Schwinn produced the Varsity as far back as the early 1950′s. Feeling an obligation to at least try to keep people riding bikes past their teenage years, Schwinn made adult bikes for a nearly nonexistant U.S. Market during the. Sep 16, 2013  Look on your Sturmey Archer hub, you will see a two digit number, that number is the year the hub was built and if the hub is original to the bike you'll know the year. One more thing, next to the two digit number on the hub you will see another number, that signifies the month. The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer based in Nottingham, England. Founded by Woodhead and Angois in 1885, who used Raleigh as their brand name, it is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. Quantic flowering inferno rar. Hercules, Armstrong, and Norman. Raleigh Serial Numbers through the Years; Raleigh Serial Numbers Memo.

• Hercules Bicycle Serial Numbers
• Schwinn Bicycle Serial Numbers

There were chain guards and matching fenders. On this particular version you had two speed shifting with the New Departure rear hub and its top-tube mounted control lever. New World There isn’t much chrome on this bike. A few people have asked us if the blacked-out parts on a war-era bicycle were an attempt to avoid being spotted from above during air raids.

Finally ended the process with Meguires tyre polish, the one that lasts weeks on car tyres. Used a premium leather cleaner and cream product on her saddle. Called 'Leather Master', t brought out all the grime, dirt and oil, and man, that saddle is quite a bit softer now. My butt will need to do the rest.

However, the Sun branded bicycles were made in the Carlton factory at Worksop, England. As a vertically integrated manufacturer in the mid-1960s, TI–Raleigh owned (one of the oldest saddle makers in the world), (pioneer of 3-speed hubs), and (maker of ). Carlton, which had been unable to make inroads in the USA market after a failed rebranding deal with, found success in the late 1960s by recasting itself as 'Raleigh-Carlton', a Raleigh-logo'd bike with some Carlton badging, and using the US dealer network to import and distribute bikes. The Raleigh Chopper [ ]. Main article: The Raleigh Chopper was designed by Nottingham native, though this has been disputed by Cambridge designer. The Chopper was patented in the UK in 1967 and patented in the US in 1968.

Hill Cycle made it possible to use a brake for road rides Repaired and repainted by Jerry Casale at Hill Cycle in Philadelphia, this bike is historically significant not by what it is, but by who owned it and who worked on it. Charlie, the rider, and Jerry, the shop owner, helped to keep bike racing alive in this country during some otherwise dark decades for the sport.

“The finest sports equipment you’ve ever seen. The first really new bicycle in years.

[ ] See also [ ] • – Raleigh donated bicycles to ensure the ride would take place. References [ ].

Additionally, Ted was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1948 London Games. Olympic Sprint front end Ted was slated to ride the road race as well as the team pursuit at the London games. Politics and personal conflicts have derailed many Olympic plans over the years, and Ted’s experience in 1948 was no exception. National team coaches dropped Ted from the road race roster after he competed in local pre-Olympic British races against their instructions Ted, primarily a track guy, complained that he merely needed some miles on his road bike to get used to operating a derailleur. Claude Butler drivetrain Ted did end up racing in the 4000 meter team pursuit event, with the U.S. Squad getting 9th place with a best time of 5:22.

We are certain that the spokes are wire-tied at each crossing and soldered for extra rigidity. Rims with weight-reducing holes We have seen a lot of really great work by bike mechanics and wheel builders over the years. Cees Beers did some amazing things with his ADA wheels starting in the mid ’90′s, building custom carbon-fiber wheels for clients like Bjarne Riis or Jan Uhlrich. Master builders (and former race circuit pros) like Calvin Jones at Park Tools or Ric Hjertberg from Wheelsmith were the best. But these guys all look lazy compared to George Omelenchuk. George would take materials that were already on the cutting edge of technology, re-work the material and design from scratch, just to squeeze a little more performance out of them for just one rider.

1895 – British stockbroker Terah Hooley buys controlling interest in Raleigh. 1896 – Fred Hanstock builds the first Carlton bicycles in Carlton, England. 1896 – Raleigh has the world’s largest bicycle factory, occupying 7 1/2 acres. There are about 850 employees and production is 30,000 units per year. 1900 – ‘The All-Steel Bicycle’. 1902 – Raleigh buys Sturmey-Archer.

