What We've Lost - Connecticut's Role in Bicycle Manufacturing

 

I previously offered a few thoughts on a 1938 Consumers' Union Reports article on bicycles in the United States. In those few years before World War II began, American manufacturers featured prominently in the bicycle market, some good, some poor. The Consumers' Union Report article should act as a springboard for our consideration of old time Connecticut-based manufacturers of bicycles and parts.

One statement in that article grabbed my attention. When discussing spokes, hubs, and other components, the reviewers particularly liked Torrington Company and New Departure parts - spokes, hubs, etc. Seeing that brought to mind Connecticut's once-proud role in precision manufacturing: bicycle parts, typewriters, firearms, etc. 

Manufacturing was once the lifeblood of Connecticut. Broad-based factories employed a variety unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers. The work was hard, but there were chances for advancement. An unskilled young person might start sweeping floors and eventually work up to semi-skilled and then skilled positions. These companies also had relationships with trade schools and engineering firms to offer recent graduates work.

When it came to bicycles, Connecticut manufacturers had much to offer.

 

Torrington Company: Spokes, Bearings, Bars, and More 

The Torrington Co. Facilities

 

 The Torrington Company, based plainly enough in Torrington, Connecticut, made a wide range of small, precision parts for bicycles. This included spokes, spoke nipples, bearings, handlebars, handle bar stems, and other items. Torrington was known for its precision and quality. Eventually Torrington focused on more profitable lines of automotive and industrial bearings, but they continued to turn out spokes well into the post-war era. 

The Torrington Company employed thousands and thousands of local people over the years. Members of my own family and circle of friends worked at various times for the company.  The company began as the Excelsior Needle company shortly after the American Civil War ended. During early decades of the 20th century, it branched out into other forms of manufacturing: spokes, bearings, tubes and bars, etc.

Torrington Co. - Sample of Handlebars Made

 

One of my grandfather's earliest memories involves the company. During the 1930s, my grandfather would make money after school by bringing food to workers at the plant. They would slip him money to buy lunch through the fence, and he would pick up their food and bring it back, earning a tip for his work. When it came time to throw out scrap, the workers would "tip off" my grandfather as to which bins/barrels the valuable copper scrap would be in. My grandfather would then collect those pieces and earn a few cents at a scrap metal place in town. The 1930s were a tough time and the Torrington Company's business was a bright spot in town.

When my grandfather was old enough to buy his own full-sized bicycle, he bought a used Schwinn that had Torrington pedals, bars, stem, and spokes on it. It was a 1936 Schwinn Henderson, a wonderful old balloon tire bike that I have owned since 1997.  

Torrington-made Spokes

It seems like almost everyone had connections to the Torrington plant. My older brother worked there in the 1980s. A close family friend was a manager there for quite a few years. Growing up, one of my friend's dad worked in the motor pool for Torrington Company. It seems like everyone had a connection to the company in some way or another.

By the early 2000s, the Company had been bought up and passed through several, larger parent companies. The final owner, Timken Corp., closed Torrington down in 2006. Some of the jobs moved to South Carolina. The plant lingered on being rented in part to commercial tenants for awhile, but it was a shadow of its formerly formidable self.   

In 2023, the Torrington "Standard" plant where many bicycle parts were made was torn down. Parts of the building had various industrial and commercial tenants, but much of the building fell into decay, a sadly too common fate for old industrial facilities in the "rust belt" of America. The final tenants of the building were, unfortunately, a large number of rats that subsequently inundated surrounding homes after the plant was torn down. 

A portion of the Torrington Company facilities survive. The old Excelsior Needle portion Torrington plant was redeveloped into commercial office space. A large, new county courthouse was built across Field Street from the redeveloped Excelsior Needle building. 

Peripheral businesses also benefited. Local shops, restaurants, etc.profited from the money and commerce brought into the community by the company.  The loss of the company was hard for the community.

 

New Departure - King of American Wheel Hubs 

Aerial Photo - New Departure Plant

 

New Departure was based in Bristol, Connecticut. It started as a bell making company but eventually branched out into precision manufacturing. They made bells, but were primarily known for their high-quality bearings and hubs. 

