# Who likes Super Deluxe?



## the tinker (Sep 19, 2018)

Dragged  the Monark up from the basement and rode around on it today.








 Fun Bike!  Nice original 1950 decal on the fender of a beauty on a slice of cheesecake,  with the outline of the map of Wisconsin behind it.







 Original paint has never been touched up. Only thing I have done with this bike is to change the handle bars, to the "long horn" type, and put the longer coke bottle grips on. This is an original survivor. Deluxe all the way.....


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## STRADALITE (Sep 19, 2018)

Looks like a shallow fender on the rear and a deep one on the front.


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## catfish (Sep 19, 2018)

Cool color. Love the pin up decal.


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## cyclingday (Sep 19, 2018)

Yeah!
The Wisconsin cheesecake girl is classic!
If you ever sell the bike, you'll have to tell the prospective buyer that you're cutting Lady Cheesehead off with a Sawzall, because she doesn't go with the bike. Lol!


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## the tinker (Sep 19, 2018)

OTE="STRADALITE, post: 931007, member: 1797"]Looks like a shallow fender on the rear and a deep one on the front.[/QUOTE]
No, what's your point?  Iv'e had several of these. Original all the way.


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## vincev (Sep 19, 2018)

the tinker said:


> OTE="STRADALITE, post: 931007, member: 1797"]Looks like a shallow fender on the rear and a deep one on the front.




you going to carpenterville show ?


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## the tinker (Sep 19, 2018)

Yes I am Vince, unless it's  pouring rain, and I am bringing a truck load of stuff to sell, so bring your lovely wife,







and lots of money. I'll bring my wife,


Little Debbie. Gosh, I love her.....


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## Beek (Sep 19, 2018)

the tinker said:


> Yes I am Vince, unless it's  pouring rain, and I am bringing a truck load of stuff to sell, so bring your lovely wife,View attachment 871427
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I knew she was cheat'in on me


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## bicycle larry (Sep 19, 2018)

nice monark tinker dave  ,I hope you bring your wife a long to memory lane !!!!!!!!!  from bicycle larry .I like monarks super deluxes to


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## vincev (Sep 19, 2018)

the tinker said:


> Yes I am Vince, unless it's  pouring rain, and I am bringing a truck load of stuff to sell, so bring your lovely wife,View attachment 871427
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is it on Saturday the 29th ? The date posted on the Cabe ssays Saturday the 28th.


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## vincev (Sep 19, 2018)




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## 49autocycledeluxe (Sep 19, 2018)

those bikes have the coolest deep fenders.


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## SJ_BIKER (Sep 19, 2018)

cheesecake be sounding good right now with cherries on top!!


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## RUDY CONTRATTI (Sep 19, 2018)

*I LOVE MINE!!!! Had this *bike a long time..And what I like is as follows,,,Start with the front end,,a Fender bird leading to the Train Lite,,working your way to the Chrome Fork Caps ,to the double spring suspension,,leading to the Monark Chrome Head Schrod  Love the 21 inch moon bars   The Lobdell Saddle ???I think,,,with crash rail,,rite back to the  rear Cheesegrate Rack,,where we just shreaded some Parmesan,,,, rite down to the wrap around Tail light The bike sits on Kelly Springfield  Road Trac Tires,, married to a set of drop center rims ,,with a Bendix two speed,which are held on the frame by acorn nuts ,But ,, what I like most are the DEEP FENDERS ,,they caught my eye.It     appears to me the bike was   designed after the1950 s Plymouth,,or Buick??This is a 1953 Monark Super Deluxe,,Sea Foam Green ,some touch ups but all original,,


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## Boris (Sep 19, 2018)

Great "Why I love my bike"! Thanks Rudy! By the way, and not to get too far afield, I like the fence, but how do the neighbors?


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## oldfart36 (Sep 20, 2018)

Love S.D.s , my latest og 49 find is one of my favorites.


