Wood-rimmed....but what is it? Rocky Mountain Roadster?

[silvertonguedevil]

So I had a customer come in the other day and we somehow got on the topic of old bicycles. He told me that he had a couple of old bikes that he didn't have any plans for and invited me to come over and take a look. He told me that one of them he had found in a barn some 30-odd years ago but that he has had it hanging on his fence since then as decoration. He told me that he didn't know anything about it but that it was really old and that it had wood rims. So, this morning, my son and I headed over to go check this thing out. We ended up bringing it home and I took some pictures of it so I could hopefully get some help identifying this thing. The frame was originally black and it has pinstriping on each tube (see photos). The forks were chrome. The headbadge reads "AFCO MFG CO" "ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROADSTER" and then at the bottom "SAN FRANCISCO CAL." and it says "Made in US America" on the seat tube. What is it? And what's it worth (if anything)?

 

[ejlwheels]

The rear drop out/chain adjuster and the seat post clamp look just like my Davis Sewing frame, and I think they are specific to that maker.

 

[rustyspoke66]

That thing would be pretty cool stuffed in a box and shipped to my house!

 

[chitown]

1913 Sears Tiger

Looks like a Sears Tiger... or Harley Racer frame... or whoever made those bikes...

Same lugs, fork and chain adjusters anyhow. Sprocket is what looks like a Sears...

Head badge looks like it was added due to the pin stripes being covered.

 

[silvertonguedevil]

I have found no information on an Afco Mfg or the name Rocky Mountain Roadster. I would agree that that frame looks pretty similar.

 

[silvertonguedevil]

....they are different though. The head tube is shorter on the Roadster. The seat post is different and the forks also seem to lean back a little more on Roadster too.

 

[chitown]

Anyone with 1913-15 Sears Tiger catalog pic?

....they are different though. The head tube is shorter on the Roadster. The seat post is different and the forks also seem to lean back a little more on Roadster too.

I can't find the Sears catalog pic of the Tiger which has a shorter head tube, but someone here might post if they have one. I have a Mead catalog pic from 1918 that is similar but not exact match.

The chain adjusters on yours do look Davis built.

 

[silvertonguedevil]

And that's the sprocket. So would it be safe to say it's 1910-1920? Or no?

 

[GiovanniLiCalsi]

Does anyone know if this bike was rebadged by an original retailer or by some previous owner that thought he would rebadge it ?

 

[silvertonguedevil]

I think it should be noted that I removed the head badge this afternoon to find only one set of holes.