The Shelby Invasion!

[cyclingday]

Trivial pursuit Shelby style.

After several starts and fits from various heavy hitters of the bicycle industry,starting in 1895, the final company to build bicycles in Shelby Ohio, would be known by none other than;
The Shelby Cycle Company.

Their run lasted from 1925 until 1954 after which they got bought, flipped and parted out. Sound familiar?

Not much has changed in the classic bicycle business has it?

Some of the iconic badge names that have graced the headtubes of Shelby built bikes over the years were;

Airflo, Cadillac, Lindy, Peerless, Rex, Eagle, Flyer, Flying Cloud, Fleetline, Ideal, Safe-T-Bike, Scout, Speedway Special, Supreme, Raven, Trojan, Rambler, Traveler.
They also supplied bicycles to retail outlets that had their own badge names, Gambles,Spiegal,Firestone,Goodyear,Western Auto and Sears.
Western Flyer and Hiawatha being some of the most recognizable.

But, one of the very first badge names to grace a Shelby built bicycle was the name Whippet. These bicycles would have a graceful little racing dog mounted on the front fender.
Sound familiar? Just do an e-bay search for bicycle fender ornament, and I can just about guarantee, that you will find a Whippet ornament on the first page.

These bikes with their racy little dog mounted on the front fender became so popular, that the Shelby High School mascot became known as the Whippets.

 

[cyclingday]

Well, we put about 25 miles on the bikes yesterday, and I've got to say, The Shelby, more than met my expectations.
I'm loving the Syncromesh New Departure Triplespeed, and the laid back geometry of the model 42.
As cool as crossbrace handlebars look, My knees seemed to prefer the Torrington U bar.
Not being a huge Shelby fan, I've got to admit. I really love the way this bike rides.

The model 42 is basically the same bike as the 1941 Safe-T-Bike, just without the Safe-T. So, that got me to thinking, what makes the Safe-T-Bike so safe?

According to the literature, the Safe-T-Bike came with no less than twelve safety features.

1) Delta Powerbeam Headlight
2) Genuine Lucite Rear Reflector, set flush with the rear fender to avoid breakage, and said to be several time the reflecting power of ordinary glass reflectors.
3) Safety Crank
4) Shelby's famed Triple-Fused, Reinforced Frame Construction. Every joint was dipped in molten brass and filed smooth by hand.
5) Unbreakable Drop Forged Stem
6) Sheby's exclusive enclosed Shockease Fork
7) Puncture-Seal Inner Tubes. In a dramatic test, a ten penny nail was driven through the tire and the puncture was sealed before five pounds of air pressure escaped from the tire.
8) Rear View Mirror
9) No Rider Luggage Carrier
10) Electric Horn
11) Jeweled Reflector Pedals
12) Safety Kit, designed to hold copies of local traffic regulations and registration papers.

Of these twelve safety features, the one that intrigued me the most, was the No Rider Luggage Carrier. The first time I ever saw one of these bikes, my first thought was, What's with the bread basket on the rear fender?
Now that I know, it was designed to discourage riding double, it makes perfect sense. I don't know if any othe manufacturer ever tried to tackle this issue, but it looks like The Shelby Cycle Company may have had the exclusive with the 1941 Safe-T-Bike.

 

[cyclonecoaster.com]

Great fun facts from cyclingday ... thank you

Marty .... I am digging on all the Shelby fun facts ... thanks for all the great info

Also here is the Shelby porn of the day -- in the picture below is my 1st year original red & black Airflo next to Charlies old original red & black Airflo a couple years back at Charlies place in Newport

FYI Shelby porn is limited to the work week only -- I take the weekends off the thread while I out riding them

ride vintage - Frank

 

[cyclonecoaster.com]

Shelby Porn ..... shot of the day

Well this one is a 1954 late Shelby Airflo built when AMF owned the company ... strange what they did to the Shelby bicycles ...

The front half of the bicycle & the fenders are pure Shelby ... Frame - fork - tank - chain guard - fender light along with the killer Shelby fenders that have aggressive styled tips & tails on them along with Shelby graphics with the Shelby only braces that protect the fenders on the sides since they come out about an inch or so .... & the back half is Cleveland Welding all the way .. the rack is ugly & rectangular ...

I really like the overall look on this model -- the last of the balloon bicycle era bicycles for Shelby too ... Ride Vintage ... Frank

 

[poolboy1]

I am alive and i will be there with one of my Airflow's... Really crazy at work...

