Teens 26" juniors ?

[famousDave]

Are all 26" bikes from the teens "juniors" ? I recently purchased a cool teens frame & fork, but was stunned when I got it to find it to be a 26". The seller neglected to mention it, and, being from the teens, I just assumed it was 28". Entirely my fault for assuming and not asking. Are juniors generally less valuable or desireable?

 

[famousDave]

Ok, so here's the rest of this mystery.....The seller had never built it up, so he too had assumed it to be a 28". According to the 1918 Excelsior Motor Co. ad

ad, this is one of the "new featured" models. However, with the layout being somewhat "exotic" or higher end than a junior model, it seems rather unlikely (to me) that this was made in both 26" and 28" wheel sizes. And yet, this is definitely a 26" frame.....Can anyone shed any light on this bike ?

 

[Rambler]

Are juniors generally less valuable or desirable?

From my experience, "Juniors" are not more or less desirable. Price willing to pay depends somewhat on the desires of an individual collector, though from what I have seen the price for a 28" bike is roughly about the equal to the price that you may expect to pay for an equivalent condition Junior 26" or 24" or 20" bike from the teens era.

 

[Balloontyre]

Is it possible to show some frame and fork dimensions? Front center dropout to crown, center crank to top of seat tube extended to an imaginary line that top tube would intersect.

 

[fat tire trader]

From my experience, "Juniors" are not more or less desirable. Price willing to pay depends somewhat on the desires of an individual collector, though from what I have seen the price for a 28" bike is roughly about the equal to the price that you may expect to pay for an equivalent condition Junior 26" or 24" or 20" bike from the teens era.

It has been my experience that the 26" bikes are worth less, are less desirable than 28". I have also found it easier to find good 26" rims and singletube tires.

 

[Balloontyre]

@famousDave

Is it possible to show some frame and fork dimensions? Front center dropout to crown, center crank to top of seat tube extended to an imaginary line that top tube would intersect.

 

[famousDave]

@famousDave

Ah- ha !!! Thanks VERY much to Ballontyre for the ecouragement to actually MEASURE the damn thing instead of just holding it up near other bikes, for it does indeed have a 15" fork, thanks to Wheeled Relics for encouraging me to confirm that it's a 28" NOT a 26" junior by sticking an old ten-speed wheel in it, and thanks to Dave The Wave for this fantastic image from the 1918 ish Excelsior Cycle Co. catalog, decisively indentifying this bike......

I'm still fairly ignorant, but now thanks to the CABE I'm not quite as confused !