# ~~~1942 Victory Bicycle! Smithsonian Article~~~



## Krakatoa (Mar 18, 2017)

Very interesting article regarding WW2 Era bicycle specification & production from the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1313316

I cribbed this recently posted image of *thericebunnycake*'s awesome '42 Dayton bike because it well illustrates the prevailing civilian production spec of the times.

http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/tire-size-help.107131/


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## keith kodish (Mar 22, 2017)

Beautiful example!

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## scrubbinrims (Mar 22, 2017)

Was not aware that both Westfield and Huffman lightweight bicycles produced during the war were "Victory Bikes."
previously my opinion was that the Victory bikes were the ones with a factory "V" painted in the fender (as the late 1941 I have)...so what do I call this bike now?
Chris


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## rollfaster (Mar 22, 2017)

Wow! Both of those bikes are knockouts. Love me some victory/wartime bikes. My Westfield Elgin.


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## New Mexico Brant (Mar 29, 2017)

Thanks for the post Nate!  This helps clarify the missing head badge question on many of these.  I own 4 civilian wartime examples (three Huffmans and one Westfield) and dealing with the tires has been a nightmare.


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## catfish (Mar 29, 2017)

scrubbinrims said:


> Was not aware that both Westfield and Huffman lightweight bicycles produced during the war were "Victory Bikes."
> previously my opinion was that the Victory bikes were the ones with a factory "V" painted in the fender (as the late 1941 I have)...so what do I call this bike now?
> Chris
> View attachment 439607




This is still a Victory Bike. They used up the parts on hand before changing over to the light weight bikes.


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## New Mexico Brant (Apr 1, 2017)

Krakatoa said:


> I cribbed this recently posted image of *thericebunnycake*'s awesome '42 Dayton bike because it well illustrates the prevailing civilian production spec of the times.



It looks like this example has the original wooden turned grips.  These rarely remain because the tend to crack with time and use.


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## Bozman (Apr 1, 2017)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Thanks for the post Nate!  This helps clarify the missing head badge question on many of these.  I own 4 civilian wartime examples (three Huffmans and one Westfield) and dealing with the tires has been a nightmare.



I specialize in War Era WW2 production bicycles.  Both Huffman and Westfields stopped putting on headbadges on there bicycles sometime in 1943 or 1944.  For tires you can use Kenda K23 S6 tires on the lightweight bicycles.  The 26x1.375 rims are 599cm and the S6 Kendas are 597cm and ride like a dream. 

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## Thonyv1974_ (Apr 4, 2017)

Krakatoa said:


> Very interesting article regarding WW2 Era bicycle specification & production from the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian.
> 
> http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1313316
> 
> ...



Great article. ..


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## Thonyv1974_ (Apr 4, 2017)

Bozman said:


> I specialize in War Era WW2 production bicycles.  Both Huffman and Westfields stopped putting on headbadges on there bicycles sometime in 1943 or 1944.  For tires you can use Kenda K23 S6 tires on the lightweight bicycles.  The 26x1.375 rims are 599cm and the S6 Kendas are 597cm and ride like a dream.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk



Thanks for sharing. .


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