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.

Marin Sausalito electric

Marin Sausalito electric

Marin Sausalito Ebike

Marin Sausalito 2 Ebike

Want a fun and easy way to get to work?

Right. “Fun” way to commute. Ridiculous.

No, seriously. Commute (or run errands, or tour your neighborhood) on a well-designed electric bike and a smile will replace the harried expression that you wear while behind the wheel of your car.

This Marin Sausalito ebikes make it all possible. The Shimano electric motor system gives you a reliable boost when hills or headwinds get in your way. The gravel-bike tires and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes make for a secure and trouble-free ride.

The lower stand-over height, upright handlebar and its comfortable position all play nicely with regular clothes so you can get to your destination ready to shop or work. The electric assist motor makes it so you won’t be a sweaty mess who needs thirty minutes to undo the damage from an arduous commute.

Sausalito 1 low-step

Sausalito 1 low-step

Sausalito 1

There are two different versions of this bike. The black bike has a slightly bigger battery, a motor with more torque, and a front suspension fork. The sand-colored version has a rigid fork and slightly smaller motor system but it’s a few hundred dollars less expensive and only weighs 39 pounds.

By paul|2021-07-20T01:35:42+00:00June 5th, 2021|Electric, Marin|Comments Off