[MendonCycleSmith]

So I have some work to do, but I thought I'd share some pics, it's really freakin cool

 

[rockcrusher]

centerfold shot? I wanna see it all....waaah!

 

[ang1sgt]

OMG! That thing looks interesting. Did you find that in Upstate NY? I figured something like that would have reverted back to iron ore by now in out weather!

Chris

 

[EddyKilowatt]

Yeah, where's the obligatory pic of it hanging on a scale?

... a railway freight scale that is...

Cool lookin machine, bet you will have fun getting it sorted out and operating. Really fascinating to look at how things used to be done.

Eddy

 

[archtop44]

Hygienic!

There are not nearly enough products in the modern bicycle world marketed to the hygiene enthusiast demographic!

...even the maker is the "Hygienic Wheel Co." --like how 9er makes niners

Do you think it's a reference to the bike reducing, um... unhealthful "vibrations" which might, er, overstimulate?

More pics if you got 'em, please! Awesome find.

 

[archtop44]

Ok, fabbed by Pierce...

oops, just licenced by the hygienic wheel co... still very clean, I'm sure.

 

[Yellow Bear]

Hi Mendon,

Year 1902? :eekster: This is really AWESOME.
More pics please!

T.

 

[jmw]

you gonna put some I9's on it????

 

[Padre]

That's cool!

 

[cocheese]

That is sweet!

It's cool how they just put "96" to mean 1896. Do you have any full body shots? I'd be curious to see how that soft tail parts works. Old stuff really fascinates me.

 

[LyNx]

Yeah, come on dude that's too interesting not to have a full body pic. thanks for posting.

 

[darkclouds]

Woohoo! Soft tail, rigid front. Now stop teasing and let us see the whole picture. :madmax:

 

[pacman]

Wow, pivots around the BB shell.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

Ha, too many cool bits to pic, not enough slots in the thread Here's a few more. As for the Hygenic aspect, yes, the Victorians were all about healthful living, and bicycles, while very liberating, were also ridden on roads that would make most MTB riders think "sweet F'in singletrack!!!" and until Dunlop introduced the pnuematic tire, these guys were ridden on solid rubber, ouch! So the suspension really helped then, much as it does today, hygenic or otherwise

 

[darkclouds]

Very interesting. Went digging around and found this tidbit with accompanying pic.

"Pierce made what was probably the best bicycle of this era. It had a shaft drive, which was considered preferable to the chain at this time. State-of-the-art suspension came from a front fork of spring leaves and a telescopic shock absorber on the drop bar. It was called the Pierce hygienic Cushion Frame with an eye toward its healthful anti-vibration qualities. The company's 1897 model sold for $75."

So it's a dualie with drive shaft. Now that's high tech.

 

[rollinon29s]

so if its shaft drivin like that....would that mean its a the same as a fixie? cause i dont see a neutral shifter/lever.

 

[Turveyd]

Read the sign " Hub Brake " yep thats a fixie.

Smart, they had the idea to make the bike pivot around the BB, even back then, few bikes do thats today, took another 90years before real FS designs came around, thats SMART!!

 

[banks]

Ahh, you got it. Dmanit

 

[CLONG]

That's an awesome find! Congratulations and keep us updated. I see a soft-tail rear and a spring seat, does that make it a dually?

Seriously, though.

Are all the moving parts moving right now? Does the BB pivot function? Pneumatic tires?

Oh by the way, the skip-tooth looks teh hotness.

 

[cocheese]

Ha, too many cool bits to pic, not enough slots in the thread Here's a few more. As for the Hygenic aspect, yes, the Victorians were all about healthful living, and bicycles, while very liberating, were also ridden on roads that would make most MTB riders think "sweet F'in singletrack!!!" and until Dunlop introduced the pnuematic tire, these guys were ridden on solid rubber, ouch! So the suspension really helped then, much as it does today, hygenic or otherwise

Nice! It's a "Dos 1909'er"!