The Online Bicycle Museum

DESIGNS: OPEN, DUPLEX, TRUSS, GIRDER & UNUSUAL FRAMES

1927 Leo Chardon 07

With tubing getting thinner to reduce weight, frame strength became an issue. By the end of the 1880s, duplex tubing came into vogue. Also known as an ‘open frame’ or ‘open bottom bracket’ or ‘double diamond’, this style was copied from tricycles. With similar concerns around 1900, ‘truss’ and ‘girder’ frames had an extra tube for added strength. This was necessary if a frame was tall, but it was also sometimes used as a gimmick. The Premier ‘Truss’ had an extra tube from seat to steering head.
The extra tube the Royal Enfield ‘Girder’ ran from the bottom of the steering head to the bottom bracket.
The Elswick ‘Truss’ had two crossed down tubes.
Cycle makers worked hard to give their top-of-the-range model some sort of extra design flourish to make it stand out from the crowd and many odd frame styles appeared over the years…

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Items in this Collection

1888 Coventry Machinists’ SWIFT spring fork 0

1888 Coventry Machinists ‘Swift’ Spring fork Safety

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1890 Centaur Ranger 4 copy

1890 Centaur Ranger

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1890 Coventry Machinists’ Co Swift Model C Safety 05

1890 Coventry Machinists’ Co Swift Model C Safety

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1890 Coventry Machinists’ Co Swift Model C Safety 98

1890 Coventry Machinists’ Co Swift Model C Safety VIDEO

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1890 Ellis Rhoda open frame safety 0

1890 J H Ellis ‘Rhoda’ Safety. No 3, Solid Tyres

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1890 Raleigh Roadster M Pattern 0

1890 Raleigh ‘M Pattern’ Open Diamond Frame

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1890 Rudge Bicyclette Diamante 05

1890 Rudge Bicyclette Diamant No 2

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1891_Earl_05

1891 Matthew Smith ‘Earl’ Truss-Tube Safety

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1890_Premier_11

1891 Premier ‘Model F’

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1891 Premier Model F ‘Trough tube model’ 4 copy

1891 Premier Model F 

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1891 Rudge Bicyclette Diamant 05

1891 Rudge Bicyclette Diamant ‘Modele H’

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1891 Singer Apollo 01

1891 Singer Apollo Safety

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1891-Westminster-Open-frame-15

1891 Westminster Double Diamond (Open Frame) Safety

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1892-Century-Columbia-77

1892 Century Columbia (Duplex frame)

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1894 Columbia Model 34 Duplex Frame 69

1894 Columbia ‘Model 34’ (Duplex frame)

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1894-Yost-Mfg-Co-Falcon-1-641×410

1894 Yost Mfg Co Falcon ‘No 1’

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1895 Maywood Double Diamond (Cash Buyers’ Union) 0

1895 Maywood Double Diamond (Cash Buyers’ Union)

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1898_University_242

1896 Fowler Truss Frame

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1 copy

1897 ‘THE AMERICA’ Truss Frame Tandem

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fowler cycle catalogue

1897 Fowler Truss Frame – Catalogue

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1897 ‘THE AMERICA’ 28 Tall Truss Frame 5

1897 THE AMERICA Tall Truss Frame

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1898 Knolls Spring Frame Bicycle 1

1898 Knoll’s Spring Frame Bicycle (with Pierce spring fork)

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1898 Triumph Resilient 05 copy

1898 Triumph Resilient Model 24AA

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1899_Triumph_Resilient_04

1899 Triumph Resilient Model 25AA Road Racer

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1900 Dursley Pedersen 1

1900 Dursley Pedersen Light Roadster (Size 4)

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1900-Warwick-Giraffe-50

1900 Warwick Cycle Co ‘Giraffe’ (McCormack patent)

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1900_Elswick_01

1900s The Gentleman’s Elswick Popular Truss Light Roadster

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1902-Royal-Enfield-Girder-48

1902 Royal Enfield Girder ‘Special Lightweight Roadster’

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1899-Elswick-Truss-Frame-50

1903 The Gentleman’s Elswick ‘Truss-Frame’ Roadster

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1903 The Gentleman’s Elswick Popular Truss Light Roadster (Fagan 2 speed) 5

