Pre '33 AS&CO Serial Number Project

[dasberger]

Got a little time to work on the '27 Lincoln today. Did a mock up with some of the parts I've acquired. Correct 28" fork, stem, Troxel and a killer hard to find 60 tooth sprocket which is what this particular bike had originally. Sitting on some 28" wheels for the first time in many years... Still looking for bars and some other misc. parts but it's starting to feel like a bike again!

 

[Rust_Trader]

1923 Schwinn-

 

[dasberger]

1923 Schwinn-

View attachment 1566476

View attachment 1566477

24"? What's the serial/is the crank dated?

 

[Rust_Trader]

18” crank dated 23

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Another thread with some A&S-built Mead bicycles and a A&S-built Shapleigh Hardware bicycle.

Mead Serial Numbers | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933

Hello, I was organizing my old catalogs and saw this and thought it might help date Mead bikes. I searched for info like this but did not find any. So maybe we can start here 1925 #204285

thecabe.com

Similar peculiar font that has been associated with A&S-built Mead products.

 

[dasberger]

Another thread with some A&S-built Mead bicycles and a A&S-built Shapleigh Hardware bicycle.

Mead Serial Numbers | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933

Hello, I was organizing my old catalogs and saw this and thought it might help date Mead bikes. I searched for info like this but did not find any. So maybe we can start here 1925 #204285

thecabe.com

Similar peculiar font that has been associated with A&S-built Mead products.

I'm not convinced any of those are Schwinn Built... @SKPC what say you regarding the Shapleigh??

 

[dasberger]

Here's another one....

Sold - 1924 Mead Built Shapleigh Hardware Rugby $1600.00 plus shipping | Archive (sold or withdrawn)

Really hate to sell this, but times are tough in the Rollfaster household. Very nice original 28” wood rim bike. Crank is stamped M24, leads me to believe it’s a Schwinn Built Mead Cycle Chicago. This bike spent most of its life in a Soulard( South St. Louis) basement and formerly owned by a...

thecabe.com

My questions is this: If Schwinn was building these for Mead, etc why don't they have the tell tale trumpet welds. The Shapleigh bikes welds are much cleaner and better looking than the trumpet welds... why wouldn't Schwinn have transitioned to those earlier? Doesn't make sense to be building the frames both ways.

 

[Jon Olson]

1932-3 Schwinn “La Salle” 26” rims with light/battery and tank added.

 

[chitown]

I'm not convinced any of those are Schwinn Built... @SKPC what say you regarding the Shapleigh??

Those bikes are quiet the mystery. I have some clues but might need a whole thread on them as it's a deep rabbit hole of Mead, AD Meiselbach & GS Lewis.. but I agree and am also not convinced those are Schwinn built.

 

[SKPC]

No insight on whether Schwinn was building for Shapleigh Hardware/Rugby badge. That frame with Rugby badge was a frame sold by a Caber and had the fork missing unfortunately. For the most part, when I see a potentially pieced together bikes it's tough to know as so many are so well done. Of course, more examples that are less "complete" or "as found" need to emerge to gain more confidence. What is the oldest AS crank year stamp known? Maybe start there? But yea, the 20's were rocking it with so many players, bankruptcies and "mergers" as we know playing into the depression era.