Classic & Vintage - Can someone Help me identify this bike....

just saw this bike in a thrift shop sorry for the bad pictures i was in a rush and couldnt take a whole bike picture...everything on the bike seemed to be intact.....is this bike worth buying and restoring?


http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9581/sturmey001ow6.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/8488/sturmey002ib1.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/894/sturmey003pb5.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8374/sturmey004ik0.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1711/sturmey005mf7.jpg
http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/607/sturmey007pl6.jpg
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/8674/sturmey008tj4.jpg

Looks like a circa 60's era three speed 'english racer'. Hard to tell the over all condition from the detail shots, but doesn't look too bad and most english bikes from that era are nicely crafted solid bikes. Don't know much personally about the Hercules brand, try a Google search. I'm really fond of Sturmey Archer three speed hubs; they are solid, reliable and easy to maintain. You might want to put a slightly larger rear sprocket on the drive train as many of these bikes feel like they are geared a bit too high in their stock setup.

Saw a pretty nice 10 sp Hercules once. Seemed like a good mid-line english bike. I believe they were swallowed up by Raleigh or Falcon at some point.....

Judging from the script style on the "made in England" decal, this one is from a time when Hurcules = Raleigh. Check Sheldon Brown's web site. I believe he has more on this.

Talk about a blast from one's past...check the chainguard. Isn't that an AMF logo to the left in the pic? I had one of these in around sixth grade. I remember the blasted chainguard kept coming off...had some really poorly designed clamp to attach it to the seat tube. Took it to college with me and modified to ride around campus. Left it when I moved to my new job. Wish I had not.

I beleave that one was Raleigh built---the hub will have a date stamped on it

Whether it's worth buying and restoring will be dependent on the final selling price. However, as a piece of bicycling history, it definitely should be restored.

We need lots of them to offset all those snotty Masi's.

Syke
Deranged Few M/C

what do you mean final selling price m8?

Found this on a site of Raleigh built Hercules...

While not the same type of chainguard or color scheme, note the script Hercules is the same and the small triangle is indeed the AMF logo.

what do you mean final selling price m8?
How much are they asking and did you buy it? IMO if it is less than US$100 and everything works, it's probably a deal.