# Stuck in the attic



## Indian Man (Feb 15, 2022)

⁹


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## Euphman06 (Feb 15, 2022)

Nice!


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## fattyre (Feb 15, 2022)

I hope you find your way out!


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## 1817cent (Feb 15, 2022)

Nice bike!  Wonder how it got there.


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## ditchpig (Feb 15, 2022)

Wow! There's a story waiting to be told......? Not many finds like that!


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## Boris (Feb 15, 2022)

ditchpig said:


> Wow! There's a story waiting to be told......? Not many finds like that!



Yeah. So what's the story?


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## GTs58 (Feb 15, 2022)

Santa couldn't get that thing down the chimney one Christmas. He said Oh F it, I'll drop it in the attic, and it's been there ever since.


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## Jeff54 (Feb 16, 2022)

Indian Man said:


> View attachment 1570715View attachment 1570718⁹



Dang, is that an authentic, mid-1950's JC Higgens or a Reproduction from the 1980's? 

Not my area but have to question it. Just imagine trying to find original white walls that bright and clean, that's got to be incredibly difficult. Pedals that are best NOS as it comes, a bike that's about 75 years old, stored and rubber hasn't withered, rotted, dried discolored etc.

So, I googled it and came up empty on a reproduction model but think that the vinyl rubber on the kick stand's tip should be a tell that it's not as old. 

Otherwise, it doesn't get any better than that and hope the story is an undeserved rotten brat verses the alternative, [sigh] didn't make it too or much past Xmas.


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## Indian Man (Feb 16, 2022)

Jeff54 said:


> Dang, is that an authentic, mid-1950's JC Higgens or a Reproduction from the 1980's?
> 
> Not my area but have to question it. Just imagine trying to find original white walls that bright and clean, that's got to be incredibly difficult. Pedals that are best NOS as it comes, a bike that's about 75 years old, stored and rubber hasn't withered, rotted, dried discolored etc.
> 
> ...



No it's all original. I put it in the attic 25,30 years ago and just haven't been able to get to it , for all the other crap !


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## Indian Man (Feb 16, 2022)

fattyre said:


> I hope you find your way out!



I will , just alot older !


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## Indian Man (Feb 16, 2022)

Boris said:


> Yeah. So what's the story?



Put it there 25,30 years ago . Just have been able to get to it for other things in the way.


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## 1motime (Feb 16, 2022)

Very cool!!  Higgens bikes were never reproduced. Looks to be as new!


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## mrg (Feb 16, 2022)

No repo JCH's but but looks like 80's Carlisle's tires.


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## 1motime (Feb 16, 2022)

mrg said:


> No repo JCH's but but looks like 80's Carlisle's tires.



When we're Lightning Darts first made?


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## mrg (Feb 16, 2022)

Good question ( someone here should know ?) but they made them till late 80's early 90's before they shipped the molds to china and were never the same, everybody was using them in the 80's, I still have a few NOS pairs from then.


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## Indian Man (Feb 17, 2022)

Boris said:


> Yeah. So what's the story?



Put it there 25,30 years ago . Just have been able to get to it for other things in the way


1817cent said:


> Nice bike!  Wonder how it got there.





mrg said:


> No repo JCH's but but looks like 80's Carlisle's tires.



You are correct , I do remember removing the dry rotted , Allsate White wall Premium tires from it before putting it away . This was my first project bike . It turned out so nice. Bought it from original owner who was much older than me . It took about 2 years for him to part with it . Really nice , I Think.


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## Jeff54 (Feb 17, 2022)

mrg said:


> No repo JCH's but but looks like 80's's tires.



Those are Carlisle, it's the same font on my presumed 80's set but mine are 24" knobby and pressure says 40 PSI verses 30 on this. IDK were 26 size in the 70-80's rated at 30 or 40??

Carlisle made tubes for monkey ward in late 1880's and tires later but didn't make bicycle tires until 1948 and there's no identifications for white walls when first made or 50's shown on the net. However, there's advertisement media in 1956, JC Higgons wearing whitewalls. Who made? Maybe @Handle Bar Hoarder   and or @bicycle larry  can answer that question and more.





