# John Deere serial#1223064 year?



## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

Anyone know how to find out the year of this bike?


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## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

eeyore5588 said:


> Anyone know how to find out the year of this bike? View attachment 1245186



Serial#1223064


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## juvela (Aug 9, 2020)

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you may find a date marking:

on the shell of the Shimano 3-speed hub

on the backside of the crank arms

on the portion of the handlebar stem down inside the steerer

on the end of the handlebar beneath the hand grip

on the backside of the brake calipers

decoder ring for markings is here:






						Date of Manufacture of Bicycle Components can be used to date a bike: component dating
					

The manufacturer's date on a bicycle's components can often be used to determine the date of manufacture of the bike itself. Many bike parts have a date code cast or stamped into the piece. Bicycle component dating



					www.vintage-trek.com
				




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serial placement on frame may be a clue as to actual manufacturer

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## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

juvela said:


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> you may find a date marking:
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Thanks. I'll check it out. The serial number was on the frame by the back wheel on the chain side.


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## juvela (Aug 9, 2020)

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is the serial placement on the drive side of the seat tube?

or is it on the drive side dropout?

please check it under strong illumination to make sure if there are only numbers and not a letter or two as well...  sometimes the characters can be struck with uneven depth


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## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

juvela said:


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> is the serial placement on the drive side of the seat tube?
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On the dropout and that's all the numbers I can see. No letters.


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## GTs58 (Aug 9, 2020)

Seat stays are angle cut like on the Paramounts and the cable stops are the tube type. Nice. Since that is equipped with all the mandated safety features, (reflectors) I'd guess that was made in the first half of the 70's. The reflectors are also dated in most cases with the last two digits of the year.


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## GTs58 (Aug 9, 2020)

The seller of this one states it's a one year, 1971. I'm not to sure about that and would say 72 at the earliest.









Some info from a seller..  https://www.wfmachines.com/threads/rare-blue-john-deere-mens-3-speed-bicycle-central-wi.70905/


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## juvela (Aug 9, 2020)

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reflectors note -

front reflector has aluminum bezel and is not wide angle while front wheel reflector is wide angle and and has a black plastic bezel

front relfector clearly pre-CPSC while front wheel reflector post-CPSC

early plastic wheel reflectors had white bezels

note there is no rear wheel relfector

from what can be seen of reflector mounted to rear mudguard it appears to have a flat face which would be pre-CPSC

in this case relfectors a possible source of misleading evidence with regard to date

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if comparing subject cycle to other examples one easily checked spot is the stem expander.  the Sakae Ringyo stem on the subject machine has an allen expander.  one could check other similar Deere bicycles to see when was the first year for this.

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## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

Only thing I can find is on the right side of the stem has a 74 3. Maybe a '74?


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## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

Thanks for the help juvela and GTs58!


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## juvela (Aug 9, 2020)

eeyore5588 said:


> Only thing I can find is on the right side of the stem has a 74 3. Maybe a '74?




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"By Jove, I think 'e's got it!"

Was thinking it could not be earlier than about '72 nor later than about '76 so U R right there and spot on!  

And you did it all on your own.

It's a nice one.  The dropouts and fork ends are brazed in rather than spot welded.  It has an allen key alloy stem and alloy brake levers.  The frame work is very clean.  A fine example.  Enjoy.

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## eeyore5588 (Aug 9, 2020)

juvela said:


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Thanks. It was my dad's.  He passed a couple years ago and mom has had it hanging in the basement and told me to take it. Definitely a keeper!


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## juvela (Aug 10, 2020)

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Sorry to read of your Dad.

This should be a fine memory item for you.

Would expect that the two of you should be a good match as "late boomers."   Am guessing you are likely a "late boomer" and the cycle, being manufacturered in 1974 is also a "late boomer", coming as it does right at the end of the "bicycle boom" of the early 1970's.

It looks to be in most outstanding condition in relation to its ~forty-six years.  A tribute to the benefits of indoor storage.

The only non-original component on there is the saddle.  It may be something your Dad selected for greater comfort.  The original would have been smaller and less padded.  It may yet be in the basement, if of interest.

In case you would like to learn the identity of the actual manufacturer for the cycle its serial placement and number can be a good clue.  There is an Asian bicycle serial number guide here in case you might wish to look into it:

Asian Serial Number Guide

Hope you experience much enjoyment with the bike as you remember your Dad.   

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## sykerocker (Sep 20, 2020)

Right off the bat, the bike is somewhere between a 1972 and 1974 model, as that's the years John Deere attempted to enter the bicycle business.  With the collapse of the Bike Boom after '74 the company had already pulled out of the market.  They're most noteworthy in having gone to Taiwan for their bikes while most marques were still dealing with Japanese and European companies, which ensured that they got some very undeserved derision in the marketplace.


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