1903 The Gentleman’s Elswick Popular Truss Light Roadster (Fagan 2 speed)

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1903-THE-LADYS-ELSWICK-05

1903 The Lady’s Elswick Cross Truss Model

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1904 THE OSMOND Road Racer 89

1904 Dennis Bros ‘Speed King’ Light Roadster

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1904 Raleigh X Frame Scorcher

1904 Raleigh X Frame Scorcher

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1904_Royal_Enfield_Girder_08

1904 Royal Enfield ‘Girder’ Lightweight Roadster (Fagan 2-Speed Hub)

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1905-Royal-Enfield-Road-Racer-04

1905 Royal Enfield Sloping Top Tube Girder Road Racer

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Elswick_Cross_Truss_04

1906 Elswick Gentleman’s Special Cross Truss Frame ‘Model 6’ Bicycle

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1906 Premier Helical Truss Frame Wonder Woman

1906 Gentlemen’s Royal Premier No 3 Helical Truss Frame

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BAD-TEETH-NO-BAR-ROYAL-ENFIELD-1

1906 Royal Enfield Gent’s Light Roadster, Riche Girder Type

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1906-Royal-Enfield-Standard-Girder-65

1906 Royal Enfield Lady’s Standard Girder

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1907-Royal-Enfield-Girder-Tall-Frame-83

1907 Royal Enfield Standard Girder Tall Frame

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1910 Monopole with Biflex front forks & rear stays 0

1908 Monopole with Biflex front forks & rear stays

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1905_Royal_Enfield_Riche-Girder-04

1908 Royal Enfield ‘Modele Riche’ Lady’s Duplex Girder

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FOR SALE Centaur_Resilient_01

1909 Resilient Royal Centaur with Spring Fork

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1909_Royal_Enfield_251

1909 Royal Enfield Standard Girder

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1 1909_premier_helical truss frame

1909 Royal Premier No. 3

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1913 Elswick Popular Truss Path Racer 05

1910 Elswick (Newcastle) Popular Truss Path Racer

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sparkbrook RIC

1910s Sparkbrook R.I.C Roadster (Royal Irish Constabulary)

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1911 Premier Royal 1

1911 Gentlemen’s Royal Premier (Tall 28″ frame)

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1911 Royal Premier 30″ Helical Truss Frame 05 copy

1911 Royal Premier Helical Truss Frame 30″ frame 30″ wheels

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1912 Lovell Diamond Iver Johnson 05

1912 Lovell Diamond Truss Frame Roadster

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re_girder_2

1912 Royal Enfield 24 Inch Standard Girder

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1906-Royal-Enfield-Standard-Girder-03-1

1912 Royal Enfield Duplex Girder Lady’s

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1913-Dursley-Pedersen-Cantilever-Road-Racer-72

1913 Dursley Pedersen Cantilever Road Racer

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1913_Royal_Enfield_Girder_04

1913 Royal Enfield Duplex Girder Gent’s Model 115

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WW1-Bicycle-Ambulance-051

1914 Royal Enfield Bicycle Ambulance WW1

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1918-Royal-Enfield-Girder-09

1918 Royal Enfield Riche Duplex Girder Roadster (WW1)

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1920 Columbia Trussbridge 5 copy

1920 Columbia Archbar Model 01

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1920 LOVELL DIAMOND 05

1920 Lovell Diamond Truss Frame Roadster

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1920s Alcyon Curved Frame 05

1920s Alcyon Curved Frame Road Racer

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1920s French Truss frame 05

1920s French Truss Frame Road Racer

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1920s Gentleman’s Elswick Popular Truss Light Roadster 05

1920s Gentleman’s Elswick Popular Truss Light Roadster

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FOR SALE 1920 Hirondelle Trussframe Track Racer 11

1920s Hirondelle Trussframe Track Racer

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1920s-Lady’s-Elswick-Popular-Truss-08

1920s Lady’s Elswick Popular Truss

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1920s St Etienne Truss frame 05

1920s St Etienne Truss frame

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FOR SALE 1920s Labor Trussbridge Road Racer 30

1920s Trussbridge Road Racer (Labor Patent)

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1922 Royal Enfield Riche Duplex Girder Roadster 1

