Expert Columbia High Wheel Bicycle, 1884

Summary

Pope Manufacturing Company manufactured this Expert Columbia bicycle in 1884. By the mid-1880s, the high-wheel ordinary incorporated many innovations such as steel-tube frame construction, ball bearings, and wire wheels with rubber tires. These improvements made the ordinary a popular recreational and sporting machine. But the difficulty in mounting and safety concerns tended to limit its use mainly to athletic young men.

Pope Manufacturing Company manufactured this Expert Columbia bicycle in 1884. By the mid-1880s, the high-wheel ordinary incorporated many innovations such as steel-tube frame construction, ball bearings, and wire wheels with rubber tires. These improvements made the ordinary a popular recreational and sporting machine. But the difficulty in mounting and safety concerns tended to limit its use mainly to athletic young men.

Artifact

Bicycle

Date Made

1884

Keywords

Bicycles 

 On Exhibit

On Loan - Shanghai Auto Museum (Anting, Shanghai, China)

Object ID

00.3.16735

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Metal
Nickel (Metal)
Wood (Plant Material)
Leather

Color

Black (Color)
Light reddish brown

Dimensions

Width: 26.5 in

Length: 69 in

Height: 61 in

Inscriptions

Name plate: EXPERT COLUMBIA / MADE BY / THE POPE MFG. CO. / PATENTED

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