Search results

Agreed, this bicycle is probably a contract manufactured private label brand. From what I can make out in the pictures, it is an upper entry model from the mid to late 1970s. Headset lugs are typical of Kuwahara manufacture. If so, the serial number will tell us for sure.

The Mk. 7 derailleur made it debut in 1957. The earliest date that I been able to conform for the double levers is 1955. They are not in the 1953 catalogue. They work with all Benelux derailleurs. Both the Mk. 7 derailleur and these levers survived until at least 1962, possibly later.

Back around 1975 or 1976 a buddy and I decided to cycle the 100km from our home in Ontario, to Upper NY State to visit an acquaintance we had made at a race. About a kilometre from our destination, my riding partner was distracted by an attractive girl strolling along the sidewalk. I yelled a...

11th Doctor: "I promised to take them to an 1895 bicycle dealer..." 10th Doctor: "It's so easy to lure collectors into the TARDIS, then use them for Dalek fodder"

The great thing about clunkers is that that the originators of the movement tried every conceivable combination and variation. Consequently, it's virtually impossible to build one "wrong", unless there is some component that is obviously too modern. Even if you can't find objective evidence...

While Coppi had his great successes riding Legnano and Bianchi, he established his own Carpano-Coppi team in 1956 with Coppi branded bicycles. One of the members selected to the team was a former adversary, Ferdi Kubler, who had won the 1950 Tour de France. Since 1952, Kubler had been had...

Those CCM badges do not read "WESTFIELD". The right, four rivet version, reads "TORONTO ONT", while the left, two rivet version, reads "WESTON ONT". In January 1917, CCM moved bicycle production from the old Lozier building at Toronto Junction to a newly constructed facility at Weston. The...

The Dart was an example of a Formula 1 or F-1 bicycle. This was a short lived movement in the very late 1980s to promote road racing among BMX riders. The bicycles were styled after the time trial "funny bikes" then in vogue, in that they generally featured downwards sloping top tubes and wheel...

It's obviously a turnbuckle, though it seems a bit big for a bicycle application. The size and style reminds me a lot of turnbuckles used for rigging biplanes, but there would be all sorts of other applications where you need to the ability to adjust the mounting centre distance and/or adjust...

The subject bicycle appears to be a circa 1973/1974. The rear derailleur with claw adapter, steel cottered crankset and steel rims are indicative of entry level models. However, it does appear to have a quick release hub , on at least the front wheel. The rear is hard to tell, based on the...

Never man your booth/table alone at a swap meet and always take a personal bicycle. That way, if anyone wants to go for a test ride, you just tag along. The person you leave in charge doesn't have to be knowledgeable. They just have to say," he'll be back in 10 minutes".

It's hard to beat original paint, especially when it's TARDIS blue on an English bicycle. Maybe this was Susan's old bicycle? I wonder if it has a Chameleon Circuit? :D

The subject bicycle looks very much like a Hercules product. The lugs and dropouts are typical of Hercules, as is the serial number format and location. Raynal reportedly bought Birmingham based Dunelt, circa 1937, which was subsequently purchased by Tube Investments, circa 1950. Hercules was...

Rota was apparently the brand name of products manufactured by Victor SImon, who operated a sheet metal stamping operation in Lyon, France. The company had ventured into the bicycle field by at least late 1935, producing a plunger style derailleur. They would eventually expand into other...

IMO, there is a good level of interest in high end Atala, at least among knowledgeable cyclists. However, the marque does has several strikes against it when considering mass appeal for the typical, less sophisticated cyclist or collector. 1. Atala was a full range, Italian manufacturer and...

It looks like it may be Raleigh manufactured. It appears to have Raleigh pattern rear dropouts with the eyelets below the axle slot. It definitely has the fork eyelets mounted on the lower blade, as opposed to the dropouts, which Raleigh also did. The lug set also looks like that used by Raleigh...

I used to use old soda cans to shim loose bearing races but stopped when they went to aluminum, which is just too soft. It's only a temporary fix, as you eventually develop the same problem. Most good industrial supply stores will carry sheets of steel shim stock. Besides the hardness, you have...

That's a new serial number format to me, though it does like like a Japanese format, with an extra numeric character between the two alpha characters. It's tempting to say it's a open format and the bicycle is a 1974 model, though that may not be the case. By 1974, most manufacturers had...

That is a really high serial number given CCM's volume at this period, so it could be a 1935 model manufactured in late 1934. As for the pump, they were included as standard equipment on most models in 1934 & 1935. Looks like it could be the OEM model. Catalogue images for 1934 bicycle and...

Well, we know it's no older than 1918, as that was the first year for the Motorbike model. The newer end is harder to peg due to possible replacement components but the absolute maximum is 1941 as that was the last year for the Cleveland Motorbike. The chainring style is pre-1936 but I can't...

There's some conflicting information as to whether the Union Cycle Company is of American or Dutch origin. What is certain is that it goes back to 1904 and there was lots of contract manufacturing going on as Holland, England, Germany and Germany have been noted on Royce Union head badges. Most...

A Motorbike frame with Triplex crankset and non-Gibson pedals should place this in a pretty narrow timeframe. However, I would have expected wooden rims on a Canadian market model from this period, so it looks like it may have some non-OEM parts. S/N on the seat lug will allow us to zero in on...

Nice sample of a 1961/962 mid-range model from a highly respected Italian margue.. It should generate a lot of interest due to the rare Simplex Juy 61 rear derailleur and aluminum bodied Simplex LJ23 front derailleur. Simplex skewers too, though I can't tell if the hubs are Simplex. Love the...

