# Military Bicycle Identification ???



## Poppy1 (Sep 15, 2015)

Dear fellow members,

Firstly hello all !   I have just registered to this great forum as I would dearly love to know any information if at all possible about my vintage military bicycle.

There manufacture stickers have long gone so I don't know what the make or model is and I'm not exactly sure how to date such a bike..... I have managed to find several serial numbers with carful use of a wire brush. The numbers are as follows:

     1.    Right hand side of saddle bracket tube (very hard to read but looks like) .... a d a 53

     2.    Left hand side of saddle bracket tube,    S 1 2 1 4

     3.    Rear Pannier rack,     FA&S Ltd MKIV B 1944

     4.    Tyre size : 28 1/2" 

I would really appreciate any help identifying the make, year, and any other information about my new bike 

Please see below some pictures..... I apologise that they have up loaded upside down !

Kind regards,

Mark Towers


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## johan willaert (Sep 16, 2015)

It has all characteristics of a standard WW2 made British MkV* bicycle but the numbering is odd...

This site (in Flemish) shows just about all of the details on these bikes (this particular example made by BSA) and will allow you to compare...

http://www.abbl1940.be/FIETSEN/BSA MKV_ster.htm


Standard MkV* numbers start with a T, and like most of these still around they were postwar used in the Belgian Army, hence the ABL added mark...


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## Poppy1 (Sep 16, 2015)

johan willaert said:


> It has all characteristics of a standard WW2 made British MkV* bicycle but the numbering is odd...
> 
> This site (in Flemish) shows just about all of the details on these bikes (this particular example made by BSA) and will allow you to compare...
> 
> ...




Thanks Johan for your reply , I really appreciate the feed back

I have just found another mark on the centre cross member of the handle bar, whilst looking yo see if my bike had the typical Irish army date stamp.

I found s single 'V' stamped into the metal.

Does anyone know if this Marking can lead to any more information ... I've date, make, ect 

Please see attached photo.

Kind regards 

Mark Towers


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## johan willaert (Sep 16, 2015)

I've asked some friends for opinions/advice...


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## Poppy1 (Sep 17, 2015)

Ok Johan, thank you very much indeed


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## johan willaert (Sep 18, 2015)

No-one seems to recognise the frame markings, but your bike is exactly like other WW2 Brit made MkV* models. My best guess is,it was either made for an Allied country during WW2 or it was remarked by another nation after the war.

Will let you know should I find out more..


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## leo healy (Sep 20, 2015)

Hi All and welcome Poppy1 nice bike you got yourself there, i wold say without doubt thats a bsa mark v and most likely an irish army one by the paint color .
    as regard the marking alot of this would have been done by each barracks to identify there bikes, as here in cork there would have been several barracks within cycling distance of each other, we now have one!.
     the dunlop saddle was probably a replacement as i have also got one a these saddles that i sourced from where i used to get a lot of my irish army bike stuff.
      I also have a german  dunlop made saddle very similar, with that rubber texture ,


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## Awhipple (Sep 20, 2015)

Great bike! I have an enfield rifle and love taking it out. Have you ridden the bike much or at all? I would love to take that out for a spin and see what comments I would get.


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