# Early 1960s??? J.C. Higgins Sportflight? What is it?



## eadess (Apr 2, 2020)

Okay, I'm real new to this forum, hopefully I'm posting this on the right place. My apologies if it's misplaced. I've got what I believe to be an early 1960's J.C. Higgens "Sportflite". I've combed through the existing forums, and learned quite a bit, but thought I'd post my own thread and see if I could learn any more.

The bike is missing it's badge, but J.C. Higgins is still visible on the chain guard, as is a badly faded "Sportflite" emblem on the frame. The serial number is is poor shape, but I believe it reads as follows.

505 4656-R
154021

So far, this is what (I think) I've learned, but I would really appreciate any corrections or additional information. Really, I'd just like to find out more about this bike, and have gotten about as far as I can on my own. 

The 505 is the manufacturers code, in this case for Huffy. 

The 4656 is the magazine number the bike would have been listed under in the Sears catalog. I was able to find a "4656-N" in the spring summer 1962 catalog, but this model had a tank, and I can see no evidence of there ever being a tank on mine.

I have no idea what the "-R" might indicate, nor the significance of the serial number.

The rear hub is a "Komet Super" coaster brake, stills seems to work pretty well.

Anyways, due to the unexpected abundance of free time current circumstances have afforded me, I thought I might try and clean it up and put back in working order, but I would love to learn more about it. If anyone's got more information on the Sportflite model or the serial number I'd be delighted to hear about it. Thanks!


----------



## Rivnut (Apr 3, 2020)

That's a Monark chainring. Could be a JC Higgins made by Monark.  A Monark bike wouldn't have the same stampings as a Murray built JC Higgins.


----------



## Rivnut (Apr 3, 2020)

There is a thread in the classic balloon forum titled Monark serial number.  It has a list of Monark serial numbers.  Starting in 1946 the numbers were stamped into an aluminum tag that was riveted to the bottom bracket.  In my _Collectable Elgin, JC HIggins, and Sears Bike book_  I can only find Sportflites listed 1958 - 1960.  The are illustrated with chrome fenders,  a handle bar light, and front rack. In the 1959 Section I found a 4656 but no R.  Other bikes on the page that have an R in the model number have a two speed rear hub.

Here's  a picture of the tag on my Monark.  You'll see that it also has a 505 on it.  Is the rear hub by any chance dated?


----------



## AndyA (Apr 4, 2020)

eadess:
I looked at my catalog reprints and agree with Mr. Rivnut about the 1958-60 time span. In addition, I see a similar bike in the 1961 catalog. Bikes for all four years are shown with Murray-type chain wheels, as opposed to the Monark-type on your bike (as identified by Rivnut). A Murray chain wheel is shown below on a 1960 J.C. Higgins Flightliner. Of course, the crank and chainwheel could have been replaced somewhere over the years.

The chain guard on your bike differs from the catalog pictures from 1958, 1960, and 1961. Those chain guards have square fronts, whereas yours has a rounded front. The 1959 catalog shows a "Semi-equipped Sport Middleweight" with a rounded chain guard, but that model has chrome fenders, a headlight, a front carrier, and metallic red paint without white trim. Your chain guard certainly looks original, so we may not be able to unravel this mystery. Keep in mind that bikes sometimes ended up in stores with different parts than shown in catalogs and that the Sears catalogs from this era had crummy, black-and-white drawings that might not be terribly accurate as to details. Picture below is from 1958 catalog.

That's a very cool bike and you should have fun messing around with it.


----------



## Rivnut (Apr 4, 2020)

In any of my Sears catalog searches, I've yet to find an illustration of a Monark built bike.  I would imagine that the basic bike was defined by Sears but the manufacturer would be allowed to use some of their own parts - chain rings, hubs and axles, and other hard parts.  The picture of the tag on the bottom of my bike identifies it as a Sears but it has a Monark chaining on it.  I'm guessing it's a JC Higgins Sportflight, as shown on the chain guard and seat stem but it was built by Monark rather than Murray.


----------



## Adamtinkerer (Apr 4, 2020)

The ID tags were only used through 1954, and Monark was bought by Huffy at the end of '57. This bike looks to be from the transition era, with a "leftover" Monark chain ring.


----------



## Rivnut (Apr 5, 2020)

From Hurt's and Gordon's "Collectable Elgin, JC Higgins, Sears ..." collection of catalog pages.
You'll see '1959 S/S' above the picture of the bike S/S is for Spring and Summer. Illustration shows a Monark chainring.


----------



## eadess (Apr 6, 2020)

Rivnut said:


> There is a thread in the classic balloon forum titled Monark serial number.  It has a list of Monark serial numbers.  Starting in 1946 the numbers were stamped into an aluminum tag that was riveted to the bottom bracket.  In my _Collectable Elgin, JC HIggins, and Sears Bike book_  I can only find Sportflites listed 1958 - 1960.  The are illustrated with chrome fenders,  a handle bar light, and front rack. In the 1959 Section I found a 4656 but no R.  Other bikes on the page that have an R in the model number have a two speed rear hub.
> 
> Here's  a picture of the tag on my Monark.  You'll see that it also has a 505 on it.  Is the rear hub by any chance dated?
> 
> View attachment 1167113



No, no dates as far as I can see on the rear hub. Here's what it looked like after a tear down and acetone bath, markings are a bit clearer.


----------



## eadess (Apr 6, 2020)

Rivnut said:


> From Hurt's and Gordon's "Collectable Elgin, JC Higgins, Sears ..." collection of catalog pages.
> You'll see '1959 S/S' above the picture of the bike S/S is for Spring and Summer. Illustration shows a Monark chainring.
> 
> View attachment 1168462



Oh, wow! That illustration certainly looks like it. Very interesting. I'm much obliged!


----------



## eadess (Apr 6, 2020)

Thanks for all the great information, I'm very grateful. As I've started disassembling the thing I've found a few more curiosities. For example, there were these leather loops around both the front and rear hubs. Any idea what they might have been for?


----------



## Rivnut (Apr 6, 2020)

They're called hub shiners. The name pretty much sums it up.


----------

