Antique Originals Available for Purchase

RBR is pleased to announce that some rare original bikes are available for sale on occasion. These antiques are usually hard to come by, and their conditions vary from poor to very good, depending on how the bikes were treated over their life spans to date. Some bikes are more desirable than others, some bikes are higher end than others. We will try to give a description that accurately describes the bikes, the approximate year of production, the manufacturer if known, the size and model, condition, whether repairs are needed or not, and estimation of condition.

Bikes are posted as they become available, and mark them as sold if purchased. If interested in any of these bikes, please call for a quote and availability. We can ship worldwide. Original bikes may be had in different conditions so let us know what you're looking for. We tend to describe these bikes in a range of conditions or combination of conditions. As found condition, not rideable, poor condition, original rideable, partially repaired, rideable refurbished, older rideable restoration, older restoration refurbished, mostly restored rideable, restored rideable.

If you have questions, please let us know.

Current inventory:

1885-1886 51" Columbia Light Roadster (Sold)

1885-1886 51" Columbia Light Roadster. Serial number 3817 (probably). Either first or second year for this Light Roadster. 2nd pattern Kirkpatrick saddle. Spade handle grips. Columbia cycles and the Pope Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts was one of the American "Big 3" cycle manufacturers. The Columbia Light Roadster was one of the best American bikes made at the time. This bike comes to us from the Blewitt family that had been in Lodi, California since the 1920's. This bike and two others adorned the family business, an ice creamery, as a display piece and was used for special events. The ice creamery recently closed, and the collection came to RBR to find new homes. The bike currently needs tires and seat leather, as well as basic maintenance and one front spoke repaired or replaced to be made rideable. On taking possession, RBR was informed the grandfather that had owned the bike had the bike plated and put tires on back in the 1950's but the bike hasn't been worked on since. With a little effort, this should prove to be a very good rider when serviced. More images available, send a note if you have any questions.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

52" Columbia Expert

Possible 1888 or later 52" Columbia Expert. Serial Number 13073. 2nd pattern Kirkpatrick saddle. Double Grip handles. Radial laced wheels. Missing brake handle and spoon. One of the double grip handles is a hand carved replacement. Tire rubber and seat leather need replacing, and a full maintenance overhaul should be done.

This bike comes to us from the Blewitt family that had been in Lodi, California since the 1920's. This bike and 2 others adorned the family business, an ice creamery, as a display piece and was used for special events. The ice creamery recently closed, and the collection came to RBR to find new homes. The bike currently needs tires and seat leather, as well as basic maintenance to be made rideable. On taking possession, RBR was informed, the grandfather that had owned the bike had the bike plated and put tires on back in the 1950's but the bike hasn't been worked on since. With a little effort, this should prove to be a very good rider when serviced. More images available, send a note if you have any questions.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

50" Bayliss Thomas American Harvard

50" Bayliss Thomas American Harvard model. The Bayliss Thomas American Harvard is an English import from the early 1880's to the later 1880's. this bike proved to be a popular and sturdy rider and RBR has had at least 6 come through our doors over the years. These bikes featured ovalized style rims, a leaf spring saddle and an open head fork. This particular bike is in need of some love. It has had some obvious repairs done to it and realistically, some of them should be redone to make this bike a decent rider. Some work needed includes replacing the seat with a correct pan saddle, straightening the crank arms, replacing the grips, repairing some poorly repaired cracks in the frame or fork, replacing the tires and basic maintenance. I am sure there are other things that need attention as well that will come to light on tear down.

