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1886 Columbia
1913 Pope (Columbia) racer
Columbia is one of America’s best and oldest bicycle makers. From the days of true horse power, their bicycle was “an ever saddled horse which eats nothing”. Colombia and Montgomery Ward mopeds are made by Colombia Manufacturing Company, Division of MTD Products Inc, One Cycle Street, Westfield MA 01086.
Columbia has been credited with many firsts in the biking industry, since its founding in 1877 by Col. Albert Pope. It has pioneered many improvements to the industry, producing bikes, motorbikes, and furniture for nearly 150 years. Here is the Columbia Manufacturing Inc website, history page. http://www.columbiamfginc.com/columbia_history.html
Columbia mopeds were made in the late 1970’s after the gas shortage. Models made with Columbia stickers are the 2200 series: 2200, 2240, 2250, 2260, 2270, 2280
Columbia re-brands: Models made plain for re-branding are the 8200 series: 8200, 8240, 8250, 8260, 8270, 8280
Yard-Man is the brand name of MTD Products (which owned Columbia). They made (and still do make) lawn mowers, power equipment, small motorscooters (1960’s) and mopeds (1970’s).
Open Road was the brand name of Montgomery Ward department stores bicycles and mopeds.
Western Flyer is the brand name of Western Auto Stores products, like bicycles, motorbikes, toy wagons, scooters, etc. In the 1950’s, Western Flyer bicycles equipped with Whizzer motors were also sold there. That was the original all-American moped. See Whizzer.
KKM Enterprises 405A Old Gallia Pike, Franklin Furnace, OH 45629 in 1987 bought the rights, procedures and equipment needed to make Columbia mopeds, both the stamped sheet metal kind, and the tube frame kind. From 1987 to the mid 1990’s they re-made Columbia’s that were all called Mopet.
Identification: Left is 1-chain rear hub, right is 2-chain. 1-chain is made of stamped steel with brake and sprocket on opposite sides. 2-chain is cast aluminum with brake and sprocket on the same side. The hub version identifies other parts, including the chain, sprocket, brake cables, swing arm and brake plate.
Engines: Columbia had 7 engine versions:
20 mph ’76-93 Sachs 505/1A 20id exhaust 11/48T
20 mph ’78-93 Solo 255 with 20mph pulley 11/57T
25 mph ’76-93 Sachs 505/1A 20id exhaust 11/42T
25 mph ’78-93 Solo 255 with 25mph pulley 11/57T
30 mph ’78-80 Sachs 505/1A 26id exhaust 11/42T
30 mph ’78-93 Solo 255 with 30mph pulley 11/57T
30 mph ’80-93 Sachs 505/1D 26id exhaust 11/42T
Solo 255 engine: Instead of the Germany made original pulley-clutch, Columbia made their own centrifugal clutch and pulley system. The pulley halves have three different spacings for 20, 25 or 30 mph speed versions. The engine swings and has springs that pull it forward to keep the belt tensioned. That allows the same belt, rear pulley and sprockets for all three speed versions.
Sachs 505 engine: Before 1980 all engines were the same, Sachs 505/1A. For 20 and 25 mph versions the exhaust is restricted to 20 mm inner diameter instead of 26. For 20 mph versions the gearing is lower, 48 tooth rear instead of 42. After 1979 the 30mph engine version was upgraded to 505/1D instead of 505/1A.