Fascinating 1912 bike shop

[konstantkarma]

From Shorpy.com. Lots of antique bikes, natural rubber tires and a few motor bikes. Detroit, 1912.

Shorpy.com (http://www.shorpy.com/node/9414?size=_original)

[fiamme red]

Thanks. I love the Shorpy website, and don't follow it enough.

Interesting combination of inventory: Victrolas, together with motorcycles and bikes.

[johnnymossville]

wouldn't mind one of the Indians. :)

[Ken Robb]

Interesting to note that they sold Excelsior bikes and motorcycles,not to mention phonographs. I think all the pigeon holes along the wall on the right a re filled with cylindrical recordings.

[konstantkarma]

Yep. I think those are cylinders for the players shown in the shop.

I think some of the bikes are branded "Yale", and you can see an example of a huge fender on the shelf behind the bikes on the right.

[Catnap]

wow, some of the fork crowns on those bikes are *amazing* - i've never seen anything quite like some of the bi-planar ones.

[thwart]

Wow... Cool.

They got their Brooks saddles, cool grey tires, and sexy flat crown forks way before anyone else. How'd they do that?

Seriously, it's amazing how little things have changed in cycling in almost 100 years.

[Louis]

Seriously, it's amazing how little things have changed in cycling in almost 100 years.

Did the shop rats have tats back then too?

[Ken Robb]

Did the shop rats have tats back then too?

Only on their calves in the famous skip-link chain pattern. :beer:

[Birddog]

I think that one guy is sportin' some Rapha threads.

[avalonracing]

I think that one guy is sportin' some Rapha threads.

Yup... He paid six years salary for that jacket.

[Louis]

Yup... He paid six years salary for that jacket.

Actually it's like gas $ / gallon. Back then those jackets were only $7.59 (alterations included for free). For today's prices they just move the decimal over two places to the right.