# Hercules collector value



## Cranky Chain Cycles

This Hercules has been hanging upside down for a few decades. The original owner passed 10 years ago. What drew me in was the potential to be cleaned up. All that chrome and the accessories sold me. 

The question is, did I waste part of my paycheck or is this worth putting extra cash and time into? Is there any collector value?

Some new whitewalls would be nice. Maybe this will be a nice winter project. Sorry for the meh pics. 











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## Cranky Chain Cycles

I just answered part or most of my questions. I found a 2016 thread that addressed this.  Luckily here in Minneapolis we have a bike friendly culture. 


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## Freqman1

Down here that is lunch money. V/r Shawn


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## bulldog1935

twinflight said:


> I just answered part or most of my questions. I found a 2016 thread that addressed this.  Luckily here in Minneapolis we have a bike friendly culture.
> ...



well share with us - either post the value or link to the thread you referenced. 

Unless you're planning to turn the bike, I wouldn't worry too much money spent.  It's not like there's a blue book on these things.  
If what you spent got you into what you wanted, then you did good.  
It's a cool bike, well appointed - I like the shiny fenders and chain guard - the combined seat and bag are a coup in cool.   
Shine her up and give us some more photos...


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## jimbo53

The market for these multi-speed, caliper brake middle weights has always been rather weak, so finding a buyer will be a challenge. That being said, it should be an easy cleanup and will be a great town/commuter bike. Keep the cost down, clean and shine and ride the heck out of it!


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## HARPO

Yes...please let us all know what you managed to get the bike for.


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## SirMike1983

Nice that it still has that period saddle and bag. Those almost always are beat up or missing now, especially the white ones.


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## Cranky Chain Cycles

HARPO said:


> Yes...please let us all know what you managed to get the bike for.




$20 off CL. There’s a few eBay ads from $200-500 but that’s wishful thinking. The tires hold air but need replacing. All original otherwise. The market here in Minneapolis isn’t too kind to non-Schwinn. The rear hub is going to need to be rebuilt. 


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## Cranky Chain Cycles

bulldog1935 said:


> well share with us - either post the value or link to the thread you referenced.
> 
> Unless you're planning to turn the bike, I wouldn't worry too much money spent.  It's not like there's a blue book on these things.
> If what you spent got you into what you wanted, then you did good.
> It's a cool bike, well appointed - I like the shiny fenders and chain guard - the combined seat and bag are a coup in cool.
> Shine her up and give us some more photos...




https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/amf-hercules-nottingham-england.91065/


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## Duchess

For $20, you can't lose and the period accessories are pretty cool. These things are fairly indestructible, which probably contributes somewhat to their lack of value. Boston/Cambridge/Somerville has a lot of English roadsters around having spent decades as college commuters, largely stored outside, and sold for about the previous purchase price to their next owner (I usually see them anywhere from $80-250). Seems like they're a low theft risk, too. Better than any big box store POS you'd pay more for. Just because they're not worth a lot of money doesn't mean they're not any good (and vise versa also holds true).


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## Mr.RED

There use to be a market for these in Boston but that was about 5 years ago. Now a days selling a 3 speed is much harder since most college students in Boston want something lightweight to run up stairs. I sell a few hundred bikes a year off CL in the Boston area last year I blew off all my 3 speeds for $30 a piece and I have yet to buy another 3 speed. But then again it depends on area and city terrain 3 speeds maybe slow sellers here but in Florida maybe not. Bike trends come and go so quick its silly just look at the big fat tire bike craze, then now its Ebikes and gravel grinders. So there might be a day in the future where a hipster decides to ride a 3 speed to his local pub and boom theres a 3 speed market revival.


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## Andrew Gorman

Mr. Red is correct.  I sold my last Raleigh Sports in San Francisco for $75.00 AFTER a full tune-up, and it took a few weeks.  Decades ago In Iowa City I could pick up a girls English Racer for a dollar or two at an auction, repack the bearings, patch the tubes, shine it up  and sell it in days  for $50.00 to $75.00.  These bikes are common as fleas, and although they are better quality and not much heavier than aluminum ChiCom Crap, they are sadly unappreciated.  And they are geared way too tall for anything other than a pancake flat area.   Unless you are in a college town, and can find an appreciative buyer, and are willing to do all your own work to keep your repair skills up you will not make money on these.  If it needs new tires and you have to pay retail, you are in the red. I like them and will happily pull one out of a dumpster, put some time and few bucks of bearings and grease into them but they are emphatically not a money maker.


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