# Early 'American' Hercules - any ideas on age?



## Wing Your Heel (Mar 4, 2012)

I bought this 28" wheel Hercules this morning. 

Any ideas on age? I can't see it in any British Hercules catalogues.

It's rather confusing, as the frame is US style, but it has British size seat-post, British metal wheels, and British style frame number.

Not sure if it was made in GB for export to USA, or made in USA. 

The markings remind me of a Hawthorne: did Herc and Hawthorne have a tie-up prewar too?

Has 28 x 1 3/4 tyres, which are now obscure in UK - are they still made in USA?


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## bud poe (Mar 4, 2012)

Looks like some canadian/CCM bikes I've seen on here and ebay before, not sure if CCM ever badged any as Hawthorne but maybe something to look into...Cool bike!


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## Wing Your Heel (Mar 4, 2012)

*Ccm?*

Similar twin bars. I'll post on the CCM forum and see if they have any ideas


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## Backpedaler (Mar 4, 2012)

looks like water pipe  :eek:


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## Zephyr (Mar 4, 2012)

I might be wrong but my guess is that a lot of Canadian made bicycle were somewhat copied from the british stuff. I have a Hercules lady with rod brakes that shows some features of this one. All the rear end is bolt on, the tubes are "pipe" like, the forks are the same. It screems hercules for me. My bike is from the 40's I think. I also have a CCM ladies that looks similar to my Hercules. For me that bike is British.


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## OldRider (Mar 4, 2012)

CCM was making these double bars in the 30s, I just have never seen anything with such a wide gap between the bars though, its different in that regard to mine. The bolt on rear stays say CCM though to me. Does it have Phillips Pedals? Thats what our CCM's had in those years.........in fact our CCM bikes had as many British components as Canadian, a real mishmash. Very nice find!

edit: I just noticed you have the exact same chainring as my 36 CCM.


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## Zephyr (Mar 4, 2012)

Here's a picture of my Hercules for reference


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## Zephyr (Mar 4, 2012)

And for the record here's a picture of my Humber from the 40's too. It shares many traits with this guy.


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## Zephyr (Mar 4, 2012)

And for reference to my 39 CCM lady and my 39 Zenith (CCM made). 




The wheels on that one are not correct. They are 10 speed wheels put there for the moment.


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## bud poe (Mar 4, 2012)

bud poe said:


> Looks like some canadian/CCM bikes I've seen on here and ebay before, not sure if CCM ever badged any as Hawthorne but maybe something to look into...Cool bike!



Sorry I meant to say Hercules, not Hawthorne...These CCM bikes are cool and seem to share many traits with early motorcycles with the lugged frames and "motobike" lines.  Would be a great whizzer candidate...Nice score!


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## Wing Your Heel (Mar 4, 2012)

Not Phillips pedals but Hercules pedals


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## schwinnderella (Mar 5, 2012)

I have never seen that model before but it looks to me to be a British made hercules.I have a hercules with very similar paint on the top and down tubes.What does it say on the head badge?


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## fat tire trader (Jun 23, 2013)

It looks like a variation of the models  QD and QC.





I have a similar bike. I'm sorry that the picture is not very good.


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