What's the oldest bike in continuous use?
10-12-09, 08:00 PM
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What's the oldest bike in continuous use?
A variation of a question I asked in Foo.
What do y'all guess is the bike that has been in the longest continuous use?
I'd guess a Worksman that has been on a plant floor for 75 years.
What do y'all guess is the bike that has been in the longest continuous use?
I'd guess a Worksman that has been on a plant floor for 75 years.
10-12-09, 08:45 PM
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I'll bet it's a Workman; thousands in use in NYC alone, Co. started in 1898
Granted, Bianchi's an older Co. However as the OP states; "continous use" is the operative phrase which disqualifies museum items or those which are perhaps kept functional with only occasional testing.
Granted, Bianchi's an older Co. However as the OP states; "continous use" is the operative phrase which disqualifies museum items or those which are perhaps kept functional with only occasional testing.
10-12-09, 08:52 PM
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10-12-09, 09:17 PM
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The 5,000 year old bike thats still in use at Newgrange. 
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You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
10-12-09, 09:18 PM
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Having worked on them, and having worked in a D.C. with a dozen or so of them in daily use. I seriously doubt there are any Worksman trikes still in commercial use that are more than 25 years or so old.
They are great bikes, but far from bulletproof.
They are great bikes, but far from bulletproof.
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10-12-09, 10:46 PM
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I think the oldest bike around are in museums. Continuous use is another thing.
There are many many real old bikes still being used continously for decades. When bike touring in places this is a rather common sight. An old woman on a bike in a rural area which must have been used a lifetime to run errands. Unbelievably filthy chains too. Now if someone got a used bike way back and is still riding on it today that's going to be real exceptionlly old.
It is of course not always easy to judge the age of bikes. There are many bikes still being made in a traditional style. If it is not broken don't fix it. When these bikes get worn down 20 years down the road they look a little retro in a way. But knowleadgeable people can spot them in a second.
Tour in rural eastern Europe , just beautiful retro bikes. Not everywhere of course. Some places bikes with rod brakes are common. Supermarket mtb are very popular also. I don't think there is going to be much left of it in say 10 or 15 years. I hope the people there value their old bikes. Hint for anyone needing props for a ww2 movie or something
There are many many real old bikes still being used continously for decades. When bike touring in places this is a rather common sight. An old woman on a bike in a rural area which must have been used a lifetime to run errands. Unbelievably filthy chains too. Now if someone got a used bike way back and is still riding on it today that's going to be real exceptionlly old.
It is of course not always easy to judge the age of bikes. There are many bikes still being made in a traditional style. If it is not broken don't fix it. When these bikes get worn down 20 years down the road they look a little retro in a way. But knowleadgeable people can spot them in a second.
Tour in rural eastern Europe , just beautiful retro bikes. Not everywhere of course. Some places bikes with rod brakes are common. Supermarket mtb are very popular also. I don't think there is going to be much left of it in say 10 or 15 years. I hope the people there value their old bikes. Hint for anyone needing props for a ww2 movie or something
10-13-09, 06:28 PM
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I don't know about any of the industrial rides, but my '84 SweetHeart Cycles Motocruiser is 25 1/2 and gets ridden every day I'm home as my utility bike. Heading out for a 12mi. round trip to the Post Office and corner market w/ Lucky.
Last edited by dzrthauler; 10-13-09 at 06:41 PM.
10-13-09, 06:44 PM
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My '75 jack taylor is only a year younger than I am, but I'm sure there are much older bikes out there being ridden right now.
10-13-09, 06:51 PM
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10-13-09, 06:52 PM
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I'll call the boys at Worksman tommorow, have them point out which bikes they've photo'd pre-date the '30s, let's see how many dozen there are.
10-13-09, 06:59 PM
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Continuous use---must have been that 48 monark full dresser/loaded with chrome and a springer fork that almost ran over me in Mexico---that old 'ANTIQUE"guy leading the pack of cars down that cobble stone street--get's my vote!
10-13-09, 06:59 PM
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Heinz Stücke's bike?
10-14-09, 06:59 AM
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So yeah, what's "continous use"? I've got a neighbor who owns a 1967 Schwinn Varsity he bought new and rides once every three or four years. Is that continous use?
Like JunkYardBike, I'm impressed with Heinz Stucke's bike. He left his home in Germany in November, 1962 and toured the world continously through June of 2004 on the same bike, a German machine with Sachs three speed coaster brake hub. Not only did the bike cover over 335000 miles in all weathers in this time, but it did so carrying all of Mr. Stucke's possesions and spending untold thousands of nights out of doors in every climate in the world.
tcs
Like JunkYardBike, I'm impressed with Heinz Stucke's bike. He left his home in Germany in November, 1962 and toured the world continously through June of 2004 on the same bike, a German machine with Sachs three speed coaster brake hub. Not only did the bike cover over 335000 miles in all weathers in this time, but it did so carrying all of Mr. Stucke's possesions and spending untold thousands of nights out of doors in every climate in the world.
tcs
10-14-09, 07:10 AM
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What does "oldest bike" mean? My 70-something Super Course has been in continuous use for thirty-something years, but about the only original parts on it (other than the frame, of course) are the seatpost and the brakes and levers.
Kind of like the old farmer's axe -- you know, where he says "this is a great axe. I've had it for twenty-five years. I've had to replace the handle five times, and the head three times, but it's never let me down. I'll have it for another twenty-five years."
Kind of like the old farmer's axe -- you know, where he says "this is a great axe. I've had it for twenty-five years. I've had to replace the handle five times, and the head three times, but it's never let me down. I'll have it for another twenty-five years."
10-14-09, 07:23 AM
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I have a couple of Normans from 1950 (or so), that I ride. But I haven't had them that long; got one this year, got the other in '07, I think. As for their continuous use over the years, I can only speculate.
10-14-09, 07:39 AM
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I don't know.
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i am commuting lately on a 1943 Schwinn-made BFGoodrich road frame
10-14-09, 11:10 AM
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I have a 1907 Bianchi that I ride to school sometimes. (not really)
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10-14-09, 11:20 AM
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A local bike shop owner and collector...Curtis from Via Bikes in Philly, has a Penny Farthing and rides it frequently. If memiry serves, it dates back to the 1870s. I have no idea if it was ridden prior to his acquiring it.
I was speaking with another oddities bike collector at Trexlertown, and he told me about entire clubs of Penny Farthing riders called "Wheel Men".
I was speaking with another oddities bike collector at Trexlertown, and he told me about entire clubs of Penny Farthing riders called "Wheel Men".
