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.

1975 Mongoose Motomag

1975 Mongoose Motomag

1975 Mongoose Motomag

1975 Mongoose Motomag

Skip Hess started his company, BMX Products inc., in 1974. The first product for the Chatsworth, California startup was the Motomag aluminum wheel, but the complete Mongoose Motomag bicycle followed within the first year. “Made in America” really meant something in this era. The frame, wheels, and most of the parts on the Mongoose were made in house by BMX Products welders. Apparently, staffing was no easy task. Aerospace companies and rival bicycle brands competed for skilled welders in 1970’s California. BMX Products dealt with hiring issues by instituting a welding school at the factory.

Flat steel fork

Flat steel fork

I wanted one because of this gusset

I wanted one because of this gusset

Mongoose Motomag

Mongoose Motomag

The investment paid off. Mongoose BMX bikes were famous for strength, reliability and smart design.
Check out the gussets and box-shaped reinforcements at the frame junctions. These touches made for a tough bike that looked good and rode well.

Seat stay link

Frame gussets

BMX Product’s Mongoose bikes were some of the first dedicated BMX bikes available, and they even made a lot of their own competitor’s products in the 1970’s. Remember Raleigh’s Rampar? That was made by these guys. The Roger DeCoster signature model sold by Schwinn? These guys. Blue Max BMX sold through Army and Air Force exchanges? These guys.

From the famous Rick's Bike Shop

From the famous Rick’s Bike Shop

The Aluminum Motomag

The Aluminum Motomag

I loved these bikes because they looked so angular and industrial compared to what had come before. My ride at the time was a cantilever frame Rollfast from the 1960’s. Like a Schwinn Sting-Ray, it was all curved tubing and somewhat organic looking. The Mongoose looked like a futuristic robot to my young eyes.

By paul|2015-02-03T04:28:08+00:00September 3rd, 2014|Museum bikes 1966 to 1985|Comments Off