# 1938 Tops prototype bicycle for military contract by BFG



## Drummerboy (Oct 11, 2010)

I was wondering if any one on here could help me figure out just what I have here. It's a Tops 26 inched made by Tru-Test Marketing. I found one other just like it for sale on Las Vagas CL. Here's a description of the bike.




> 1938 Tops Historical Bicycle
> 
> Posted 2 months ago around Las Vegas, NV on craigslist
> I have a 1938 TOPS BIKE! This was a test bike 1938 for BF Goodrich/ Good Year, used to test the new Synthect Rubber that was needed for the war effort "WW II" ! The US Government unoficially asked all Tire Co in 1937 to come up with a synthect rubber. Rubber was in short supply and great demand by all countries at that time. Who ever came up with a good durable inexspensive synthect rubber, would get the Contract with US. GoodYear Tire Co did and provided the US Armed Forces weth Airships, Tires for trucks, plains jeeps and many other products like Gas mask. Good Year provided all of the inflatabl fake tanks, air-plains, trucks, that fooled the Germans before D-day." The invasion of Normandy"! There was even a silent movie made after the war about the Russian Spys trying to steel the formula for synthect rubber from the US, that was how important and secret the project was! This bike has the original tires on it, witch have the chemical compound symbols on them for one of the synthect rubbers that were being tested at that time. We have done extensive research to back up this claim. Not one historical bike exspert that we have asked has any knoweledge of this bi ...


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## Adamtinkerer (Oct 11, 2010)

This looks like a Monark built bike, and there are several Monark built bikes w/the Tru-Test badge. As far as I know, Tru-Test was a hardware chain or something, and Monark's connection to a tire company was the bikes they made for Firestone stores. I believe all BFG badged bikes up to the late 50s-early 60s, were made by Schwinn. So I really don't see any connection from the story to the bike. Of course, there's "the rest of the story", which I don't know!


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## Dope54 (Oct 11, 2010)

yeah just looks like a prewar monark


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## kunzog (Oct 11, 2010)

That story sounds more like fiction, not like the actual bicycle I have that was used to test the road surface of the Brooklyn Bridge.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 12, 2010)

So do you have one as well?


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## JOEL (Oct 12, 2010)

The folklore that is attached to an antique is often more interesting than the antique itself. I have heard MANY stories like this, some claiming that a common bike is a rare prototype, old men claiming that the 1960s bike they are selling was purchased new in the 30s, that sort of thing...

Your story sounds like fiction to me. Both Goodyear and BFG tire stores sold bicycles (made by Westfield and Schwinn-Not Monark). If there were testing to be done those companies would likely have used bikes off the shelf or from the companies they dealt with. If the materials being tested were for military use it would make more sense to test them on a military vehicle rather than a girl's bicycle.

In the unlikely event that it is a true story, it will take more than a Craigslist ad to document it.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 12, 2010)

This is a TOPS brand bicycle made by Tru-Test Marketing. 

In no way am I trying to use te CL ad to validate my bike. It's simply being presented here to try and help clarrify what this bike actually is. I can't even find a serial number on it which seems pretty odd. 

Does anyone have a link to a site with info on Monarks?

Any help would be greatly appriciated in helping to identify this bike. Thank you


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## PCHiggin (Oct 12, 2010)

*Read The Badge Again....*

It reads "MFD FOR TRU-TEST MARKETING" Not mfd "BY" them. It's probably a Monark, as posted above and was sold by Tops Dept store. My dad bought me a watch from Tops when I was 14. It was all he could afford,I didn't have the heart to tell him it didn't keep time.Cool bike but the story is a reach. Show a pic. from the chainguard side.

Pat


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## Drummerboy (Oct 12, 2010)

PCHiggin said:


> It reads "MFD FOR TRU-TEST MARKETING" Not mfd "BY" them. It's probably a Monark, as posted above and was sold by Tops Dept store. My dad bought me a watch from Tops when I was 14. It was all he could afford,I didn't have the heart to tell him it didn't keep time.Cool bike but the story is a reach. Show a pic. from the chainguard side.
> 
> Pat


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 12, 2010)

not to add to the hammering you're getting, but I have a few questions. first though, I'm not trying to be rude or mean, just trying to understand just what you're getting at and what you are wanting to know.
first question about your bike:
this is, or is not the bike from the Las Vegas CL ad?
if it is not why would you assume every Tops bike would be special?

Questions to think about on the Las Vegas bike:
Why would B.F.Goodrich and Goodyear use a Tops bike instead of one of the ones they already had? (both companies offered bikes for sale under their own name)
Why would these tire companies test materials on a bicycle when they would have to be suitable for trucks and the like, and testing on a bicycle would tell them little to nothing about the durability of the compound?
Why would it be more plausible if the guy in Las Vegas couldn't find any experts to back his story? to me it makes his claim even more implausible that no one has ever heard of this.

