1889 Rudge Bicyclette Crossframe Safety

1889 Rudge Bicyclette Crossframe Safety

19″ Frame

30″ Wheels

Frame No E 3986 1

This Rudge Bicyclette crossframe safety has the early style frame, with curved brace to the seat tube and seat stays used to tighten the chain. But it also has chain adjustment at the rear dropouts. Rear chain adjustment was introduced to the cycle industry in 1889, so this example appears to be an interim model updated to the latest chain adjustment technology and only built for a short time. By 1890, their crossframes hade lost the curved brace and the chain stays were proper tubes rather than adjustable rods. Rudge also introduced a diamond frame model in this year, but their bicycles were not being updated as efficiently as their competitors, and for a few years they had to depend on outdated models, until the company was rescued by Charles Pugh to become Rudge-Whitworth. During the early 1890s, many Rudges were exported to Europe and the Commonwealth countries, as the export markets needed cheaper cycles rather than the latest models.

This machine was restored by well-known collector Rod Safe (RIP) in the 1990s. It is still in good all round condition and ready to ride.