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.

Bike bags

Bike Bags

Ortleib Back Roller Pannier

We stock bags from Ortlieb, Serfas, Lezyne, Silca, Brooks, Axiom, Arundel, Restrap, Banjo Brothers and Topeak. Why so many different brands? Well, brands don’t always use the same fabrics throughout their lines, and we want to make sure that nearly everything we pick is waterproof (an obvious requirement for the Pacific Northwest). Some bag designers seem to have a handle on commuter needs, while others are looking at things from a long-distance tourist point of view. Come in and see what will work best for you and your bike.

Banjo Brothers is a Minnesota company that has some really innovative designs and smart features.

Ortlieb makes many great choices for hauling your stuff back and forth to work. They make tough bags that are quick to load when you are running late for the ferry.

Restrap and Topeak are our choices for gravel bikes, as they’re bags that won’t rattle as you go with well-designed compartments that keep your provisions secure and organized.

Need a small lightweight bag for your weekend rides? How about a rack trunk that integrates smoothly with your bike rack? Look through our selection of phone holders, handlebar packs, seatbags and rack trunks for exactly what you need.

By admin|2024-11-09T16:23:52+00:00April 17th, 2023|Accessories|0 Comments

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