Friday, November 9, 2012

Give me Liberty!

 
I rescued this old bicycle from the garbage decades ago.  I remember that I had to park my Norton and push the bicycle some distance on its flat tires to a place where I could later retrieve it.  

It was a "Liberty Motorbike Bicycle" made by the Chicago Cycle Supply Company.  (Their other model was the "Cadillac.") Lovely badge!


From a 1923 catalogue at Howie Cohen's Everything Bicycles {Collection}
Unwisely, I stripped the original paint when I decided the bike would make a good winter project.  It has an unusual sprocket that takes, I'm told, a "skip tooth" chain that only engages every other chain link.  I could never find one to fit.

 

I finally sold it a couple of years ago to an enthusiast in Kingston, who now rides it regularly down to the farmer's market at City Hall.

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