1900 CCM Red Bird 54 Project

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 08/26/2022 - 12:45

I'm excited to start restoring a bike from CCM'S first year of production, 1900. With help (thanks Dave!), I've learned that the CCM Brantford Red Bird Model 54 Ladies falls between the Brantford Model 50 in an 1899 Brantford catalogue, and the Model 56 in a 1901 CCM Brantford catalogue. It has the rounded fork crown of the 1899 model and the little frame cross member of the 1901 model. For 1901 CCM wrote about their new (squared off) fork crown.

I could really use a pair of early CCM crank arms and chainring for this bike, in any condition. The crank arms are the type that has a tapered hexagonal mounting point held on by a screw. I could also use an upper fork bearing cup. If you can help, contact me at brianrreynolds@yahoo.com (note extra r in the middle)

6 Comments

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 08/26/2022 - 12:48.

Here are images of the Goold 1899 Model 50 and the 1901 CCM Model 56:

screenshot_20220826-125437_chrome.jpg screenshot_20220826-125519_chrome2.jpg

Submitted by jdwillia on Fri, 08/26/2022 - 17:51.

Hi Brian,

If you look on Facebook Marketplace for Edmonton right now, and do a search for "antique bike", someone here is trying to sell this exact model ladies Red Bird bike, and it is in very good shape. It shows the original wooden rear fender and chaiguard, among other things.

John Williamson

Submitted by Louise_Photographer on Sun, 08/28/2022 - 14:42.

Hi Brian - 

I'm looking for information on the Model 55, I believe to be from 1900....do you happen to know anything on this one?

 

Thanks

Louise

Submitted by Brian R. on Mon, 08/29/2022 - 17:02.

Hi Louise,

No, sorry, all I've had to go on so far for my own research is the 1901 (CCM) Brantford catalogue posted in the vintage CCM catalogue section of the forum, and the 1899 (Goold) Brantford images sent to me by Dave Brown. I've previously searched for old bicycle catalogues at the Toronto Reference Library rare book room, but they don't have one from CCM in 1900. Since the company was only just being organized in mid to late 1899 and picking up the pieces of the five founding companies into 1900, it's possible they were not able to print any new catalogues for that model year.

You could try phoning the library of the Collections and Research department of the Canada Science and Technology Museum - Ingenium (don't ask me about that last part of the name). They have a lot of bicycle catalogues and the librarian there might be able to do a quick search while you're on hold to see if they have one.

Another possibility is newspaper ads from Toronto newspapers in 1900. The Toronto Public Library has scanned all of them and they have a sophisticated computer search engine (no more microfilm - yay!). I think I have a library card somewhere and can try searching for you. A news ad would not have details about the bike's equipment, but it might be better than nothing.

I hope that helps.

Submitted by jdwillia on Mon, 08/29/2022 - 17:52.

Another place where you might get some help is from Australian collectors. The early Red Bird bicycles were sold there and seem to be highle prized by collectors. Try doing a search using the terms "Red Bird bicycle Australia". I know at least one person on the web over there had a lot of pictures of bicycles owned by a collector and an early Red Bird was one of them. I also seem to remenber pictures of Australian riders riding Red Bird bicycles who had won championships around the turn of the century.

 

Submitted by Louise_Photographer on Mon, 08/29/2022 - 19:23.

Thanks Brian - good suggestions that I will follow-up on and report back. 

Thanks John - good ideas too, I appreciate your continued support.