New Departure is often credited with inventing the coaster (foot) brake rear hub about 1897-98. This was a major innovation, offering a combination of coasting action and foot brake in a single hub. Most of these were single speeds. New Departure partnered with Corbin's company of New Britain, Connecticut, in the early manufacturing of hubs. (more on this below in the Corbin section). Eventually New Departure began making coaster brakes in its own right in the early 1900s. 

New Departure Plant - Postcard

The famous New Departure Model D coaster brake was made in Bristol for many years. As the Consumer Reports article points out, they also made good quality front hubs, such as the Model W. New Departure's line of brakes went back to the early 1900s with the original New Departure brake. In the days of wood wheel bicycles, the Model A New Departure hub was well-regarded. They also made multi-speed hubs, including the New Departure DD two speed and the Triple Speed.   

 

Model D Coaster Brake

As with the Torrington Company, New Departure employed thousands of locals over its long existence. It also contributed to the livelihoods of many local businesses in the area such as shops, restaurants, and other establishments.   

New Departure was probably best-known for its automotive bearings. They had a long and productive relationship with General Motors. I recall a friend's father worked there for many years. He got an employee discount on GM cars. He was big into Pontiacs (another now-vanished brand): GTOs, Trans-Ams, etc. When my friend turned 16 and got his driver's license, he got a shiny, new Trans-Am for a birthday present because of the discount (and a hefty auto insurance payment to boot). 

New Departure Bearings

New Departure went into decline starting in the 1960s. They stopped manufacturing the bicycle hubs and focused on automotive and aviation bearing products. The automotive business was good for awhile, but by the 1980s and 90s, this shrunk even further down into just aviation. In 1993, New Departure closed, a blow to the local economy. As with the closure of Torrington Company, the loss of New Departure left a hole in the community that could not be fully filled. 

 

P.F. Corbin - Early Coaster Brake Hubs 

 

P.F. Corbin company was based in New Britain, Connecticut. Corbin Screw Co. was formed from the merger of P&F Corbin and Russell & Erwin Manufacturing. Corbin, in its various forms, mainly made screws, bolts, chains, and pins for various applications. Corbin also made some interesting, early bicycle hubs. 

When New Departure (see above) initially wanted to make coaster brakes, it turned to P.F. Corbin to make those hubs to New Departure specifications. In 1899, P.F. Corbin Co. began making the brakes. Initially the brakes were known as "automatic coasters", "controllers", or "decelerators" for bicycles. Eventually "coaster brake" became the term used. These single speed, coasting foot brake hubs became the norm for American bicycles... and they got their start in Connecticut.

Corbin merged into a series of companies in the 20th century. They eventually merged into the famous Stanley tool company, which in turn was bought up and merged into Black & Decker. The New Britain plant closed and manufacturing moved abroad, yet another example of manufacturing loss in Connecticut. But the innovative beginnings of the coaster brake with New Departure and Corbin are still worth remembering. The "Corbin" name is still well-known in New Britain, and memoralized in such places as "Corbin's Corner". 

 

Eagle Manufacturing - Old Bicycles Made in Torrington

 

The Torrington Company (see above) is well-remembered for making bicycle parts in northwest Connecticut, but did you know whole bicycles were once made in Torrington?

Eagle Bicycle Manufacturing was based in Torrington, making bicycles from 1888 to about 1900. They made 20,000 to 30,000 bicycles on average, annually. They closed not long after 1900. I don't have much from them in my collection, only a single old badge made at the plant in Torrington. 

 

Mesinger Saddle - Post-War Bicycle Saddles 

Mesinger Saddle Stamping - Bethel, Conn.

 

Mesinger Saddles was a well-known and well-regarded maker of saddles for many years in the 20th century. Previously based in New York, in later years, Mesinger saddles, at least for part of its history, was based in Bethel, Connecticut. For many years, they made vinyl saddles for a variety of bicycles. They were particularly known for vinyl Schwinn "S" saddles in the post-WWII era. Their factory was at 11 Durant Avenue. The building is still there, but it no longer produces its famous vinyl saddles. Of course, the Schwinn company that provided them with such steady business also is no longer in Chicago. Connecticut was the only place that lost something when bicycle manufacturing moved abroad...

