2000 "Iver Johnson Major Taylor"

[Duchess]

I never liked the paint scheme of my road bike, but I got it pretty cheap. Then I got my 1910-1912 Iver Johnson Special Racer and started reading up on the history. While reading about Major Taylor, I realized his 1900 world championship was exactly 100 years before my road bike was built and I had the thought: what if Iver Johnson were still around and issued a Major Taylor centennial edition to celebrate their history? Of course, Iver Johnson is long gone, so I had to do it myself. I also made a head badge, but I think I like it too much without it.

And the unrelated great grandfather:

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Both nice bikes...

Luke.

 

[G-Matt]

Cool idea came out very nice .


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[alistair clark]

I really like the black bike. Are you going to mod up the red one so it looks like the black Iver? If you are it's going to be a good read.

 

[Rebel_56]

I love your arch bar. Those are the best Iver j's in my opinion. I still regret selling my 1927 Iver j. Great concept man!!!

 

[horsefarmer]

They are both very nice bikes. I think if Iver was still around and made a anniversary bike it would most likely have a truss frame.

It was a major part of their identity.
http://www.oldbike.eu/iverjohnson/

 

[Duchess]

It was, but that was also a long time ago and it's pretty outdated today, particularly with the weight conscious modern era. There's also that Major Taylor rode a regular diamond frame. If I were to build one from scratch, though, I would do a truss frame for sure. Basically, I'd remake my original with modern triple butted tubing and components. I'd maybe use a more responsive head tube angle, but I'd definitely leave the rear geometry the same as I love the way it rides. I bought it for the aesthetic, the idea of something older than my centenarian grandfather, and built locally that was high end in its day, but I really fell for the way it rides and the impressive build quality and manufacturing. Everyone I've let ride it remarks on how comfortable and smooth it is and faster than they thought (myself included—I GPSd myself and was surprised that I cruise between 16 and 18 mph with the low gearing with low 20s not too hard to manage before I'm spinning like a cartoon character on ice).

Another thing that occurred to me while making the "2000" was that if there was still an Iver Johnson, who's to say they wouldn't be rebrands of something else (in this case, it's a Specialized Allez). I doubt they'd still be made in the US (hopefully they'd still be quality, at least). Parlee, for instance, makes bicycles down the street from me and even their $5k bikes are made overseas. I think you have to get to somewhere around 8 for them to have been made here.