# 1948-52 Roadmaster mens bike information wanted.



## Rambler (Mar 17, 2013)

First let me begin by saying I'm sorry for the small photos and lack of serial number. This bike belongs to an acquaintance of mine and I am trying to help them with some info about it.

* I would like to know who built Roadmasters if they did not build their own bikes.
* Can anyone narrow the year range based on these few tiny photos.
* Does anyone have a scan of a catalog page showing this bike that you will post or send me or can anyone point me to an advertisement page for this bike that someone else has already posted on the Cabe or on the net somewhere?
* Anyone have an approximate value range for a bike like this one?

Thanks for any information you can provide regarding this bike. Again, sorry I don't have better photos or serial number to post.


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## bike (Mar 17, 2013)

*yeah need better pix*

chainring seems to be shelby


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## RMS37 (Mar 17, 2013)

I can tell you a few things based on the pictures.

  First, though, Roadmaster was the primary in-house branding for bicycles made by the  Cleveland Welding Company. CWC was purchased by AMF in 1951 and they owned the brand into the 1990’s when it was again sold. 


  The bike is primarily built from “Roadmaster” parts but it is evident that this bike was assembled from several different bicycles as many of the parts used were never in concurrent production. The rear toeplates show the frame is from no earlier than 1954 and could date to as late as the late 50’s. The serial number will pin that down further.

  The Chainring is a Shelby pattern ring but that became part of the Roadmaster arsenal after 1953 when AMF purchased Shelby and moved production to the CWC factory in Cleveland; it may be original to that frame.

  The fork may lead the bike literally but it is bringing up the rear date wise. It is a pre-war CWC Shockmaster springer and while the general mechanics of the fork are the same as a 1954 AMF/CWC springer, the two don’t actually share anything but possibly the top truss rod segments.


  As the tank and headlight are in red, it is possible they are from one of the reproduction luxury liners from the 90’s, but you would have to have better and more complete photographs to determine that.


  As an assemblage rather than an original bike the value is probably higher in parts than as a whole and could be calculated by looking at comps on the Bay.


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## Rambler (Mar 17, 2013)

RMS37 said:


> I can tell you a few things based on the pictures.




Thank you so much for this information. It will help my friend alot in determining what to do about this bike.


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## Rambler (Mar 20, 2013)

I now have the serial number for the Roadmaster in question...

l79779 G - stamped under crank.

first character appears to be either a number 1 or letter I or maybe an L really can't tell for sure. The rest of the number is fairly clear.

Anyone have any idea of year of frame based on photos and serial number?

Thanks!


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## Rambler (Mar 27, 2013)

Rambler said:


> I now have the serial number for the Roadmaster in question...
> 
> l79779 G - stamped under crank.
> 
> ...




Anyone out there have any idea of year based on serial number?


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## BlueTarp (Mar 27, 2013)

I prefer to date these bikes with a clear photograph of the serial number to look at. In that case any interpretation of the numbers and characters is my own and can be based on what is likely if any of the information is less than clearly stamped. In this case, though, the placement of the "G" means the frame itself probably dates to 1957. As I stated earlier, this is an assembled bike and many of the parts are not from the same year as the frame.


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## Rambler (Mar 27, 2013)

Thanks BlueTarp,

The person that owns this bike understands it's assembled from parts of various years. Just wanted to see if anyone could date the frame. Thank you for your attempt to determine the year of the frame. My friend purchased the bike for a fair price so he's not too concerned about the fact that it is not an original bike. Just wanted to date the frame and other parts to get an idea of what he has.


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