Tag Archives: Bicycle history

The Lovell Diamond a bike from the past

Over the coming months the Cycling Museum of Minnesota (CMM) is photographing and documenting its collection as a follow-up effort supported by the Minnesota Historical Society. Periodically visit their website or Facebook page, for updates to learn more about the bikes from our past.

This month’s feature is the Lovell Diamond bike made by Iver Johnson and Company and sold by the John P. Lovell Arms Co. of Boston, in 1891. This bicycle has equally-sized wheels placing it firmly in the safety bicycle category of its era, yet it retains some features of the high wheel bikes. Like the high wheel’s this bicycle has hard rubber tires, not the pneumatic tires that will come next. The frame includes a mounting step, even though a rider this close to the ground doesn’t need to step up over a high wheel.

Suspended from the top tube of the Lovell Diamondis bike is a leather map case, a useful accessory for the touring rider. For additional comfort the seat includes two springs, plus a leaf spring, to help compensate for the rougher ride the hard rubber tires provide.

Suspended from the top tube of the Lovell Diamondis bike is a leather map case, a useful accessory for the touring.

And like the high wheel’s, when the wheels of this bike are turning, the pedals are turning, which is why the front fork includes two pegs where the rider can rest his or her feet while coasting.

Suspended from the top tube is a leather map case, a useful accessory for the touring rider. For additional comfort the seat includes two springs, plus a leaf spring, to help compensate for the rougher ride the hard rubber tires provide. Many of the major features of today’s bicycle appear in the Lovell Diamond design, along with a few holdovers from the 1880s craze for the high wheeler’s.

You can view more images of the Lovell Diamond and learn more about the CMM (Cycling Museum of Minnesota) at: cmm.bike.

This bike is on loan at the Museum from: Juston Anderson.

To bike or not to bike exhibit helps answer question

As biking is on the rise here and across the country, the Twin Cities is also a leader in bike innovations and technology as demonstrated at the latest exhibit in the Goldstein Museum of Design, in St Paul, Minn. Now through May 10th, see: “Design Cycle”, which will help answer that question handily “to bike or not to bike?”

Design_Cycles_Poster_FORCARD-2_short

Poster shows the Minneapolis Greenway Coridor

Confirm your own hunches about why riding is a must in Minnesota, a state with a long time commitment to cracking the code on how bikes work in U.S. cities. Known for an expansive infrastructure that has increased ridership, the Minneapolis/St. Paul area is also home to a committed culture of cyclists with entrepreneurial savvy.

in the gallery see frames by regional builders including: Erik Noren and Curt Goodrich; gear and tools by Twin Six and Bike Fixtation; and the history fat bikes and Surly’s contributions to this growing industry.  You will also see a short presentation on early bicycling along with several maps to provide insights into the inherent allure of bicycles.

Plan to attend before the weather warms up…it’s free and open Tuesdays through Sundays into May.

For more information and on this bike exhibit checkout their website.