"Corbin & New Departure Hub Dating Project"

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I usually post everything I do both here on RRB & on the CABE as members of both with friends on both but started a thread on the CABE only I thought might be of interest to some RRB members interested particularly in pre-1933 bikes. I have been posting items at such a rapid rate it was just not viable to post it on both sites.

So with that I wanted to make sure everyone knew about the "Corbin & New Departure Hub Dating Project" thread I have going on the CABE. I am focusing on pre-1933 hubs back to the earliest "New Departure Controller" from 1897. I am trying to document all the Corbin & New Departure hubs from 1897 to 1933 with histories, ads, catalogs, diagrams, service documents, etc. on the hubs. I am also documenting the history of the two companies and trying to add some FUN historical advertising & novelty items to keep everyone interested. Also adding patents as I determine which hubs they belong to. The focus is particularly on the origins of the Coaster Brake but includes all Corbin & New Departure hubs 1897 to roughly 1940.

Anyway for anybody interested, it is at:

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread ... p-pre-1933

If anyone has any pertinent data you want added to the thread, you can post it here & I'll add it to the CABE thread or obviously if you are a member of both you can just add it there.

Thanks.

Gay Mc

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Here's a couple of samples of the beginnings of the Coaster Brake & the 1897 New Departure Controller:


"The bicycle coaster brake was invented by New Departure (New Departure Bell Co.) sometime in the 1897-98 period. Early in 1897, the company created the so-called "controller." This was a device that acted as decelerator and also permitted coasting but was not a true "coaster brake". (Posts #89 & 97) In December of 1898 the company, because it didn't have the machinery, contracted with the P.&F. Corbin Co. of New Britain, Connecticut, to make 5,000 true coaster brakes... the first known order. Each concern was to sell the gadget that "brought the bike back".... They were marketed under the name of New Departure. In 1899 P.&F. Corbin Co. undertook to make its own brakes (continuing to use the New Departure name until at least 1906), and so in late 1899 New Departure produced the first at its own plant, The "New Departure" Automatic Coaster. NOTE: This proves both companies had a working/sales partnership from 1898 to 1899 only.

1898 Columbia ad - "The New Departure Controller of 1897"
Columbia1898.jpg


NOTE: Interesting to note the Coaster Brake is on the right drive side.

IMG_6483-1.jpg


IMG_6482.jpg


IMG_6481.jpg


IMG_6480-1.jpg
 
Rustinkerer said:
Didn't GM own New Dep in the 50s? -
Adam

Adam,

GM bought New Departure in 1916 along with some other companies & placed them under the United Motors Corporation segment, a wholly owned subsidiary of GM. They later just became known as their own division of GM so the history of the two companies ties dates back 96 years.

Gary
 

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