The Advantages Claimed for Each Compared—Summary of Early Attempts in “Safety” Types—Modes of Power Transmission—Demands Upon Chainless Construction—The Problems of End-Thrust and Side-Thrust—The Question of Strain Upon Bearings and Gear Teeth—Charges Brought Against the Chain Wheel—Effect of the Chainless Upon the Trade.
Pages 28-36
CHAPTER IV. FRAME AND FORK CONSTRUCTION.
The Frame, Essentially a “Bridge Upon Wheels”—Evolution of Shape in Frames—Drop Forgings and Stampings—Flush Joints—Drop Frames—Juveniles—Styles of Forks and Crowns—How Tubing Is Made—The Adoption of Sheet-Steel Parts.
Pages 37-52
CHAPTER V. CHAIN PROTECTION.
The Gear Case an English Device—Its Improved Construction in America—Its Practical Advantages—Various Styles Described.
Pages 53-57
CHAPTER VI. THE CHAIN AND ITS FUNCTIONS.
A Greater Knowledge and Care of Chains Desirable—Evolution and Operation—Attempts to Reduce Chain Friction—Roller Sprockets and Roller Chains—Various Points and Kinds of Friction—The Several Types of Chain Now in Use—Improved Sprockets—Results of Actual Tests—Chain Adjusters—Chain Bolts and Repairs.
Pages 58-66
CHAPTER VII. HUBS, SPOKES AND RIMS.
Improvements in Construction—The Suspension Wheel Described—Construction of Hubs and Spokes—The Strains to Which They Are Subjected—The Different Styles in Use—The Wood Wheel—Steel Rims and Wood Rims, with Some Popular Examples.
Pages 67-73
CHAPTER VIII. EVOLUTION OF THE TIRE.
The Tire from 1888 to 1898—Solid, Cushion, Inner-Tube and “Hose-Pipe”—The Various Makes of Tire and Rim—Early Methods of Repair—Modern Repair Methods and Kits—Plugs, Patching, Strips and Vulcanizing—Some Valuable Hints to Riders.
Pages 74-81
CHAPTER IX. THE BEARINGS.
The Great Improvement in Bicycle Bearings—Points of Contact—The Evil Results of Careless Construction and Assembling—Ballmaking—The Cup Adjustment and Its Advantages—Lubrication and Dust Exclusion—Methods in Bearings as Made in 1898.
Pages 82-87
CHAPTER X. CRANKS, PEDALS AND AXLES.
The Early and Modern Hub—The Divided-Axle Mania—“One-Piece” Construction—Crank Throw and Variable Gear—Gear Ratio—Crank Drop—Shapes of Crank and Sprocket—Evolution of the Pedal and Axle—Ankle Motion and Its Advantages—The Ramsey Swinging Pedal.
Pages 88-94
CHAPTER XI. THE SADDLE.
Until Late Years a Knotty Problem for Makers and Riders—Some Recent Improvements—Saddles and “Seats”—Use and Misuse of Springs—A Strictly Universal Saddle Impossible—Various Types and Makes—Wide Range of Choice—The Seat Post.
Pages 95-102
CHAPTER XII. HANDLEBARS, GRIPS AND BRAKES.
Successive Modifications—Long vs. Short Bars—Wood Bars—Grips of Various Sorts—The Question of Brakes—Rear and Front Brakes—Back-Pedalling and Rear Brakes—The Spencer Brake.
Pages 103-108
CHAPTER XIII. LAMPS AND LAMP BRACKETS.
Evolution of the Lamp—Excellence of the American Kerosene Lamp—Description of Various Makes—Electric Lamps—The New Carbide Illuminant—Descriptions of Carbide Lamps—Lamp Brackets.
Pages 109-117
CHAPTER XIV. CYCLOMETERS AND OTHER SUNDRIES.
Early Cyclometers—Dial and Barrel Types—Various Styles of the Latter—Bells, Ringing by Tire Contact and Otherwise—Bell-Brakes—Toe-Clips—Luggage-Carriers—Children’s Seats—Pumps—Accessories and Novelties.
Pages 118-125
CHAPTER XV. FREAKS AND USELESS DEVICES.
Constantly Recurring Fallacies—Weight for Obtaining Perpetual Motion—Some Examples of Vain Contriving—Examples of Patents Applied For—Building “To Order”—Cutting Down Frames—The “Drop” Craze.
