Seeking Red Bird Information - 1900 Catelogue

Hello Louise,

Do you have the picture of Karl and his bicycle that is reproduced in "Freewheeling; The Story of Bicycling in Canada"? The picture came from the Colchester Historical Museum.

The year 1899 was the year CCM was formed and Brantford "Red Bird" bicycles were part of the conglomeration. From this point on, Red Bird bicycles became CCM Red Bird bicycles, but it is likely that Karl's Red Bird was made before CCM was formed. Even so, these bicycles did not change much for many years under CCM ownership

I am no expert on the early Brantford bicycles, but some people on this forum will be. Typically, the early manufacturers produced several models for both ladies and men, and sometimes included a racer. The numbers, such as 50 and 51 will indicate a model number. Karl's bicycle appears to be a fairly standard Roadster model with an inch-pitch chain, wooden rims, and no fenders (fenders came into widespread use a few years later. At this time, the price of a new bicycle could have been something like 75 or 80 dollars, which was a lot of money. In the 1930's average prices had dropped to slightly more than $40.

Hopefully, others who are more knowledgeable will see your post and provide more information.

John Williamson

I forgot to mention that Red Bird bicycles were sold in Australia and New Zealand around 1900. You can find articles on Australian champions who were riding Red Bird bicycles and I have seen them offered on Ebay Australia over the years.

Hi John; 

Thanks for the post. Yes, I have all the research and images but it still comes back to understanding the three references: 

Red Bird Special 51 Racer

Red Bird Special 55

Red Bird Australian 1900

I'd like to try to get more information on each of the above (when manufactured and any definitive differences). Could two of the names be synomous? (Australian 1900 and 51 Racer). 

Appreciate you starting the conversation, hope more information will come, 

best,

Louise

Hi Louise,

Just looking at the picture, it is not a Racer. I would also be very surprised if it was "Australian". Someone on this group should have a catalogue that will answer your questions. It may be heard to find anthing that was meant for the Australian market.

John

"Australian 1900" may refer to the year 1900. I have a Nrantford catalogue but it is just a couple of years too late. The earliest model is a 56A.

Thanks jdwillia - Yes, that's what I thought as well that the "Australian 1900" may refer to the year and maybe the model is the Red Bird 55? 

Thanks again John -  I have seen the 51 Racer, there is someone in Nova Scotia who is a collector and has it and felt that the story behind the bicycle could have been a link to Karl? That's why I'm seeking the details on all three references then I can start to put the puzzle together. 

At this point it's less about Karl and more about some details about the Model 55, Racer 51, and Australian 1900 if that makes sense....let's see if someone has a catelogue or documents from the 1900's? Fingers crossed! :) 

I see that you have been looking for this information for more than 10 years. You may already know anything that I could suggest.

Hi jdwillia,

Any chance you can share with me your oldest catelog with the Model 57? Did the model numbers increase as the years went by? So a 55 is earlier than a 57 and a 51 earlier again? Any insight on the first model name / year?

thanks

louise 

Hi Louise,

I will try and put a scan up on the forum today. I see that there is some information about the Goold "Racers" on the web, including a picture. I have a couple of other thoughts. I wonder exactly when these model number designations appeared. Once CCM took over, they seemed to be put into use for the major CCM lines (Red Bird, Ceveland, Columbia, Massey, and Perfect). The numbers started out with 2 digits and were up in the 4 or 5 hundreds by the early 1920's. On Red Bird bicycles, the numbers started to appear on the headbadge and also the front of the fork crown. I am not sure that Brantford Red Birds had this before mid 1899. Once CCM took over in 1899, the individual bicycles from the various CCM "lines" did not change much for several years. This meant that the crank on a CCM Red Bird was different from a crank on a CCM Cleveland, and so on. CCM did not really get serious about standardization among their lines until around 1918, when every CCM bicycle "the same frame". There are other people on this forum that know more about Red Bird bicycles than I do. These include Dave Brown, Rick Wolfe, Lorne Shields, Ron Miller, and many others. I hope that they will offer their ideas on the subject. I also see that there are a few Australian collectors on the web who would know something about Red Bird bicycles in Australia.

Thanks again jdwillia; 

That's the piece I didn't know, that the Model numbers did align with the years, so the earlier the number the earlier the year of that bike. Woohoo, that's great news as it gives me validation re. the time frame. 

Our facts are: 

• Goold Bicycle Co. established in 1897
• Bicycle given to Karl Creelman in Brantford at the Goold Factory in July 1899
• The bike referenced by Karl was that he was riding an Australian 1900
• Some papers referred to his bike as a Model 55 is this the same as an Australian 1900?)
• Red Bird here in NS is the 51 Racer or could this be the same as Australian 1900

Getting there! 

 Hi Louise

  I have  1899 Goold catalogue ( reprint ) showing the Model 51G  Red Bird   special    Racer.  I have no idea what they mean by Australian1900  bike .  Also i am pretty sure Goold bicycle company was making bikes before 1897. I have had a 96 model  Ladies bike .  And no of a reprint 94 catalogue. I could send you picture  aof the Model 51 G racer if you like . All Brantford bikes made after 1899 where made by CCM if iam correct. which I think Iam. I also had a 1897 Red Bird mens model that I brought back to Canada from New Zealand some years ago .  I have sold that bike.

Dave

Hi Dave - Thanks!

Can you email / share the reprint of the catalogue? and yes please a picture of the Model 51G racer, does it say 51"G" on the head badge? So it seems likely that Model 51G is 1899? 

Goold sent a boat to Australia in 1900 with a number of Red Bird bikes on it, so I wonder if the term "Australian 1900" was a bit of a marketing sales pitch as Karl arrived in Australia in 1900?!  

The outstanding question is if we know the date of the Model 55?

Very exciting, 

Louise

Here are a couple of pages frm an early 1900's Red Bird Catalogue....more to come.

John

And another couple of pages....

These pages seem to have come from an English Catalogue which lists all of the overseas agents.

Thanks John. I just found this: a July 1899 ad for the Red Bird Model 51 which includes the "racer" . The article suggests it's new so maybe possible to date the Model 51 to 1899? Definitely available then. 

Another 1899 article about the Model 51...

I'm beginning to think the newspaper reference to the Red Bird Model 55 is in correct - not even sure there is a Red Bird Model 55 anymore? Found a Model 55 but for Wolff - American - wonder if that was the basis of an error? 

I think I have the answer - see article from New Zealand - Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6629, 22 February, 1900

Hi there - stilll can't seem to find a Brantford 1900 Catelogue. Have put calls into local museums etc. Anyone have this? 

This catalogue may not exist. In the early days, catalogues were not printed every year for every model.