1953 Schwinn Varsity The Schwinn Varsity is probably the most important bicycle ever made in America. You may remember the Varsity as that heavy old bike you used for basic transportation during the oil crisis of the 1970′s, or the hand-me-down that you took to college without fear of it getting stolen in the 1980′s. The Varsity should be remembered for more and better reasons than these. Schwinn produced the Varsity as far back as the early 1950′s. Feeling an obligation to at least try to keep people riding bikes past their teenage years, Schwinn made adult bikes for a nearly nonexistant U.S. Market during the bicycle bust decades of the 1940′s, ’50′s, and 60′s.

Charlie was the national champion in 1937, and had a professional career that spanned the war and into the late 1940s. Charlie won numerous six-day races, including the Winnepeg Six in 1948 and Cleveland in 1949. After his cycling career had finished, Charlie was one of Raleigh bicycle’s first two traveling sales representatives.

• • • • • • • • • • • Frame identification by frame number Author Alvin Smith Possible identification of bicycle frames using only frame numbers – initial guidance Sometimes bicycles or frames are found with no makers’ transfers or badges on them –and occasionally with badges/transfers that are not correct! In these cases examination of the frame number – where it is, what it is, and how it is, may be of some assistance at least in allowing other specialists to hazard a guess at the true origin of the frame or machine.

Authorized Schwinn bike shops flourished in the fifties and around 500,000 bikes were sold each year from 1950 to 1959. 1955 Schwinn Hornet catalogue entry The Hornet, the mid-level balloon tire bike in the line, was everywhere. The brochure said it all: “Here is a fully equipped bike at a price that’s hard to beat — and you get famous Schwinn quality and styling, too!

It could be exactly the same as a 2016 model, and may not get sold until 2019. In 50 years it would be really nice if folks just went out for a bike ride and didn’t bicker over the exact vintage of their classic bike.

A possible freewheel is suggested early in the film when Bacon dismounts while in motion and a distinct clicking sound is heard until the bike stops moving. A 1984/5 Raleigh Grand Prix is used for the opening chase sequence, and a 1984 or '85 Super Course makes a brief appearance in the opening credits.

Unfortunately, it was a market that was rapidly shrinking. In spring 1960 Raleigh, having stopped making quality lightweight cycles at Nottingham, bought Carlton Cycles, a respected hand-built racing cycle specialist company based nearby at Worksop. Raleigh urgently needed to increase volume sales to the man and woman in the street. In October 1960, a licensing agreement was drawn up allowing Raleigh to make the new, small-wheeled, unisex, dual-suspension Moulton bicycle. Production was scheduled to commence in November 1961 but in September, Raleigh imposed a moratorium: Leslie Roberts, Raleigh’s incoming managing director, did not believe the Moulton could yield a reasonable profit. Alex Moulton therefore built his own factory and started delivering Moultons to the trade in March 1963. The new machine was an immediate success, and most production had to be farmed out to Fisher & Ludlow, a subsidiary of the British Motor Corporation.

1957 – Raleigh buys BSA (Birmingham Small Arms). 1958 – First mopeds produced (Raleigh Mo-ped, later known as the RM1). 1960 – Raleigh and the Tube Investments Group (aka TI) merge, forming TI Raleigh. 1965 – RSW 16 1967 – Moulton Cycles acquired.

Raleigh also produced a sister model to the RSW, the, which was more successful and remained in production well into the 1980s. Expansion and mergers [ ] While bicycle production had steadily risen through the mid-1950s, the British market began to decline with the increasing affordability and popularity of the motor car. For much of the postwar era, British bicycle manufacturers had largely competed with each other in both the home and export markets, but 1956 saw the formation of the British Cycle Corporation by the which already owned Phillips, Hercules, Armstrong, and. In 1957, Raleigh bought the Cycles Ltd., BSA's bicycle division, which gave them exclusive use of the former brand names New Hudson and Sunbeam. Raleigh also already owned the Robin Hood brand, and Three Spires with Triumph (cycles) also at their disposal.

His vast sales territory included the entire eastern half of the United States. Butch Neumann is the one with the waterbottle on his handlebars This is Erhard Neumann’s Schwinn Paramount. A beautiful green track bike built for a racer who primarily tasted success on the road.