Pages 126-131
CHAPTER XVI. TANDEMS AND MULTICYCLES.
Increased Use of the Tandem—Tandem Evolution—Various Makes Described—Tricycles, Multicycles and Juvenile Tandems.
Pages 132-138
CHAPTER XVII. MOTOR VEHICLES.
Bicycles and Tricycles—Evolution of the Motor Carriage—Air as Motive Power—Electricity in Actual Use—Various Electrical Vehicles Described—Gas Motors.
Pages 139-143
ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE BICYCLE—EARLY AND MODERN TYPES.
Page.
Draisine in action—1818 2
“Boneshaker”—1868 3
The “Ordinary”—1878 3
Rear Driver—1893 5
The “Rover”—1878 6
Chainless type, 1898 (bevel-gear) 7
Extreme type of 1898 Chain model, combining all late features 9
CHAINLESS TYPES AND DRIVING GEAR.
Columbia Chainless 10
Columbia Chainless—Mechanism and Frame 11
Spalding Chainless 12
Spalding Chainless—Driving Gear 13
Stearns Chainless 13
Monarch Chainless 14
Humber Chainless 15
Sterling Chainless—Crank Bracket 16
Sterling Chainless—Connecting Shaft 16
Bayvelgere Jointed Shaft 17
Hildick Chainless Driving Gear 18
Crescent Chainless—Driving Gear 19
Featherstone “Change Gear” Chainless 20
Featherstone Chainless Crank Hanger 21
Dayton Chainless—Driving Gear 22
Pine “Square-Tooth” Chainless 23
“English” Chainless 24
“English” Chainless—Driving Gear 25
Bantam Chainless—1898 25
Bantam Chainless—Driving Gear 26
Acatene Chainless—Driving Gear 26
Lloyd’s Cross Roller Driving Gear 27
Geared Ordinary 27
TYPES OF THE CHAIN WHEEL—MECHANISM AND OPERATION.
First Humber model 29
Golden Era—Model 29
Victor—First American Safety—1887 30
Diagram—One-sided Chain Pull 31
First Columbia Rear Driver—1888 32
Defender Midget—1898 34
Keating—Model 37
Union—Model 37
Victor—Model 38
Liberty—Model 38
Cygnet—Model 38
Victor—Single Loop—Model 39
Victor—Racquet Frame—1892 46
Stearns—Model 46
Cleveland—Model 47
Kangaroo—Model 51
FRAMES, FORK CROWNS AND JOINTS.
Three-Crown Frame 39
Chilion Wood Frame 39
Crescent Flush Joint 40
Wolff-American Flush Joint 40
Columbia Fork Crown 40
Crescent Fork Crown 41
Lyndhurst Fork Crown 41
Arch Fork Crown 41
Crawford Fork Crown 42
Humber Fork Crown 42
Monarch Fork Crown 43
Orient Fork Crown 43
Union Fork Crown 43
Liberty Fork Crown 44
World and Adlake Fork Crown 44
Cleveland Fork Crown 45
Eagle Drop-Forged Flush Joint 51
Wolff-American Lapped Joint 47
Remington Flush Joint 47
Working Drawing—Diamond Frame model 49
Working Drawing—Drop Frame model 50
GEAR CASES.
Frost Gear Case 54
Racycle Gear Case 54
Safety Gear Case 55
Rambler Gear Case 55
Cleveland Gear Case 56
SPROCKETS, CHAINS AND CHAIN ADJUSTERS.
Brown Roller Sprocket 58
Chantrell Chain 58
Keating Twin Roller Chain 59
Types of English Chains 59
Diamond “B” Chain 60
Thames Twin Roller Chain 60
Morse Roller Joint Chain 60
Baldwin Detachable Chain 61
Ewart Chain—1888 61
Bridgeport Detachable Chain 61
Liberty Sprocket 62
Crescent Chain Adjuster 62
Victor Chain Test—Diagram 63
Wolff-American Chain Adjuster 64
Crescent Chain and Bolt 64
Lefevre Chain 64
Circular Chain 65
Remington Chain 65
Missing Link 65
Victor Straight-Line Sprocket 66
Humber Chain Adjuster 66
HUBS.
