# 1920's Mead Ranger find



## jd56 (Oct 12, 2013)

Picked this one up with some others yesterday...I'd say this one is pretty cool and has be one of my best finds to date.....at least as far a prewars go.
Need a little help (without pulling the crank) decoding the serial#, on this 20's (?) wooden rim Mead Ranger. 
S/N 159507


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## dfa242 (Oct 12, 2013)

I have a Ranger project with serial number 159418 with a crank dated 1923 so it's probbly pretty close to that.


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## jd56 (Oct 12, 2013)

Appreciate it Dean.
I figured later than 3/1922 as that is last patent date on the decal.

Been a busy day for me today, to say the least.


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## josehuerta (Oct 12, 2013)

I'm guessing 1925 or later based on head badge and pedals. Please contact me if you decide to sell this one -


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (Oct 12, 2013)

Very nice find JD congrats on it, i like the original red pedals on it!


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## bikewhorder (Oct 12, 2013)

Uh oh, Looks like someone's going to be getting hooked on the early stuff.  I could never understand your obsession with those sci-fi bikes but this is one I can relate to.  Nice find.


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## jd56 (Oct 12, 2013)

Its all about what parts are needed to be found. When I started this madness it was easier to find middleweight parts and a lot cheaper. 
I haven't crossed the fence into the prewar realm yet. 
And I do love my Space bikes or as you put it SciFi bikes. Hell, it was 1960 before I got the bike training wheels off. I wasn't even a fore thought much less an after thought back when these bikes were built.

But thanks guys (George too).

This is all new to me....probably will be busted to "training wheels". again....I think someone threatened to do that when I inquired as to what was my first Schwinn Ballooner was....turned out to be a Black Phantom....hey you got to learn sometime.


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## dougfisk (Oct 12, 2013)

JD, you are on a tear... don't you need to, like, work during the day and, like, sleep at night?


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## Nick-theCut (Oct 12, 2013)

I love these bikes so much that I've been watching this thread and haven't commented since I agree with Josehuerta.
This bikes date must be 1925 and on based on decal and pedals.  Mostly from 1925 because it's the first catalog year this pedal showed up.

Everyone keeps chattering about what Mead serial numbers are on their Mead, but does anyone have a database of numbers to reference to?
Are we taking notes on patterns we see?

If a Mead frame is Schwinn built, it is found in Schwinn serial numbers.  I'm not sure if Westfield built Mead bikes have been ID thru Westfield serial number databases??   Early day Mead frame stamping and frame production records have shown up yet.  Am I wrong?

Wait, wait, wait.  What I meant to say is, " Hey, cool bike!"


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Oct 13, 2013)

now one of them would make me a Nice road bike! Awesome jd!


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## jd56 (Oct 13, 2013)

dougfisk said:


> JD, you are on a tear... don't you need to, like, work during the day and, like, sleep at night?




I do work and somehow find sleep, but I do both with one eye closed.

Thanks everybody for the cool comments.
Not sure what I'm going to do with this one yet...keep it or let it go? 
Just trying to figure out it's value has been taxing to say the least.
And thanks to the members that showed some interest.

But because I have my eye on another bike I am considering and weighing the options to fund it.


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## Gary Mc (Oct 13, 2013)

JD, That is one sweet complete Ranger!!!!!!!!  Congrats on some great finds.


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## Nick-theCut (Oct 13, 2013)

I'm not the best at this, but I'll give it a try.
Your bike is fairly complete.  It is missing a drop stand, toolbag, grips and fender light and battery.
Aristocrat toolbags and fender lights aren't easy to find and expensive.
Everything else is there though.  Has a a great seat tube decal, the Aristocrat seat (nice) and straight fenders.  Headbadge is nice and has pretty patina.  All this said, I'm thinking $550-$700 as it is cool, it's missing things and is currently a display bike with those wood tubular rims.
Someone please critique/review this.  I hope this helps.
-   Nick


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## Crazybikelady (Oct 13, 2013)

*Ranger*

Hi fellas, I'm going to see a Mead Ranger tomorrow (Monday) to possibly purchase... Can you guys help me as far as what to look for? The man who has it says it's from around 1902, does that sound right for a Ranger? I wasn't sure when they started to make these. This is my first wood-rim so I also wanted to see what you thought it might be value-wise? I just don't want to over pay if ya know what I mean!  ☺️  I appreciate any advice you could give me, thanks! ~Marie


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## jd56 (Oct 13, 2013)

Nick-theCut said:


> I'm not the best at this, but I'll give it a try.
> Your bike is fairly complete.  It is missing a drop stand, toolbag, grips and fender light and battery.
> Aristocrat toolbags and fender lights aren't easy to find and expensive.
> Everything else is there though.  Has a a great seat tube decal, the Aristocrat seat (nice) and straight fenders.  Headbadge is nice and has pretty patina.  All this said, I'm thinking $550-$700 as it is cool, it's missing things and is currently a display bike with those wood tubular rims.
> ...




Thanks Nick,
The bike did come with red grips but in poor dryrot state so I removed them I'm not sure if they were added at a later date at some point.  Now the fender light is interesting as the front fender has no holes for one. Possibly a handle bar mounted one?
Tool bag was an accessory right and could have never had one?

I appreciate your thoughts and hope others will chime in as well. But you know the collector adage on value..."its worth what you're willing to pay" Not necessarily what you ask for it"

Here are the red faded pink dry rotted grips that came on the bike, along with some others from the pick.


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## vincev (Oct 13, 2013)

Nick-theCut said:


> I'm not the best at this, but I'll give it a try.
> Your bike is fairly complete.  It is missing a drop stand, toolbag, grips and fender light and battery.
> Aristocrat toolbags and fender lights aren't easy to find and expensive.
> Everything else is there though.  Has a a great seat tube decal, the Aristocrat seat (nice) and straight fenders.  Headbadge is nice and has pretty patina.  All this said, I'm thinking $550-$700 as it is cool, it's missing things and is currently a display bike with those wood tubular rims.
> ...




Nick,would this bike have had a skip tooth set up.??


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## Nick-theCut (Oct 13, 2013)

vincev said:


> Nick,would this bike have had a skip tooth set up.??




Very few Mead bikes had the skip tooth setup.  Some kids bikes and a few other models did, but their signature was the 1/2" pitch sprockets.


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## Balloontyre (Oct 14, 2013)

josehuerta said:


> I'm guessing 1925 or later based on head badge and pedals. Please contact me if you decide to sell this one -




Yup for sure. Later decal design too.
$500 bike best case.


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