Need to identify model. Traveler?

[80’s Rider]

I believe you have a '56 women's Racer. If I remember right, the Traveler had tubular forks through '56. At some point they changed to blade forks, but I think '56 was still tube forks. All lightweight bikes of the '50s came with a "peaked" front fender. Take a look at my '56 Racer to get an idea of what yours would have looked like (other than the front basket). They came in both 3 and single speeds, so yours could have been either. With the condition of your bike, it will be impossible to tell what it was originally. If you are wanting to restore it to the original look, I don't think those decals are available as reproductions. They are unique to the '56 - '58 Racers.

View attachment 1209517

Sorry about the extra pics. Don’t know how that happened

 

[1motime]

What do I think? Lots of 2x4s. Looks like you know how to frame wood. Good job. What are you building.? Those fenders will probably work. New and shiny. Probably have to work to fit the the braces. Not a big deal if you are handy.

 

[80’s Rider]

I believe you have a '56 women's Racer. If I remember right, the Traveler had tubular forks through '56. At some point they changed to blade forks, but I think '56 was still tube forks. All lightweight bikes of the '50s came with a "peaked" front fender. Take a look at my '56 Racer to get an idea of what yours would have looked like (other than the front basket). They came in both 3 and single speeds, so yours could have been either. With the condition of your bike, it will be impossible to tell what it was originally. If you are wanting to restore it to the original look, I don't think those decals are available as reproductions. They are unique to the '56 - '58 Racers.

View attachment 1209517

Thank you for all your help. You and this forum have been very helpful. Your right, these fenders are not easy to find. I found a NOS front fender with the fin that sold last month for $50! Part of me wants to find the correct fenders for that year (‘56). It would be interesting if the next year they got rid of the fin on the front fender because the first year for the Racer was ‘56 so that would make it a little different than the rest that followed. But I’m not sure if spending around $100 on fenders plus the cost of painting it is worth it. If I decide to sell it I’m not sure what I could get for it or if it is a desirable model. I did find these fenders on eBay. I think they might work. They are a little shorter in circumference (2 1/2”)and mount to the axel on the back fender instead of the frame on the back dropouts. What do you think? They are NOS and the seller claims the chrome is better than the newer stuff.

 

[GTs58]

Do you also know if they made the Racer in ‘54? If it’s a ‘56, shouldn’t the badge be aluminum instead of brass? Also I noticed some of the welds are a different color (look brassy). Did they use a metal that color back then or was it re-welded? I don’t think someone would go through all that effort to re-weld all those different areas of the frame. Just curios if that specific point of the bike might help date it.

Looks like they were still brazing parts to the BB in 56. The seat tubes were Electro - welded to the bottom bracket shell and the stays and downtubes were brazed. The were doing that during war time 1942, and I can't imagine why the rest of the BB joints aren't EF in the mid 50's.
That particular badge in brass may have been used in conjunction with the aluminum oval badges and I'm not sure when the aluminum winged badge first came about. Using up old inventory is another possibility.

 

[schwinnlax]

You will NOT get your investment out of that bike, sorry to tell you. Around here, powder coating a bike frame and forks runs $100. If you want to make it look like a Racer, which it likely was originally, you will need painted fenders that color match with white pinstripes. Then there’s the decals, which are not available for ‘56-‘58 Racers. Women’s frame bikes just don’t bring much money. I have bought all the ones I have for $20 - $100. They are just far less collectible than men’s frame bikes. Even still, if that bike were a men’s frame, you still would not get your investment out of it after a restoration. That’s just the reality of the market.

I thought maybe you had some attachment to the bike, which is why you were interested in putting so much effort into a woman’s frame bike in that condition. If you are looking to restore and sell, you are wasting your time and money, in my opinion.

 

[80’s Rider]

What do I think? Lots of 2x4s. Looks like you know how to frame wood. Good job. What are you building.? Those fenders will probably work. New and shiny. Probably have to work to fit the the braces. Not a big deal if you are handy.

