1941-ish Rollfast Lightweight

[SirMike1983]

Good bike. These old American lightweight utility roadsters are underrated. They perform reasonably well and have generally good handling. There are many ways you can increase their performance, but you can leave them as-is and still ride them for a couple of hours without much difficulty or strain on your knees and joints. The "early modern" lightweights from the late 1930s-early 50s often have the most character and you can see in them the roots of the "campus" type American-made 3 and 5 speeds of the 1960s-70s.

 

[bikiba]

Good bike. These old American lightweight utility roadsters are underrated. They perform reasonably well and have generally good handling. There are many ways you can increase their performance, but you can leave them as-is and still ride them for a couple of hours without much difficulty or strain on your knees and joints. The "early modern" lightweights from the late 1930s-early 50s often have the most character and you can see in them the roots of the "campus" type American-made 3 and 5 speeds of the 1960s-70s.

thanks Mike - I took the bike out with my eldest and it was a very comfy riding. Seat not so much. Still a lot to do on the bike, polishing, I need to retighten the fork/headset and grease it up. Was a bit tight on the turns. I managed to find an exact match new wheelset for s nice price off a girls RF. It will be a nice uptick for the bike.

 

[bikiba]

Was back at it again yesterday. Replaced the chain ring [crank arms were bent, i partially unbent them, but not enough ] with a blackout RollFast ring, the seat post and the wheelset from my girl's doner bike. The bars from the girls are black out as well, but not the same shape as the boys so i am not going to use them. I need to swap out the badge with a nice one i have stashed away.

Getting close!!

 

[bikiba]

 

[SirMike1983]

Looking really good. I like the look of the painted rims better than chrome.

 

[bikiba]

Looking really good. I like the look of the painted rims better than chrome.

thanks Mike... believe it or not, the better rims are the same ones as on the new bike just off the female version. The orig are painted, just rusted and chipped beyond saving. I tried for hours to bring them back with #0000 and naval jelly. if you check post #20 above you can make out the pin stripe and how the tops are just destroyed.