Armstrong made in England anything special?

[1937Zenith]

Just picked this up at a garage sale for $25. Never heard of Armstrong before. Anyone have any info maybe year and if it’s worth saving or just steal parts off it?

 

[jimbo53]

Armstrong is one of the many British bicycle builders (Rudge, Triumph, Dunelt, Sunbeam, BSA, and several more that slip my memory...) that got gobbled up by Raleigh in th 60's. These non-Raleigh badged bikes get a bit of a bad rep because Raleigh saved their best parts (rims, better quality chromoly steel instead of regular carbon steel for framesets, better attention to detail and paint, etc) for their name branded bikes. They make fine riding bikes and yours would be no exception with a little cleaning, attention to bearings, tires, tubes and cables.
Armstrong has a rich tradition, including this iconic X framed bike from the 30's.
Enjoy your bike! Beware, these Brit 3 speed roadsters can be habit forming and befor you know it, your signature will look like mine!

 

[1937Zenith]

Awesome thank you for a perfect response! Very cool history

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Looks fairly complete, and should clean up well, but looks nice as-is (or with a basket) for that grocery getter bicycle that does not attract too much unwanted attention depending on bike theft activity in your area.

As far as parts go, they might best be used on another (i.e., boys) British bicycle; but since you professed unfamiliarity with the label, “Armstrong” — then perhaps you might not have such another project(?).

 

[Allrounderco]

Looks like at the very least, it needs an indicator chain, and a shifter cable. And also the nut thingie which the indicator cable passes into on the right rear axle. I'm not sure if the twist grip cable differs from the trigger cable. I think it's worth the $25 you paid for it. Without the shifter parts, it's going to perpetually be in high gear, so not a fun ride until you sort that. I'm guessing that's a 19" frame. If it were the 21", I'd totally fix it up as a rider myself. In fact, I did just that last year - bought a 21" Raleigh Sports "barn find" (realized after seeing it, it was left OUTSIDE the barn), which I intended to be a parts bike. Rusty as it was, I keep it as a rider. Nice to have a bike I can leave outside, ready to go.

 

[juvela]

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@dnc1


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[1937Zenith]

Looks fairly complete, and should clean up well, but looks nice as-is (or with a basket) for that grocery getter bicycle that does not attract too much unwanted attention depending on bike theft activity in your area.

As far as parts go, they might best be used on another (i.e., boys) British bicycle; but since you professed unfamiliarity with the label, “Armstrong” — then perhaps you might not have such another project(?).

Yeah no other British bikes laying around unfortunately. I mainly bought it to take the headlight, tires and rear reflector and will be happy to just get $25 back out of it haha. I never hold onto women’s bikes but before I started taking too much just wanted to make sure it wasn’t something special. Thanks for the reply. Updated pic with a little bit of scrubbing and swapping out the tires etc.

 

[Schwinny]

Looks early, mid sixties by the Raleigh forks.
This may get a hmmmph, but I'd say pretty much all of the marques I've seen that that were bought up and combined with Raleigh in the 50's, ended up a Raleigh clone of lesser ilk. Hercules is another.
It looks like it is a three speed that isn't complete. Maybe the hub has a date.

 

[dnc1]

As has been mentioned by a couple of others above, this postdates the Raleigh takeover and Armstrong became just another victim of the badge-engineering that the British transport sector in general was so fond of from the late 1950's onwards; especially so in the motoring and motorcycle industries.
I personally don't think that quality became lower in the bicycle industry on the subsidary marques necessarily, its merely a case of different badges and paint schemes, that's all.
I think that the quality wasn't really there anyway at that moment in time, especially in the everyday bike market.
This may sound a little negative, but I think it reflects the general malaise afflicting moribund British industries.
Cable ends are different to the regular trigger type shifters.
You shouldn't have too much trouble getting a cable to fit, they're available below:

60's,70's,80's RALEIGH STURMEY ARCHER TWIST GRIP GEAR CABLE RIBBED WHITE VARIOUS

STURMEY ARCHER INVENTED THE TWIST GRIP IN THE 60\'s AND DURING THE 70\'s and the 80\'s IT WAS USED EXTENSIVELY&nbsp

www.bankruptbikeparts.co.uk

...sometimes you have to reposition the little gear wheel to get a good position.
Rear nuts are indicator cables are also readily available.
It wouldn't take much to make it into a very smart, useable machine. I imagine it could be popular over there.

 

[Goldenrod]

Don't part it out. Girls bikes are better riders for old guys and girls. I love the way these old three speeds keep up with the thousand dollar bikes that my brothers have. The shifting has always worked on the 17 bikes that I have--just a little WD40. Never take a rear hub apart to see what is inside unless you have several days to donate to your education.