Happy 100th Birthday

This 1918 Cleveland Ladies' Roadster model 455 came to me thanks to Marc in Ottawa. It was found in a barn in Smith Falls, covered in bird poop. It was cleaned up and rideable when I got it but in honour of its 100th birthday I decided to try to get it looking like its catalogue image as much as possible.

Thankfully, Marc had kept the original hubs, which had beautifully preserved nickel plating underneath a thick layer of oily dirt. I laced them into a pair of old wood rims that I painted in wheel stripe code #71 (green, black, and gold stripes) to match a bike with a green frame with gold pin stripes. Then I added some clear marine spar varnish. I scrounged around for the bars, stem, saddle, and tool pouch, but the rest of the bike was original. The pedals and chain guard were in good shape. I found the pump on the Internet, and added a period correct Miller acetylene lamp. Finally I threaded in some black cord in a pattern to match the catalogue. I used continuous loops of cord instead of many little knots because I wasn't sure how that many knots would fit on the tiny metal ring by the axle.

From a recent acquisition, this old lady now has a dashing old gentleman friend to keep it company in my garage, in the form of a 1918 CCM Cleveland Mens' Roadster model 458.

Photos to come...