# Worksman Bikes



## Boris (Jan 16, 2013)

They've been around for over 100 years. Why is it, do you suppose that they don't seem to be very sought after or collected?


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## shawn57187 (Jan 16, 2013)

They are pretty cool, here in Portland a local pizza joint has one that they use for deliveries.  

I think its about availability and the styling.  Relative to other types of bikes, there are far fewer industrial bikes.  Since these bikes were intended for an industrial setting, they probably found their way to scrap heaps a lot sooner than regular bikes. So the old ones are probably scarce.  Also, the industrial use affected their design, so they don't look particularly flashy or exciting.  If people are going to spend a lot on collecting and restoring a bicycle, they typically want something cool looking. 

But hey, maybe you can start a trend haha


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## PCHiggin (Jan 16, 2013)

*They're Not Very Pretty*

IMHO,Not a cool looking one in the bunch.They're  made  for work


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## abe lugo (Jan 16, 2013)

*Might end up as a mystery thread*

I found a vintage or retro badge and only have found images of one bike that seemed prewar, but have to find solid info on and pre 60s worksmans,  i think they mainly made service car type bikes; three wheeled heavy duty for so long not so much regular bikes. Not even on their website.


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## Nickinator (Jan 16, 2013)

abe lugo said:


> I found a vintage or retro badge and only have found images of one bike that seemed prewar, but have to find solid info on and pre 60s worksmans,  i think they mainly made service car type bikes; three wheeled heavy duty for so long not so much regular bikes. Not even on their website.




If we are talking about cycletrucks and schwinn worksmen rim bikes I like the later 70s cantilever middleweight schwinn worksmens but
I hate cycletrucks and IMO I think there f ugly  

Nick.


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## fordmike65 (Jan 16, 2013)

I'm with you on this one Nick. I think they're pretty ugly too, but I know there are CT fanatics out there,and here. I would really like to pick up an older Worksman, but I don't think I've ever seen one for sale.


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## Boris (Jan 16, 2013)

fordmike65 said:


> I would really like to pick up an older Worksman, but I don't think I've ever seen one for sale.




Mike-
You kind of hit on what I was getting at. For as long as they've been in production, I don't think I've ever seen an old one either.

Shawn-
What you said about them being more likely to be scrapped rather than saved, seems like the logical conclusion, since they were mostly for industrial use. I'd still like to see an old one.


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## how (Jan 16, 2013)

Nickinator said:


> If we are talking about cycletrucks and schwinn worksmen rim bikes I like the later 70s cantilever middleweight schwinn worksmens but
> I hate cycletrucks and IMO I think there f ugly
> 
> Nick.




if you ever run across any of those ugly cycltrucks, send them my way lol


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## cyclingday (Jan 16, 2013)

If I'm not mistaken, the Worksman is a trike with the cargo load between the two front wheels, and the Cycletruck is a bike, with the cargo load cantilevered over the front wheel.
 The coolest thing about a Worksman, is when it's outfitted with a dry ice box and stuffed full of Ice Cream Bars.
 The Cycletruck on the other hand is cool, because it can actually be ridden in city traffic and can carry just about anything in its cavernous front basket.
 When I was a kid, our mailman delivered the mail using a Cycletruck. I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I wanted one ever since.
 It's kind of like truck people versus car people.
Car people hate trucks and think they are a menace to the highway. I think a car is the biggest waste of road space there is. You can't do anything with a car except ferry people around. How worthless is that?
Trucks rule!
And in the cycle world, Cycletrucks rule!


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## Boris (Jan 16, 2013)

cyclingday said:


> If I'm not mistaken, the Worksman is a trike with the cargo load between the two front wheels.




They make/made bicycles as well as trikes.
http://www.worksman.com/


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## kunzog (Jan 17, 2013)

Here is my Worksman. One with the original basket and the same bike with a box I built.


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## fatbike (Jan 17, 2013)

I believe Worksman was introduced in the 60s. Your right you don't see many around. Not very interesting or deluxe by any means. I think they are neat as a work vehicle, grocery getters.  

I know the cycle truck you are talking about around town " Pizza Schmizza". I pass one everyday in the Pearl during my work day. Love to get one. Something that is not desirable but only a workhorse.


