Mad Honk 

Jack, Come to Bloomington the owner of the Bike Doctor shop has a high wheeler wooden rim bike out in front of his shop! Smiles, MH

since6

WOW, what a wonderful gift with tool and pump.

Do post pictures while you restore and when you're done.

Merry Christmas!

OldsCOOL

Thank you and Merry Christmas to you!

Wileyone 

I gave you a "Like". Because this is sooo Cool.

OldsCOOL

Rims appeared to look like replacement steel until taking a magnet to them. I’ll post a pic along the way. I gave them a turn and the rims look surprisingly true for 120+yr old wooden rims. They will need a complete respoke and tires/tubes.

This is going to be very interesting.

OldsCOOL

If I’m ever down there! 😁

OldsCOOL

Believe it or not it’s a coaster brake but doesnt have that arm. The hub is large, similar to coaster brakes. I gave the pedals a crank and kicked it back to check.

OldsCOOL

Thank you! I’ll use this thread to document the progress.

ryansu

Its a Christmas miracle! very cool OP have fun with the resto

TXsailor

I am intrigued and a little jealous but the first thing that popped into my head was if I found something like this and acquired it where is the right place to start? Try to restore it? Leave it like it is? Get it so it can be rode and leave it that way?

non-fixie 

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

Subscribing!

Did I say it was wonderful?

CliffordK

There are a couple of Italian bike shops that make wooden rims.

CB Italia?

I think there was another company too. CB Italia advertises heavily on E-Bay. I don't know if they would make copies, or perhaps could suggest someone to restore rims if needed.

I suppose the question would be whether you choose to restore the bike to look like it came off the factory floor. Or to make it look like a clean "original". Good tires/tubes/spokes/etc. But, still basically the original bike with lots of patina.

cycleheimer

Have you posted on the C.A.B.E. yet? Great source of info and guidance on bikes from that era. Happy Holidays!

OldsCOOL

I’m checking in at The Wheelmen for membership when stuff calms down. Thanx for the heads-up on C.A.B.E.!

OldsCOOL

Strategy will be a careful degreasing and cleaning. As for finish, it will be left as is in every way possible. Biggest challenge will be the wheel relace, tires and tubes. I’m expecting stem and post to be stuck but that’s ok I’m only riding it on special occasions. Bottom bracket and wheel bearings spin amazingly well. Everything will be lubed and tuned. Tires appear to be 25” or so. Seat is intact but needs repair or replace, one bar grip is gone.

I now have a winter project.

OldsCOOL

Have found other pics of recovered bikes of the wooden rim era and just wowed at their forlorn condition. I found a gem.

So far, seat post, quill stem and steerer are free and loose.

25” (?) tubular tires are rock hard and unresponsive to air pressure. Hoping to find some nice repops.

deux jambes

I noticed one was missing, and I also noticed by the one remaining that the grips are very unique. Assuming it may be near impossible to find appropriate replacements, I wonder if you’ve thought of using the grip you still have as a model for fabricating a new pair?

Looks like the bulk of the grip is turned wood?

crank_addict

Merry Christmas!

Terrific find and nice gift!

Anyways, my family have a few oldie auto's and carriages from this era. Always fascinating to see motion pictures preserved from the actual times. See the middle of the following film ~ enjoy.

OldsCOOL

The remaining grip is rubber but hard as a rock. I would like to find a set near era, possibly repops or something nearer to the pathracers, maybe find some drop bars as well.

ETA: the grips are wood wrapped with leather lace. Handle bar is a drop bar that had been turned up. Tires are the typical 28” tubulars still Seen in use today.

sloar 

I've had a couple turn of the century wood wheel bikes. If the rims are bent, the best way to straighten them is soak them in water and lash them to a straight metal rim for a couple days to dry. I basically respoked mine one at a time replacing the old ones as I went. Now the tires, very expensive for riders, or you can buy display only tires for a lot less. But whats the fun in that. The Wheelman club are having a swap meet next month, if your searching for anything I can look for it there. Let me know.

Hudson308 

Freakin wow. How cool is THAT?!?!?

OldsCOOL

Thank you for your kind offer. I’ll probably wait until the end of the project before the tires are installed. It’s a project of a different kind and speed. Great tip on the rims!

OldsCOOL

The pump is really wild. Looks like a predecessor to modern syringes...or a CO2 tire inflator. Basically, the whole bike is a predecessor to our cycling world.

OldsCOOL

The pedals are Pirate rat traps. In terms of weight, they are much lighter in construction than what we see on our C&V bikes. I would weigh them but the project is a preservation and some things won’t be disassembled. They will stay put on the cranks for now.

OldsCOOL

Bicycle archaeology! This is really good news. You can see both ball races are in clean and great shape. Best of all I don’t have to remove pedals to lube the BB. My grease gun syringe attachment will reach down in there just fine.

Also found my Colnago size tubulars will fit the woodie rims. That gives me confidence in the ordering of new tires, that they will fit. Get me the big glue bottle, Verne!