Humber Sports 3-speed with tubular front fork.

[Rambler]

What was the asking price?

The price was not marked on the Humber and I did not happen to ask. Mostly I just found the bike to be very interesting with the tubular front fork, never saw one of those before.

I looked up the contact info. for where I saw the bike. It was in Negaunee, MI a bit West of Marquette. If you or anyone else is interested in inquiring about the bike call 906-250-6794 and ask for Russ.

 

[Oilit]

I picked this up yesterday, and it's the same fork, but a lot of the other details are different. This one has no Dynohub or chaincase, and the decals have all been painted over. On the other hand, it has a Simplex 3 speed derailleur added to the 3 speed hub, so it's now a hybrid-geared 9 speed, or will be once I get the chain unsnarled. Simplex was a French company, so this must have been aftermarket, if it was factory I'd guess it would be a Cyclo/Benelux set-up. The fender stays are different as well, instead of riveted bars, they're wire stays attached by clamps.
The name on the headlight is hard to read through the paint, but I think it's "Phoebus". The rear rack is made in Denmark, and the rims have plenty of rust, but there's not a speck on the spokes. Maybe re-laced with stainless spokes? The date on the hub is "51 8".
The woman I got this from said it was in an outbuilding at her father-in-laws place, but neither her husband nor sister-in-law saw it as kids so it must be something he picked up later, but he was a commercial airline pilot, so it could have come from just about anywhere. It needs lots of work, but it's an interesting old bike and the price was right, a combination I can't seem to resist.

 

[SirMike1983]

Interesting bike. The fishmouth lugs look right for 1951 to me, so the hub is probably the original. It looks to be repainted and to have some old upgrades to it. It's a good find.

 

[Oilit]

Interesting bike. The fishmouth lugs look right for 1951 to me, so the hub is probably the original. It looks to be repainted and to have some old upgrades to it. It's a good find.

Thanks, @SirMike1983! The upgrades are a curious mix, an English bike with a French derailleur, a Danish rack and a Swiss headlight, somebody was gathering parts from all over Europe. It makes me wonder who put it together.
One good thing, I tried a few spots and most of the rust comes off pretty easy, so this bike may have been neglected but it wasn't left outside. Thank goodness for small miracles!

 

[jimbo53]

Beautiful bike, Joel!

 

[Oilit]

Beautiful bike, Joel!

Thank you, Jim! I thought you'd like this one!

 

[JoNy]

I would wager English 3-speeds are actually more ridden here in the US than vintage balloon tire bikes are ridden because the 3-speeds (especially post-war Raleighs) became so common and are a practical option. When I lived in the DC area, I still saw the occasional Raleigh Sports being used as a daily commuter, and I'm sure they're still around in many major US cities in that use. That said, the ballooners are more collectible if you're looking at higher values. I don't object too much - that just makes the English bikes a good value and pretty affordable.

Yes plenty of deals on English bikes!

 

[Oilit]

Yes plenty of deals on English bikes!

I think the English bikes were aimed more towards adults, they often seem to survive in better shape.

 

[SirMike1983]

I think the English bikes were aimed more towards adults, they often seem to survive in better shape.

I think that is a fair statement. They were marketed to both older children and adults, but the larger frame sizes really are for an adult rider.

Most of the ballooner frames are actually quite small for an adult. Many frames run 18-19 inches, with some larger ones going 20+ inches. But the larger ones tend to be the exception rather than the rule. The generally high positioning of the bottom bracket often hides how small the frame is. Adults can still ride these bikes, but they can be deceptively cramped unless you raise the seat quite a lot or go to a layback type post with riser stem.

There were actually some very interesting, adult-sized frames in the pre-1933 bikes, but you have to be ready to deal with antique equipment when you go over to those. I'm kind of surprised there hasn't been a stronger market for converting pre-1933 adult-sized frames to riders. The conversion options tend to be expensive still, but some of the taller frames can be a good fit.

Now if you consider the common Raleigh Sports, the usual frame sizes are 19/21 for women and 21/23 for men (with some 19, but most are the 21/23). This is a full step or two steps above an average ballooner frame. These frame sizes tend to allow for a better fit of an older teen or adult. It comes out of the past British experience where the student or average working person could not afford a car, but lived close enough to work or school that bicycling worked. The US briefly had the same during WWII, and that period saw the rise of many 21-23 inch, diamond frame bikes for factory workers to commute on. English and English-style bikes also did well in the US on college campuses for many years, in a scenario where you might not have the money or space for a car, but a bike is a good option. The British largely eventually also went over to cars as well for commuting. In the US, the ideal scenario was at 16 or 18 your get a car and don't look back. Different ways of adapting to different experiences I guess.

 

[JoNy]

True. And my Dad's 23" was too tall for us 5 boys so survived pretty unscathed! Except for a few "oh no, i can't reach the pedals" tip overs hahahaha.