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1940's Prototype CCM bicycle
I recently aquirred this CCM prototype bicycle as well as two tool chests that belonged to Charles J Faith. Here's what I was told about it as well as things I've learned while looking it over and cleaning it.
I was told this bike was designed and built by Charles J Faith at CCM in Weston, Ontario. Charles worked at CCM in the 1940's as an engineer. Even though he was not a papered engineer he had this amazing ability to problem solve, build and create. All the employees admired him and looked up to him for advice and idea's.
Once I got the bike back to my shop I started to clean it up and look for a serial number. I checked the usual spots and then the entire bike and i'm unable to find any serial numbers. Which would make sense as a serial number is used to track production, date, make, model, color etc. So not being a produced bicycle this would make sense.
The stem appears to have been changed out at some point in time as its from the 60/70's. The rims appear to be chrome underneath the burgandy paint as some chipping is present. I also noticed the nipples have burgandy paint on them as well which would lead me to believe that they're not factory painted. The pinstripes on the rim are white and not cream like the rest of the pinstriping on the bike. Inside one of the tool chests i found a hand pinstriping tool which has a small bit of white paint in the bottom of the bottle which is a match to the pinstriping on the wheels. Also when I put the guide wire on the pinstriping tool against the side of the rim it lines up perfectly. Other than that it appears that it would have been made in the CCM factory by looking at all the common tubing as well as the assembly.
It appears the bike has never been ridden much as there is not any paint wear and the tires look to have very low miles. The bike is very solid and works well. The front and rear suspension works smoothly. You need to have a slight bit of slack in the chain to have the rear suspension work with the pivot point.
According to the headbadge it would tell us it was built in 1946-1949? I'm now looking for any information that can help me solidify this great piece of Canadian bicycle history. I'm looking for any CCM papers that will have the name Charles J Faith attached to them. As well any photographs of this bicycle or even a photograph of this bicycle in the background.
Great find Clayton. very neat .More than likely the only one.
Fantastic find Clayton!
Wow, that is an amazing find. It doesn't get any more rare than 1 of 1! Is the hub brake a CCM '37? CCM was chroming rims in the late '30s, so it's possible that the rims are original to the bike. Maybe Charles simply decided he didn't like the look for his prototype and painted them himself. Are the tires 26" or 28"? Was the bike still in Weston when you found it? Very cool!
Thats a very unique bike. What a great find!
Its a bit difficult to be sure from the pictures but it appears that the entire rear suspension is dependent on the chain stays. The seat stays look like they could rotate at the seat post clamp bolt. Is that correct?
Hey Brian,
My thoughts on the painted rims are the same as yours. Theyr'e 28" wheels with the ccm '37 coaster hub. I got the bike out of Clarksburg, Ontario. It's so cool and cant believe this was still out there. Really want to find some info to solidify the story. I'll bring it to the Brantford show along with the tool chests to show.
Hey Cbgimse,
The only moving part on the rear end is the dropouts which pivot and the back stays go's up and down similar to the front fork. The curved seatstays, the straight seatstays and the bottom chainstays remain rigid. It's a very simple design. The design is slightly flawed. As when the dropout pivots it lengthens the rear end and cause the suspension not to work correctly. I have to leave a bit of slack in the chain to make it work proper. Definatly a unique find.
Twenty-five years ago I was a graduate student at U of T, and for my master's thesis I researched "Technological Innovation in the Canadian Bicycle Industry." In my research of the Canadian Patent Office Record, and all the primary and secondary sources I could get my hands on at places including the National Archives, and museum of science and technology (where I used to work documenting their bicycle collection), I did not come across any mention or hint of your bike at all. From my experience, I would say that this work by Charles Faih was done quietly, with little to no exposure to the press or public.
...In my paper I wrote: "The only new type of frame that CCM ever designed itself and patented was the "Flyte Streamlined" bicycle featuring a "New Design Shock Absorbing Frame and Fork" that sold from 1936 to 1940. Although your frame was not patented, I wish I had known about it when I wrote my paper! It's a very significant discovery.
Thanks for the info Brian. Hopefully I can find his name on some CCM literature to solidify that he worked there.
I need to explain more clearly. It appears the force the wheel applies to the frame is only supported by the chainstays. In a regular rear triangle frame the seat stays brace the chain stays like a gusset.
In this frame the seat stays dont appear to support the force the wheel applies the the frame the same way. If the chainstays were to flex the seat stays would just rotate on the seat clamp bolt. This means that the load is only carried by the chain stay
Does that make sense?
But the rear triangle, now a box in this design, is not intended to move. So if the design went into production, they would have had to weld the seat stay to the frame below the seat clamp bolt, or insert a traditional seat stay through the middle of the "box" to keep it from flexing. Then the box would have a line through it to make two triangles.
I suspect the heads at CCM chose not to produce a bike with this rear suspension because it was a bit inelegant looking, or too complicated to mass produce easily, or too expensive for the consumer, or all three. They could have sold a bike with the front suspension though, as buyers would be familiar with the American balloon tire bkes with a springer fork.
Will you post this on The CABE for our American friends to see?
It would great to find some CCM paperwork that mentions this bike. It would be nice to know if it was a company-directed project.
Hey Brian,
I'll post it on the Cabe in the next couple of days. Hopefully someone there has some info? I'm on the hunt for anything related. Even Charlies name on some CCM literature to prove that he even worked there. The story Ive been told came from the antique dealer I bought it from. He got the bike from the grandson apparently. He's going to go back to him and ask more questions that I have. Long story but he wont put me in touch with the grandson as he told him he would display it in his store for a period of time before he would sell it. I came in and bought it within the week of him having it.... I guess money talked.
Hey Cbjimse,
I understand what your saying....? The rear box section is solid though and cant move unless you loosnend off the bolts. I believe the load is dispersed through all the different tubes and not just isolated to the chainstays. My thought anyways.
While I could find no evidence that Faith worked at CCM, he was employed in the Toronto bicycle industry. From 1937 through 1940 he was at Standard Cycle Products,where his job descriptions included assembler and mechanic. He then moved to Planet Cycle Works for 1941 and 1942, where he appears to have been a bicycle repair mechanic. During 1943-1945, he worked as a mechanic with Research Entrerprises Limited, a Crown Corporation established to produce optics and radar equipment for the war effort. I found no employment records for 1946 and 1947. During 1948-1950, he had a job with Duke's Cycle & Radio as a mechanic. Again, there is no job record for 1951, but as of 1952 he was a mechanic with the radar division of Canadian Arsenals Ltd. and was still employed by them in 1964. His last job records date to a 1965-1967 stint as mechanic with Domestic Washing Machine Service.
So, there is no objective evidence of employment by CCM While he could have been employed there for the 1946-1947 gap in his records, it's just as conceivable that he was one of the large number of people left unemployed after the war ended. Reseach Enterprises started winding down in December 1944 and was fully closed by September 1946, so the timing is correct.
Also, while the story supplied with the bicycle may be correct, one must consider the possibility of the story having been mistold over the years. The CCM reference could actually pertain to any one of the of the three cycle industry companies where he worked. It's also plausible that his engineering skills were enhanced in the retelling.
It remains unknown whether this was something commissioned by CCM or if this was something he created in hopes of selling the idea to CCM or something just created as a personal experiment. As the former it is of significant historical interest, while as the latter it is just a curiosity.
Wow!! Thanks for all the amazing information!! I'd love to know how you found all the info?