Please help me identify this old bicycle!

[Dave02]

Hy! Please help me identify this old bicycle with 60 tooth sprocket. Maybe 1910s or 1920s. The modern wheels are because just the photo! Thank you for any help!

[Jesper]

(11-14-2021, 08:07 AM)Dave02 Wrote:  Hy! Please help me identify this old bicycle with 60 tooth sprocket. Maybe 1910s or 1920s. The modern wheels are because just the photo! Thank you for any help!

Very cool bike Dave!
It's a bit out of my wheelhouse, but I'll try to do some digging on it and see what develops. Interesting crankset/BB/chainwheel. That is an awfully large front gear for a single speed with that small of a rear cog (20T ?); definitely not a hill climber!

[Lemon]

60T, oh man!

[Jesper]

Just for comparison: here is my mid 30s Gerbi frame. Definitely a different design and geometry. The Gerbi is an Italian race frame with lugged conjunctions and much more compact.
   
   
   

I would assume that your frame is of American origin given its contruction; and roadster geometry. I believe early British/European bikes of that style were still lugged frames at least as far back as the 20s. Who knows about that chainwheel; it may have been proprietary to the brand, and if original would help identify your bike make; or it may have been available to various manucfacturers.

I am still trying to dig up some info if I can. There is a guy who is very knowledgeable about these early bikes. I will post a link to his site when I find it, but I believe he only deals with American made bikes so if it isn't US made you may be out of luck with him. It can't hurt to try.

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(11-14-2021, 08:07 AM)Dave02 Wrote:  Hy! Please help me identify this old bicycle with 60 tooth sprocket. Maybe 1910s or 1920s. The modern wheels are because just the photo! Thank you for any help!

Here is the link to the National Bicycle History Archive of America (NBHAA): http://www.nbhaa.com

Give this guy a try. He's a nice guy, but a stickler for detail; probably why he is good at what he does. His website is very redundant so I recommend focusing strictly to supplying the specifics of your bike regarding identification. Follow his instructions explicitly!
I advise writing to him via email just to introduce yourself, but do not try to get an ID of your bike when you send the message. You can pretty much just say you saw his site and have an old bike that needs IDing. Don't ask questions unless it is to clarify what he needs for identification (he maps that out very clearly on his site anyways), and don't send any photos in that email; just say hi! All photos: clear, in focus, well lit, and detailed; will get sent as separate formal ID request to him. Again, follow his instructions and you should have no problems.
I have spoken with him and he could not help me based on my penchant for international racing bikes which is something he does not specialize in, nor does he really care about racing frames/bikes, partly because he thinks they are essentially all the same, and to a certain degree he is correct. It is more difficult to ID my bikes than what he does due to similar details, componentry, etc. of racing bikes.
Give him a try!

[Criminal]

@Dave02 and @Jesper both of those frames are pretty cool! Jesper where do you come up with these bikes? Every time I look you are sporting some "new" weird frame or bike; such a variety of styles and years! I need to find out your sources (or magic) for finding this stuff; Jeez! Should I even ask what you are planning for on the "Gerbi" frame, or is it still just on the drawing board?

[Jesper]

@Dave02 need some more details and photos. Do you know if the pedal threads are English or French? That might determine the country (US or France/Europe) . Also, the bottom bracket threads could be a clue. Is there any badging of the cranks or pedals? It might not be the bike's manufacturer, but once again might put us on the correct continent. Please show a photo of the drop-outs (front and rear), and also the areas just behind the head tube where the 'bumps' are on top and down tubes. I can't determine if they are lugs from original manufacturing or possible repairs. Any other odd frame details need to be shown.
Thanks!

[Dave02]

(12-02-2021, 11:36 AM)Jesper Wrote:  need some more details and photos. Do you know if the pedal threads are English or French? That might determine the country (US or France/Europe) . Also, the bottom bracket threads could be a clue. Is there any badging of the cranks or pedals? It might not be the bike's manufacturer, but once again might put us on the correct continent. Please show a photo of the drop-outs (front and rear), and also the areas just behind the head tube where the 'bumps' are on top and down tubes. I can't determine if they are lugs from original manufacturing or possible repairs. Any other odd frame details need to be shown.
Thanks!

Thanks! It's identified an another forum: similar to Dürkopp and Styria bikes, Greger (Vienna) probably 1913. (There are a 13 stamp in the cranks.)

[froze]

Tough call, but I think it might also be a Crown from the early 1900's.

The Greger did not use filet braze from what I could find, the Crown did however. Also, the chainring is almost the same on the Crown with the heart shape pattern that I could not find on the Greger, of course, the chainring could have been replaced but it appears to be period correct so I think it's original.