In 1952 Eileen Sheridan became involved with Hercules. Eileen broke a large number of records riding for Hercules between 1952 and 1954. 1956 The subsidiary was formed to take over and control Tube Investments bicycle making subsidiaries in the Birmingham area, namely,, Hercules Cycle and Motor Co,, and. 1956 Tube Investments made 1,250 employees of the British Cycle Corporation redundant, following deadlock with the unions, who refused to reform working practices. Many of the workers were from Hercules factories 1956 The firm produced a moped fitted with a 49cc engine, which, to begin with, sold as the Grey Wolf. Soon this name was changed to Her-cu-motor. The two-speed gearbox and bevel box with chain final-drive had an engine with the crankshaft set along the machine.

Hercules Bicycle Serial Numbers

Scaled-down juvenile versions, such as the RSW14, also sold well. However, the Wisp, a moped based on the RSW16 and launched in spring 1967, proved a commercial failure. Launch of the RSW sparked a trade war between Raleigh and Moulton. By 1967, both were suffering. Despite a 40% increase in sales since launch of the RSW16, Raleigh’s profits for the previous year were down 8% and Moulton was losing money unsustainably. In late July 1967, Moulton Bicycles Limited was bought by Raleigh, who retained Alex Moulton as a consultant.

Luxury Liner Another advertising campaign suggested that the Luxury Liner was “The bike for leaders” and that a kid could rise to the top of the neighborhood hierarchy by riding one. For the girls model, the folks at Roadmaster went straight to the parents. The Luxury Liner ads for the girls version told mom and dad “How to give that young daughter a thrill”.

In 1984, riding Raleigh-badged bicycles, Team USA scored several impressive victories at the in Los Angeles. The company also supplied bicycles to the French team in the late 1980s where lost the to by 8 seconds. The company's special products division made race frames, including those used by the Raleigh professional team of the 1970s.

This wouldn’t end up a “work” bike, that job would still belong to the rusty old Roadmaster in the garage. Black Phantom bike production was discontinued in 1960.

Brought her into the shop today to get the headlamp working again. A nice young dude looking for NOS BMX parts stopped to admire Audrey and gushed over how its so wonderful that I found her in NOS condition. He asked the uncle if there was another such bike. Nope, not a chance.

Now the cleaning and polishing shall begin. The period bicycle licence plate. No longer a legal requirement since the 1980s, these are very rarely seen on bicycles nowadays. Audrey is a vintage Hercules roadster. I purchased her on 11 December 2008.

BSA had itself acquired Co. Only five years previously. Ti added the Sun bicycle company to their stable in 1958, and with two 'super groups' now controlling a large portion of the market, it was perhaps inevitable that in 1960, Tube Investments acquired Raleigh and merged the British Cycle Corporation with Raleigh to form TI–Raleigh, which now had 75% of the UK market. TI–Raleigh then acquired in, England that same year, at the time one of the largest semi-custom lightweight makers in the UK. Ti Raleigh gave total control of its cycle division to Raleigh and soon set about marketing many of the acquired names as budget ranges, though with Raleigh frames. The old British Cycle Corporation factory at Handsworth continued to produce non Raleigh branded product well into the 1970s, with Raleigh branded models built in the main plant at Nottingham.

Next, check out the rear wheel. Built with a specially extruded rod rim, with a tubeless tire casing glued directly to the aluminum.

The riders would lean to counterbalance the bike like sailors leaning out over the edge of their catamaran. Heavily crowned roads posed a problem, as the drive wheel on these trikes would sometimes lose contact with the roadway. Beware the British-made (meant for the left side of the road) adult trike when riding on the right side of the street, as the differential won’t work to your advantage. Take a photo from the “drive side” in front of a neutral background To make the appraisal more accurate, prepare the bike and take photos like you would if you were going to sell it. Clean the bike, remove any broken or rough-looking accessories and put some air in the tires.

Smoooth as butter. Then I felt guilty soiling her with road grime. Gave her a gentle wipe down, and another two coats of wax so shes shiny and happy again. Gave her a thorough cleanup with lots of mild soap, water, and elbow grease. Then progressively rubbed about 30 layers of super premium Soft99 resin wax on just about every painted surface. Get this, the wax is meant for black or dark blue paint, says so on the tin - and she is just gleaming! Used Autosol metal polish for every steel or chrome part, and it works brilliantly, like it should.

