# Vintage Industrial Worksman Trike



## jimbo53 (Mar 16, 2016)

I throw myself upon the collective wealth of knowledge regarding this new find. Not much info on the Worksman Cycle website, and I understand they don't help dating these old trikes. 
The only thing looking like a serial number are SMT and NP-5 on the outer pillow block bearing brackets and what looks like AD 83 (possibly 1938?) on the underside of the bottom bracket. 
Wheels are 26" with 26 x1.75 hard rubber tires marked Worksman Cycles with massive spokes of unknown gauge. The wheels are missing a few spokes, but these spokes are so strong, the wheels all turn true, and the bearings are surprisingly smooth turning. The interesting part of this trike is what seems like a grafted head tube and the Schwinn (Shelby?) springer fork. The front drum brake is missing the lever and cable, but these are available online. The brake lever available on line also has a built in parking brake, which is needed since there are no brakes to the rear weals.The frame, while beautifully crusty and rusty is still strong and straight-no rust-throughs anywhere. It was originally black with white pinstriping, which is still visible on parts of the frame. Cool industrial Mesinger seat with some kind of tough rubber covering. The rear platform is 21" x 14", just the size for a vintage period metal ice chest. Would make a very cool rat or just put a brake lever and cable on it, and ride, ride,ride...Not sure what I'll do with it, but welcome any info, comments or suggestions.


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## rhenning (Mar 16, 2016)

1.75 tires did not appear until 1955 so the bike is more like 1983 than 1938.  Worksman bikes usually lead hard lives in factories so the condition for a 30 year old one from 1983 would not be surprising.  I suspect the springer fork didn't come on the bike from the factory.  Roger


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## bairdco (Mar 17, 2016)

Probably 70's or 80's.  Spokes are 11g. Rims should be stamped. If they say "worksman cycles" they're 80's or newer,  if "worksman japan" they're 70's.

Hard tires are still available on their trikes (last time I checked)

Front end is a butcher job. Original frames are lugged, and forks were square tubular, if that makes any sense.

Rubber seats were used thru the 70's and 80's, maybe into the 90's.

The rear drive hub should give you an idea. They used bendix hubs into the 80's, then went to shimano.

If it's a bendix, the shell design should give it away.
(Edit...) just noticed it was a freewheel. The brand might give away the approx date.

Worksman claims to be over 100 years old,  and the oldest american bike company still in business, but I've never seen a bike older than the 70's.


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