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## josehuerta (Jan 17, 2013)

*Worksman*

Browse the Worksman site - been in business since 1898, classic motorbike style, literally built to last forever, American made for 100 years. They represent to me what our country once was, and the way we thought it would always be, but never will be again. They're so uncool I think they're cool. Also make a highwheeler and a Wounded Warrior edition.


Just for fun check www.sportsmanflyer.com  to see them built into great retro board trackers.


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## shawn57187 (Jan 17, 2013)

I grew up in northern Washington.  A family friend used to work at Boeing and he'd periodically invite my family to check out the planes being built.  As a child, I recall there being tons of Worksman bicycles around the Boeing Everett campus.  This was in the late 80s.  Boeing might be the place to start if you're looking for retired old Worksman cycles.  

I did some Googling around and it appears they still use them!


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## snirt54 (Jan 17, 2013)

United Airlines has a fleet of worksman cycles at their maintenance operations center in San Francisco. I used to ride some of those bicycles when I worked there in the 90's.


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## milbicycleman (Aug 20, 2014)

Here are some pictures of my worksman that was used on a military base.


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## Iverider (Aug 20, 2014)

They're the sledgehammer of bicycles. Not gracefully assembled, Built heavy (to last forever). I almost bought a frame at the Hoosier swap last winter, but it was too small. Looked like it was put together in a blacksmith shop by an apprentice. These were often fleetbikes in factories.


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## rideahiggins (Aug 20, 2014)

*Here's a Worksman trike*

It has solid rubber tires that say Worksman on them. A front drum brake and 1/2" diameter spokes on the rear wheels.


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## Temilitary (Aug 21, 2014)

fatbike said:


> I believe Worksman was introduced in the 60s. Your right you don't see many around. Not very interesting or deluxe by any means. I think they are neat as a work vehicle, grocery getters.
> 
> I know the cycle truck you are talking about around town " Pizza Schmizza". I pass one everyday in the Pearl during my work day. Love to get one. Something that is not desirable but only a workhorse.




A couple of random thoughts...Works man also makes folders. I just sold one at Arlington Heights. Very solid bikes. I kind of like"workhorse" bikes...Schwinn Wasps, Columbia Newsboy Specials,etc. also, at Arlington Heights, on a whim I bought a Schwinn Heavy Duty. Its one of the recently made Chinese mfd. double bars, but other than where it was made, it seems to have nothing else in common with other Chinese made bikes. This thing is ugly as original sin, but it is truly a tank! Obviously it has been "used hard and put away wet" in some industrial setting, but rides great. Kind of like the old joke about the fat ____(fill in gender...don't want PC Police after me!) ...Lots of fun,but you don't want to let your friends see you do it. But yeah,I enjoy these workhorse bikes. I think there may be a Worksman and can't I frame Heavy Duty in my future.


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## milbicycleman (Aug 21, 2014)

Yeah they are great bikes. I am surprised at how smooth my bike rides since I bought in a warehouse and it had been sitting for quite sometime and it was used on a military base.


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## bricycle (Aug 21, 2014)

rideahiggins said:


> It has solid rubber tires that say Worksman on them. A front drum brake and 1/2" diameter spokes on the rear wheels.
> View attachment 165602View attachment 165603View attachment 165604




Now that's Heavy Duty!


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## oldbike1891 (Aug 21, 2014)

*Worksman 3spd Tandem -- possible sale*



bricycle said:


> Now that's Heavy Duty!




Yes, they are built like a lightweight motorcycle without the motor!   I have a less than 10 year old red Worksman 3sp Tandem with rear coaster brake and front drum brake.  Stops well!   Sort of built like a very heavy duty Schwinn Twinn.  Motorcycle rims and heavy spokes. 26"x 2.25 Blackwall tires.

Great Cruiser!  Bought this to see if a buddy and his wife would like to ride it.  Not quite their cup of tea.   I love tandems and have about 6 TOC ones in various conditions.  Stashed in my storage at present and thinking of passing it along to some Worksman fans.   Nice range with the 3 spd.  Tires, wheels and frame are buil well and would work great in a potholed urban setting or on a non paved park trail. Could just use as a cycle truck and put a box/carrier where the rear passnger would sit.

