# Elgin Lightweight



## michaels (Jul 15, 2012)

Hi, help needed with date and maker. I have my dad's old bike. Elgin Lightweight model 501-174  serial stamping on the BB, H2  then under that is F15440.
Thanks for the help.


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## rhenning (Jul 15, 2012)

You need pictures and the maker could be one of many depending on the year produced.  Roger


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## michaels (Jul 16, 2012)

No pics yet but.. I can describe it a bit. Its a plain diamond frame, says roadster on the top of the downtube and ELGIN Lightweight on the seatpost tube. The rear dropouts open to the rear and it has chain adjusters the point forward. Its a skiptooth chain and has pre balloon tires, the kind with wood on the inner part of the wheel. Model and serial is of no help here?


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## rhenning (Jul 16, 2012)

Per WW2 and sold by Sears.  Sears never made anything and seemed to change vendors fairly often so it is still a guess.  Roger


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## sailorbenjamin (Jul 16, 2012)

Singletube tires (the glue on kind)?  What size?
Those went out in the mid 30s.


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## michaels (Jul 16, 2012)

Tires are a bit bigger than 26" tires, they wont fit on a 26" bikes fork. Yes single tube. The bike may be older than I thought. I was guessing early 40's since dad was born in '30 but it could have been a hand me down. 
I will try to get pics up, I get why they are needed now. I was hoping the nice model number and serial would do the trick but I guess not on the Elgin labeled bikes.


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## Adamtinkerer (Jul 21, 2012)

Single tube tires weren't offered in the Sears catalog on new bikes after Fall/Winter 1936. And replacement tires were gone after the 1941 catalogs.


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## michaels (Jul 21, 2012)

*Elgin frame picture test*

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/images/attach/jpg.gifhttp://thecabe.com/vbulletin/images/attach/jpg.gif
This is a test, if it worked can you tell me who made the bike? Ok great it works, now the bike is a single tube tired Elgin so probably early 30's vintage. I will take a pic of the crank also if that helps.


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## bricycle (Jul 21, 2012)

I think an "F" is a 1941.


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## Balloontyre (Jul 21, 2012)

michaels said:


> http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/images/attach/jpg.gifhttp://thecabe.com/vbulletin/images/attach/jpg.gif
> This is a test, if it worked can you tell me who made the bike? Ok great it works, now the bike is a single tube tired Elgin so probably early 30's vintage. I will take a pic of the crank also if that helps.




Bike is likely Westfield built 41, Bricycle has it down F=1941


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## michaels (Jul 21, 2012)

That top mens bike does kind of look like mine, I have the fenders seat wheels and handlebars like in the picture. The only odd thing is mine has the old style tires and wheels, unless I'm looking at my wheels wrong. Could they have still used them in 41 just to use up old stock? 41 was an odd year for manufacturing  just before the war. The year makes sense though as dad would have been 11 and he was tall for his age. Thanks for the help.


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## JOEL (Jul 21, 2012)

501 is the code for Mercury-built bicycles.


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## Balloontyre (Jul 21, 2012)

JOEL said:


> 501 is the code for Mercury-built bicycles.




That is very interesting....
501, what is your resource for this?


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## JOEL (Jul 22, 2012)

There are several tool related websites that have Sears manufacturer codes. Google it. Here's one:
http://professional-power-tool-guid...pany/sears-and-craftsman-source-product-code/

502 = Murray, Ohio

I was thinking it was 501.


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## michaels (Jul 22, 2012)

I think I have the tire problem solved. I will have to check but the wheels I have may be off the older Pierce that is still in the barn. That was grandpa's bike and my dad or I may have swapped the later balloon tired wheels onto the Pierce so it could be ridden while the Elgin broken with a bent fork. I do remember riding the Pierce back in the late 70's. 
So thanks for the help.


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## pgroah (Jul 22, 2012)

*prewar lightweight wheels*










I have a complete unrestored prewar lightweight has 26x1.375 tires.


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## Balloontyre (Jul 22, 2012)

JOEL said:


> There are several tool related websites that have Sears manufacturer codes. Google it. Here's one:
> http://professional-power-tool-guid...pany/sears-and-craftsman-source-product-code/
> 
> 502 = Murray, Ohio
> ...




Too cool, thank you.


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## michaels (Jul 22, 2012)

pgroah said:


> View attachment 58652View attachment 58653View attachment 58654View attachment 58655I have a complete unrestored prewar lightweight has 26x1.375 tires.




Thats great, now I just have to pull the wheels off the Pierce and put them on the Elgin. That will make the fix up a bit cheaper not having to find single tubes or converting it. Thanks


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## michaels (Jul 26, 2012)

Update on Elgin. I was able to look at the pierce today and it does have my Elgin wheels and tires on it, even better the tires look usable. The wheels are a bit rusty but they feel solid, a few spokes are bent. Can I straighten the spokes or will they need to be replaced? What size tube would the 26 x 1.375 tire use, a standard 26" tube? Thanks.


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## rhenning (Jul 26, 2012)

You need to use a 26 x 1 3/8 tube that you should be able to get at any bike shop.  Be very careful with those tires as they haven't been made for 50 years.  26 x 1.375 is not the same as either of the 26 x 1 3/8 sizes that are out there.  The actual wheel sizes in mm is 26 x 1 3/8 tires on English bikes is 590 mm rims.  26 x 1 3/8 tires on Schwinn bikes used 597 mm rims.  Your bike with 26 x 1.375 tires uses 599 mm rims as did Schwinn pre-war lightweights.  Roger


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## pgroah (Jul 26, 2012)

*26x1.375*

you couldn't have said it better.  these wheels are odd and specific kind of unique and underappreciated.


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## sailorbenjamin (Jul 29, 2012)

Did you see the one in the For Sale forum?  Real pretty.  Didn't last long.
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...ghtweight-with-ND-2-speed-rear-wheel-for-sale


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## michaels (Jul 31, 2012)

sailorbenjamin said:


> Did you see the one in the For Sale forum?  Real pretty.  Didn't last long.
> http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...ghtweight-with-ND-2-speed-rear-wheel-for-sale




Thanks for posting that, it helps to see one all put together. mine has been in pieces since the 50's.


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## ricky123 (Sep 6, 2012)

I am aware that Sears never made bikes with single tube tyres because I remember analyzing in detail. In fact the practice of replacement tyres was discontinued long back


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