Here's the problem as I see it, you have a decent Monark made Tops bike. You are going to find a bunch of guys here that are going to need more evidence for a claim like this, and really it doesn't change the fact that it is a pretty regular looking girls Monark, and the story most likely will not affect the value at all.
I think the Las Vegas guy is a scammer and his bike is not likely what he is saying, I would like to see his proofs. 

as for your serial number it should have been on an aluminum tag on the bottom bracket (under the cranks) it may have been taken or torn off, many times they are missing. there should be rivet holes there though.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 12, 2010)

This is my bike not the one from CL. I'm just trying to figure out what I have cause everones saying it's a Monark but I can't find te word Monark on it any where. I'm not trying to price this bike. I just wanna know WHAT it is.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 12, 2010)

prewar Monark, the give away is the way the rear goes from one tube at the seat tube to a rear fork setup both top and bottom, again the serial should have been on the bottom on an aluminum plate with rivets holding it on. look for the small holes.


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## Adamtinkerer (Oct 12, 2010)

37fleetwood said:


> prewar Monark, the give away is the way the rear goes from one tube at the seat tube to a rear fork setup both top and bottom, again the serial should have been on the bottom on an aluminum plate with rivets holding it on. look for the small holes.




I think the aluminum plate was a postwar only deal. I think it should have a serial number stamped in the same place, and there is a Monark serial list in an NBJ book which I have. Post that number and I'll check it on the list. Though sometimes, the numbers don't "add up" as they say.


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## JOEL (Oct 12, 2010)

@ Drummerboy,
Sometimes a written response takes a different tone to the reader. I hope you are not offended or discouraged by the responses you are getting.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 12, 2010)

true I'm just trying to get to the bottom and figure it out. sometimes someone sets a tone and it's hard to get it back to being helpful. hang out and learn from the guys who are willing to help, ignore the guys who just want to sling mud


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## rustyspoke66 (Oct 12, 2010)

I would just like to take this time to thank "Craigslist" for all the cheap entertainment.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 12, 2010)

I know huh...


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## Drummerboy (Oct 12, 2010)

It's all good guys. I know how easy it is to read something with a different tone. I also know that there are a lot of Keyboard Cowboys out there too. 

Either way, I just wanna know what my bike is. And yes I appreciate any and all help.


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## Dope54 (Oct 13, 2010)

so your bike was made by monark for tru-test that sold to tops. my prewar serial# is on the rear hanger tab.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 13, 2010)

Thanks guys, I'll keep looking but I can not find a serial number any where???


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## Princeton (Oct 14, 2010)

1938 sounds early for a goverment war effort . Hitler didn't take poland till 1939. You've got an old monark,and a CL story.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 15, 2010)

So I wonder what year could my bike be? I looked it over lastnight and there isn't a serial number on it any where????????


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## fasteddy (Oct 15, 2010)

The chain ring looks post war. Do you have more photos, showing more of the bike?

Steve.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 15, 2010)




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## fasteddy (Oct 16, 2010)

I looked up the Monark information I have, which is mostly post war super deluxe but in it were a few photos that I took off the web at diferent times and it seems that while the seller may have given you a good tire story he was right about the age. The chain guard and rear carrier are from that era as well as the front light as far as I can tell.
A nice find in my book since so many were used up during the war.

Steve.


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## Aeropsycho (Oct 16, 2010)

*Late 1941 to 1946-47....*

Your not going to find a year the serial number should be on the rear dropout very small it has a lot of parts that are found on both pre and post war The badge is the same as a Monark Rocket this is just a dept store time rebadge bike they used to give away these bikes with refrigerators at appliance stores... check nostalgic.net look under monark rocket should find some references I can't believe people on here speculating and guessing this bike it is pretty easy to ID you just need to keep looking I have a pic of a 41 that I owned it is more deluxe but similar look up monark 5 bar as well this has parts that are closer to yours.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 18, 2010)

Why won't I find a serial number?


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## Drummerboy (Oct 21, 2010)

Day twenty. Still no serial number. Is there no end in site?


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 21, 2010)

there is no end in sight.
I'm not sure what you're looking for but it's not like Monark is around anymore and they didn't register their serial numbers with anyone when the went out of business, not that you've had success finding one anyway.
There are a few guys here and elsewhere trying to help in figuring these old bikes out but it's not an exact or complete science.
You have been given a general idea of the age of your bike, to get more specific, you almost always need to provide the serial number. you have been given advice as to where it might be, without it an exact date is likely impossible.

my advice... pick a year you like between 1941-2 and 1946-7 and go with it. dates between 1943-1945 are kinda off limits for a Monark.


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## Drummerboy (Oct 21, 2010)

Oh ok, cool. Thanks guys for all yor help!


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