Yeah sorry about those pics I was building a big box for my son to grind his skateboard on. It was a birthday gift

 

[80’s Rider]

I believe you have a '56 women's Racer. If I remember right, the Traveler had tubular forks through '56. At some point they changed to blade forks, but I think '56 was still tube forks. All lightweight bikes of the '50s came with a "peaked" front fender. Take a look at my '56 Racer to get an idea of what yours would have looked like (other than the front basket). They came in both 3 and single speeds, so yours could have been either. With the condition of your bike, it will be impossible to tell what it was originally. If you are wanting to restore it to the original look, I don't think those decals are available as reproductions. They are unique to the '56 - '58 Racers.

View attachment 1209517

I found these. Will old fenders from the 40’s work. If so I could arrange a pickup since he’s close enough.

 

[rennfaron]

I believe you have a '56 women's Racer. If I remember right, the Traveler had tubular forks through '56. At some point they changed to blade forks, but I think '56 was still tube forks. All lightweight bikes of the '50s came with a "peaked" front fender. Take a look at my '56 Racer to get an idea of what yours would have looked like (other than the front basket). They came in both 3 and single speeds, so yours could have been either. With the condition of your bike, it will be impossible to tell what it was originally. If you are wanting to restore it to the original look, I don't think those decals are available as reproductions. They are unique to the '56 - '58 Racers.

I think racer too. The stem style gives it away as a racer. Travelers didn't ever use that style stem. Traveler went to blade forks in '59. All lightweight "tourist" came with peaked fenders. Per my comment below, don't restore it.

All women's lightweights through the '60s were 19 inch frames. Only men's came in more than one size.

Yup, exactly right, only 19"

You will NOT get your investment out of that bike, sorry to tell you. Around here, powder coating a bike frame and forks runs $100. If you want to make it look like a Racer, which it likely was originally, you will need painted fenders that color match with white pinstripes. Then there’s the decals, which are not available for ‘56-‘58 Racers. Women’s frame bikes just don’t bring much money. I have bought all the ones I have for $20 - $100. They are just far less collectible than men’s frame bikes. Even still, if that bike were a men’s frame, you still would not get your investment out of it after a restoration. That’s just the reality of the market.

I thought maybe you had some attachment to the bike, which is why you were interested in putting so much effort into a woman’s frame bike in that condition. If you are looking to restore and sell, you are wasting your time and money, in my opinion.

Totally agree. And why restore it? It looks fine as is. You can pick up really nice condition ladies racers all day long for $100-150. I found a mint ladies '57 3-speed traveler for $70 recently. Also found a nice condition '54 ladies traveler last year for $150.

Also, you need to be very careful you get fenders sized for a 19" frame. The front fender will work on any size of the time: 19, 21 and 23 inch. However the rear fender top mounting tab that loops over the caliper support bolt is located specifically for each frame size. The fender itself is the same size, just the mount location changes depending on frame size. That is because the angle of the seat stays opens up and the connection point to the seat tube increases in height. If you don't get the right size you will be drilling out a rivet and riveting it back on at another position and will have a visible hole where the old mount location was. Don't do that. Just find a 19" sized rear fender. You just have to know the right dimension from the tail end of the fender up along the spine of the fender and to the mounting location. I can pull that dimension for you as I have a bunch of 50s ladies lightweights (give me a few days, if you can wait - stuff is in storage...). Lucky for you 19" frame sizes and appropriately sized 19" rear fenders are pretty common of the era.

 

[Rivnut]

I can't tell from your posts how much you're into this bike. I know that you're looking for fenders and you're being told that because it's a girl's bike blah blah blah.

Yesterday I picked up a 1963 Traveler because I wanted the bow pedals, the shifter, and a couple of other parts for some other bikes that I have.

My bike is a boy's bike, and has a good front fender and a decent rear fender. Would you be interested in the frame (built in kick stand,) fork, and fenders w/ correct braces ? I have what I want, I'd sell what I listed for $60 plus shipping. You have everything else you need on your bike.

Let me know one way or the other. I'll be putting the bike as is on the market in a few days.

 

[rennfaron]

If those are 26" tires then that is a 19" frame and those fenders will work on the ladies 19" frame bike.