1922 Royal Enfield Riche Duplex Girder Roadster

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1924_Elswick_Truss_01

1924 Lady’s Elswick Popular Truss

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1927 Leo Chardon 05

1927 Velo Leo Chardon with Unique Frame Design

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1920s Favor duplex down tube & chain stays 36

1928 Favor with split down tube & duplex chain stays

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1930 ‘S Frame’ Suspension (Spring-frame) Bicycle 05

1930 ‘S Frame’ Suspension (Spring-frame) Bicycle

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1930s ELSWICK CROSS TRUSS 08

1930s Gentleman’s Elswick Special Cross Truss 

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1934 Moorson Superior Twin Tube 05

1934 Moorson Superior Twin Tube

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1934 Mochet Velocar 2 Roues 05

1934-1936 Mochet ‘Le Velocar 2 Roues’

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1935-CURLY-HETCHINS

1935 ‘Curly’ Hetchins Brilliant No 2 Vibrant

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1

1935 New Hudson Twin Tube Tandems (Ladyback & Double Gents) + Sidecar

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1936-Moller-Auto-Cycle-and-Sidecar-05

1936 Moller Auto-Cycle (with Sidecar)

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1936_Silverking_Flocycle_01

1936 Monark Silver King Flocycle Model No. M037

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1936 Triumph Moller Auto Cycle 1

1936 Triumph Moller Auto Cycle 

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1936 Triumph Moller Auto Cycle & Sidecar 5

1936 Triumph Moller Auto Cycle

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1936-Triumph-Moller-08-1

1936 Triumph Moller Auto Cycle

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1936:1937 CCM Flyte Streamlined 05

1937 CCM ‘Flyte Streamlined’

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1937 ELSWICK Cross Frame 05

1937 Elswick Special Cross Truss Roadster

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1937 Royal Enfield ‘Twin Tube’ Lightweight Sports 05

1937 Royal Enfield ‘Twin Tube’ Lightweight Sports

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1937 RUNWELL Super Sports 05

1937 Runwell Super Sports (Super Braced Low Top Tube)

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1938_Elgin_Twin_20_02

1938 Elgin Twin 20 ‘Model 502’

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1939 Silver King 26X Custom 05

1939 Monark Silver King 26X Custom (Restored)

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1939 Monark Silver King Flocycle 26X 46

1939 Monark Silver King Flocycle 26X

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1940s PARABIKE Boys Junior 2

1946 – 1953 BSA Junior Parabike in army trim

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1946_BSA_ACP_30

1946 BSA Paratroop Model 904ACP – American Export Model

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1947-Curly-Hetchins-40

1947 Curly Hetchins Vibrant Frame

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1947-Paris-Galibier-101

1947 Paris Galibier (Restored)

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1950 Paris Rensch ‘Type Dame’ 5 copy

1947 Paris Rensch ‘Type Dame’

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FOR SALE 1948 Buckley Hellenic 2

1948 Buckley Hellenic

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1948_PARIS_GALIBIER_03

1948 Paris Galibier

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1948-Paris-Galibier-12

1948 Paris Galibier (Original Paint)

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1948 Thanet Silverlight 5

1948 Thanet Silverlight

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1949 Fratelli Vianzone Wooden Bicycle 05

1949 Fratelli Vianzone Wooden Bicycle

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1951_Paris_Galibier_0

1951 Paris Galibier

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Paris Galibier 05

1956 Paris Galibier

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1960-Curly-Hetchins-Experto-Crede-06

1960 Curly Hetchins Experto Crede

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1960s-Union-Strano-782794-05-1

1960s Union Strano # 782794

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UNION-STRANO-FOR-SALE

1960s Union Strano #775388

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1980s Bowden Spacelander Replica‘Space Vello’ by Wolf of Nottingham5 copy

1980s Bowden Spacelander Replica: ‘Space Vello’ by Wolf of Nottingham

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1981 Trevor Jarvis FLYING GATE 1 copy

1981 Trevor Jarvis FLYING GATE

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1990s Harry Butler WALLER Replica 1

1990s Harry Butler WALLER KINGSLAND Replica

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Buster_Keaton_Our_Hospitality_1

FRAME STYLES

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CROSSFRAME-MUSEUM-inc-featherweight2

Premiers & Cross-Frames

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