1896 Cycler’s Guide and Road Book of California

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2013/10/21/history_of_cycling_map_of_possible_routes.html

1896 Cycler’s Guide and Road Book of California. It has great advertisements, and I can only imagine what the roads labelled 'poor' condition were like, as even the best roads at that time were not paved. The roads of the late 19th Century were gravel or dirt roads.

“I often hear now-a-days, the automobile instigated good roads; that the automobile is the parent of good roads. Well, the truth is, the bicycle is the father of the good roads movement in this country.” -Horatio Earle, founder of American Road and Transportation Builders Association and  a former chief consul of the League of American Wheelmen. Earle became known as “the father of good roads” for his work on America’s highways, work he started when he was a cyclist.

Butler Swap meet pictures

A bunch of early bicycle catalogs including Monarch, Rambler, Sterling, Columbia, Indian, etc. Also the Major Taylor's autobiography - The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World.

Amazing original Columbia Bicycles poster from the turn of the century.

Visually appealing display of early bicycle hubs.

First year Swing Bike, rare to find with original chainguard.

Huffy Radiobike, yes there is a radio inside the tank.

I have always loved the Tribune headbadge, a bicycle cog. Tribune Model B 80.

Tricked out musclebike.

Delta lights display.

Tribune 3 seat tandem- Hill Cycle

Here is a photograph I recently ran across of the Jerry Casale and Jerry Casale Jr with their Tribune tandem. (middle rider is unknown). The Tribune is outfitted with Williams cranks, Cyclo rear derailleur, and British Hub Company large tandem drum hubs. That is one long Cyclo continuous cable.

Catalogs- a very valuable resource

these catalogs are from the 1890s-1900. Esoteric Wheelmen era information but at the same time, very interestng illustrations and unique parts.
Gormully and Jeffery, Tribune Bicycles, Columbia made by Pope Manufacturing,  Stearns bicycles, Hoffman(later became Huffy), Packer bicycles, and White Sewing Machine Bicycle

everyone loves random swap meet pictures

Various Swap meet pictures.

Chater Lea Bottom Bracket cups

Nice display of Schwinn Stingrays and Krates

J.C. Higgins??

I can see a Tribune, Sterling, Follis, Peugeot, etc...

Interesting parts box, I forget what make. Cool bottom bracket spindle with oversize balls,
and the headset has greaseports.

Pictures

The next few blog posts will be random pictures of cool interesting bicycle and parts.
this batch includes a nice repainted Tribune Blue Streak, with some incorrect parts, and a nice original Schwinn Aerocycle.