Re: [CR] mystery object

Could it be used for towing a second bicycle (to races, to the shop for repairs, new bike transport to local shops)?

The ring at the top look like it might clear a seatpost - pop out the post on the "tow bike", slip it through the ring, then back into the seattube of the towbike.

The arced "stays" of the assembly might allow it to clear the seatstays of the towbike.

The dropouts might then line-up with the dropouts of the towbike. Remove the rear wheel first, install the assembly with the seatpost, then reinstall the rear wheel, closing the wingnuts over both sets of dropouts.

The two U-shaped rods appear to be moveable/adjustable, and there appear to be thumb nuts on the lower/longer ends. Open the thumb nuts, install the fork ends of the "towed bike", tighten the thumb nuts.

The front of the "towed bike" would now be higher than normal, perhaps to keep the pedals hitting the road (especially important for a fixed gear). This would also help when the "towed bike " has larger wheels than the towbike.

Sliding fit at the U-shaped rods and brazed-on tubes would allow some movement for differences in fork width (city bikes, racing bikes, porteurs, children's etc.). Also, when taking corners - the front of the "towed bike" is high, so the geometry is messed-up... it might need to move to the sides a bit to keep from binding the headset. The U-shape of the rods and pair of brazed-on tubes would allow the rods to slide, but would keep them in the same plane as the seatstays. Any advantage to that?

That just leaves the locking T-bar... is it connected in any way to the spring? I've run out of ideas, so will leave this for the next reader. ;-)

Aldo Ross
Middletown, Ohio, USA