It's impossible to say without pictures to determine the model and condition. However, Free Spirit was a Sears' brand, so so you're probably looking at an entry level BMX with little value.

It is extremely unlikely that the subject bicycle is from the "70s bike boom". The bicycle has what appears to be top tube brake cable tunnels which were extremely rare during the early 1970s boom, even on custom and professional level bicycles. The major European manufacturers started...

The head badge is eerily reminiscent of Royce Union and further research indicates they are sister brands as some Savoy head badges state Union Cycle on them, like some Royce Union badges. Union Cycle was apparently established in 1904 and there is conflicting evidence to American and Dutch...

I've seen maybe a handful of Savoy with that head badge. Some of them stated Made in Taiwan.

This is very low end bicycle by virtue of the stamped dropouts, steel rims, steel cottered crankset, etc. It is almost certainly a contract manufactured, private label brand for a retail chain. However, certain features such a the crankset spider design, front derailleur, sidepull brakes and...

I doubt anyone can give an exact date but it probably goes back to shortly after the invention of the pneumatic tired safety bicycle. Certainly, there were lots of bicycle trick riders in vaudeville doing bunny hops by the turn of the century. There is a extant Edison film from this period...

Paris-Sport was a private label brand for Park Cycle & sports of Ridgeway NJ. It covered a full range, from contract manufactured, entry level models, to custom, professional models by esteemed framebuilders that included Cuevas, Limongi and Moulton. It's always difficult (and dangerous) to...

The serial number format and location is consistent with BSA manufactured frames, According to research done by Alvin Smith, BSA adapted the W prefix for 1934, used WA for 1935 and so on, so WD should be 1938 manufacture. I'm used to seeing BSA from this period with the eponymous chainwheel, so...

If there is injury or damage the police have to investigate. If you have witnesses that substantiate that the driver broke the law and there was damage or injury, the police have to lay charges. If they are uncooperative, take the matter to their supervisor. I've had two cases where I've been...

I'm not sure exactly what UEK stands for, but his is how cranks with this pattern are described in bicycle specification sheets and parts catalogues. UEK could be a manufacturer, brand or even a model. They're definitely English and turn up on lots of bicycles, generally private label brands...

With all due respect, those angular Hercules chain guards were era specific. While they were used in the 1960s, a more traditional style was in use circa 1960. Attached are photos of a Hercules that was dated to 1960 based on the Sturmey-Archer hub date. Note that it does not have the angular...

Both the serial number location and format are incorrect for a Raleigh manufactured frame from this period. For that matter, it is also atypical for the Phillips that I have seen. However, it is would be correct for a Hercules.

The moment I saw the UEK crankset, I thought 'private label brand' and the tire size does suggest that this is not an English brand but a bicycle made in England under contract for a USA company. Consequently, Calvalier may have been Pep Boys' private label brand for their English sourced...

This is an entry level BMX model that was sold by Walmart about 5 years. Original price was $119.00 US. Despite the excellent condition you're likely looking at no more than 1/2 that price, in a good market.

The manufacturing date code is stamped on the bottom bracket shell and though the imprint is not perfect, it appears to be from 1954.

Though I've never bought a reproduction badge, like many others I have no problems with them, provided they are advertised as such. However, I feel that the people manufacturing them should go one step further, if they are not already doing so. They need to mark them as reproductions on the...

I'm not very familiar with adjustable bars, but these look like genuine Kelly bars, made by the Kelly Manufacturing Company of Cleveland. They look like the model that came out in 1900. See following thread for lots of era literature and comments by members who are far more knowledgeable on the...

Decals would definitely at the top of my list, as I find they have the worst survival rate due to fading and brittleness. After a head badge, the decals are the most defining item on a bicycle, at least for me. Then I would have to go with the consumables. Things like tyres, chains, etc. If it's...

1989 Aelle Tretubi Special?

That license tag explains a lot. A 1957 tag on a bicycle manufactured in 1956 would be a perfect fit. It could be either a 1956 model or a 1957 model manufactured in late 1956. I'm leaning towards the latter based on the relatively high numeric string. The Japanese population was also very large...

Circa 1960, Raleigh purchased the Carlton factory to manufacture hand built Reynolds 531 frames. The Carlton factory was located in Worksop and circa 1967 Raleigh assigned them a W prefix to identify their serial numbers. The W-codes continued though 1980, however there was an exception for the...

Deleted. Duplicate of previous post.

I don't believe that the bicycle is old as you think. Based on the serial number, it should be 1982, 1956 or 1930. The Japanese did like retro bicycles and continued the use of stirrup brakes into 1980s for their domestic markets but I doubt this is 1980s. At the other end, that is a long serial...

Many American distributors imported European Junior racer models with 20", 22" or 24" wheels during the early 1970's bicycle boom. Libertas was a Belgium brand. The bigger bicycle has what appears to be a Huret Svelto rear derailleur, which would fit the boom era time frame, as these were...

The 3S3 trademark on the head badge, light bracket and fender mascot is indicative of a Japanese bicycle. Many Japanese firms adopted three characters and/or three item trademarks. The practice stems back to the 1920's when the Japanese considered BSA bicycles and components to be the hallmark...

While I appreciate where you are coming from, I don't believe that is the case. If you installed standard, flat end plates, the change in width would appear to be well over 1". Plus, the blocks would be sitting abnormally far out from the crankarm, due to the axle design. Also, if you look at...

I've seen those hubs on lots of post war Murray and private label brands that they contract manufactured i.e. (Firestone, J.C. Higgins, etc)