# A old hercules bike



## bishopitch (Mar 21, 2009)

Can any one help with any info on this bike please?
It is a ladies single speed hercules. It was my mothers and I know it to be at leaast 40 years old but it was not new then so could be a lot older.
The headbadge says hercules birmingham england. It has rod type brakes.
It has the numbers 12918yn stamped on the frame and also the words jd cross and sons ltd deluxe bs made in england stamped on the part where the chain is attached to the rest of the bike, sorry dont know anything about bikes!
It seems to have been repainted at some time as green paint can be seen under the black in places. I know it has had the saddle and wheels replaced a long time ago but I think the rest is original. Its been sitting in a shed for around 20 years and the tyres are flat but apart from that it seems to be rideable. I would be gratedful for any info on this bike please and if it is worth anything. thanks


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## bishopitch (Mar 22, 2009)

Any one got any info on this please would like to know how old it is or anything else any one can tell me please there does not seem to be very much info on hercules bike around


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## Doohickie (Mar 22, 2009)

On some bikes there is a date code on the rear hub (the center of the rear wheel where all the spokes attach; look on the cylindrical area between the spokes).  

My guess is that it is 1960s or 70s.  I doubt it would be earlier since it has the reflectors built into the pedals.  My 1966 Raleigh doesn't have those.

Also, if you can find where it was made, that can give a clue.  If it says Nottingham anywhere, it's post-1960 (when Raleigh bought out Hercules).  If it says Birmingham, that would be from before the buyout.  Some of them were made in Ireland too; I'm not sure what that means about the build date though.


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