what would you do with this prewar? opinions please

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schwinner

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hey guys.. i got this early 20s truss frame bike from a family friend for free. he knew i collected bikes and told me his mother had one in her garage and that it had been hanging in there since he was a young boy.he asked if i wanted it and of course i did. he went to his moms which was a state away for a visit and brought it back with him and just handed it over to me. i didnt know that it was a truss frame till i saw it. there is no headbadge although the spacing is 2.5 inches which may mean schwinn. also where the joints meet are blended into each other just as they would on a schwinn.. really beautiful craftsmanship. i just dont know what it is.i told him that it could be a valuable bike but he wasnt worried about it.

it was repainted in the 40s or early 50s.the pedals,seat,wheels and handlebars were not original.so i decided to strip it down and do something with it that i would like more. i sanded down the frame and sprayed it straight black.it has great gloss and looks like a new frame. i bought a repop hairpin seat that i thought might fit the age and style of the bike.although i think it may look a bit to big for the frame.it has sat now in its bloack paint doing nothing because i want to do something really cool with it but i cant decide. i know this is a rare frame and im not afraid to spend money on it but i just cant decide what style and options to go with.

so what say you?what would you suggest to look good?im open to all ideas except turning it into a klunker.any help and comments would be appreciated.also if you have a hunch as to what make this is or year i would love to find out.thanks

185-1.jpg


013.jpg


019.jpg
 
mos6502 said:
Well it has a 1920s era Columbia chainwheel, and the frame looks like a Columbia arch bar, so that's most likely what it is. The wheels, seat, stem, bars, and fork are all later additions - probably 1960s.

Here's a photo of an all original Columbia arch bar:
ColumArch1.jpg

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread ... er-Johnson
Click to expand...


thanks for the ideas..heres where i have my doubts.the distance between the top tube and the arch is alot longer on mine than a columbia.also the badge holes are vertical unlike a horizontal pattern on a columbia.the fork i believe to be original to the bike.the stem and everything else you say is not original i agree with.i hope you dont think im trying to disregard your ideas.i appreciate them and you may still be correct. i hope to solidify what it is through more research but all thoughts help me in my search.thanks for the pic..that is really cool to see a truss frame all together.
 
Personally, I'd custom paint some metal rim hoops to look like wood, add some cream or red brick tires, and ride it.
 
outskirtscustoms said:
Personally, I'd custom paint some metal rim hoops to look like wood, add some cream or red brick tires, and ride it.
Click to expand...


oh man..simulated wood painted rims with a few nice heavy clearcoats with creme wheels..i like that. thanks,you got me thinkin now
 
schwinner said:
outskirtscustoms said:
Personally, I'd custom paint some metal rim hoops to look like wood, add some cream or red brick tires, and ride it.
Click to expand...


oh man..simulated wood painted rims with a few nice heavy clearcoats with creme wheels..i like that. thanks,you got me thinkin now
Click to expand...

A nice simulated red wood with white tires, black frame.....Rat Rod style but better.
 
Well the fork is a bit odd for that time frame. If it is original then it rules out a lot of makes, including Schwinn. Do the fork ends need to be spread to remove the wheel? Or does it drop out like normal?
 
i may be wrong about the fork but here are a few pics of it so you can maybe get a better idea.

044.jpg


034.jpg
 
deorman said:
Some earlier "Pope" era Columbias have vertical screws, and closed dropouts. not saying this is one. If it were that would put it in the early teens.
Click to expand...
do you know if they made a truss frame? because out of all the bikes and pics i have found. mine closest resembles a columbia but with these subtle differences but i wasnt aware of pope..i will try to find info on them.thanks for the lead
 
I think Iver Johnson made a truss frame. I'll shut up now since I know nothing about early bikes. 8) Gary
 
deorman said:
archbarafter.JPG.w560h420.jpg

http://www.vintagecolumbiabikes.com

Here's a 1920 Columbia.
Click to expand...
hey..thanks for the pic.again the big thing that stands out to me on this, as with all the other truss frame photos i have found is the spacing between the top bar and the arch.mine is a lot farther apart than all the others.does anyone know if the distance would have anything to do with the make or were there possible slight variations based on what size tube pieces they had left over to create the little piece between the two?
 
Henry morgan said:
I would just sell the frame to me.. and no more worries for you. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
haha..hopefully it never comes to having to get rid of it but crazier things have happened
 
B607 said:
I think Iver Johnson made a truss frame. I'll shut up now since I know nothing about early bikes. 8) Gary
Click to expand...

Iver Johnson's arch bar frames looked like this:
iver_fixed.jpg

http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2010/07/truss-lust.html

I'm still leaning towards Columbia/Westfield. Westfield manufactured bikes for dozens of brands so that the head badge rivets are not in the right place for a Columbia badge doesn't necessarily rule them out. And it does certainly have a Columbia pattern chain wheel.

The fork though would be odd for a Westfield product, and I can't really think of any manufacturer using a triple-plate crown of that design from that era.

Harley Davidson used a triple plate crown, but it was of a different pattern: http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle421/picture1849
Snyder/Rollfast was also using a triple plate crown, but again of a different pattern. I think Dayton's was a differen't pattern too.
Westfield, Schwinn, Iver Johnson used forged crowns around this time (although they may have also used fabricated crowns too? most companies were producing products for several brands back then). There is a possibility that the fork is an early replacement, from maybe the 1930s.

Your best bet would probably be asking over at the cabe, sombody there will probably be able to identify it.
 
I've been looking through the old Schwinn brochures and their truss frame bikes have a narrower space between the bars and the bottom bar doesn't have as smooth of a bend as yours. If it's not a Schwinn, I wouldn't be upset, I think Schwinns are overrated, I'm not saying they're no good, it's just that there are other bikes from the same time frame that are just as good (possibly better :shock: ).

It's a pretty bike, don't worry so much about what it is, just get it together and ride it.
 

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