General Information

Serial #

52374/E

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

metal frame, headset, handlebars, forks, stays, crankset, chain and parts/ rubber hand grips, pedals and tires/ leather? saddle/ synthetic rear reflector, cable covering

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

170.0 cm

Width

67.2 cm

Height

105.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Non-motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Cycles & cycling

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

CCM

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Weston

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

early 1950's +

Canada

A product of the Canada Cycle & Motor Co., the largest manufacturer and supplier of bicycles in Canada until the mid 1950's. The Canada Cycle and Motor Co. Ltd.was formed in 1899 through the amalgamation of the five largest bicycle manufacturers in Canada: Massey-Harris Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Toronto, H.A. Lozier and Co. of Toronto Junction, Gendron Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Toronto, Welland Vale Manufactuting Co. of St. Catherines and Goold Bicycle Co. Ltd. of Brantford. Lozier and Gendron were subsidiaries of American bicycle manufacturers; Massey-Harris had secured the Canadian rights to the American firm Pope Manufacturing Co.'s Columbia in 1895 and its first products somewhat resembled the latter. Massey-Harris produced the Massey-Harris and the Silver Ribbon, Lozier the Cleveland, Welland Vale the Perfect bicycle and Goold made the Red Bird. These companies had all started producing bicycles in Canada in response to the bicycle craze in the 1890's which had reached Canada by 1895. High tariffs on imported bicycles and parts encouraged manufacturers to enter the field and/or upgrade their factories. Goold and Gendron were producing bicycles before 1890, H.A. Lozier, Welland Vale and Massey-Harris by 1895. By the late 1890's, the demand for bicycles was beginning to weaken and Canadian manufacturers began to realize that too many bicycles were being produced and also that cost cutting, price reductions and improved production methods were not enough to maintain the industry. The five largest Canadian producers, which together accounted for about 85% of the market, decided to bring order to the market by controlling the supply of cycles and in 1899 joined their cycle making operations together to form CCM. Their object was to reduce production and competition in order to maintain prices, as well as modernizing their plants and equipping a factory to produce automobiles. The collapse of the bicycle market in 1899 and questionable financial management led to a reorganization of the company in 1902. Branch offices and factories were closed and reduced production was concentrated in the former Lozier plant in Toronto Junction. The company survived until 1911 until bicycle sales stabilized and began to climb again. By 1914 business was much improved and a new facility was built in Weston, ON which opened in 1917. Until the 1960's CCM grew and prospered. After that time outside factors such as economic instability, high interest rates and foreign competition as well internal problems such as poor labour relations, failure to modernize the plant and unsuccessful changes to the marketing policy led to the eventual bankruptcy of CCM in 1983 (Refs 1-2)..

Function

A human-powered personal transportation or recreational vehicle for one person.

Technical

This bicycle with its upright handlebars and slightly convex top tube appears to be an example of CCM's 1953 men's Cycosonic Lightweight Roadster, as illustrated in the 1953 catalogue (Ref. 1) . That bicycle had a 22-19 inch frame; CCM maroon or metallic blue finish with a gold coloured head insert; CCM Cycosonic white enameled guards; side-pull front and rear hand brakes; the new CCm Cycosonic 46T x 1/2 x 1/2 chromium plated sprocket; a Cyclo derailleur 3 speed gear; a Wright or Dunlop saddle.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

plate on head tube reads 'REGISTERED/ CCM/ TRADE MARK' with 'MADE IN CANADA' and 'WESTON ONTARIO'/ serial number incised at top of sear tube reads '52374/E'/ lettering on gear shifter reads 'CYCLO' and "CYCLO/ MADE IN ENGLAND'/ white plate with raised lettering on saddle back reads 'WRIGHTS'/ indented lettering on detached hand grips reads 'MATEX'

Missing

has new hand grips; cw 2 detached hand grips that may be original No other missing parts noticeable.

Finish

frame painted maroon/ plated handlebars, brake handles, rims, parts/ metallic grey gear shifter, brake handles/ brown saddle/ white painted fenders/ black pedals and tires/ red synthetic rear reflector in metallic housing/ cable covering finish obscured/ black painted? kick stand/ red-brown hand grips on bicycle; detached hand grips are brown

Decoration

N/A