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## bicycle larry (Sep 20, 2018)

RUDY CONTRATTI said:


> *I LOVE MINE!!!! Had this *bike a long time..And what I like is as follows,,,Start with the front end,,a Fender bird leading to the Train Lite,,working your way to the Chrome Fork Caps ,to the double spring suspension,,leading to the Monark Chrome Head Schrod  Love the 21 inch moon bars   The Lobdell Saddle ???I think,,,with crash rail,,rite back to the  rear Cheesegrate Rack,,where we just shreaded some Parmesan,,,, rite down to the wrap around Tail light The bike sits on Kelly Springfield  Road Trac Tires,, married to a set of drop center rims ,,with a Bendix two speed,which are held on the frame by acorn nuts ,But ,, what I like most are the DEEP FENDERS ,,they caught my eye.It     appears to me the bike was   designed after the1950 s Plymouth,,or Buick??This is a 1953 Monark Super Deluxe,,Sea Foam Green ,some touch ups but all original,,
> 
> View attachment 871527
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> ...



love your bike 


RUDY CONTRATTI said:


> *I LOVE MINE!!!! Had this *bike a long time..And what I like is as follows,,,Start with the front end,,a Fender bird leading to the Train Lite,,working your way to the Chrome Fork Caps ,to the double spring suspension,,leading to the Monark Chrome Head Schrod  Love the 21 inch moon bars   The Lobdell Saddle ???I think,,,with crash rail,,rite back to the  rear Cheesegrate Rack,,where we just shreaded some Parmesan,,,, rite down to the wrap around Tail light The bike sits on Kelly Springfield  Road Trac Tires,, married to a set of drop center rims ,,with a Bendix two speed,which are held on the frame by acorn nuts ,But ,, what I like most are the DEEP FENDERS ,,they caught my eye.It     appears to me the bike was   designed after the1950 s Plymouth,,or Buick??This is a 1953 Monark Super Deluxe,,Sea Foam Green ,some touch ups but all original,,
> 
> View attachment 871527
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> ...



love your bike RUDY ,its super nice


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## STRADALITE (Sep 20, 2018)

the tinker said:


> OTE="STRADALITE, post: 931007, member: 1797"]Looks like a shallow fender on the rear and a deep one on the front.



No, what's your point?  Iv'e had several of these. Original all the way.[/QUOTE]

Just an observation. I’ve also had several of these bikes. 
The fenders might be the same color but don’t appear to be a matching set. 
Here’s a comparison of the rear fenders. 
The tombstone reflector housing goes to the edge of the fender on your bike but not on the deep fender on the green bike.


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## the tinker (Sep 20, 2018)

Good observation. The Monark Plant , like the Schwinn plant was typical of bike factories of the '40s-'50s. Parts were not wasted. This is a 1950 model. Back fender may be a late '40s. Schwinn used up an old stock of 1934 frames in '41.  They never would have believed that someone 75 years later, would be pointing it out, much less care. WW2 and Korea played a major role in the manufacturing of bicycles.  The shortages of steel forced conservation. An interesting story, by itself.


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## Rockman9 (Sep 23, 2018)

bicycle larry said:


> nice monark tinker dave  ,I hope you bring your wife a long to memory lane !!!!!!!!!  from bicycle larry .I like monarks super deluxes to
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> View attachment 871433
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Those are BADA$$


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## Rockman9 (Sep 23, 2018)

the tinker said:


> Dragged  the Monark up from the basement and rode around on it today.View attachment 871318
> View attachment 871321
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Great bike. Love it.


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## Rockman9 (Sep 23, 2018)

There are a lot of great super deluxe bikes in this thread. Here is mine. It has been restored and is one of my best riding bikes.


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## bicycle larry (Sep 23, 2018)

reel nice bike you got there Rockman 9 ,I like it . from bicycle larry


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## 2jakes (Sep 23, 2018)

the tinker said:


> Good observation. The Monark Plant , like the Schwinn plant was typical of bike factories of the '40s-'50s. Parts were not wasted. This is a 1950 model. Back fender may be a late '40s. Schwinn used up an old stock of 1934 frames in '41.  They never would have believed that someone 75 years later, would be pointing it out, much less care. WW2 and Korea played a major role in the manufacturing of bicycles.  The shortages of steel forced conservation. An interesting story, by itself.




Tinker, besides Columbia & Monark, I own four Schwinn Phantom bikes from the 50s...all different years.
Practically every time I post one... I get “observations” that the pinstripes are incorrect because it does not match
what they have.
I'm thinking of posting this text below the image of the bike next time I post a photo....

“Schwinn pin striping on the frames was done at the Chicago plant by different workers
over the years by hand. There were slight minor variations but Schwinn knew that the
majority of the users were kids who were thrilled to own a bike regardless of the fact
that the pin stripes were not dead-on exact from one year to the other!”


