A Window into Early Modern Bicycles in the USA: 1935

I recently purchased a wonderful catalogue from 1935 from a company known as "California Service Inc.". The company had a shop on Long Island, New York, and apparently focused on quality bicycles for adults. 

I've written in the past about the arrival of the early "modern" lightweight bicycle in America in the 1930s. From the 1910s through the early 1930s, bicycles in the US market tended to be aimed at children and teens. The adult bicycles that were made and sold in the US tended to be aimed at couriers (such as Western Union) or dedicated racers (tending to have fixed gears or single-speeds, and wooden or wood-clad rims). 

In the early 1930s, a few companies began importing English-made bicycles to the USA, exposing Americans for the first time to what we would consider the "modern" bicycles: diamond and step-over frames with steel rims, clincher or wire bead tires with inner tubes, rod or caliper hand brakes, and multi-speed gear or hub options. American manufacturers fought to catch up to the imports in the second half of the 1930s with models such as the Westfield/Columbia Sports Tourist and the Schwinn New World.

This catalogue gives us a window into the state of affairs for adult bicycles in the USA in 1935. At that time Raleigh (through Hamilton Osgood's firm in Boston), BSA, Royal Enfield, Aberdale, and Hercules Cycle/Motor were exporting bikes from the England to the USA. The numbers of these bicycles were tiny compared to the youth-oriented balloon tire bikes made in the USA. 

 

California Service focused their sales on Royal Enfield and, to a lesser extent, Aberdale bicycles. The Royal Enfield offerings were much like the Raleigh offerings from around that time. Models fell into three basic categories: sporty drop bar bikes, all-purpose cable brake bikes, and heavy-duty rod brake roadsters. 

 The offerings from Royal Enfield were even a bit more extensive than those of Raleigh in 1935, and included tandems and even a tradesman's basket bike.

 California Service evidently went beyond just dealing in bicycles. They also sold high-end tubing, forks, lugs, and the other components of bicycle construction. Interestingly, this included hiduminium alloy parts and Reynolds tubing, exotic stuff for 1935.

 All manner of hub could also be purchased: drum brakes, high-flange hubs, coaster brakes, multi-gear hubs and components, and the fittings to go therewith. 

 Handlebars and stems also were available. The venerable Sturmey Archer Model K three speed could be purchased.

 Saddles, tires, pumps, and other accessories were available. There were even child carriers if you wanted to commute or go grocery shopping and carry your child with you in the British and Dutch fashion.

 Saddle bags, rear racks, and a wide variety of tires could be bought. Saddles included both leather typs and mattress saddles.

 Even shop tools could be purchased. 

 California Service in Long Island had a key advantage: access to both British-made products and the New York City area market. A family-owned bike shop in the midwest at the time might feature only a few, domestically-produced bicycles for the youth market. But being on the east coast of the USA near a major city and port, California Service would have been on the cutting edge of bicycles, parts, accessories, and tools for the adult rider who wanted to tour, commute, or just have a bicycle for recreation. The offerings in this catalogue probably seem kind of pedestrian compared to the extensive offerings in the British catalogues of the day, but this would have been a standout in the US bike market of that time. 

Conclusion

In this catalogue, along with the 1934 Raleigh Brochure, we again see proof that the adult bicycle was not "dead" in the USA in the middle 1930s. Even though the American manufacturers had not yet responded to the early British imports, quality bicycles with multiple gears and hand brakes were available to adults who wanted to cycle in the USA. 

This California Service catalogue is all the more interesting because it offers something to both the consumer and the retailer: a source of components, accessories, tools, and complete bicycles from Royal Enfield and Aberdale. The retailer-oriented sales are especially interesting because they go beyond the shorter, consumer-oriented brochure that Raleigh produced in 1934. 

Five years after this catalogue, on the eve of the Second World War, American manufacturers would be trying to compete with the imports. But this 1935 catalogue and the 1934 Raleigh brochure give us a window into the early days of "modern", quality bicycles in the USA. 

 

Summer Riding; Dealing with Scarcity

A few photos from one of my rides this week. I took a trip down to the local nature preserve. We are very fortunate to have a beautiful, large nature preserve in our town. The roads in the area are a mixed bag: some are in decent repair, but a couple of them... not so good. Keeping your tires properly filled and keeping your wheels in good repair are a "must" on some of these roads. 

 

The bike on this ride is my 1957 Schwinn Traveler. It's a good bike: a bit heavy (as the Schwinn Travelers often are), but comfortable and steady. Everything is in good working order. The alloy shell 1957 Sturmey Archer AW ticks right along.

 We've had some good weather recently, at least for July. The days have been warm but not hot, and the evenings are calm and cool.

 

The birds seem to be enjoying the weather too...

On a somewhat more pessimistic note, it appears that, at least for now, white wall Kenda K23 tires for Schwinn three speed bikes (597mm bead seat, not the more common 590mm the English used) are out-of-stock. I see one or two sellers selling older stocks at very inflated prices (close to $100 per set with shipping included). The blackwall K23 is still commonly available, which is a plus. Tan wall is also available, though most of my Schwinn bikes pre-date Schwinn's use of tan walls on the lightweights. My experience is the blackwall tires last a bit longer than the whitewalls, but they all eventually need replacing. 

I've said it before, but will say it again: I wish Schwalbe or Michelin would make a tire in this Schwinn 597mm size. A Michelin World Tour would be perfect: affordable for casual riders, decent quality, and traditional in appearance. So far though, we just have the Kendas... we will have to make-do. Hopefully whitewalls will be generally available again, alongside the blackwall tires, soon, at halfway reasonable prices.

One a related note, while wandering through old Schwinn catalogues the other day, I noticed that they were actually relatively late to adopt whitewall tires as standard on their three speed bikes. The catalogues up through 1958 show blackwalls as standard on the Traveler. The start of the "third generation" Traveler in 1959 seems to be when whitewalls became standard. Of course, you could get whitewalls at the bike shop if you wanted to spiff up your Traveler even before 1959. It seems the Racer always had blackwall tires standard, based on the catalogues. Eventually the Deluxe Racer (replacing the Traveler) got whitewalls in the later 1960s. I'll update the Schwinn Traveler guidebook page...

 

 

Into the Heart of Summer

 

Summer is in full swing, with long days and hot weather. Temperatures are well into the 90s this week, with plenty of humidity. The summer sports are also going right along: plenty of kayakers, hikers, bicyclists, and golfers out and about when I take my rides in the evening. 

 

This 1960 Schwinn Traveler needed a headset adjustment and then was ready to hit the road again. The job was accomplished in just a couple of minutes, and then out for an evening ride. I love the green and the ornate graphics on this frame.  

The nice part about riding in a wooded area  is that the temperature is a bit cooler during these hot days. The shade is very much appreciated.

 

I also need to give to appreciation to the road crews who fix all the cracks and potholes in the roads here. Winters are hard on our roads and we have plenty of potholes that form each spring. One of the roads where I ride was being repaired last evening. I miss the trip down there, but I do appreciate having fresh pavement instead of numerous potholes in that area. These crews work in hot, difficult conditions during the summer. 

 

 

Not a promising place to lean your bike...

This time of year, it is important to watch where you park alongside the roads here. Above is trouble... don't go into these three-leaved menaces.

 

It is nice to find an area to pull off the road and park, both out of the woods and out of the road...