 

[cyclonecoaster.com]

Shelby Porn ..... shot of the day ..... Wednesday

You better put some sunblock on Ethan with all those extra hours ... good to here from you ... see you @ the "Shelby Invasion 2013" on July 7th CYCLONE COASTER ride ...

Pictured below is a early 1937 Shelby Airflo in ORIGINAL paint & very rare green & wheat with the early long nose stainless steel stepped fender set & stainless tank ...

Ride Shelby .. Frank

 

[cyclingday]

By 1938, the streamlining movement in America was in full swing. Oridinary items were being transformed into artistic sculptures with flowing curves and looked as though they were ready to take flight. Toasters were given embossed wings and vacuum cleaners looked like the could blast off to the moon. Nowhere was this ideal more evident, than in the bicycle designs of the 1930s and 40s.
Most manufactures had their flagship model that was designed to out stylize the competition, and the Shelby Cycle Company pretty much blew everyone away with the introduction of the 1938 Speedline Airflo model 72.
I've always wonder what those guys were smoking when they came up with this dream machine.
The reverse bend pullback handlebar and tomahawk stem combination was never out done by any other manufacturer. Couple that with a tank that was so long, that it seemed to cross several time zones, and you had what was without a doubt, the most amazing bicycle of the classic balloon tire era.
If Liberace was a cyclist, he would have rode a 1938 Shelby Speedline Airflo model 72.
The one stat, that really surprised me about this model, was the price.
A fully deluxe, factory built Custom Airflo model 72, only cost, $27.65

Most of the other manufacturers flagship bikes cost upwards of $40.00 by 1938. So The Shelby Cycle Company, offered you features and styling, second to none, for a price that blew the competition far and away.

 

[slick]

Marty,
Keep up the incredible Shelby history lessons. I'm in awe with every new post. This last one is the best of all though. It proves the point of name brand vs. the little guy. Schwinn back then was like a ford or chevy with shelby being the unknown brand of studebaker or tucker. Both had out of this world styling but couldn't compete with the big boys.

It's sad that there aren't many Speedlines around anymore yet the big boy brands with pricier bikes are everywhere. Well, i guess that is the plain and simple reason why this Shelby Invasion ride must live on. I hope after this years event that most of you out of state guys will see what it would be like to be part of history and bring all these brother and sister bikes back together again for a big family reunion of long lost bikes. I'm pretty much begging all of you Speedline owners to bring them out for at least one ride, one year that we can all agree upon that would accomodate everyone. If not next year, then maybe 2015? I will personally hire a photographer to capture this event and document all of it. What do you say gang?? Ship your bikes to California, fly out, and let's ride the Shelby. One last time.

Frank, great job with the Shelby porn pictures. I usually look late at night after Karla is asleep so she doesn't get jealous but today i couldn't help myself. LOL! Can't wait for tomorrows picture. Gotta go before she walks in and sees me. LOL!

 

[poolboy1]

You better put some sunblock on Ethan with all those extra hours ... good to here from you ... see you @ the "Shelby Invasion 2013" on July 7th CYCLONE COASTER ride ...

Pictured below is a early 1937 Shelby Airflo in ORIGINAL paint & very rare green & wheat with the early long nose stainless steel stepped fender set & stainless tank ...

Ride Shelby .. Frank

I can not wait to hang out with everyone and see there bikes...... Nice bike is that your Frank?

 

[poolboy1]

By 1938, the streamlining movement in America was in full swing. Oridinary items were being transformed into artistic sculptures with flowing curves and looked as though they were ready to take flight. Toasters were given embossed wings and vacuum cleaners looked like the could blast off to the moon. Nowhere was this ideal more evident, than in the bicycle designs of the 1930s and 40s.
Most manufactures had their flagship model that was designed to out stylize the competition, and the Shelby Cycle Company pretty much blew everyone away with the introduction of the 1938 Speedline Airflo model 72.
I've always wonder what those guys were smoking when they came up with this dream machine.
The reverse bend pullback handlebar and tomahawk stem combination was never out done by any other manufacturer. Couple that with a tank that was so long, that it seemed to cross several time zones, and you had what was without a doubt, the most amazing bicycle of the classic balloon tire era.
If Liberace was a cyclist, he would have rode a 1938 Shelby Speedline Airflo model 72.
The one stat, that really surprised me about this model, was the price.
A fully deluxe, factory built Custom Airflo model 72, only cost, $27.65

Most of the other manufacturers flagship bikes cost upwards of $40.00 by 1938. So The Shelby Cycle Company, offered you features and styling, second to none, for a price that blew the competition far and away.

I am very impressed with how you write and your information stated.