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## Rockman9 (Sep 23, 2018)

bicycle larry said:


> reel nice bike you got there Rockman 9 ,I like it . from bicycle larry



Thanks Larry.


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## the tinker (Sep 29, 2018)

This past week there has been a feeding frenzy over a Monark Super Deluxe listed in the for sale section, here on the CABE. For those who feel "left out' here is one that as far as I know went unsold at the Arlington Heights Illinois swap in August,



I don't recall the man's name[ He did have a 30s motorbike at the swap that I sold to someone else many years ago, which surprised me ] , this Monark was original paint, but had been touched up, and fenders repainted. The asking price was $1100. Someone may recognize him. Also pictured is a later model original "Imperial", that Nickinator brought down from Minnesota, also for sale.



 Not sure if they sold it. So...if you feel " left out,"   there is still hope .


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## Rockman9 (Sep 29, 2018)

Beautiful bikes. I’m partial to the red one


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## jimbo53 (Sep 30, 2018)

Very cool bikes! FYI, the Wisconsin Cheesecake pinup decal is still available!
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=142188362230


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## piercer_99 (Oct 26, 2018)

ya'll and your Super Deluxe's.

mine is almost completely og, 1948, except for the grease, it is 2018 model







, one of these days I will be able to afford the alien headlight for it and have it complete.

Still have the og Kelly Springfield tires for it, would never ride on them though, rear is ready to open up.   So it rolls on new tread.


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## Nashman (Oct 26, 2018)

I feel I have the correct (last pictured) Lobdell seat on this bike now. I found it in housepaint blue 35+ years ago in Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada ( across the river from International Falls, Mn.) sold to a friend, who restored it, & in turn sold it back to me last Summer. He upgraded the style of the rack to a cheese grater ( I have the original on a rat bike Monark pictured) rack and added the tank shroud. I restored a Firestone Super Cruiser ( found in rural Mn. bought off an 85 year old guy/among others over time) around the same time (1980's) and sold it to a pal about 10 years ago ( also pictured is a Panther I sold him). I had a nice original ladies Monark that I have since sold. They do hold a special place in my heart.


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## Rockman9 (Oct 26, 2018)

bicycle larry said:


> reel nice bike you got there Rockman 9 ,I like it . from bicycle larry




Thank you Larry


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## Rockman9 (Oct 26, 2018)

@Nashman Those are beautiful. The black and the red ones are exceptional.


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## Nashman (Oct 27, 2018)

Rockman9 said:


> @Nashman Those are beautiful. The black and the red ones are exceptional.



Thanks!!


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## the tinker (Oct 27, 2018)

Nice bikes. They belong to fellow Caber,  coin1812


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## Nashman (Oct 27, 2018)

the tinker said:


> Nice bikes.View attachment 890656



*Breathtaking!!  WOW!!*


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## SindeAnn (Nov 30, 2018)

I just got my first Monark last weekend and I love it. My fiance added the reflectors that were missing from the pedals now all I need to do is give her a good cleaning and white walls and she'll be good to go. Now if I can just build up enough leg muscles to ride her....this old girl is heavy!


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## Freqman1 (Nov 30, 2018)

SindeAnn said:


> I just got my first Monark last weekend and I love it. My fiance added the reflectors that were missing from the pedals now all I need to do is give her a good cleaning and white walls and she'll be good to go. Now if I can just build up enough leg muscles to ride her....this old girl is heavy!View attachment 911050



Part of what makes this bike hard to ride is those old, heavy tires. Switch to a set of John's chain treads and pedaling will be much easier--something about physics, rotating mass, blah blah V/r Shawn


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## SindeAnn (Nov 30, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> Part of what makes this bike hard to ride is those old, heavy tires. Switch to a set of John's chain treads and pedaling will be much easier--something about physics, rotating mass, blah blah V/r Shawn



Thank you, Shawn. Where do I find those?


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## Springer Tom (Nov 30, 2018)




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## Freqman1 (Nov 30, 2018)

SindeAnn said:


> Thank you, Shawn. Where do I find those?



contact @John here on the CABE a variety of colors in case you want something other than black. Besides what's shown here is green whitewalls, brick/clay, and blackwalls. V/r Shawn


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## SindeAnn (Nov 30, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> contact @John here on the CABE a variety of colors in case you want something other than black. Besides what's shown here is green whitewalls, brick/clay, and blackwalls. V/r Shawn
> 
> View attachment 911055



Thank you


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## vincev (Nov 30, 2018)

Always liked these bikes but I need to find a mens bike.