T


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## Indian Man (Feb 17, 2022)

Indian Man said:


> Put it there 25,30 years ago . Just have been able to get to it for other things in the way
> 
> You are correct , I do remember removing the dry rotted , Allsate White wall Premium tires from it before putting it away . This was my first project bike . It turned out so nice. Bought it from original owner who was much older than me . It took about 2 years for him to part with it . Really nice , I Think.



All-State tires


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## 1motime (Feb 17, 2022)

ALLSTATE tires

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114393904448?campid=5335809022


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## John Gailey (Feb 17, 2022)

Unstick it!


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## mrg (Feb 17, 2022)

Not sure who made the Allstates for sears, probable different makers over the yrs ( Schwinn tires were made by at least 3 different company's, I'll have to look at some Allstates to see the date marking that will probably tell the manufacture.


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## Pistelpete (Feb 19, 2022)

Come on folks if that was an original it wouldn’t have that plastic piece on the kickstand and 25 30 years ago would’ve made it when the Repop came out


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## Jeff54 (Feb 19, 2022)

mrg said:


> Not sure who made the Allstates for sears, probable different makers over the yrs ( Schwinn tires were made by at least 3 different company's, I'll have to look at some Allstates to see the date marking that will probably tell the manufacture.



I took the liberty to try tracking them down, turns out auto collectors have been on the hunt for years.

Dating is difficult B/C it wasn't required until 1971. So said; some companies had their own dating system and digits or sets that dated em. However, accordingly, years made may be in a set of numbers on sidewall, the first number would be the decade made. 5 = 1950, 6 1960, etc.

 "Sears did not mfg any tires but contracted with Armstrong Rubber Co.  50% of Armstrong’s yearly production in the 50s - 70s were Allstate.  The contract called for Armstrong to be paid on a cost plus by Sears.  Sears warehoused tires in 1 of 5 plants and shipped tires directly from plant to stores.  Michelin tires were imported by Sears to the Armstrong plants to be distributed to the stores.  Armstrong built radial tires starting in the late 60’s. Surprisingly, the Des Moines plant, in the 60’s, built tires for Firestone, Good Year, Goodrich, Phillips Oil, and others.  The Firestone plant across town sent a truck every evening to pickup the days production." https://forums.aaca.org/topic/279395-sears-allstate-tires/#:~:text=Sears did not mfg any tires but contracted,and shipped tires directly from plant to stores.


Those who could find suitable replacements are reproductions that Sears offered as special orders in the 80-90's and occasional 60-70's NOS. What's known and can hold air or believed old are very hard.

Around the same period 80-90's or so; somebody made some  bicycle repops with bias-ply tires that's same or most similar to Allstate tires but, it seems, they may not have 'Allstate' embossed on sidewall rather, the manufacture was buffed off.  Coker has been making repos for many so, perhaps that's who made Bike repops some time ago.

IDK but it's possible that this bike had Crusaders or Elgin's "Two Ply" like shown in this 1938 advertisement:

*1938 Allstate Bike Tires, Elgin Bicycle Wheels, Cross Country Battery Advertisement *



https://www.ebay.com/itm/392779966246?campid=5335809022


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Feb 19, 2022)

Pistelpete said:


> Come on folks if that was an original it wouldn’t have that plastic piece on the kickstand and 25 30 years ago would’ve made it when the Repop came out



They never remade this bike.


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## Jeff54 (Feb 19, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> They never remade this bike.



Yeah, I spect OP stuck that kick-stand vinyl rubber on when he'd got the new tires '20-30 years ago'. As I recall, if bikes ever got a Kick-stand rubber shoe, they would have been thicker and 3/4 round with flat bottom.

I mean, the rubber on the pedals are so pristine and although it seems there's folks who've modeled some, they ain't got the color this bike has. Which, if it had shoes, they'd be same color and rubber the pedals have.

However. there's always room for skepticism on collectibles. I can't shake a stick on the amount of times I've heard the same story: "I had this since I was a kid new" Wife or inherited claims "My husband, Dad, Uncle, family and others had as kid". I ran across years ago, as I collected more than 50 year, toy marbles. Ann Frank's toy marbles, in a rusty tin can, That a relative or family friend had 'Discovered" . They were on an exhibit tour stopping at museums around the globe. They'd a story line about claiming they were her virtual prize, hidden away with other personal relics. . 