Very upright seating with semi hi-rise handle bars.   Has a very wide range of seat heights and will fit from grade school kids on up.

email me if this interests you.  They still list the new model in the Worksman catalouge along with a Trike version of this tandem.

This one is almost brand new.   If you really want a solid ride for two this is it!  Would consider delivering aprox. 100miles from Wash. DC.

No hurry.  But thought I would put this one out there as I do not seem to use it.  -- Lee  --  alcramp@msn.com


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## milbicycleman (May 12, 2015)

I put my worksmen newsboy military base bike from the 70's/80's in the for sale section if anyone is interested.


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## Dobie (May 12, 2015)

Here's a Worksman trike that made it up to Canada.  Balloons and great lines from the rear...heavy pumping though..Hard to determine the year as Worksman won't share that info. probably 40s/50s

http://s917.photobucket.com/user/dobie45/media/WORKSMAN ADULT TRICYCLE 40s/108_0999.jpg.html


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## jimbo53 (Jul 4, 2017)

Duplicate post-sorry


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## jimbo53 (Jul 4, 2017)

Here is my early to mid 50's Worksman trike I ratted with a JC Higgins cooler and a prewar Dayton springer. Cut off the solid rubber tires, blacked out the rims and put on some cream Duro tires. Cleaned up and everything greased, it rides great due to the lower gearing.


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## morton (Jul 5, 2017)

Solid as a rock, well built, if given even a bit of maintenance will last forever, fantastic utility bike, 

But...no factory tank with horn, no fender skirts or rear carrier (ugly oversize basket doesn't count), very heavy to ride long distances, ho-hum frame, no chrome, certainly not for those who have a need for speed

Like a girl friend said to me many years ago, I like you a lot, you're my best friend, we always have a lot of fun together but marriage is out of the question. 

Just sayin'


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## vincev (Jul 5, 2017)

They have no "Deluxe" models that catches your eye and they are still easy to find.They are a good basic bike with the perfect name for what they are made for. A lot of their bikes are made for industry and have large baskets,etc.They take up too much space for not being collectable. Although they are well made bikes.


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## bairdco (Jul 5, 2017)

I've always wondered about their claim of "oldest bike company still in business," and that they've been around 100+ years.

Where are these 100 year old bikes? or even a headbadge? I've never seen one older than the 60's, and I'm skeptical of anyone claiming they have an older one, when the basic parts are off the shelf Wald (stems, cranks, sprockets...)

That being said, I've owned a few of their Newsboy Industrial Bikes, oldest was from the 70's, and they're indestructible, but ugly. 

I have a set of their 24" clincher rims stamped "worksman japan" from the early 70's,  with a bendix coaster and an atom drum. 

Awesome wheels for motorized bikes, with the 11g spokes. I've ordered wheelsets from them, and got a pair of custom ordered unchromed, raw steel rims from them a while back.

The Newsboys ride surprisingly well, you don't feel the extra weight as much as you'd think.

I'm a sucker for industrial bikes. Two wheelers,  though. No trikes or pizza trucks.

I've owned a few Emorys, made in florida, many of the newer diamond frame schwinn heavy-dutys, and I love the lines of the Husky, which is probably china-made, but somehow they got that one right.

Here's my custom Husky "stealth bomber," with Worksman wheels and a drum brake with custom mechanical linkage:


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## Wards Guy.. (Jul 5, 2017)

My project for a friends antique store in town..


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## Wards Guy.. (Jul 5, 2017)

Or is this a worksman???


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## Kansan (Jul 5, 2017)

Yeah, check Boeing surplus sales on line, they come up for sale but not as often any more. Have 2 Schwinn heavy duti's from Boeing complete with baskets and apple box, one has vintage tool chits attached to frame.


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## rustintime (Jul 5, 2017)

I'm thinking this one was a special order from the mid to late 70's... the only thing that has been changed was the front hub and tire..


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## abe lugo (Jul 5, 2017)

A badge I found a while back, a few years ago. I was told it was a reproduction for an anniversary model, but have yet to actually see another. Also have yet to see the reference to the original.



