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.

Island scenery

Bainbridge Island bicycling

Are you coming over to the island to ride your bike around? We think that’s a great idea.

A common view from Rockaway Beach road

Bainbridge Vineyard, Autumn

A ride around the island has 3000 feet of elevation change, 200 feet at a time.

Frog Rock

The view from Point White Dock

Lots of little hills

We love where we live, and one of the things that makes it great is all of the fun places there are to ride a bike, and the scenery you get to enjoy while you ride along.

Bainbridge Island cycling is mostly road riding, with miles of rolling, narrow rural and suburban-style lanes. There are some dedicated bicycle lanes throughout the island, as well as some mixed-use paths and hiking trails.

Although it seems like Bainbridge should be flat, being an island at sea level, it is not. Bainbridge is hilly! We can give you a 30 mile route on the island that will include 3500 feet of climbing!

Stop for lunch at the Treehouse Cafe

Check out the views on South Beach drive

Vineyard ravine bridge

Seattle View from Rockaway Beach Road

Island Bike path

Manitou Beach bike lane

Bring a cyclocross bike to the island and we’ll show you how cyclocross phenom Zach McDonald got his start. There are dozens of great little trails interspersed with a mile here and a mile there of gravel road or paved road connecting it all together.

By paul|2024-09-29T07:53:00+00:00May 16th, 2012|Bainbridge, Vacations|0 Comments