Quote from mike cates on July 26, 2025, 10:15 am

Here is a fine complete and correct example of a ca. 1889-1892 EAGLE ROADSTER High Wheel Safety developed in the late high wheel period era.
Being a 50" rear wheel driven machine, it is very desirable for an avid rider to ascend and descend hills safely without fear of a "header" by going over the handlebars which Is the fear of riding a front wheel driven standard high wheel bicycle..
There is an ancient repair (see photo attached) to the rear rim where another short section of a rim was overlapped and riveted because probably where the original rim end-to-end seam had come apart it needed support in this area and this was someone's previous fix. In my opinion, this is an easy fix really by removing the rear tire, removing spokes and nipples in that area, removing the overlapped riveted rim support section, tig welding the original rim back together including rivet holes plus finish grinding it all off, and re installing the spokes & nipples, then finally reinstalling the rear tire.
The 1889-1892 EAGLE was the first bicycle that a rider could do what much later was called a "wheelie" on and early riders would use this technique to loft the front wheel when going over a slight bump in the road which was impossible to do on the standard high wheel bicycle with the large wheel in the front. Original riders would coordinate teams of riders and even play polo with these bicycles by "flipping" the front wheel to strike the polo ball with the front rim down the field. There had to have been some bad crashes on these machines doing this!

All of you know that EAGLES are in the upper echelon of collectible and rideable antique bicycles so keep that is mind concerning your offer.

The Ideal hub cyclometer shown in the photos doesn't go with this bicycle.

I can cardboard box for free but shipping cost will be extra to your location and I have an excellent shipper I've used for years that gets low shipping rates.

Here is your opportunity as these don't come up that often and will be a fine machine for a rider collector.

Mike Cates, CA.

(760) 473-6201

cates0321@hotmaii.com