 

 



also see link for a 1920's pic.
http://blog.nashbar.com/culture/worksman-cycles

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/news/factory-tour-worksman-cycles


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## Schwinn lover (Jul 7, 2017)

Well, I  like the Worksman brands,,, there heavy duty & made in America!!
Here is my Harley Worksman bike


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## archtop67 (Sep 3, 2017)

Schwinn lover said:


> Well, I  like the Worksman brands,,, there heavy duty & made in America!!
> Here is my Harley Worksman bike
> View attachment 641029 View attachment 641030



 Nice! I can se a motor going in that! lol


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## sue12 (Feb 5, 2018)

I think I am a little late too this thread but here is my worksman industrial double straight bar. A little modified but I don't leave much stock. Heavy but glides like a town car. With the double drums it will lock up and skid this means it is one big medium gear with no top end.


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## Schwinn lover (Feb 5, 2018)

Good looking bike! Yes, the  frame is M2600 tall frame I believe 20 inch

Mine rides like a towncar too!


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## Shawn Michael (Feb 5, 2018)

Boris said:


> They've been around for over 100 years. Why is it, do you suppose that they don't seem to be very sought after or collected?



_ I don't think they put any thought about aesthetic design into their bikes. Totally utilitarian and boring, they look like a school project.
'Shawn_


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## Axlerod (Feb 6, 2018)

Worksman bikes are bulletproof. They have several varieties of bikes available, from 2 wheel industrial to 4 wheel assistance bikes. The place I work has used them for the last 40+ years and they keep going. Recently they started getting some 3 wheelers made in China and they are being scrapped after 2 years. I bought one for personal use and I swear by them. Here’s a pic


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## Axlerod (Feb 6, 2018)

Wards Guy.. said:


> Or is this a worksman???



This bike is called The “Worksman Mover” it’s the workhorse of their lineup. You can haul an incredible amount of weight on the back of that thing. Nice start to your project!


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## Squiggle Dog (Feb 8, 2018)

Arizona post offices use Worksman Low Gravity truck bicycles. I often see them strapped to the backs of postal vehicles. I used to make bulk package deliveries to the post offices at night, and you wouldn't believe the boneyards!








Back in the 2000s I placed an order for a new Worksman bicycle. The was right at the time when they changed the fork style from "heavy British" to "tubular mountain bike", so that was disappointing. The frame also didn't come with a headbadge. I had also ordered the fenders to be painted black like the frame, and they were chrome-plated.

So, Worksman had me send back the bike and they sent out another one. This time it had a headbadge, but the fenders had been rattle-canned! black over the chrome and it looked absolutely terrible. They had also painted over some of the protective plastic which hadn't been fully removed. I wasn't happy with the bike, so I ended up returning it. It was way too much money to spend on a bike that looked like it was cobbled together out of doctored used parts.


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## COB (Mar 4, 2018)




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## bikemonkey (Mar 7, 2018)

My experience with Worksman was  in the early 1980s in Va. Beach. Our shop was moving a lot of cruisers and Worksman industrial bikes became quite popular with a subset of our cruiser clientele.

We modded these per customer request just ae we did Schwinn Cruisers with tubular forks, Super Jet bars. etc. The Worksman bikes had 120 Ga. spokes on dimpled double wall steel rims. They were industrial strength. Color choice was no problem if you liked basic black, red or yellow...at least for awhile.

During this time period the shop owner and I met the plant manager of Worksman, Wayne Sosin, at the annual NYC trade show. He commented about the sizable orders we we sending in and wanted to know about our market. It was not long after that chat that Wayne came down to our shop to see for himself what we were doing. After that visit Worksman modded the "beach cruiser"/newsboy bikes we bought even to the extent we had custom color choices (think  pink, electric green, purple). If you see some of these old Worksman bikes with flamboyant colors don't dismiss them as repaints - they could very well be factory paint. I can't recall if they modded the fork or swapped out 4 bolt BMX stems for our market (like Schwinn eventually did) but some other easy component changes were made per our request like Super Jet bars, whitewall tires, etc..

I recall we had a number of frame failures at the top tube/headtube lug due to the customers bunny hopping curbs, etc. and the significant front wheel weight helped fatigue the joint. Up to that point, Worksman rarely had any frame failures and Wayne said they had no idea what these were cruisers being used for in our market (bunny hopping, etc.). That lug area was strengthened/improved soon afterwards and all of the bad frames were replaced/no questions asked.

