# Can you help identify this bike?



## Pirate.Jim (Dec 7, 2009)

Recently purchased this bike when I bought a group of bikes from somebody that was planning on restoring them but due to a new romance, gave up the bikes. This one I haven't found a lot of information on so asking the experts. The headbadge says Airman Deluxe. Any help you can give me, I would appreciate it greatly.


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## DonChristie (Dec 8, 2009)

What are Schwinns for 100, Alex? 

The badge looks Schwinn-esque IMO. Shes a beauty! 26"?


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## 37fleetwood (Dec 8, 2009)

Airman was the Spiegel brand. they didn't build their own bikes, they bought from various manufacturers. I don't think they ever used Schwinn as Schwinn did 2 things. first they insisted the bikes were sold through qualified bicycle shops, Spiegel was a hardware store and wouldn't qualify. second they always put their name on the badge, this one doesn't have it. while not an expert on early bikes, I am going to hazard a guess that it looks similar to the early Elgins of it's age so figure out who Sears used at that time and you might have a clue. they usually went with Murray and Columbia.


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## RMS37 (Dec 8, 2009)

Pre-Balloon Motobikes are among the hardest to date and to attribute to a specific manufacturer.  37Fleetwood is correct about the badge tying the bike to Spiegel as the retail outlet for the bike. I?ll add that the Biplane decal on the tank has been found on bicycles manufactured by Shelby, The fork crown also looks like a Shelby crown. In addition Spiegel is known to have used Shelby and Monark as suppliers in the late 1930's. 

The Shelby Cycle Company was formed out of a series of events in the mid twenties and if your bike is a Shelby it likely dates from the late twenties through about 1934-35 at the latest.


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## Pirate.Jim (Dec 8, 2009)

*Thanks....*

Really appreciate the information.  Will have to try and figure out what I'm going to do with it.


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## schwinnderella (Dec 8, 2009)

first they insisted the bikes were sold through qualified bicycle shops said:
			
		

> I disagree,I do not believe Spiegel was a hardware store it was a store similar to wards or sears.Previous to sometime in the 50's Schwinns could be bought in hardware stores,lawnmower shops,and other businesses that were not bicycle shops.At this same time many schwinn built bikes did not have the schwinn name on the badge!


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Dec 8, 2009)

Spiegel  also had a catalog like sears did.spring catalog 1939 shows bikes made by monark silver king and shelby,spiegel sold bikes were brand name airman.


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