# Magneet Speedster



## Magneet (Jul 8, 2013)

Hey guys, im new to the forum. I Picked up an old Magneet bicycle a few years ago i was hoping to learn a little more about. I thought it was pretty "NEET" that the headlight and taillight are both fully functional, and all those components cary the Magneet emblem, as does the bell. Theres also a strip of designations on the vertical support of the frame which look interesting, one of which has the olympic rings and  "1936" which i'd guess to be comemeration of participation in bicycling events that year, so i'd imagine it was produced within the decade after 1936 for that to be relevant. I haven't been able to find much specific to the bikes other than that they're dutch. Im attaching a few pictures of it, any insight i would find very interesting.

-Ryan


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## Magneet (Jul 8, 2013)

*More Pictures*

A few more pictures. I forgot to mention that the rear tire lock also adorns the logo, and is fully functional with its key! Pretty cool


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 8, 2013)

Double post.


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 8, 2013)

Definitely Dutch. I'd say 1930s or early 40s. Nice find. It's a basic Dutch light roadster. 1936 was the year of the German/Nazi hosted Olympics. Interestingly, the lugs look to be brazed AND pinned.


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## Magneet (Jul 9, 2013)

What does that mean about the lugs being brazed and pinned? Im not all that familiar with the terms of bike build qualities. Also, if and when they were available in the U.S.? I kinda have in the back of my mind a story I imagined that the bike was brought back with a soldier during WWII given its apparent age, country of origin, the lack of info in english.


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## partsguy (Jul 9, 2013)

Magneet, I'm assuming you are located in the U.S.? I know my grandfather served in WWII. I never got to know him since he died 13 years before I was born. He was in Europe during the war. But all of the photos he took and brought back were put in a Nazi photo album. It's scary and disturbing to think of what originally may have been in that album BEFORE my grandfather got it. I think it's possibly this bike could have been brought back with a soldier but it is unlikely. This is a large and heavy item for a soldier to have to carry all the way back to and store in an airplane. Or perhaps if he was in the Navy to take back to his ship. I'm no military expert and I may sound like an idiot, so forgive me.

I think it's more possible that an immigrant brought it with them to the U.S. to escape the impending Nazi takeover.


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## Rustafari (Jul 9, 2013)

Cool bike!  What is the tube going into the bottom bracket?


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## Magneet (Jul 9, 2013)

Rustafari said:


> Cool bike!  What is the tube going into the bottom bracket?




That is the wire running through the frame to the tail lamp, theres a switch to the crank that triggers the brake light when you use the backpedal brake


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## partsguy (Jul 10, 2013)

Huffy built bikes did a similar thing with holes in the frame to hide brake and shifter cables in the early-mid 90s on mountain bikes. My dad has a '94-'97 Free Spirit with this feature. The bike was in my boneyard for about three years until I fixed it up for him to start exercising. That interesting feature of the frame was one reason I let it sit rather than part it.


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## tanno (Jul 12, 2013)

Magneet said:


> Hey guys, im new to the forum. I Picked up an old Magneet bicycle a few years ago i was hoping to learn a little more about. I thought it was pretty "NEET" that the headlight and taillight are both fully functional, and all those components cary the Magneet emblem, as does the bell. Theres also a strip of designations on the vertical support of the frame which look interesting, one of which has the olympic rings and  "1936" which i'd guess to be comemeration of participation in bicycling events that year, so i'd imagine it was produced within the decade after 1936 for that to be relevant. I haven't been able to find much specific to the bikes other than that they're dutch. Im attaching a few pictures of it, any insight i would find very interesting.
> 
> -Ryan




Hello, you have a very nice piece of Dutch bicycle history!
Your type of bicycle was also for sale with a 2 speed hub, and I think yours need a enclosed chainguard, as most of the Dutch bikes have.
There is one for sale here for 30 Euro's, about 43 dollars?
This is not much, but even these days, these bikes are pretty common around here, the same for pre war Gazelle and Batavus bicycles.
I own two Magneet folding bikes from the late 60-ties, nice designed bikes!
But again, your bike looks great, with all of the logo's everywere!
Greetings from the Netherlands...
Tanno


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## Magneet (Jul 13, 2013)

Thanks guys, its been cool finding out a little more about the bike and getting youre opinions on it. I actually do have the leather chain guard cover, it was a little rough so i took it off to avoid damaging it


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