Need help identifying this Women's Rollfast, Please

[Uncle Shish]

I've searched the archive and Google looking for info on identifying this bike. I know it's not worth much but my wife loves it and I'm going to try and save it. I'm trying to find an image of the graphics on the chainguard so I can try and reproduce the art graphically.
Thanks for any help.

 

[NBHAA]

I've searched the archive and Google looking for info on identifying this bike. I know it's not worth much but my wife loves it and I'm going to try and save it. I'm trying to find an image of the graphics on the chainguard so I can try and reproduce the art graphically.
Thanks for any help.

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So. You've searched CABE and the almighty Google and you can't find anything on your wife's favorite bicycle? No luck?

Well. All is not lost even if it seems that way. All you had to do was contact National Bicycle History Archive of America (NBHAA.com)... and now you'll know. We can't do this free for every bicycle for the whole world. And while there usually is a nominal fee for detailed identifications (it isn't the ridiculous number that a CABE troll has stated) here is a portion of what you would get as a favor.

What you have there is a 1959 Rollfast Champion model #800. We'll show you a boy's model #900 since not all models are pictured (as in 8 x 10 photos) in our factory files. You are missing the handlebars, grips and headlight unit. Rollfast picked up the old Mead Ranger prewar model name of Champion and began using it in the 1950s and 1960s.

We began actively saving and preserving H.P Snyder and D.P. Harris literature and bicycles in the 1960s. We knew members of the families. NBHAA has almost every catalogue issued for Rollfast bicycles from the early days of the company up to the bitter end. We have numerous dealer books, wholesale-distributor books and binders, factory letters and thousands of original factory photos.

So attached below is an original image of the 1959 boy's Rollfast Champion model #900. Girl's models (#800) came in light green with white trim. We are also attaching a detailed shot of the chain guard graphic.

Leon Dixon
National Bicycle History Archive of America
(NBHAA.com)

 

[Uncle Shish]

So. You've searched CABE and the almighty Google and you can't find anything on your wife's favorite bicycle? No luck?

Well. All is not lost even if it seems that way. All you had to do was contact National Bicycle History Archive of America (NBHAA.com)... and now you'll know. We can't do this free for every bicycle for the whole world. And while there usually is a nominal fee for detailed identifications (it isn't the ridiculous number that a CABE troll has stated) here is a portion of what you would get as a favor.

What you have there is a 1959 Rollfast Champion model #800. We'll show you a boy's model #900 since not all models are pictured (as in 8 x 10 photos) in our factory files. You are missing the handlebars, grips and headlight unit. Rollfast picked up the old Mead Ranger prewar model name of Champion and began using it in the 1950s and 1960s.

We began actively saving and preserving H.P Snyder and D.P. Harris literature and bicycles in the 1960s. We knew members of the families. NBHAA has almost every catalogue issued for Rollfast bicycles from the early days of the company up to the bitter end. We have numerous dealer books, wholesale-distributor books and binders, factory letters and thousands of original factory photos.

So attached below is an original image of the 1959 boy's Rollfast Champion model #900. Girl's models (#800) came in light green with white trim. We are also attaching a detailed shot of the chain guard graphic.

Leon Dixon
National Bicycle History Archive of America
(NBHAA.com)

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I am very thankful. Now I have something to go on. I do have the handlebars and grips but they may not be correct in comparing to the photo. I plan on visiting your website in depth.
The Mrs. was very excited to hear some information.
Thank you again.

 

[NBHAA]

NBHAA is

I am very thankful. Now I have something to go on. I do have the handlebars and grips but they may not be correct in comparing to the photo. I plan on visiting your website in depth.
The Mrs. was very excited to hear some information.
Thank you again.

You are very welcome.

Please understand that NBHAA is NOT a DIY web site. You cannot access our thousands of files, photos and catalogues. You can only see what has been posted. But the site is not intended to be interactive nor a place to automatically allow individuals to access the entire archive or DIY research.

But National Bicycle History Archive of America does have thousands upon thousands of bicycle items and was the first to collect and preserve history of what I call "Classic Bicycles"... a term I personally coined and defined in publications back in the 1970s. Not "klunkers"... not "trashers"... not "cruisers"... not "antiques"... not "bombers"... not "ballooners"... but CLASSICS.

Glad we could help and good luck with your Rollfast restoration. Also remember that boy's handlebars and girl's handlebars were not always identical. So don't rely on a image of a boy's model when it comes to handlebars. And the important thing is also having the proper headlight!

Watch for a completely revamped NBHAA web site in the near future. But again, not a DIY web site.

Leon Dixon
National Bicycle History Archive of America
(NBHAA.com)

 

[Adamtinkerer]

I'd suspect there's a reverse year/factory code stamped on the (BB). It would read '95' (or 85), depending on the date it was stamped, followed by two letters. Usually, it's either 'SN' or 'EH', and it's thought that the former indicates Snyder's New York factory, and the latter indicates the Indiana, which was originally the Excelsior bicycle factory.