Das Rant
By C.G.

Back in the 1800s, Bicycles Got the Shaft

Woohah.

Well it can be said that MBT keeps me on staff not for history lessons and anecdotes but rather rantings, ravings, and complaints, I simply cannot refuse an opportunity to talk about the olden days this issue. In addition to being a bicycle mechanic, I’m a bit of a car buff- specifically a hobbyist car historian. I spend a lot of time researching the early days of the automobile, as it never fails to amaze me how far that simple invention managed to advance our society.

Once in a while worlds collide when I discover that the bicycle was a fundamental part of the automobile’s development. For today’s lesson we must climb into the time machine and head back to 1898 when early bicycle maker, Albert Pope, developed and put into production what he called the “chainless bicycle”. What he really invented was a shaft-drive to transfer power from the cranks to the rear wheel. The system used beveled gears at both ends and rotated within an oil-filed tube. The benefits were three-fold: Smoother ride, less frequent maintenance, and cleaner external appearance. The disadvantages were unfortunately also three-fold: Increased weight, more difficult to maintain, and higher initial cost.

One other thing I should mention is that back in those days a major draw was the concern of an oily chain soiling one’s clothes or dress (men did, after all, ride around in suits). The shaft was considered a major breakthrough for its ability to keep the oil within an enclosed tube.

So what’s this have to do with anything you ask? Pope had actually mastered machining techniques that would remain cutting edge (no pun intended) for many years to come. Pope Manufacturing Company was able to machine their bevel gears to tolerances as tight as 1/2000 of an inch in 1898 while Henry Ford was limited to 1/64 inch as recent as 1903.

The secret to Pope’s success? Milling and careful inspection followed by stamping and pressing to ensure that each component would follow the tight specs.

In 1897, Pope Manufacturing began production of the world’s firt electric car. By 1899, the company had produced over 500 vehicles.

Sadly Pope declared bankruptcy in 1907 and abandoned the automobile industry in 1915 but it proves that electric cars and hybrids aren’t as cutting edge as everyone seems to think. In fact these latest trends are actually proof that everything seems to come full circle eventually.