Does anyone have info on Bauer?

[carrotsnax]

Thanks gents, the lugs are rather unique looking. It was good getting a chance to look the bike over.

 

[Oilit]

Where would the date be in the hub?

My friend added the wheels, so I am unsure of what the original drivetrain may have been. I am unsure of what all is original or not on this bike.

My friend found it on trash day on a curb in front of a house in Germany in the late 70’s. Asked the homeowner if he could have the bike and the guy looked at him crazy and said yes. To my understanding the bike had no wheels, and may have been missing other parts that he later added. My friend then opening and operated a bicycle shop for 25 years once he came back to the states.

From your pictures, you may already have figured this out, but the date on the hub is June 1979 ("79 6"). The 5 speed hubs are a lot less common than the 3 speeds. And from the picture of the shift levers, it looks like the original mounting bosses are just below, so it's safe to say the wheels aren't original.

 

[mongeese]

Original wheels would be Altenberger I believe.

 

[juvela]

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The World Championship of Cycling was won on a Bauer machine in 1952. Thereafter for many years all Bauer cycles bore a transfer proclaiming "WELTMEISTER 1952."

Company was based in Starkenburg, Germany (DBR). IIRC production ceased in the mid--1960's. They were one of the few German producers who offered first quality lighweight sports cycles.

Lugs almost look like they could be one of the patterns from Dusika (Austria).

German catalogue page of 1959 --

The lugset on this distaffer of 1950 looks to bear a close familial relation to that of our subject machine -

https://www.steel-vintage.com/bauer-ladies-roadbike-1950s-detail

Fork crown appears to be wearing a cap of stamped aluminum sheet. Is that correct?

The Pletscher is curious in that it appears to have been produced for mounting to a small wheeled machine and has adaptors added to make its deck come out parallel to the ground on a cycle with full sized wheels.

Finish - should you wish to explore the bicycle's livery original one spot which offers a good liklihood of clues is the steerer. There may be yet some colour there from the factory spray application. Another place to examine in this regard is the interior of the bottom bracket shell.

Readers might be able to write more if they could see some images of the complete bicycle. Very few of the fittings appear to be original which makes model and date identification more difficult.

In case you think of searching on the Altenburger name it is spelt with a u rather than with an e. The company is best known for caliper brake products but produced other componentry as well. Even derailleurs. In the late 1940's they joined forces with two other component makers to offer a road ensemble which enjoyed but a brief production life.


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