Classic & Vintage - Help me identify this vintage CCM roadster

I just obtained this very old CCM bicycle from my father (see pictures below). This has been in the family for more than 60 years.
According to the information I obtained, it dates prior to the second world war. I could not find any serial number on it. I know that it was re-painted in the early 1970s. I have few questions:
1- What year does this model or style look like? 1940s or earlier?
2- The chain is pretty rusted. With a little WD40 I was able to get it flexing, but should I replace it? If so, with what type of chain?
3- I will try to keep that old-style seat. What should I use to clean the leather?
4- The handle bars and bottom bracket are a little tarnished. How should I go about rejuvenating these steel parts? Should I use some rotary sanding device to lightly sand or polish the metal?
5-What was the use of the vertical bars that are right in front of the handle bars?
6- Should I try to take apart the bottom bracket and head tube to clean or replace the bearings?

First off great bike! Thats my favorite ccm design, I have one pretty much the same; the '41 motorbike, yours looks older indeed, mine didnt have the cross bar on the handle bars. If you can find the serial number you should be able to date it. Its strange to see that sprocket, most ccms had the "CCM" one.

"Im Fixed" has a ccm from 1918 with the very same sprocket, only on a 3 piece cotterless crank, yours is a single, im not sure when CCM started using a single piece.
http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=166794 - you can see his 1918 machine here.

I imagine the serial number should be under the seat on the seat tube by the tightening bolt, since the bike has been repainted it might be a little tricky to read.

If you plan to ride it (hope you do!) then yes it would be a good idea to take apart everything and remove all the old dried grease off, spraying all the bearings and bearing racing cups with wd40 should help get all the old gunk off easily then you'll wanna regrease everything and put it all back together.

The chain should be fine but lube it with something else, you cant use WD40 as a lubricant, its too light and will wear off quickly. I myself use heavy motor oil, some people will probably tell you thats not a good idea too, but it works great for me.

What kind of hub does it have?

http://rollingscrapheap.com/frame_files/images/doublebarccm.jpg
here is my double bar.. sadly missing original seat among other things.

http://rollingscrapheap.com/frame_files/images/ccmcodes.jpg

1- What year does this model or style look like? 1940s or earlier?
2- The chain is pretty rusted. With a little WD40 I was able to get it flexing, but should I replace it? If so, with what type of chain?
3- I will try to keep that old-style seat. What should I use to clean the leather?
4- The handle bars and bottom bracket are a little tarnished. How should I go about rejuvenating these steel parts? Should I use some rotary sanding device to lightly sand or polish the metal?
5-What was the use of the vertical bars that are right in front of the handle bars?
6- Should I try to take apart the bottom bracket and head tube to clean or replace the bearings?

1) Can't help you.

2) Remove chain and soak it in kerosene for a day or two. Buy wire brushes (welding dept of local hardware store should have them) and brush the sides of the chain with it. Keep soaking and scrubbing - you'll get most of the surface rust off that way, and the oil in the kerosine will loosen up and flush some of the crud out of the rollers. It would be easier to just replace the chain, but if you can resurrect the original, how cool would that be? After 60 years, though, you might have a saftey issue on your hands. Walmart sells single speed chains for cheap. I'm not up on the evolution of chain technology, but for about $6 it might be worth a shot. You can always return it.

3)Saddle soap cleans well and is widely available. You can use it in conjuction with a toothbrush to get out the grime in creases. Follow up with a good oiling. An alternate (and more expensive method) would be to use Lexol leather cleaner followed by Lexol dressing.

4)If we're talking chome, apply liberal amounts of WD-40 or some other lubricant like Rem-oil, Kroil, etc. Take a Chore Boy or bronze kitchen scouring pad (making sure it is lubricated with oil, as well) and gently buff. If it is surface rust, it'll come off. If the chrome is shot, you'll not get it back. Steel wool works as well, but can leave scratches if you're not careful. You can always polish the scratches out with Flitz, jewler's rouge, valve grinding compound, etc. Rotary sanding devices should beused as a last resort, as they will almost certainly lead to grief.

5) I don't know.

6) I would - why not? They will almost certainly need cleaning, repacking, and adjusting. Unless you risk damage by not having the right tools, or there is some special reason that makes these bearings different than bearing in general. If it is within your power and skill to do it, you should reap huge benefits by doing so.

DivineAndbright, it is a single-speed hub, but I don't know the make. Will have to clean it well first. I will also take a second look at the serial number. I looked under the bottom bracket, but did not think to look on the seat tube.

Bigbossman, thanks for the suggestions. Regarding the handle bars, could they really be chrome considering the age of the bike?

6- Should I try to take apart the bottom bracket and head tube to clean or replace the bearings?

As the big Bossman says, "you should reap huge benefits by doing so."

I play with a "new" 70s-80s bike nearly every week. The grease in them is nearly always dried to the consistency of beeswax or stiffer. You have to clean & repack if you want to ride the bike again.

Bigbossman, thanks for the suggestions. Regarding the handle bars, could they really be chrome considering the age of the bike?