Crescent Hub 68
Columbia Hub 68
Keating Hub 69
Sterling Hub 69
Wolff-American Hub 69
Cleveland Hub 70
Liberty Hub 70
RIMS, TIRES AND REPAIR TOOLS.
Plymouth Rim Joint 70
Plymouth Rim 72
Kundtz Rim 72
Buckeye Rim 75
“M. & W.” Tire 75
Indian Arrow-Head Tire 76
Dreadnaught Tire 77
Straus Protected Tire 77
Kangaroo Tire 78
Goodrich “Jiffy” Repair Tool 79
“Sure Thing” Repair Tool 80
BEARINGS.
Old Double-Row Ball Bearing 83
Lower Half of Double-Row Ball Bearing 83
Four-Point Bearing 84
Four-Point Bearing—“E. & D.” pattern 84
Common Three-Point Bearing 86
Three-Point Bearing—Improved 86
Two-Point Bearing 87
PEDALS.
Extension Pedals—American-Waltham 89
Rat-Trap Pedal—American-Waltham 89
Straus Removable Pedal Rubbers 89
Ramsey Pedal 90
Ordinary Pedal—“Clock” diagram 90
Ramsey Pedal—“Clock” diagram 91
CRANK AXLES AND CRANK HANGERS.
Crescent Crank Hanger, Stages 1 to 5 48
Stearns Crank Hanger Mechanism 71
Wolff-American Crank Axle 92
Gard Crank and Divided Axle 93
SADDLES.
Christy—Men’s model 96
Christy—Women’s model 96
Christy—Racing model 97
Christy—View of under side 97
Safety Poise 97
“Rubber-Neck” 98
Bernasco 98
Garford—Model “128” 98
Tillinghast—and Frame 99
Dr. Richmond “Universal” 100
Brown 100
Gilliam—and Frame 101
La Tulip 102
HANDLEBARS AND BRAKES.
Kelly Adjustable Bar 103
Plymouth Wood Bar 103
Lyndhurst Adjustable Bar 104
Barret’s Detachable Brake 104
Detachable Rear Brake 105
Stewart Roller Brake 105
Back-Pedalling Brake (Hay & Willits) 106
Back-Pedalling Brake (“New Departure”) 107
Duck’s Roller Brake 107
LAMPS AND LAMP BRACKETS.
Bridgeport Searchlight (oil) 110
Twentieth Century (oil) 110
“M. & W.” (Mathews & Willard) (oil) 110
Bragger (oil) 111
Columbia (oil) 111
“X Rays” (oil) 111
Manhattan Brass Co. product (oil) 112
Acme (electric) 114
Klondike (oil) 114
Solar (carbide)—Interior view 115
Electro (carbide) 115
Electro—Interior view 116
Helios (carbide) 116
Calcium King (carbide) 117
Combination Bracket 113
U. S. Detachable Bracket 113
CYCLOMETERS.
Twentieth Century Cyclometer 118
Veeder Cyclometer 118
Shepherd Cyclometer 119
Standard Cyclometer 119
New Departure Cyclometer 119
Trump Cyclometer 120
BELLS.
Lord Bell 120
Bevin Bell 120
L. A. W. Bell 121
Combination Bell and Brake 121
TOE CLIPS. CARRIERS AND SUNDRIES.
Howard Toe Clip 122
Combination Toe Clip 122
Kalamazoo Carrier 123
Lamson Carrier 123
Fairy Child’s Seat 123
“Ideal” Foot Pump 124
Lubricants—“Pacemaker” and “Three in One” 124
FREAKS AND ODD INVENTIONS.
Weight Driven Model 126
The “Sweeper” Idea 127
A Notion of 1881 128
Mahoney’s Model, 1893 129
A “Dream” Motor 130
Wind Driven Model 130
MULTICYCLES.
Stearns Septuplet 132
Stearns Convertible Tandem 133
Tinkham Tricycle 133
Wolff-American Triplet 134
Cleveland Tandem 135
Wolff-American Tandem 135
Tinkham Cab 136
Andrae Tandem 136
“Oriten” 136
Wolff-American Duplex 137
Tinkham Carrier 138
MOTOR VEHICLES.
Motor Tricycle 140
Pope Electric Phaeton 141
Pope Electric Phaeton, under test 143
Bicycle with Motor Attachment 142