I contacted them IDK about 20 year ago;. , a Historical fact museum place, to set the record straight. The portion of the glass 'Cat-eye' marbles on display were not made until Post WWII around 1950's. In fact, the Cat-eye type in the exhibition, may also be Japanize B/C, it's one of the technologies the USA gave them to help rebuild Japanese industries.   I.E. Even major verified historical experts don't always get it right.  😉


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## 1motime (Feb 19, 2022)

Pistelpete said:


> Come on folks if that was an original it wouldn’t have that plastic piece on the kickstand and 25 30 years ago would’ve made it when the Repop came out



JC Higgens bikes were never reproduced


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## tech549 (Feb 19, 2022)

these are the jc higgins stands they use on the colorflows
not 100% sure if they used these on the jetflows but being
a top end higgins i would assume they did!


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## Jeff54 (Feb 19, 2022)

tech549 said:


> these are the jc higgins stands they use on the colorflows
> not 100% sure if they used these on the jetflows but being
> a top end higgins i would assume they did!
> 
> . View attachment 1573154



Uh Oo
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## Indian Man (Feb 19, 2022)

Pistelpete said:


> Come on folks if that was an original it wouldn’t have that plastic piece on the kickstand and 25 30 years ago would’ve made it when the Repop came out



I put the plastic tip on to keep stand off floor .


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## razinhellcustomz (Feb 19, 2022)

1motime said:


> When we're Lightning Darts first made?



Iv'e seen them from the 50's, but other than that  it's any body's guess...


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## razinhellcustomz (Feb 19, 2022)

mrg said:


> Not sure who made the Allstates for sears, probable different makers over the yrs ( Schwinn tires were made by at least 3 different company's, I'll have to look at some Allstates to see the date marking that will probably tell the manufacture.



Iv'e seen some Allstate tires made by Kelly-Springfield, but other than that it's all i can say about that..


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## tech549 (Feb 20, 2022)

Indian Man said:


> I will , just alot older !



could you get some pictures of it when you get it out?very nice higgins !
not to many around in that condition.


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## Indian Man (Feb 20, 2022)

tech549 said:


> could you get some pictures of it when you get it out?very nice higgins !
> not to many around in that condition.



No problem , I'm planning too .


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## Jeff54 (Feb 20, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> Iv'e seen them from the 50's, but other than that  it's any body's guess...



I bought a new pair of Carlisle's at Wally-world last summer; price was so low couldn't pass em up. .

Wally's even mounted them free too.

Yet they look cheap and thin.

IDK if they'll hold up well.

Got some serious stickers here in SW Florida that dooms any bike tires.

They grow out of some really nice turf grass but when it goes to seed, which is all season long' They are kind of like wheat but it's clusters of bad A stickers. Really bad stickers that grab your skin or hand/fingers and clothing  QUICK! This grass sticker is far worse than the bad ground type that grows in SoCal.  The only way to prevent them, because it blends in grass so well, is to pull the roots out when the seeds begin to show. .

The stickers have a hook and when you step on them, it hooks in your skin and rubber or foamy bottom shoes then, the body of it breaks off and work themselves in deeper where it will poke your feet which is difficult to get out of the sole. . .

If they wern't so cheap priced and free mounting, because the rubber is so thin and soft, I wouldn't put Carlisle's 'Turf Saver II's on my [Big grin]  lawn tractor.  🤪


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## Indian Man (Feb 20, 2022)

Jeff54 said:


> I bought a new pair of Carlisle's at Wally-world last summer; price was so low couldn't pass em up. .
> 
> Wally's even mounted them free too.
> 
> ...



What photos would you like to see of the original 56 higgins , I wouldn't post a repo.  Going in attic Tues .  or Wed.


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## Jeff54 (Feb 22, 2022)

Indian Man said:


> What photos would you like to see of the original 56 higgins , I wouldn't post a repo.  Going in attic Tues .  or Wed





tech549 said:


> these are the jc higgins stands they use on the colorflows
> not 100% sure if they used these on the jetflows but being
> a top end higgins i would assume they did!
> 
> View attachment 1573154



I took a ride on the search train for Color Flow and the kick stands on them. That's a tough task because, hardly anybody shows the flipside rather, most only focus on chain guard side. . 

Regardless, yeah, while the great majority have what you've photographed It's quite difficult to see the difference in photos as well, the Op's kick stand does appear as original on a few.


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