A Tandem Bike

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Thu, 03/27/2025 - 22:40

For reasons not related to logic, practicality or financial good sense, I recently purchased a tandem bicycle. I do not beilieve it is a CCM, judging from the manufacturer name on the brake I believe it is likely american made. I am hoping someone can provide more information on it. The seller thought the bike was from the 1920s, searching online I found photos of similar bikes likely from that time period.

The tire rims are wooden with hard rubber tires. I am also wondering how I would remove the current tires so I can work on the rims. I may reinstall the hard rubber tires or put in pneumatic ones, haven't descided. The bike can be steered using either handle bar.

I haven't noticed a serial number but may find one when I remove the pink colour.

Thanks for any information you can provide.

8 Comments

Submitted by T-Mar on Fri, 03/28/2025 - 09:42.

The rear hub appears to be a model 5A, which was intended for motorcycles and tandems. It was introduced for the 1902 model year. P.& F. CORBIN changed it's name and the corresponding designation on the brake arm to THE CORBIN SCREW CORPN. for the 1904 model year. Consequently, the hub should date to the 1902-1903 model years. Assuming the hub is OEM, the bicycle should date to the same period or slightly later, as it's possible that the bicycle manufacturer had some left over hub stock to use up during 1903+. 

Submitted by Dave Brown on Fri, 03/28/2025 - 16:19.

 NiseTandem

I see it has block chain on the bike at least what i can see which would make it pretty early.Some morebpictures of the fork and cranks might help with figuring what the make it is .Is there holes for head badge. The tires look like they might have a wire in the middle of them  Maybe for a wheel chair..Unless they are on there very tight you should be able to roll them off.  The rims would have taken single tube tires . But can tell better when we can see the rim profile. Saddles are not right and maybe the front handle bar stem . Bars might be right for the bike .Pedals are not right time wise

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Fri, 03/28/2025 - 23:16.

Thanks T-Mar for your research in dating the bike, or at least the rear hub. Do you know if wooden rims were still being used on bicycles in the made in the 1920s, or are they also indicative of an early 1900's bike?

Thanks also for your information Dave. The bike does have a chain that requires sprockets with a ider spacing to the teeth. There is a 1/4 inch gap in each tire and there is a wire in the middle linking each side, so they might be old wheel chair tires. I did notice there was a hole in each rim for an inner tube stem. If I remove the hard rubber tires is a special type of tire needed for wooden rims? I was thinking the saddles are 1950s vintage, likely the pedals too. There are no holes for a had badge on the bike. Below are some additional pictures, let me know if they help you determine the bike's make.

img_2192.jpeg img_2191.jpeg img_2190.jpeg img_2188.jpeg img_2187.jpeg

Submitted by Dave Brown on Sat, 03/29/2025 - 10:29.

There might be badge holes under that pink paint? If you take the trires off the rims I should be able to tell you which tires should work.  I think just maybe the bike is US made . .    Do you go on ( The Cabe) site. If not look it up that is the place that should be able to help with the make. Are the rims in good shape.  

 Tires are avaiable for both types of rim pofiles Wire beaded tires or sngle tube which are very expensive and even more with this new added 25% tariff as they are made in The US. Are you in Ontario?

Submitted by T-Mar on Sat, 03/29/2025 - 12:07.

Wood rims were still very popular in the 1920s. For instance, wood rims were standard on CCM bicycles until the end of the 1927 model year. In 1928, steel rims became standard, though wood rims were optional. Wood rims persisted on the Flyer racing model into the mid-1930s.

As you noted, the rims have valve holes, so the tyres are almost certainly not OEM. By the turn of the 20th century, solid rubber tyres were virtually extinct on bicycles. However, they were still in wide use on baby carriages, chidren's tricycles and wheel chairs. Solid rubber tyres were not sold as a finished product. Instead, the rubber was sold by foot and bicycle repair men typically custom manufactured the tyre using coils of solid rubber "tiring", which was sold by length.

Most likely the original owner was frustrated by frequent punctures and decided to forgoe the increased cushioning  of pneumatic tyres for the reliability and lower operating cost of solid tyres. By the turn of the 20th century, wired-on tyres, with a separate replacable inner tube was the dominant style in Canada. These are less suspectrible to flats and relatively easy to repair. In contrast, the USA persisted with single tube tyres, primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture. However, they're more prone to punctures, harder to repair and require gluing to the rims. Like Dave Brown, I suspect the rim is designed for single tube tyres which, given the apparent era, makes an American bicycle brand more likely. Consequently, you'll probaly get more helpful responses on The CABE site, as he suggests.

I've seen lots of similar tandems but nothing that is a perfect match. The twin keel tubes and rear steering were common features right around the turn of the century. As for the crankarms, I've seen a good match in a wholesale catalogue from this era. It was not given a brand name and was provided as a raw drop forging which required finishing. Therefore, the crankset itself is likely not proprietary to one bicycle manufacturer. 

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Sat, 03/29/2025 - 21:05.

Hi Dave

I am in Ontario and am close to the Canada/US border. A few years back I used to go over fairly regularly but haven't been State side for a while now. There are holes for a head badge on the bike, I've included a picture of them and the forks. The wood rims are in good shape and the spokes aren't rusted. There is one spot where a piece of wood, right at the rim has slivered out and needs to be clamped and glued. I'm thinking a new coat of varnish is needed, I imagine I should tape the anchor on each spoke so the varnish doesn't lock the threads.

Do you need pictures of the inner profile of the rim to determine the tire type they're made for? If so I'll send those when I have the tires off. I've been reading up on single tube tires and if modern ones have the same issues as the early ones, I'm thinking I'd like to avoid them. Especially if the modern ones still need to be glued to the rims.

I'll look up the Cabe site you mentioned.

Thanks.

img_2206.jpeg img_2207.jpeg img_2205.jpeg

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Sat, 03/29/2025 - 21:27.

Hi T-Mar

Thanks for the information in your second comment as well. I've been reading up on single tube tires and wonder if modern ones still need to be glued to the rims and have the same difficulties in repairing them that the historical ones did. If  rims are designed for them (and there is no tube and wired on tyres that can be used as a substitute) I think I'll stick with the hard rubber tires, or I may look for metal rims to substitute in. I'd like to keep the rear hub, wiith the Model 5A Corbin brake arm and block chain sprocket, I hope they'll fit in a metal rim.

I'll look into The Cabe website, people on it may also be able to provide information on the bike I have that you had noted had a Huffy sprocket.

Submitted by Dave Brown on Sun, 03/30/2025 - 09:00.

Single tube tires need to be glued on .  Wire beaded tires take a tire and tube just like modern 662 x38c or 28 x 1 1/2 which are available at any bike shop.  if you change to metal rims depending on what the rear hub spoke count is you should be able to use the Corbin brake hub