Well> It's called a chaindrive trike. Taylor was an American company but I
don't think they were made in Chicago. If I remember correctly Taylor was
sold by Chicago Cycle and Supply Co. in Chicago.
ChiCy was the distributor my mother would take me to on her lap on the
streetcar when my parents started their shop in the mid-thirties, and would
buy an item for a customer and then return with me and the item on her lap
to sell to the customer because they didn't have much money for inventory in
'35-6. It cost a nickle each way, I went for free. It was the depression and
it not easy.
We sold Taylor and Colson along with Murray and Junior Toy in our shop back
in the day and put many of those together.
Taylor was recognized as the best of the trikes, with Colson probably
second.
Taylor made all sizes, and had a dx mod. with 1.75 semi-pneumatic tires, and
a std mod. with solid rubber wired on tires.
I still have my machine and do trike wheels occasionally that need the wire
drawn thru the center and tightened, like the oulde ordinaries.
Some of the chain drive trikes came with a New Departure coaster brake in
the BB housing, so when the kid pedalled backwards it would stop. Others
were fixed gear and 1" pitch. HO-HO.!!
Those better trikes had spoke and nipple wheels, with ball bearing hubs,
early and better ones also had ball bearing pedals but all were just
bushings and forkshaft in steering assembly.
I might still have an old Taylor head badge, not taken off for piece out
profiteering, I assure you.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA
>I walked into a friend's place today and he has a vintage trike sitting
> there. It is a Taylor. I remarked that it must be British and he told me
> that this was a Chicago company. It is a 1952 with sort of Art Deco lines
> to it and an inch pitch chain! Supposedly it cost over $100 in 1952.
> Does
> anyone know of a Taylor that was made in Chicago? My impression is that
> it
> may have been a Schwinn competitor. New one on me.
>
> Tom Sanders
>
> Lansing, MI USA