• • • • • 1991-92 • 1991-92 • 1991-92 • 1991-92 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • In media [ ], the 1958 debut novel by, is partly set in Raleigh's factory, Sillitoe himself being an ex-employee of the firm. Several scenes for the 1960 starring were filmed on location at the factory itself. In the 1985 movie, David Sommers played by David Marshall Grant, is seen riding through St. Louis, Missouri, on a Raleigh bicycle from that same era.

The factory wasn't ready when the last such bicycles were sold out and the shops came under pressure by customers who had no such bicycles to buy. If the whole experience of buying a 40-year old time-warp bicycle wasn't magical enough, the icing on the cake was when I made payment, and Mr Loh produced a old-fashioned receipt with his shop's name and logo printed on it. He then wrote the price in beautiful long hand and handed it to me with both hands. The serial numbers on this Hercules indicate manufacture in 1967, in Handsworth, Birmingham, for Raleigh Industries. If my analysis is accurate, these framesets were already old stock when shipped out! I rest my behind on the old Raleigh B66 - a Malaysian-made piece that I subsequently replaced with a Brooks saddle - and I feel right at home. I've always wanted a bicycle just like the one I remember from my childhood.

In March 1964, Raleigh showed Moulton the prototype RSW16: an unsprung small-wheeled shopping bike that was well equipped, more robust and cheaper than the Moulton. It was unclear whether the RSW breached Moulton’s patents and in June 1964 Raleigh sought a production licence for the Moulton bicycle. Alex Moulton was prepared to licence an unsprung F-frame small-wheeler, provided the genuine Moulton could be sold through Raleigh dealers. Negotiations continued into the autumn of 1964 and included the possibility of Raleigh buying the Moulton cycle operation outright, or Raleigh buying Moulton bicycles badged as Raleighs, or Raleigh taking over Moulton’s marketing. None of these options came to fruition. By mid 1965, Moulton was producing more than 1,000 units a week.

Take pictures straight on in front of a blank background, and take close-up photos of areas that may generate interest (or confusion). There is no “Blue Book” value for bicycles. Bikes are simply worth what someone else is willing to pay for them. Bicycle values tend to be highest when the weather is warm, in places where it’s pleasant to ride, and wherever there are a lot of people who like bikes.

It seems that George went out of his way to fabricate every last bit of Jeanne’s bikes from scratch, or at least give everything a custom touch or two. Campagnolo crankset The wheels are customized for Jeanne and very hand-made. Not just pick-out-the-parts-and-lace-them-up hand made either.

1904 – Raleignette. 1905 – Motor Cycles produced. 1906 – Robin Hood Cycle Co Ltd acquired. 1914 – Over 50,000 cycles produced. 1914-1918 – 400 Million parts for Forces (Munitions).

There was the deluxe leather saddle, the patented spring fork, built-in horn, streamlined tank, Schwinn fender lights and an automatic brake light, an integrated lock, kickstand, and a luggage rack. “The most beautiful bike in the world” included whitewall tires, pinstripes and sparkly paint, with chrome all around. Phantom chainguard and paint detail These bikes were so coveted and awe inspiring that no kid would even consider riding the Black Phantom on his newspaper route.

Schwinn Bicycle Serial Numbers

Not all possible variations are shown in the tables to avoid them becoming too cluttered! Also very few makers maintained the same system of numbering throughout their production run – there will be many exceptions! However, if within the imperfections of this information you feel you have identified a maker, then if a member send your frame number details to the appropriate V-CC Marque Enthusiast together with any other descriptions such as the lugs and other integral maker’s features shown by the frame. Depending on the marque the ME may be able to date the machine very accurately from the number. Size of frame number 0-100 To 1000 To 10000and up None- just plain number Jack Taylor to 1948 Jack Taylor post 1948. Rensch preWW2, Granby preWW2, Baines preWW2, Higgins preWW2 to 800, Paragon pre WW2 to 518, Mal Rees®, Stephens to 1933 (0471 max), Baines to 1829 max BSA post WW2to51, Carpenter to 5752 max, Hill Special® to end 1950 and later with endcode, Higgins to 9999in 1964, Jack Taylor to 8800 max, Rensch post war, Paris to 8900 max, Sunbeam to ‘32, Raleigh to ‘25, Royal Enfield, RO Harrison®, Paragon post WW2 to 2289, Mal Rees®, Saxon, Stephens®, Viking, Pre-fix?