This bike comes to us from the Blewitt family that had been in Lodi, California since the 1920's. This bike and 2 others adorned the family business, an ice creamery, as a display piece and was used for special events. The ice creamery recently closed, and the collection came to RBR to find new homes. On taking possession, RBR was informed, the grandfather that had owned the bike had the bike plated and put tires on back in the 1950's but the bike hasn't been worked on since. More images available, send a note if you have any questions.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

1885-1886 50" Columbia Standard

1885-1886 50" Columbia Standard, serial number 8022. The Columbia Standard was an entry level bike but proved to be a strong rider and was produced for at least 10 years from what I have found. This particular bike featured an open head and leaf spring saddle originally. This bike needs a bit of attention but should prove to be a strong rider once completed. This bike is missing it's brake assembly and original pedals. It will need tire rubber and seat leather as well as replacement grip handles. It also needs to be completely serviced. This particular bike has a later 4th pattern Kirkpatrick saddle. This was a very good riding saddle and many leaf spring bikes had upgraded saddles to make them more comfortable.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

R.H. Wolff / New York - Ladies Pneumatic Safety (Sold)

RH Wolff & Co. New York. Circa 1893-98. Ladies Pneumatic Safety with a tall frame, rare for its size. Plunger brake on the front, fixed gear rear, wood rims. All original condition. Complete except for one grip and seat leather. Tires need replacement but once that is done this should be a good rideable bike. Basket weave skirt guard is complete on one side, torn out on the opposite side so one can make an excellent pattern to copy. The rear fender has a piece missing from the end. This is a nice find and should make for a great rider.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

49" Columbia Light Roadster (Sold)

This is a 49-inch Columbia Light Roadster. It is in all complete and in original condition. The bike has 3 broken spokes on the front wheel but the rest of it is excellent original condition. The saddle is a Lillibridge which must had been installed sometime by its original owner and has been on the bike since that time has been the guess, as the Lillibridge was a very good saddle and used by many riders. The bike has been in the same family since the early 1970's and has a good story behind it. Due to difficult times just now, this bike may now be available. Call to discuss.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

50" Royal Mail Bike

50" Royal Mail. Circa 1884-1889 est. Read & Son Co. Boston, MA. Original unrestored bike. This bike is imported by William Reed and Sons Baltimore, manufactured in Birmingham England. The bike retains some interesting paint work with a pinstripe on the frame and an owl painted in gold on the fork legs below the head. This may or may not be the original paint the bike came with and would need to be researched. The bike is burgundy which is unusual for hiwheel bikes as most came black or nickeled as a rule though a very few builders did offer a color choice. Read & Sons offered a hollow rim early on though in this case they were subjected to moisture and rusted out from the inside and collapsed. This bike is mostly complete though is missing the brake parts, pan saddle and a couple small pieces as well. Includes replacement seat pan - not yet repaired. The bike was in the estate of a San Francisco Bay Area man and had been in the family for close to 100 years I was told when I bought the bike at the estate auction.

UPDATE: This Royal Mail now has a fully rebuilt rear wheel using new spokes, nipples, rim and tire. (See images above) There is a new rim for the front wheel and is awaiting a rebuild.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

1886-1890 - 50” Springfield Roadster

Original, unrestored, mostly complete. Some work done. This is a Springfield Roadster bike in 50". This bike is powered by an unique and separate geared drive system on each side of the fork that allows the rider to pedal one side or the other or both simultaneously. The drive system was to help inhibit headers and is very interesting. As it is a geared sprag drive system, the bike does not roll backward, only forward. The bike has the complete brake and has very interesting rat trap style pedals. This bike has new rubber tires installed and seems to function well though it should be completely pulled down, cleaned, greased and adjusted. The things this bike needs to be completed. The lower mount for the saddle is attached as is the nose piece but there is no saddle top or spring sets with the bike. There is one bar clamp bolt missing at the head. The grip handles need work and the bars are bent. The brake spoon has been worn through at the front. It is missing the original rear wheel and has a custom made replacement rear wheel I built for the bike. The Pros to the bike. This bike is very sound, nice, and desirable. With a saddle, some maintenance and adjustments, it should make a very good rider for someone looking for this style hiwheel.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

54" Gormully and Jeffery American Champion

54" Gormully and Jeffery American Champion model. Serial number 5377. Approximate 1886 vintage.