I probably should've looked at the picture you provided a little more closely, eh? :D I saw the rusty handlebars in the pic below your post, and so that was what I was thinking of when I offered advice.

Yours look oxidized - pot metal or some other alloy, perhaps? Shoot 'em with WD-40 and gently rub with 0000 steel wool to polish off the roughness, and then try a clean rag and Mother's Mag Polish.

Were this my bike, and I was intent on riding it, I would take it apart completely. I would carefully inspect all the bearings, races, and bearing surfaces, and detail clean everything. I've been known to use q-tips and dental picks to do this. :eek:

The bike looks to be in fairly good shape, and I'll bet you can bring it all the way back with a little patience and lots of elbow grease. Since it was already repainted, conserving the original finish is not a consideration. In this case, I'd be tempted to re-paint.

Does anyone have any idea on how to remove the paint from the CCM emblem on the front of the bike?
I guess that paint remover will just remove everythink including the original paint.

Paint remover will work fine on the badge, what is it "Poly stripper"? Ive removed all the repaint on an old 50s bike with it actually, it took off some of the original paint underneath too sadly, but at least its original again!

see:
http://rollingscrapheap.com/frame_files/sunshine.htm

I cannot see from the picture but I think the headbadge may be held on by a few tiny screws. I had a few of these styles CCM bikes and they had screws to hold on the badge. If you can remove it I would use paint remover and then go to Canadian Tire and get a can of Never Dull. It is a cotton type material and it polishes alloy and chrome very well. Use the small piece until black tarnish comes off. The cotton piece can be reused.
That crank is common to CCM bike from pre war. The rear hub should have a stamping on the brake arm side. It will have CCM 37 or CCM 1937 if it is later than 1937. If it is earlier it will have Hercules and 26 on it. I think the 1926 hub has Hercules in script(not printed). If it is pre 1926 it should be Hercules in print. Pre maybe 1915 or somewhere around there it will be with no brake arm but it is still a coaster brake.
The cross bar is for a motobike style CCM. I think it is to give the longer bars more strength. I have a few of these and they are bent from being droped on the ground.
As for using steel wool I don't suggest it. The wool can leave tiny steel fibers in the metal from what I am told. The metal will rust faster. I use brass wool or copper wool from the dish soap area of the grocery store. It can be used with chrome polish and it works great. If the metal is worn through the chrome or nickel then it won't bring it back.
Take the whole bike apart and clean the bearings and regrease them. Use a good quality grease and they will last a long time.
I would suggest having the frame beadblasted and powdercoated dark blue, maroon red or black. They look great then.
Good luck
Tom

Thanks Tom.
I have not had a chance to look at the rear hub yet, but I found the serial number on the seat tube.
It says L27401. So if divineAndbright's numbers are correct, that would make it a 1928 model! Wow, that older than I tought.
I guess I'll have to take very good care of this bike.

If I take apart the bottom bracket and headset, but should I replace the bearings? Are these of a size that can still be obtained?

And what about the front and rear hubs? Are these easily servicable?



I cannot see from the picture but I think the headbadge may be held on by a few tiny screws. I had a few of these styles CCM bikes and they had screws to hold on the badge. If you can remove it I would use paint remover and then go to Canadian Tire and get a can of Never Dull. It is a cotton type material and it polishes alloy and chrome very well. Use the small piece until black tarnish comes off. The cotton piece can be reused.
That crank is common to CCM bike from pre war. The rear hub should have a stamping on the brake arm side. It will have CCM 37 or CCM 1937 if it is later than 1937. If it is earlier it will have Hercules and 26 on it. I think the 1926 hub has Hercules in script(not printed). If it is pre 1926 it should be Hercules in print. Pre maybe 1915 or somewhere around there it will be with no brake arm but it is still a coaster brake.
The cross bar is for a motobike style CCM. I think it is to give the longer bars more strength. I have a few of these and they are bent from being droped on the ground.
As for using steel wool I don't suggest it. The wool can leave tiny steel fibers in the metal from what I am told. The metal will rust faster. I use brass wool or copper wool from the dish soap area of the grocery store. It can be used with chrome polish and it works great. If the metal is worn through the chrome or nickel then it won't bring it back.
Take the whole bike apart and clean the bearings and regrease them. Use a good quality grease and they will last a long time.
I would suggest having the frame beadblasted and powdercoated dark blue, maroon red or black. They look great then.
Good luck
Tom

5-What was the use of the vertical bars that are right in front of the handle bars?I don't know if those bars actually served any purpose other than to make the front fork look like a girder motorcycle fork of that era. They may even have been "dress-up" accessory items. Here is a bike like that being sold in India today: http://www.tradeindia.com/product_images/11691/b/PH-Type-Double-Bar-28-x-1-1-2-Gents.jpg

So my major questions currently are the following:

1- If I take apart the bottom bracket and headset, but should I replace the bearings? Are these of a size that can still be obtained?

2- And what about the front and rear hubs? Are these easily servicable?

3- Is it possible to have the handle bars and the crank re-plated with chrome? Is that expensive?

