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Swift Ladies'? Gent's?

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TR6SC

I live for the CABE
28" wheels on a tall step through frame. Although it has a Ladies' seat, this seems like a Men's bike to me.
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It has a VERY tall frame, and no holes for skirtguard lacing. No real badge, just a decal and striping.
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Single rod brake for the front wheel...
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I've never seen a chaincase that only has one side.
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...and a 36 spoke coaster on the rear with a wide open view of the chain.
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32 spokes up front.
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I'm new to these Perry hubs. This one has a screw-on cog.
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There is an N on the inside of each of the crank arms.
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Big pedals that further suggest a Gent's cycle.
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Zoom in to read DUNLOP WAR GRADE.
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So, what is the age of this machine?
Is this a Men's bike?
As always, Thanks to all who chime in with input.
 
It's technically a "ladies" frame in the sense that the looping top tube is meant to accommodate a lady's skirt while she rides. Older English bikes tend to have some very odd frame sizes, including some very, very tall frames. The trend in those days was to ride the biggest frame size that would reasonably fit you.

But you are also correct that a man may have been using this bicycle based on its size and the pedals. It was not unusual for older men to ride this style of frame as a utility or shopper bike because this style of frame allows you to get onto and off of the bicycle without having to climb over a diamond frame top tube. The lower top tube is useful if you have arthritis or limited range of motion of the legs getting onto and off of the bike. This style of frame was popular as a "shopper" or "town" bike for both men and women.

Some of the old Perry hubs have a date stamped on the inside surface of the brake reaction arm. Here in the U.S. we usually associate Perry hubs with 1950s-60s Schwinn middleweights, but Perry hubs do go back much further in England. Check the reaction arm for the date stamp.
 
Definitely a ladies model when sold, I have a ladies Loop-frame Rudge and what remains of the original pedals are of similar dimensions. My friends wife is around 6 feet tall and she has a couple of ladies bicycles that are of suitable frame size for her.
If the plated parts are Nickel, produced up to 1928. If chrome, post 1928. That's a basic rule of thumb for English bicycles.
 
Swift frames were available in 22", 24" & 26" sizes.
The positioning of the pump pegs may help in determining which model it might be.
 
Swift frames were available in 22", 24" & 26" sizes.
The positioning of the pump pegs may help in determining which model it might be.
Hey Darren, No pump pegs on the bike. I don't know if this measurement from the top of the seat tube to the center of cranks is the correct correlation to a Gent's bike. The bottom foto shows the steering tube 4" taller than on a man's machine
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Frame size is measured in the same way as a gents model, so that would actually make your example the smallest size available. That tall headtube is a design hangover from the early days of the safety bicycle (think of early 1890's gents bikes with upward sloping top tubes and tall headtubes), but whereas gents frame geometry underwent many and various changes/fashions women's frames pretty much stagnated. It gives a very relaxed, comfortable riding stance though, especially when coupled with those 28" wheels.
Nice example, by a relatively unusual maker. So is it chrome or nickel?
 
Frame size is measured in the same way as a gents model, so that would actually make your example the smallest size available. That tall headtube is a design hangover from the early days of the safety bicycle (think of early 1890's gents bikes with upward sloping top tubes and tall headtubes), but whereas gents frame geometry underwent many and various changes/fashions women's frames pretty much stagnated. It gives a very relaxed, comfortable riding stance though, especially when coupled with those 28" wheels.
Nice example, by a relatively unusual maker. So is it chrome or nickel?
Hey dnc1, thanks for the excellent info. I am finding this to be an interesting cycle, for sure. It sounds like this bike must be a '29 or '30 based on the nickel/chromium transition. The handlebars and brake lever are nickel. The remaining bright parts are chrome. There must've been a number of bars that were left over from an earlier run.
 
The bike certainly is earlier than most English 3-speeds in the U.S. The nickel bars are a nice element to have - not common in the U.S. on an English bike because we see so many later bikes here. You mentioned the bike came into the U.S. through Canada, and given how early the bike is, that makes sense. The Canadians had more access to these bikes earlier on than the U.S. market did.
 
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