Harry Nettleton’s 1907 RaCycle Pace Maker

1907 RaCycle

There are a lot of names here so lets see… This is the Pace Maker model RaCycle, and RaCycles were made by the Miami Cycle and Manufacturing company of Middleton, Ohio.

Bikes like this one followed high-wheelers onto the cobbled streets of early 1900’s America. With newly invented roller chain and pneumatic tires, this would have been a luxuriously smooth ride compared to a Penny-Farthing.

One of the selling points of the Pace Maker was the massive front chainring (equivalent to a modern 84-tooth ring) that was meant to attract attention and suggest higher speed (but the big ring was actually offset by a big back cog that ended up producing a comfortable gear ratio).

The new air-filled tires were mounted (using shellac as glue) to wooden rims (maple, I think).

Head badge

Adjustable handlebar

Oversized drivetrain

Fork pegs

42 skip-tooth chainring

A RaSaddle?

The handlebars on the Pace Maker are really cool. They pivot at the stem, and can be adjusted in width and height, depending on a rider’s desire.

Foot pegs on the front fork allowed the rider to enjoy speeding downhill on his fixed-gear bike. Sure, without your feet on the pedals to control the speed there would be no brakes, but brakes are overrated.

Racycle advertisement

Check out the old ad that we found for RaCycle bikes. The copy in old advertising and press releases like this one was so earnest. According to the manufacturer, a 1904 Worlds Fair jury “consisting of the ablest consulting and manufacturing engineers in Europe and America, were unanimous in their decision that the Racycle was the most perfectly constructed, easiest running bicycle in the world.”

However they were judged, early “safety” bicycles like this one really brought inexpensive personal transportation to the masses. They connected people with jobs and schools, connected rural areas of the country with cities, connected extended families (and liberated family members from one another).

This bike was originally owned by Harry Nettleton of Red Wing, Minnesota. Harry raised the original $16.50 purchase price by collecting clam shells from the Minnesota river and selling them to a local button factory.

By the way, if you take a look at the Iver Johnson Truss-bridge bike from the same era, you’ll note that the RaCycle was about a third of the price of the Iver Johnson.

1968 Falcon road bike

1968 Falcon road bike

1968 Falcon

1968 Falcon

An English Falcon. This one with light blue feathers.

Falcon is an old bicycle and motorcycle brand that had their peak in popularity among cycling enthusiasts in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Originally founded in 1880 as Coventry Eagle (based in the West Midlands city of Coventry), this brand has manufactured fine bicycles and motorcycles for decades. Production of motorcycles continued until the start of the World War II in 1939.

Coolest bike badge out there

Coolest bike badge out there

The Falcon’s beak?

The Falcon’s beak?

Tail feathers

After the war the motorcycle manufacturing ceased with the company concentrating solely on racing bicycles.
In the 1930s the company had a range of sporting bikes under the “Falcon” label, and it was under this marque that the company relaunched itself, losing the Eagle monicker altogether.

Stronglight crankset

Stronglight crankset

Campag rear mech.

Campag rear mech.

Universal Super 68 calipers

Universal Super 68 calipers

Falcons are so much cooler birds than eagles anyway… An eagle’s primary weapon is his feet. A falcon uses his head (beak actually). How about Falcon bicycles and maybe eyewear company… The Coventry Eagles is a better name for a football club.

Anyhow, the bike is awesome. Like most racing bikes from this era, our pale blue Falcon is built out of Reynolds 531 lightweight steel. There’s a fantastic headbadge with Olympic Rings (Falcon was managed from the ‘50’s through the ‘70’s by British Olympian Ernie Clements), the Olympic torch, a Falcon, and some fluffy clouds. The equipment choices include a bunch of Campagnolo Nuovo Record parts, a Brooks saddle along with Cinelli bars & handlebar stem. As is typical for British bikes from the ‘60’s, this one isn’t all Campag parts, however. There’s a Stronglight crankset (featuring 41 and 51 teeth chainrings) and the Falcon comes to a screeching halt thanks to Universal 68 brake calipers.

By paul|2019-09-24T01:10:22+00:00September 24th, 2019|Museum bikes 1966 to 1985|Comments Off