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## SKPC (Nov 30, 2018)




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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Nov 30, 2018)

Who likes ice cream  ?


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## bicycle larry (Nov 30, 2018)

another one I did up a few years a go ,new owner at that time put the red tires on it . from bicycle larry


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## oldfart36 (Dec 1, 2018)

A feature that seems to be harder to find then I thought originally. Note the stainless trim that is a original to the pedestal light on my 49. Of the S.D.'s I've found in the past, none had this, have seen very few like this.


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## ricobike (Dec 1, 2018)

oldfart36 said:


> A feature that seems to be harder to find then I thought originally. Note the stainless trim that is a original to the pedestal light on my 49. Of the S.D.'s I've found in the past, none had this, have seen very few like this.
> 
> View attachment 911406



From what I've heard the trim on the light was only on the 49's.  I have the same bike same color with the trim on the light.  Unfortunately it's buried in my attic so I can't show a picture now, but the paint is a little faded, yours is a lot nicer.  Here's a picture of a loose light at Memory Lanes swap in the fall that had this trim.


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## Nashman (Dec 10, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> Part of what makes this bike hard to ride is those old, heavy tires. Switch to a set of John's chain treads and pedaling will be much easier--something about physics, rotating mass, blah blah V/r Shawn



So....TRUE......


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## vincev (Dec 10, 2018)

So is it correct to say some came with deep fenders and some with shallow fenders and some with a combination deep and shallow or whatever they had on hand ??


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## the tinker (Dec 12, 2018)

I hope fellow Caber, Brian Weitz doesn't mind his bike posted here. It's a beauty!


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## the tinker (Dec 12, 2018)

Yes Vince, I would say it's safe to say that. Monark was building bikes for kids and I think they didn't really care if a fender was miss[matched back in 1950.  They used up some older back fenders on the early models. They weren't building automobiles, they were making "kid's" bikes. The Super Deluxe was Monark's answer to  Schwinn's Phantom, their competitor. The other thing is, steel was still affected by war time shortages. The whole war time mentality of not wasting anything carried over well into the late 50's. You and I know this as fact, because we were there.


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## the tinker (Apr 1, 2019)

Here's photos for reference only.


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## Balloonatic (Apr 2, 2019)

This was mine for 30 years, one of the first balloon tire bikes I bought.. love that "Gumby" green. 

 I really like the Super Deluxes though, some gorgeous ones posted here... that head piece and the tank rails made it that much more groovy...


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## oimakoi (Apr 12, 2019)

Is the spring in the springer fork on these 53 SD models supposed to be stiff? There is no movement/bounce when i ride it and even when i purposely push down the front end holding it by the handlebar near the stem then pushing it down...no bounce whatsoever...


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## SKPC (Apr 13, 2019)

Not really.  Check the pivot bolts for over-tightening.  It may be the frozen-by-rust- condition of the pivot itself..


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## oimakoi (Apr 14, 2019)

@SKPC thanks, i loosened the pivot bolt a bit and greased the spring bolt to lessen friction between it and the bushing. It works fine now.


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## oimakoi (May 2, 2019)

Hey guys, i just noticed this.. why my chain guard is shaped a little different?
Compared to this pic posted somewhere here, the curve on mine where the crank arms go is not more emphasized.? And the bottom part near the rear bracket is raised a bit?


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## ricobike (May 2, 2019)

oimakoi said:


> Hey guys, i just noticed this.. why my chain guard is shaped a little different?
> Compared to this pic posted somewhere here, the curve on mine where the crank arms go is not more emphasized.? And the bottom part near the rear bracket is raised a bit?
> View attachment 990311
> View attachment 990312
> View attachment 990314



Hate to say it but yours looks like it got a trim job somewhere along the line in it's life.  Maybe it got damaged and someone tried to make the best out of a bad thing.


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## oimakoi (May 2, 2019)

@ricobike this was my grandfather’s bike. Here’s the link of my post https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/53-54-monark-super-deluxe.150294/

My uncle said he didn’t do anything with the chain guard. He only had it sanded down and painted it years ago..
Here’s a pic  before and after i stripped all the house paint off




And here are pics of the other side of the chain guard.


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## 75 Bronco (Aug 4, 2020)

Recent purchase, thank you Bicycle Larry for your help in finding this 52’!


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