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.

Fuji Absolute hybrid bikes

Fuji Absolutes

Absolute 1.9

Absolute 1.9

The Absolute family of hybrid bikes are the most popular adult bike models that Fuji makes.

What makes these bikes so well received? Well, they do a lot of things really well, work for a lot of different terrain, riders and riding styles, and come packed with good features at great prices.

The Absolute 1.9 is a great pick for a fast and capable every day commuter bike. You ride in a comfortable, upright position while you keep an eye on traffic. The parts are tough, and the bike requires little maintenance besides keeping it clean and putting air in the tires.

For hardcore road or trail riding there are the 1.7 or 1.3 versions with lighter parts and upgraded disc brakes (which have hydraulic actuation instead of mechanical operation for even better stopping power).

Absolute 1.3

Absolute 1.7

Low-step frame styles

Low-step frame styles

All Absolute models work great for running errands, and can handle racks, baskets, and fenders. They’re stable with a heavy load on them, and you can ride it comfortably in regular clothes.

The Absolute is fast and fun for getting fit and riding with friends. It’s almost as light and efficient as a road bike, and it’s pretty off-road capable with just a change of tires.

By paul|2022-05-26T14:53:19+00:00April 18th, 2022|Fuji, hybrid|0 Comments