Saw Wayne a decade or so ago at the Vegas Interbike and he was the same genial person who loved what his was doing.

Worksman bikes would never win a beauty contest but they certainly had a following back then.


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## Farmboy1895 (Mar 7, 2018)

Yep,  My father in law worked for Boeing Aircraft also. This was in the Philadelphia Pa. ( Vertol Plant). He had his own dedicated Worksman Bicycle to ride from one end of the plant to the other as an inspector.


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## KingSized HD (Dec 15, 2018)

Here’s my Worksman “Industrial Bike” I picked up recently from a fellow CABEr. Safety Yellow. It was used at the United Airlines maintenance facility at SFO. I’m not sure of the year but it has the older style fork. And what must be the biggest bike seat in the world!


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## Schwinn lover (Dec 17, 2018)

I like there heavy duty wheels with the drum brake.
There great for a motorized bike.


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## vincev (Dec 19, 2018)

So after almost 6 years what is the answer to the question.


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## KingSized HD (Dec 19, 2018)

My two cents: I just picked up an older one (based on it having the older style, non-unicrown fork) and it's what, a 90s bike, maybe '80s at best. Others have said there don't seem to be any OLD specimens around (like '50s at least). The CABErs don't seem to have much interest in 80s-90s bikes so that's the first thing, then you throw in the lack of great styling and the "worksman" type look.... Well, until the industrial look really takes off they're probably relegated to just an oddball collectible that's sorta cool in a funky, "I tour industrial plants on vacation too" way but hard to find and not all that desirable to a lot of collectors.  

Something interesting to me though; the Schwinn American King Size was an adult sized bike made for the same market of industrial plants, Hollywood lots, refineries and airports and there seem to be a fair amount of those still found, even though they only had a four year production run. Makes me wonder if they were better built and lasted longer, produced in greater numbers or why old Worksmans don't seem to be around.


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## sue12 (Dec 20, 2018)

Hey king size, it is a moot point as the chi town schwinn stopped production. If you want an apple for apple comparison then schwinn would have had too last as long AND worksman would have had to compete on the open market more. These are not the case. Btw I have a 62 king size Hd and the black worksman in this tread still and love em both.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## CycleTruck211 (Dec 28, 2020)

I've been trying to unravel the mystery of not seeing Worksman bikes prior to the 1960s, so I took a deep dive, back in time. I discovered this ad in the December 1, 1912 edition of the New York Tribune:






There were various other, similar bicycle ads in the Tribune over the next 10 years, all by the same M. Worksman. The Wiki page for Worksman, says "The company was founded by Morris Worksman, who began building cycles for local deliveries in New York City", so I'm guessing Worksman was outfitting Pope/Columbia/Westfield bicycles with baskets, for delivery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worksman_Cycles

I decided to look for businesses with "Worksman" in the name, registered with the State of New York, Department of State, Division of Corporations. The earliest Worksman business I found, was Worksman Trading Corp., filed January 2, 1945, by Jeffrey Mishkin, in Ozone Park, NY., bringing me to the below head badge, posted here in this thread, redacted:



abe lugo said:


> A badge I found a while back, a few years ago. I was told it was a reproduction for an anniversary model, but have yet to actually see another. Also have yet to see the reference to the original.




Which looks a LOT like this Westfield badge:





Clearly an indication that, prior to actual manufacturing of Worksman products, Worksman's bikes were re-badged Westfield/Pope/Columbia bikes, which were mentioned in numerous newspaper ads in the early 1900s.

That's what I have, so far ...


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## irideiam (Dec 28, 2020)

Here are a couple customized M2600 models, these frames are still made in NYC & NC.  The frames pictured are only 5 -10 years old. The crowned fork in the second picture is off a Workman from the 80s. The M2600 is a CTT 20.5" seat tube frame for taller riders, they also made an INB (Industrial Newsboy) with a 18.5" seat tube that has a top tube that drops down at the seat tube.. The top tube on the M2600 is actually 23.5" CTC so it a longer stretched out frame with layback seat tube that actually rides very nice. The last picture is a stock M2600. The oldest model of the M2600 & INB I have seen is from the 70s. I personally love the ride of these frames.


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