Original, unrestored. Adjustable step. Lillibridge saddle. Good solid frame and fork. The bike is mostly original intact with step, hub and bearing oilers, hub clips, fasteners, dust shield and saddle. Some repairs have been made and some are still needed to make this bike rideable. Missing bar brake handle and pivot, Spoon and return spring, grips, and step rubber. The bike has a mismatched set of crank arms and pedals, and though similar, they are slightly different. The bar clamps have had the fasteners replaced with modern bolts. The handle bars are new unfinished replacements. The tire rubber appears serviceable but could be replaced. There is one spoke in the front wheel needing replacement. The bike needs a thorough cleaning and tuning. The bike has been repainted at some point in it's history but shows signs of being nickel plated on the frame and fork. Further repairs are being done and further parts are being replaced where possible, ad will be updated as repairs are completed.

Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

52" Victor Roadster (Sold)

52-inch Victor Roadster Model. Approximately '86-'87 vintage.

Two-in-one spoke in wheels. Victor type sprung saddle with original springs, adjustable step, spade grips, dust shield with lower clip, and rear hub oiler. This bike has what appears to be a sound frame and fork. The handlebars have been broken and welded on one side as typical was for Victor handlebars. The seat nose cantle is missing, as is the entire brake assembly. The cotters are missing and the pedals appear to be later issue, possibly from an HTS bike rather than a hiwheel, though they do work, and bolt to the crank arms correctly. This bike needs repairs prior to being rideable. It will need new cotter pins, one new trunion bolt and nut, one trunion nut, new seat leather, new cantle nose piece, and the entire brake assembly. Victor bikes were higher-end bikes and are desirable. This bike seems to be a solid core to work from and though it's a project bike to be sure, it's got good potential. Parts for this bike are available through at least one other outlet.

UPDATE: This Victor Roadster bike now has has 2 fully rebuilt wheels with new spokes, rims, nipples and tires. The rims and spokes were made by Victory Bicycles of Florida. Additionally, the bike is currently being refurbished and being made completely rideable.

This bike has been sold and is no longer available.
Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

55" Columbia Light Roadster Model - Serial Number 350, Vintage 1885 (Sold)

This is Columbia's early Light Roadster model and the top of their line at the time. It is a 55" front wheel for a tall rider and has an aftermarket saddle, probably to replace the factory installed suspension pan type saddle. Saddles were often replaced by the bike owner to allow for more rider comfort. This bike is mostly complete original and intact save the saddle and replaced tires. The bike has a 64 spoke 2 cross front wheel and 20 spoke 1 cross rear wheel, moustache bars, pear grips and a nickeled head.

While this bike seems to be solid and sound original, the bike is in need of work in order to be made rideable. The front wheel is missing 1 spoke and the rear has several broken spokes. They should be replaced at the very least and all the rear spokes if you get ambitious. The bike is layered in multiple coats of paint and that can be left or chemically stripped to metal and repainted. The bars have been brazed in place most likely as the bar wedge was loose. The braze can be sweated out and a new bar wedge installed or the old one can be shimmed. The bars should be straightened if they are removed. The brake spoon has a wear spot at the front and the brake return spring is broken off at the mid point. The saddle will need new leather and a nose piece as well. The cotters are well seated and seem to be serviceable. The grips are in good condition and the majority of the bikes tiny small parts are in place. Overall, this is a good core bike for a tall rider.

UPDATE: This 55" Light Roadster #350 was built in Boston Massachusetts in 1885 in the Pope Mfg building. In 2017 we restored the bike to original condition and then this bike returned to the place it was built, to be displayed in the lobby of the converted factory building.

This bike has been sold and is no longer available.
Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

American Star 52" (Sold)

52" American Star model safety style bike by the H.B. Smith Company. Approximately 1882-1884. Original unrestored. This bike is unique in at least two distinct points. The first is that this is a type of safety bike and the small wheel is in the front of the bike with the large drive wheel at the rear of the bike. This bike is also unique in that it has a treadle drive system powered by levers connected to ratcheting drums by leather belts. This style bike was pictured riding down the steps of the US Capitol Building to show how safe they were. Another desirable and rare bike. This bike has come from a bike shop where is hung as a display for nearly the last 50 years.

