572cv
12-03-2016, 10:48 AM
Last month, I finally got to a great exhibit of old bicycles at the Sheldon Museum in Middlebury, VT. It was the last day, and a beautiful day to ride, so a bunch of us headed out for Middlebury from Ferrisburgh, via an old favorite route. The exhibit included some bikes from the Sheldon collection, but was largely comprised of examples from the collection of Glenn Eames of Burlington. Glenn founded the Old Spokes Home in Burlington, and has amassed a great collection of historic bikes. He has ridden many of them, and is well known locally for his prowess on a penny-farthing. Anyway, Weisan-pal asked what people were doing on a rainy day, and I realized I should put up this little collection of pictures from that visit. It was a lot of fun. Regarding the images, I've tried to figure out how to intersperse them in the text, but I expect this hasn't been successful. So, just know they are placed in order below.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/images/attach/jpg.gif
This first one was notable for the elegance of the handlebars. A very sharp machine!
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931210&stc=1&d=1480781337
There were also historic pictures, and accessories (coming to that). Don't try this at home, unless you're Danny M. and can hop down sideways....
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931211&stc=1&d=1480782251
A Columbia, with the super comfy seat, a lever brake, and the frame extension serving as a sort of fender. Looks remarkably contemporary, really.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931212&stc=1&d=1480782251
This would have been the cat's meow for a date with your sweetie!
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931213&stc=1&d=1480782251
Accessory! Dealing with dogs has been an issue from the start. No mention of how they dealt with Mr Squirrel....
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931214&stc=1&d=1480782251
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931215&stc=1&d=1480782251
Two pictures of a lady's custom bike from 1890. There was a great story here, candidly discussed. The owner of this bike had moved to Seattle when it was in its very early days, and opened what became a very successful business.... well, that she was a "madam" mattered not a whit to her, rather that she got to do what she wanted and buy what she wanted was the thing. And what she wanted was the best bike money could buy, built just for her. It even has the original city tag on it. Check out the fabulous 'snowshoe' chain guard and fender of bent wood, laced in place.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931217&stc=1&d=1480782251
A classic penny farthing.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931218&stc=1&d=1480782251
These guys had the kit of the day on.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931219&stc=1&d=1480782251
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931220&stc=1&d=1480782251
These show that the concept of a seat with a cutout is not, I repeat, not a new concept in comfort....
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931221&stc=1&d=1480782251
This bike was the first bike ridden to a "mile a minute" : As a stunt, the rider convinced one of the NY railroads servicing Long Island to put down a few miles of planks between the tracks. Then they set up a locomotive with a wooden skirt off the back, and the rider drafted the train to 60mph over a measured mile. Holy Crap.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931222&stc=1&d=1480782251
For those of you tandem riders, here is an early attempt to get your small stoker the view up front.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931223&stc=1&d=1480782251
This one is for OP, and the wheel builders on the forum!
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931224&stc=1&d=1480782251
Finally, here is one of the first Peugeots with a RD, from the 1930's. They were still working out how to do this, but guys raced this in the Tour and others. Quite a contraption, but it worked, after a fashion.
Well, if it is a rainy day where you are (it is snowing here) I hope you enjoyed this little tour down a sunny memory lane. Cheers.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/images/attach/jpg.gif
This first one was notable for the elegance of the handlebars. A very sharp machine!
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931210&stc=1&d=1480781337
There were also historic pictures, and accessories (coming to that). Don't try this at home, unless you're Danny M. and can hop down sideways....
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931211&stc=1&d=1480782251
A Columbia, with the super comfy seat, a lever brake, and the frame extension serving as a sort of fender. Looks remarkably contemporary, really.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931212&stc=1&d=1480782251
This would have been the cat's meow for a date with your sweetie!
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931213&stc=1&d=1480782251
Accessory! Dealing with dogs has been an issue from the start. No mention of how they dealt with Mr Squirrel....
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931214&stc=1&d=1480782251
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931215&stc=1&d=1480782251
Two pictures of a lady's custom bike from 1890. There was a great story here, candidly discussed. The owner of this bike had moved to Seattle when it was in its very early days, and opened what became a very successful business.... well, that she was a "madam" mattered not a whit to her, rather that she got to do what she wanted and buy what she wanted was the thing. And what she wanted was the best bike money could buy, built just for her. It even has the original city tag on it. Check out the fabulous 'snowshoe' chain guard and fender of bent wood, laced in place.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931217&stc=1&d=1480782251
A classic penny farthing.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931218&stc=1&d=1480782251
These guys had the kit of the day on.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931219&stc=1&d=1480782251
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931220&stc=1&d=1480782251
These show that the concept of a seat with a cutout is not, I repeat, not a new concept in comfort....
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931221&stc=1&d=1480782251
This bike was the first bike ridden to a "mile a minute" : As a stunt, the rider convinced one of the NY railroads servicing Long Island to put down a few miles of planks between the tracks. Then they set up a locomotive with a wooden skirt off the back, and the rider drafted the train to 60mph over a measured mile. Holy Crap.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931222&stc=1&d=1480782251
For those of you tandem riders, here is an early attempt to get your small stoker the view up front.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931223&stc=1&d=1480782251
This one is for OP, and the wheel builders on the forum!
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697931224&stc=1&d=1480782251
Finally, here is one of the first Peugeots with a RD, from the 1930's. They were still working out how to do this, but guys raced this in the Tour and others. Quite a contraption, but it worked, after a fashion.
Well, if it is a rainy day where you are (it is snowing here) I hope you enjoyed this little tour down a sunny memory lane. Cheers.