# New JC HIGGINS find and soon for sale



## scrubbinrims (Jul 29, 2011)

Sometime in the 50's Sears contracted West German bicycle manufacturers to produce certain models under the JC Higgins brand.
This is one of them, very rare having a unique headlight and rack....this is a full balloon tire.
Not quite sure if they were deigned for the Europeon market or exported for catalog/retail sale in the US.

I just picked this up to resell so if you have interest, lmk before Sunday evening when I planning on ebay listing.












Thanks, Chris


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## Oldbikes (Jul 29, 2011)

manufactured by Stelber, and sold in the U.S.


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## scrubbinrims (Jul 30, 2011)

*Thanks Alan*

Hello,
Since posting, I have researched this bicycle after the Stelber ID (which consisted mostly of comments made by adamtinkerer on this site).
I am guessing that this bike is 1956, produced in West Germany (wheels produced) or Holland (tires produced)  and imported/managed by Stelber of NY, which in turn was contracted by Sears to produce bicycles for at least a season that year because there was a strike at the Murray plant, the producer of the time for badged JC Higgins bicycles.
This bike is rarer than one may realize, in fact, this is the one boy's balloon copy I have seen on the internet outside of a speculative frame.
I challenge you to find one like it and I would be very interested if it was officially a part of the Sears catalogs or documented in JC Higgins books produced today for collectors.
For being foreign produced, efforts were made for it to look the Murray part, as the tank is similar in design and has the ventral fins, the fender braces are the wrap around type, but yet, a complete departure with the rack, and fender light, and incorporating standard Europeon design as the cottered cranks.
I may end up keeping it after all, but I wanted to provide some addition information as to what you are looking at and it's place in history, being a spectre in the archives of JC Higgins production.
Thanks, Chris


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## Fltwd57 (Jul 30, 2011)

*As advertised in Sears catalogs*

Your model first appeared in the 1955 Fall/Winter Sears catalog advertising the new '56 line-up alongside the deluxe Murray-built bikes and was first offered in a black/red/white color scheme, later changed to the maroon/white combo on your bike. Here's a pic of the '56 Fall/Winter catalog page...


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## Adamtinkerer (Jul 31, 2011)

scrubbinrims said:


> Hello,
> Since posting, I have researched this bicycle after the Stelber ID (which consisted mostly of comments made by adamtinkerer on this site).
> I am guessing that this bike is 1956, produced in West Germany (wheels produced) or Holland (tires produced)  and imported/managed by Stelber of NY, which in turn was contracted by Sears to produce bicycles for at least a season that year because there was a strike at the Murray plant, the producer of the time for badged JC Higgins bicycles.
> This bike is rarer than one may realize, in fact, this is the one boy's balloon copy I have seen on the internet outside of a speculative frame.
> ...




I'm beginning to think Stelber didn't have anything to do with manufacturing, and was just a dealer/assembler. I know they shared some parts from Chain Bike/Ross, but mostly I think the actual manufacturer of these JCH's is Steyr/Puch/Daimler. They made the lightweight 3 speed JCH's, as well as into the 70s Free Spirit era. The Stelber JCH's were supposedly made in 1956 due to a strike at Murray. It would make sense that Sears would turn to S/P/M for bikes, since they were already buying bikes from them. I also believe that S/P/M also built the oddball European middleweights like Royce union, President, Bauer, Parkview, and some Fleetwings.


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## scrubbinrims (Jul 31, 2011)

*Follow up*

I wanted to first thank Fltwd57 for providing insight with the advertisement page, that is very helpful.
As to the connection with Stelber, according to Leon, which I have exchanged a couple of email with about this bike, there is no connection.
So Adam, your latest hunch is probably correct and the outsourcing was both direct with Sears and not attributed to the Murray plant strike per se, with models imported both pre and post the 1956 event from Europe.
Chris


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## Notcorb (Sep 25, 2020)

scrubbinrims said:


> Sometime in the 50's Sears contracted West German bicycle manufacturers to produce certain models under the JC Higgins brand.
> This is one of them, very rare having a unique headlight and rack....this is a full balloon tire.
> Not quite sure if they were deigned for the Europeon market or exported for catalog/retail sale in the US.
> 
> ...



I found this in my search for the same bike I have. I found it in my grandmothers garage. I wish I could find the headlight cover since mine is cracked and the lens is in pieces. My bike has a double basket on the rear. I believe it is a add on looking at your pictures. Thank you for posting your bike so I could find out a little about mine. Thanks, John


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## Notcorb (Sep 28, 2020)

Notcorb said:


> I found this in my search for the same bike I have. I found it in my grandmothers garage. I wish I could find the headlight cover since mine is cracked and the lens is in pieces. My bike has a double basket on the rear. I believe it is a add on looking at your pictures. Thank you for posting your bike so I could find out a little about mine. Thanks, John



JLF,
Thank you for the like. I am very happy that I found this website so I could find out about my bike. I also have a J C Higgins chain and lock that seems to be the same vintage as my bike. I will post pictures of my bike so I may be able to get more information about it. I want to find out what I should do to preserve the history but make it rideable again. I almost gave it to my neighbor who is 86 years old and amazingly active. He lives in Florida during the winter and New York the rest of the year where he rides his bicycle multiple times a day. I am glad I kept it but if I can get the correct tires or tubes if that's the best thing I will lend it to him. I have inflated the tires and it is rideable until they go flat. I am looking for advice on the best way to restore it such as should I get new tires, rims, handlebars, ect or keep it original just get the tires to hold air? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I want to thank everyone who responds in advance. 
John


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## stezell (Sep 29, 2020)

Notcorb said:


> I found this in my search for the same bike I have. I found it in my grandmothers garage. I wish I could find the headlight cover since mine is cracked and the lens is in pieces. My bike has a double basket on the rear. I believe it is a add on looking at your pictures. Thank you for posting your bike so I could find out a little about mine. Thanks, John



John you can post in the wanted section what you're looking for with pictures and someone should be able to help you out. 

Sean


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## Notcorb (Oct 7, 2020)

stezell said:


> John you can post in the wanted section what you're looking for with pictures and someone should be able to help you out.
> 
> Sean



Thank you for the information. I will get some pictures and do that. I am sure more than just 2 of these bikes exist. I know it's different since it was made in Germany but they may have used the same headlight on bikes built here after the strike.  John


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## Notcorb (Feb 8, 2021)

I have taken the headlight off the front fender because it is cracked and the on/off switch is missing.  I would love to replace it but I don't think that's possible since the bike is so rare. It also have an original JC Higgins lock and chain that is missing the key but I can probably get a key made. I will get it together and post more pictures when the snow is gone. I have followed one on a  auction site but it was crazy money and no shipping so I will keep looking.


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