As stated, this bike is original unrestored though the tires were replaced at some point in the history of the life of the machine and are currently taped to the rims. The bike is complete as far as I can tell with the addition of a wide mounting step bolted to the factory step. The brake is functional. The ratchet drives work and retract. The bike does need work though to make it rideable and has some rust. The items needing repair are the front fork, one of the legs has been broken and repaired. The front hub is also in need of work to repair it though it does roll. The seat spring set is in place but needs leather at least and possibly has had some metal added to it lengthwise. The rubber grips are incorrect to the bike. Tires are needed as well as a complete tear down, cleaning and adjustment during assembly.

This bike has been sold and is no longer available.
Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

52" American Sanspariel (Sold)

52-inch American Sanspariel, serial number 1450, made under contract by the William Andrews Company, Birmingham England for the S.T. Clark Company, Baltimore, Maryland.

This bike is an English built bike made specifically for export to the U.S. and the S.T. Clark Company. We have some history on this bike to go with it. The bike had been in the David C. Judkins Family of Cambridge City, Indiana, since the early 1930's when it was purchased at auction by David's grandfather. It was ridden by his father and grandfather. Later, in 1958, it went by way of David's father from Cambridge City to Anderson, Indiana, after the death of David's grandfather. In 1970, the bike was painted green & red, and had new tires installed. In 1978, David got the bike himself, and rode it for a while, but time and rough treatment had made the bike unrideable. By the time it came to RBR in 2013, it was badly in need of repair and restoration. The bike had gone through a few more repairs and paint jobs since 1970 and we redid the whole bike to bring it back to its former original appearance.

This bike has some classic styling, with an ovalized frame tube and double fluted fork legs. The saddle is a replacement or custom ordered and done in the 1880's by S.T. Clark, or the original owner, and is a 3rd pattern Kirkpatrick. This bike is almost completely restored, repainted with black gloss powder coat, and most all the small parts re-nickel plated. The front bearings are parallel type, and the cases still have the original plate work. The original spokes are all back in place, both front and rear. It has the original wood grips on the bars and brake handle. On the rear hub oiler, one grip brass ferrule is missing and the brake ferrule is split, but it's there. The bike has the majority of it's original parts as far as I can tell, though some items were replaced, such as cotter pins in the cranks, the trunion pins at the front forks, as well as the rear axle shaft with hardware side to side. The pedals are also replaced with a similar type for the bike. The saddle leather was installed in the 1970's but may be replaced shortly as the stylish trim cuts at the sides cause the rider to hang up and prevent a smooth dismount. The bike has new tire rubber front and rear as well.

This bike has been sold and is no longer available.
Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

22" Ladies Pneumatic (Sold)

Unknown ladies pneumatic safety bike. 22" frame. Wood rims, leather saddle. This bike is pretty basic, It's missing the headbadge so is an unknown builder but some research may turn that up. The bike will need some work to bring up to rideable condition and is missing parts.

This bike has been sold and is no longer available.
Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.

24" Falmouth Cycle (Sold)

Falmouth 24" frame men's Pneumatic Safety. Dated 1903. This bike came from the estate of a San Francisco Bay Area man and was claimed to have been in the family since it was purchased new. This Falmouth brand bike was built by the Davis arms Co. in Maine, and was equipped with the new for 1903, Morrow brand coaster brake. It was also a tall frame at 24" and has a frame protector, leather tool bag, bell, rat trap pedals, and very good condition wood rim wheels. The bike is is good to very good original condition, missing only the end caps off the handlebar grips. The nickel is still in fair to good condition, the wheels are true with good varnish on them and the coaster brake works. The leather on the saddle is still soft and usable and this bike would clean up well and make an excellent rider for someone. The tires would need to be replaced though as they have hardened and have flat spots. That is a shame because the tires are pretty cool with a 1903 patent mark and red side walls. If left alone, the bike would make an excellent display piece.

This bike has been sold and is no longer available.
Call (510) 769-0980 for more information.