Preserving the memory of the bicycle industries in Shelby, Ohio
Clarence “Whippet” Wagner (1900-1936) Clarence “Whippet” Wagner put the fledgling Shelby Cycle Company in the news in 1927 when he broke his own transcontinental record, riding a Shelby Whippet bicycle. Wagner was born in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1900 and served in the 69th Balloon Company with the Army Expeditionary Force in World War I.… Continue reading Clarence “Whippet” Wagner
Shelby Steel Tube Co. 1891 Lozier-Yost Seamless Tube Works, then The Shelby Steel Tube Co. formed Lozier and Yost bring technology back from England Jonas Feighner and Capt. D.L. Cockley raised $37,500 from Shelbians toward the venture Among original board members are J.A. Seltzer, Shelby, and Col. A.A. Pope, Boston First tubes drawn July 24,… Continue reading Shelby Bicycle Industry Timeline
If It wasn’t for a sewing machine salesman who convinced Shelbians to invest in a new American industry, Shelby might have remained a crossroads. The seamless tube company still exists today as ArcelorMittal.
Shelby Cycle Co. was back in the business of producing bicycles by 1945, although steel and rubber were still in short supply. To fill orders more quickly, the most popular models were mass produced to establish stock that could be shipped on demand.
The thriving industrial town of Shelby was not immune to the ravages of war. A required government shutdown of industry in 1942 affected the Shelby Cycle Company as well. World War II had begun.
