What is this frame called

[Templogin]

Walking for the bus I noticed an old rusty bike in the back of someone's garage.  It was unusual in that it had two crossbars (top tubes) one above the other.  For the life of me I can't think of the name of this type of frame.  I thought that it was a flying gate, but the web shows me that is something altogether different.  Please put me out of misery and tell me what they are called.

Thanks

Andy

[JimK]

Not sure the name, but here is my heaviest bike that seems like the type you are describing. The manufacturer just calls it double-tube or double top tube.

[Danneaux]

Agreed with Jim, "double top tube" is the current term used to describe such bikes.

Here in America, such bikes were popular in the 1950s, when they were described as "newsboy" bikes -- the double top tube reinforced the frame against the heavy loads of newspapers as young boys delivered them house-to-house.

Another variant commonly found on "cruiser" bikes from or reminiscent of that era has the seatstays extended in an arch to finally terminate either on the upper downtube. American maker Schwinn called this a "cantilever" frame and held a patent dating back to 1938. See: http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/725725-can-anyone-identify-vintage-schwinn.html

Best,

Dan.

[Templogin]

That's the one.  The only differences with the bike that I have seen and JimK's is that it is very rusty and a much bigger gap between the top tubes, due probably to it being a larger frame.

Thanks guys.  Must admit that I had hoped for a better name though.  Something like flying gate sounds so much better!

[Danneaux]

...I had hoped for a better name though.  Something like flying gate sounds so much better!

It sure does! The original Flying Gate was the Baines-Whirlwind/VS37, designed in 1936 and continued in production until the company closed in 1954.

There are now several reproductions offered on the market, including a copy authorized by Bill Baines himself:
http://www.tjcycles.co.uk/flyinggateframes.htm

Best,

Dan.