Hercules Kestrel?

[Oilit]

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/components/reynolds-tubing-history.html
Peter Underwood's quote
The earliest 531 transfer I've yet found. Certainly used pre-war, maybe post-war, too.

Also according to Peter, if the word Frame is on the early 531 decals, it means main triangle only - if not, 531 for all tubes

Looking at Mr. Underwood's picture, it strikes me that the font on the numbers is a little different - on this transfer the numbers look "fatter", with less space between them. But I checked and the overall dimensions are the same. Maybe an early post-war variation?

 

[Oilit]

It's been three years since I first posted this bike, but another one popped up on Ebay and I went and picked it up last weekend. This one has lost a lot of parts, there's no seat or pedals, the handlebar and stem are not original, and the wheels are both from old Schwinns - but the frame, fork and chainwheel look original. I've wondered about the fork on the first Kestrel I picked up, the ones I see on-line have forks with forged ends while the fork on mine looked like it came off a Hercules Tourist, which was their basic utility 3-speed in the '50's. But most of the Kestrels on-line are from the '50's, mine seems to have been built in the early post-war period, so if they were just starting back up it's possible that they were using a different design. The Veteran-Cycle Club on-line library has catalogs from 1939 and 1949 but nothing from the immediate post-war years. But this one has a fork with forged ends and the serial numbers are only 5 numbers apart, so now I'm pretty certain that the fork on the first one had been replaced. But between these two, I should be able to build up a pretty complete and correct example, and this one even has a complete head-badge. I think the center section of these badges is celluloid, the same stuff that the old movies were shot on. From what I've read on-line, celluloid degrades over time and most of these badges turn up with the center section missing chunks or completely gone, this one is cracked, but it's all there. I've posted the 1939 catalog page (for comparison), some of the pictures from the Ebay listing and a few from Union Station in Chicago, where I met the seller to pick up the bike. I may post some better pictures when I have some and as always, if you know something that would help fill out the picture on these bikes, feel free to post, I'd be glad to hear from you.

 

[SirMike1983]

The frames on these look at first glance a lot like a basic sports-type model, but are something better They use a partial frame of 531 tubes, have pencil seat stays, fancier lugs, and better front fork ends rather than the pinched forks (called "fork tips" in the ads). They tend to "slip under the radar" many times because they look so much at first like a common sports model.

The badge centers are indeed fragile and are often broken.

Sometimes they turn up with celluloid-covered handlebars, which are often damaged.

The white steel fenders were a basic option, though another popular option was to upgrade to celluloid fenders that almost always are cracked or broken.

The only downside is that the 26 wheel - 21 inch frame size tends to be a bit small for most adult male riders.

The pump is often missing or damaged, like so many other English bikes.

The 26 x 1 1/4 wheel can throw people off. Don't buy tires until you have a close look at the wheels. Sometimes people swap these to 26 x 1 3/8, but a 26 x 1 1/4 is going to need different tires from the usual.

 

[Oilit]

@SirMike1983, you may have hit on something regarding celluloid fenders. In the Veteran-Cycle Club's online library, the 1949 catalog shows a Kestrel with celluloid fenders, and the attachment at the rear brake is completely different to the steel fenders. If this bike originally had celluloid fenders, that may explain why they were long gone by the time I got it. I also noticed that the chain ring design had been changed slightly between the two bikes, even though the serials were only 5 numbers apart. Maybe too many were cracking and they had to brace it a little?

 

[schwinnderella]

For what it's worth, here is my Hercules Kestral Super Club. I believe it originally had drop bars that were probably changed by the dealer at the time of purchase. I think it is a 1950 model give or take a year. I have done nothing to it and it is as I purchased it about 20 years ago.

 

[Oilit]

For what it's worth, here is my Hercules Kestral Super Club. I believe it originally had drop bars that were probably changed by the dealer at the time of purchase. I think it is a 1950 model give or take a year. I have done nothing to it and it is as I purchased it about 20 years ago.
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It looks like yours has the same chain ring as the one I just got, and a nice set of celluloid fenders too, but it's got a 23" frame instead of 21" and the frame lugs are completely different. It's interesting to see how the specifications changed over time, what kind of rims does yours have? And does it have a Hercules rear hub? Thanks for posting!

 

[schwinnderella]

It looks like yours has the same chain ring as the one I just got, and a nice set of celluloid fenders too, but it's got a 23" frame instead of 21" and the frame lugs are completely different. It's interesting to see how the specifications changed over time, what kind of rims does yours have? And does it have a Hercules rear hub? Thanks for posting!

Mine does have the Hercules rear 3 speed hub and if I recall correctly the same rims as you picture on the first bike posted.

 

[Oilit]

Mine does have the Hercules rear 3 speed hub and if I recall correctly the same rims as you picture on the first bike posted.

You may be able to date your bike from the hub if it's original. Hercules came out with their hubs after WWII, marked A Type 6 for 1946, A Type 7 for 1947 and on through A Type 1 in 1951. 1952 was B Type 2, then on through B Type 6 in 1956. According to Grace's Guide, Tube Investments made 1,250 employees of British Cycle Corporation redundant in 1956, and "many of the workers were from Hercules factories". One result was production of Hercules and Brampton hubs seems to have ended after 1956. There's an in-depth article on Hercules and Brampton hubs posted on the Veteran-Cycle Club online library, but it's copyrighted and you have to be a V-C C member to log into the library.

Hercules Cycle and Motor Co - Graces Guide

 

[Schwinny]

As far as parts go for these old Club bikes, the place to look is not necessarily the Hercules Catalogs, but the Phillips catalogs. Thats where you may find the fork and a lot of the other parts that make up nearly all Birmingham bikes. Hercules did make their own frames by the thousands but they helped keep Phillips in business as they were mainly a parts and kits company until after the war.
Also interesting is that Phillips was a "jobber" for many German parts.
You can also tell when 531 was introduced in bicycle parts and at what market level by skipping between the early catalogs.
Speaking of those "mud guard" hangars, those are the same as the ones on my bike that were holding Alum fenders and also used on celluloid. Ive seen them on many steel fenders also. A simple way to use the same fender on different frame sizes.
H.Lloyd website has a 531 decal timeline and explanation page also.

 

[Oilit]

As far as parts go for these old Club bikes, the place to look is not necessarily the Hercules Catalogs, but the Phillips catalogs. Thats where you may find the fork and a lot of the other parts that make up nearly all Birmingham bikes. Hercules did make their own frames by the thousands but they helped keep Phillips in business as they were mainly a parts and kits company until after the war.
Also interesting is that Phillips was a "jobber" for many German parts.
You can also tell when 531 was introduced in bicycle parts and at what market level by skipping between the early catalogs.
Speaking of those "mud guard" hangars, those are the same as the ones on my bike that were holding Alum fenders and also used on celluloid. Ive seen them on many steel fenders also. A simple way to use the same fender on different frame sizes.
H.Lloyd website has a 531 decal timeline and explanation page also.

Interesting! I've noticed that a lot of the Birmingham bikes have a family resemblance, but the role of Phillips has always been kind of a mystery to me. There doesn't seem to be much information about their bikes, but if they were mainly supplying parts that would make sense.