4- What were the original colors? That would be great to know if I re-paint the frame. If I do so, do I have any other options than using spray paint (Tremclad style I guess)?

If I take apart the bottom bracket and headset, but should I replace the bearings? Are these of a size that can still be obtained?

It has been my experience that bearings almost never wear out, but races can get galled and pitted. Of course, on a bike of this age there exists a possibilty that the bearings might be pitted as well. Open it up and find out! :)

Once apart, you can take the bearings down to a LBS and see if they carry loose replacements in th eproper size. Another alternative would be to "modernize" with bearing packs, assuming you can find the proper size. I believe loose ball bearings usually have a higher bearing count and/or bearing surface, though.

The badge indicates the bicycle was built at the Weston facility which did not open until 1917. I'm not sure exactly when the CCM logo cranks were introduced, but I've seen them in catalogs as far back as 1938, so presumibly this sample fits somewhere in between these two dates. If the plating is chrome, as opposed to nickel, then it dates no farther back than the late 1920s.

Colors will vary depending on the year, but maroon was quite common between the wars and was used on the Motorbike for at least some of these years.

Your deductions fit well with the serial number which suggests a 1928 date of manufacture.



The badge indicates the bicycle was built at the Weston facility which did not open until 1917. I'm not sure exactly when the CCM logo cranks were introduced, but I've seen them in catalogs as far back as 1938, so presumibly this sample fits somewhere in between these two dates. If the plating is chrome, as opposed to nickel, then it dates no farther back than the late 1920s.

Colors will vary depending on the year, but maroon was quite common between the wars and was used on the Motorbike for at least some of these years.

The hubs on these bikes are very easy to work on. When you have them apart you will see how easy they go together. I see you are from Montreal, there should be a bike shop in the city that is quite old. Check around and see the oldest bike shops. Ask the bike guys about someone who restores old bikes. I have seen a CCM Flyte bike here in Winnipeg and the owner told me he sent it to Montreal to have it restored. I don't know by who though. If you need parts for the bike like bearings, bearing races, headset parts, I am sure I have what you need here in good shape. If not I have a friend who may be able to help you. You can send me a PM. As for the paint red was very nice and it was popular. The fenders may have been cream with the frame color pinstripes. I have seen this on a few bikes from pre 30's. When you remove any parts you should find the original color. I had another look at your bars. They could be nickel plated and are dull now. Try a polish on them. You can also have the parts rechromed or re-nickled. If you do any of the parts do all the bright parts, cranks, bars, headset, etc. It would be a great improvement and this being a family heirloom it is worth it. The rear hub should be the pre 1937 hub so it should be Hercules in script. That is a find on it's own. This is also the same hub for the 1 year Flyte bike. As for these old double bar CCM bikes I have had over the last 6 years maybe 10 of them. I have 1 right now and it is not ridable, it is in the flower bed as a display. They are cool bikes though. Last month there was one at a bike shop closeout auction and it sold for around $40. I did not bid on it because it did not have original paint. Good luck with the bike. Tom

Very nice bike. Restoring that will be rewarding to say the least.

One of the oldest bike shops in Montreal is ABC Cycles on Park avenue. I just obtained some replacement tires for the bike from them. I will indeed go and see them to find out who could re-plate the handle bars and crank set. I would be tempted to do it unless it costs hundreds of dollars. Thanks for the offer about the parts. I will try to dissasemble the bike this weekend and if I need parts, I will let you know. I will also try to post pictures as the project advances.


The hubs on these bikes are very easy to work on. When you have them apart you will see how easy they go together. I see you are from Montreal, there should be a bike shop in the city that is quite old. Check around and see the oldest bike shops. Ask the bike guys about someone who restores old bikes. I have seen a CCM Flyte bike here in Winnipeg and the owner told me he sent it to Montreal to have it restored. I don't know by who though. If you need parts for the bike like bearings, bearing races, headset parts, I am sure I have what you need here in good shape. If not I have a friend who may be able to help you. You can send me a PM. As for the paint red was very nice and it was popular. The fenders may have been cream with the frame color pinstripes. I have seen this on a few bikes from pre 30's. When you remove any parts you should find the original color. I had another look at your bars. They could be nickel plated and are dull now. Try a polish on them. You can also have the parts rechromed or re-nickled. If you do any of the parts do all the bright parts, cranks, bars, headset, etc. It would be a great improvement and this being a family heirloom it is worth it. The rear hub should be the pre 1937 hub so it should be Hercules in script. That is a find on it's own. This is also the same hub for the 1 year Flyte bike. As for these old double bar CCM bikes I have had over the last 6 years maybe 10 of them. I have 1 right now and it is not ridable, it is in the flower bed as a display. They are cool bikes though. Last month there was one at a bike shop closeout auction and it sold for around $40. I did not bid on it because it did not have original paint. Good luck with the bike. Tom

Oh, one more thing, so what was the model name of this sort of bike?
Is it called a CCM "motorbike" or something like that?

Oh, one more thing, so what was the model name of this sort of bike?
Is it called a CCM "motorbike" or something like that?

CCM Motorbike is the proper name.