Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Freewheeling => The Dark Side => Topic started by: Cudzoziemiec on 14 December, 2020, 09:42:20 pm

Title: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 14 December, 2020, 09:42:20 pm

(https://cdn.road.cc/sites/default/files/styles/main_width/public/auction-01-picture-credit-lawrences-auctioneers.jpg)
This Marriot & Cooper 'Olympia' Tandem Tricycle from around 1899, for example, has an estimate of £5,000-8,000, with the catalogue description below:
Promoted as 'easy to steer and propel in luxurious ease', these tandems were very popular in the late Victorian period. This example has been stove-enamel black with nickel-plated flat handlebars and a rim brake and contracting back pedalling brake are fitted to rear wheel. Other features include non-matching leather saddles, rear rack and lamp bracket.

As seen in road.cc: https://road.cc/content/news/dozens-vintage-bikes-be-sold-auction-tomorrow-279469

There's nothing new, etc...

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: Wobbly John on 15 December, 2020, 06:54:22 am

Everything was done in the 1890's - suspension, X frames, etc.

Peter Taylor revived this design in the 1990's and called it 'The Victorian'. I remember him, Mike Burrows and George Longstaff chatting at the Mildenhall rally.

https://onlinebicyclemuseum.co.uk/1990s-replica-olympia-tandem-tricycle/

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: tatanab on 15 December, 2020, 07:02:00 am

The front bars are for the stoker to "strain" against.  The tandem is steered from the rear.  I have ridden a tandem quadricycle with that configuration, a bit older than tandem trike photographed.

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 15 December, 2020, 08:54:03 am

So they are! That becomes clear looking at the drawing in Wobbly's link (thanks both :thumbsup:).

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: The French Tandem on 15 December, 2020, 08:55:03 am

That's fantastic! A Pino Hase nearly 100 years before the Pino Hase.
I'm just wondering what the bar ahead of the front chainset is intended for. A kind of footrest for the stoker? I imagine elegantly dressed bypassers in 1899 shouting "She's not pedalling at the front".

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 15 December, 2020, 09:00:32 am

The advert in Wobbly's link mentions 'comfortable footrests' presumably for downhills. I'm guessing it was fixed gear, the 'Special' version mentions '56 inch gear'. There's also a photo showing a light fixed to the bar.

(https://onlinebicyclemuseum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1990s-Tandem-Tricycle-Olympia-Replica-14.jpg)

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: Salvatore on 15 December, 2020, 09:23:42 am

Also available pre-loved throughout the Empire. Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Monday 09 November 1891

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50721626238_1df026a8e2_o.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kh6And)

Presumably not suitable for two ladies as the rider at the back had to be wearing trousers.

The same advert appeared regularly until 26 Jan 1892.

But you could get one for £17 from Colston, tobacconist, of Lawrence Hill - "very light, balls to all parts, hollow rims" (Western Daily Press - Wednesday 01 June 1892)

Title: Re: 1899 trike with USS
Post by: Salvatore on 15 December, 2020, 09:53:16 am

£45 in 1890 is worth £5,820.56 today
according to https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/1890?amount=45