# 1972 +/- Ladies Rapido 3x



## Tidewater (Sep 24, 2010)

Found left behind by tenants in the garage of a rental property, it has remained tucked away in my garage for about ten years. I came to the conclusion that it was a '72 model year by the manufacturing date of 11/71 stamped on the Sturmey Archer AW 3x hub coupled with a manufacturing stamp on the crank tube 72?U23153. It looked like a sturdy ride when I found it so I've kept it. I'm going to go forward with giving it a run through and making it servicable again. It doesn't appear to be missing anything but some TLC. Any information that can be shared will be appreciated.







 













This rack is one of the best I've seen. It has a spring loaded clamp with locking arm for school books or when you need to shed the jacket.


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## partsguy (Sep 29, 2010)

I have a Rapido banana seat bike. It has a 3-speed stick shift. By the way, welcome to the site!


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## Tidewater (Sep 30, 2010)

Classicfan1,
Thanks for the welcome I'm glad to be here. I always dreamed of being in a biker club. 
Yeah, I ran a "Rapido" search query on this site before I posted in regards to this bike. Your Czech musclebike sure had seen better days before winding up in that old shed. It was a great story though and I'm glad that you shared.
I think everyone who read it learned something about promoting oxidation. I'd love to know what was in that bag.

Tidewater


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## Deejay (Feb 24, 2019)

That's a nice RAPIDO. I've had a few of them as I think they may have been a department store bike here in Canada. At the moment I'm preparing a men's single speed for sale in the spring. I also still have a women's 3- speed very similar to your blu

e one. I like the 3-speed shifter activated by twisting the right handgrip like a motorcycle throttle. Unfortunately, these bikes are cheaply built and the frames are apt to snap or split open.


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## juvela (Feb 24, 2019)

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The same bicyles were also sold under the Jawa name.

"In general" Motokov Praha badged the adult practical transportation models as Jawa and Rapido.  These were one-speed coaster brake, three-speed planetary and five-speed derailleur bicycles.

Juvenile models were usually badged as Pioneer and adult sports models as Favorit.

There was a fifth badge not oft encountered in the west, Velamos.  Despite its latinate sounding name it is Czech.

The U.S. distributor for them at this time was an entitiy called American Jawa based in Valley Stream, New York.

They were a stockist for some other Motokov products as well such as chain hoists and tyres.  The Jawa motorcycles had separate distribution.

Readers with an interest in Czech bicycles might enjoy a visit to the Sterba museum -

https://www.sterba-bike.cz/section/museums?lang=EN
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## Jenni (Sep 22, 2019)

Tidewater said:


> Found left behind by tenants in the garage of a rental property, it has remained tucked away in my garage for about ten years. I came to the conclusion that it was a '72 model year by the manufacturing date of 11/71 stamped on the Sturmey Archer AW 3x hub coupled with a manufacturing stamp on the crank tube 72?U23153. It looked like a sturdy ride when I found it so I've kept it. I'm going to go forward with giving it a run through and making it servicable again. It doesn't appear to be missing anything but some TLC. Any information that can be shared will be appreciated.
> 
> View attachment 504028
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Just found a rapido at the antique market and got excited when we did some research and found your post.


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