 

 

Pope Manufacturing - a Connection with Massachusetts

 

The well-known Pope family of companies that made Westfield, Columbia, and other famous bicycles had a Hartford connection. They began life in the 1870s in Hartford under Albert, Charles, and Edward Pope. Around 1890, Albert Pope also started the Hartford Cycle Company, another maker of highwheel bikes, to compete on price with down-market competitors. Pope made many famous, high wheel bicycles in Hartford. In fact the "Columbia" name started out a model of highwheel bicycle, eventually being used for a wide variety of the company's bikes.  Pope also had the Hartford Rubber Works to make bicycle tires in those days. 

Pope eventually made safety bicycles (with two smaller wheels of equal size) in Hartford of the more conventional design we are familiar with today. 

Pope also made automobiles, including collectible "brass radiator" and "horseless carriage" era vehicles. 

The main offices of the company moved to Westfield, Massachusetts in 1914. In 1915, Pope became known as "Westfield Manufacturing". This is the company many collectors are familiar with today: makers of the various Westfield, Columbia, and other famous brands of bicycle. But they got their start in Hartford under the Pope family.

 

 

U.S. Rubber Co. - Uniroyal - Bicycle Tire Maker

1951 Ad - Appears to Show a Schwinn Continental Touring Model

 

U.S. Rubber Co. was founded in 1892 in Naugatuck, Connecticut. In the early 1900s, the Naugatuck Valley of Connecticut was a strong manufacturing center. U.S. Rubber operated in Naugatuck, Seth Thomas Clocks was in Thomaston, and Torrington Co. was in Torrington. Each was based on the Naugatuck River.

For many years U.S. Rubber made bicycle tires. They also made a wide variety of automobile tires. For many years, business at U.S. Rubber was good. They bought up the Gillette Tire Co. shortly before WWII. In 1961, the company became known as Uniroyal. Eventually the company was bought up and the headquarters was moved to Ohio. In the 1990s, the company was bought again, this time by Michelin. Manufacturing was moved to other sites in the U.S., and increasingly, abroad.

 

Bevin Bell - A Well-Regarded Bell Company Continues

 Bevin Bell started as Bevin Brothers Manufacturing in East Hampton, Connecticut. This was an old company founded in 1832. They produced bells of all sorts. East Hampton was known for its bell manufacturing in those days, having dozens such companies in the area. 

Bevin made every sort of bell: cow bells, house ringer bells, sheep bells, bells for ships, sleigh bells, and - of course - bicycle bells. I have a Bevin Bicycle bell in my collection not to use on a bike, but just because it played a major role in bicycle bell manufacturing. 

Unlike the other companies in this article, Bevin Bell continues to operate. Their mill was struck by lightning in 2012, causing  damaging fire. It was unclear what would happen to the company after the fire, but it continues making several types of bells and employing people locally. 

 

Cannondale

 

Although much later in time than the other names on this list, I'll include Cannondale because it is so well-known today. Cannondale was founded in 1971, much later than these other companies. It started as a concrete housing company. The connection to bicycles began when one of the company founders came up with an idea for a bicycle trailer and bag set for camping. The bags were a hit. Eventually the company branched out into making bicycle frames. Eventually the company was sold and it no longer produces bike frames in the USA. The name "Cannondale" comes from the Cannondale Metro North train station in Wilton, Connecticut. 

Conclusion

The purpose of this article in not to list every conceivable Connecticut manufacturer of bicycles or parts. I am sure I have missed a few, which is not to diminish any left off this list. The purpose of this article is provide a theme: that we have lost something substantial here in Connecticut with the merger, off-shoring, and closure of bicycle-related manufacturing. 

These companies provided a broad base of employment in their respective communities. They brought in revenue, provided jobs to a wide variety of people, and gave a solid economic basis to towns and the state as a whole. We all must understand that manufacturing processes evolve, but there is a certain human element to these companies that goes beyond their products. There is something irrevocably lost when these companies close and leave holes in local economies and communities.