# NONPAREIL Bicycle works!



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 8, 2015)

Picked up this bicycle which badge says Nonpareil bicycle works made out of St louis. I never heard or seen this badge before, i did google it and came up with one other similar bicycle but no one had any info on this company. Its missing a seat and pedals as well when i got it. I does have almost 3 diffrent color blue as a paint scheme on it. The tank is all there not rot plus has it original horn. It does have a morrow rear hub on it with a K4 on it. Looks and seems to be all original down to the tires on it. Any info on this bicycle would be great thank you!!


----------



## rustjunkie (Jun 8, 2015)

Nice Manton & Smith!


----------



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 8, 2015)

Thnak you, i figured is might have been a Manton@ smith just wanted to make sure! Hub says K4 on its MORROW!


----------



## rollfaster (Jun 8, 2015)

rustjunkie said:


> Nice Manton & Smith!




Exactly. Seen several of these m&s bikes with nonpareil badges, which was a hardware of department store chain in the 30s-50s. Great bike George. Congrads.


----------



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 8, 2015)

rollfaster said:


> Exactly. Seen several of these m&s bikes with nonpareil badges, which was a hardware of department store chain in the 30s-50s. Great bike George. Congrads.




Awesome info i never knew about that, can you help me out on the year to decode the morrow hub it says K4 on it!


----------



## rustjunkie (Jun 8, 2015)

THEGOLDENGREEK said:


> ...can you help me out on the year to decode the morrow hub it says K4 on it!




http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...mber-and-Date-Code-Information-Non-Discussion


----------



## cds2323 (Jun 8, 2015)

Nice to see a M&S with the more ornate tank design, most were a plain dart design. (Like azbug's bike pictured in the next post). I also have a Nonpareil badged M&S. Although housepainted it has an amateur rocket painted on. My serial number is 92085. I added the prewar Roadliter cuz it was grey and the previous owner kept the front loader. I see yours also has what appears to be a yellow primer on the bottom bracket, so does mine. Mine also has that tank design in red barely visible under the house paint.


----------



## fordmike65 (Jun 8, 2015)

*Kinda diggin' these M&S*





http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...ire-Beauty-)-Complete!&highlight=MANTON+SMITH


----------



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 8, 2015)

Nice to see other ones out there. Even though yours is house painted i still DIG it. All i did was whip the bottom i didnt even notice the yellow primer lol. So how does your bike ride? Does yours have a morrow rear hub as well cds2323? And yes Mike its a cool looking bike i have no clue what im doing with it yet. But from what i can see this bike has 3 different blue colors on it will clean up nice in oxolic acid for sure!


----------



## CWCMAN (Jun 8, 2015)

I do believe that CWC also made bicycles for them. I had one years ago that was badged SPEED with the same text on a round badge. I still have parts of this bike...


----------



## Wheeled Relics (Jun 8, 2015)

I have one too. Has some beefy welds on it. Very straight bike. No hander.


----------



## chitown (Jun 8, 2015)

Love those invisible rack braces! 

*M&S Invasion 2015!!
*


----------



## cds2323 (Jun 8, 2015)

Goldengreek, my bike has a New Departure hub. The bike rides very well and feels solid. The only M&S bikes I've seen with that tank design have had the Nonpareil badge. I've only seen two with that design in the last fifteen years. Both had three color paint jobs, although one was restored and I wasn't sure how true to original it was, now I know it was true to form. 
Yours will look great after an OA bath. From what I've seen they use Mesinger seats or Lobdells like mine.


----------



## Robertriley (Jun 8, 2015)

Nice bike George, Congrats


----------



## Wheeled Relics (Jun 8, 2015)

mine came with that looks like an original Mesinger saddle with the little plated side plates.


----------



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 8, 2015)

I do have an all black messinger seat with the tabs on the ends i was going to through on it!


----------



## jd56 (Jun 9, 2015)

Nice find George!
How did you find it? Where did you find it? What's your secret to finding these hard to find rescues?
Not that it's any of my business. ...[emoji33] 
not that you would devulge your tactics...But, you clearly have a talent in doing it [emoji102] 
It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


----------



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 9, 2015)

jd56 said:


> Nice find George!
> How did you find it? Where did you find it? What's your secret to finding these hard to find rescues?
> Not that it's any of my business. ...[emoji33]
> not that you would devulge your tactics...But, you clearly have a talent in doing it [emoji102]
> ...




John I found this at a yard sale just driving on road! That's how I found it in NJ.


----------



## rollfaster (Jun 9, 2015)

THEGOLDENGREEK said:


> John I found this at a yard sale just driving on road! That's how I found it in NJ.




Guess I'll have to start going to yard sales again!


----------



## bike (Jun 9, 2015)

crazy unfinished welds may indicate war time or co was in trouble saving on expensive finish work...?


----------



## rickyd (Jun 9, 2015)

another Nonpareil as I understand it that means unparalleled in french. Wrong fenders and not og wheelset. Rides good. For the cost of copies and postage I have a copy of a 15 page Manton and Smith 1937 catalog if anyone is interested pm me. Rick


----------



## jd56 (Jun 9, 2015)

rollfaster said:


> Guess I'll have to start going to yard sales again!



Ironically enough I have yet to find a decent bike at a yard sale that's begging to be rescued in my area. It's always just strollers and baby stuff in my location. It's a Navy town.

It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


----------



## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 9, 2015)

bike said:


> crazy unfinished welds may indicate war time or co was in trouble saving on expensive finish work...?




Oh ok well i dated the morrow hub which was K4 and its a 1941, and yes the welds look like they were unfinished !!


----------



## CrazyDave (Apr 28, 2016)

CWCMAN said:


> I do believe that CWC also made bicycles for them. I had one years ago that was badged SPEED with the same text on a round badge. I still have parts of this bike...
> View attachment 219027
> View attachment 219028
> View attachment 219030
> View attachment 219029



Any parts your parting with?   Drop stand, truss rods, pedals?


----------

