# Hercules Hitler Youth Bicycle



## Gasbag (Jul 30, 2016)

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/bik/5701481636.html


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## bikiba (Jul 30, 2016)

1200 seems like a steal for something like tht


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## partsguy (Jul 30, 2016)

That belongs in a WWII museum!


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## catfish (Jul 30, 2016)

Those fenders look like the ones used on German built Indians.


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## bikecrazy (Jul 30, 2016)

I'm having a hard time beleaving that is real.


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## vincev (Jul 30, 2016)

For that price I would need a lot more proof than a banner. If I put an American flag on a 1953 Schwinn does that make it a 
*Dwight D. Eisenhower* bike?


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## Boris (Jul 30, 2016)

vincev said:


> For that price I would need a lot more proof than a banner. If I put an American flag on a 1953 Schwinn does that make it a
> *Dwight D. Eisenhower* bike?




Yes, but be sure to find a flag with 48 stars. 50 won't cut it.


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## slcurts (Aug 2, 2016)

I looked at this bike last night. It has the wrong size front wheel and is missing the chain guard, but otherwise is in pretty great shape for a 1939. It has the flag and a little booklet with it, but other than that appears to be identical to the Hercules Herrenrad pictured here: https://herculesmuseum.wordpress.com/1939-hercules-herrenrad/. I can't decide what it's really worth, but surely not $1200.


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## vincev (Aug 2, 2016)

slcurts said:


> I looked at this bike last night. It has the wrong size front wheel and is missing the chain guard, but otherwise is in pretty great shape for a 1939. It has the flag and a little booklet with it, but other than that appears to be identical to the Hercules Herrenrad pictured here: https://herculesmuseum.wordpress.com/1939-hercules-herrenrad/. I can't decide what it's really worth, but surely not $1200.



Just curious.Is the owners name Ashley??Does she have 2 wood wheel bikes.


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## bricycle (Aug 2, 2016)

Provenance, or it ain't true!


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## slcurts (Aug 2, 2016)

I talked to a Larry, but he did have 2 wood wheel bikes: a Whippet track bike, he said from 1895 but it's more like 1927; and a Pierce that he said was 1905 but was late teens, probably 20's. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 2, 2016)

bricycle said:


> Provenance, or it ain't true!




That's exactly it. A bike like this derives its value not because of the bike _itself_, but because of a connection to a particular person, group, or event. Provenance is everything if the bike's value derives from its background history rather than just because it's a desirable bike. It's almost like a whole different hobby in a way, because it means judging provenance more like an art collector in proving history and connection to the event/group/person than like a bicycle collector (who is judging intrinsic value and originality of the bicycle itself).


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