Classic & Vintage - Unknown Bike

I JUST GOT A BIKE AND I WANT TO KNOW THE YEAR, HISTORY OF BIKE COMPANY AND POSSIBLE VALUE. I CANT FIND ANYTHING ON THE WEB OR BOOK STORE. THE BIKE IS A "NO.1" BY F.K.I. CO. LTD.
WITH JAPANESE WRITING UNDER THAT. THE BIKE HAS 26" RIMS, ROD BRAKES, THE FENDERS AND ENCLOSED CHAIN COVER ARE COPPER PLATED, THE BRAKE PARTS ARE BRASS, ON THE LEFT LOWER SEAT DOWNTUBE IS SERIAL # RF50278, ANY HELP WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED

mjkerk,

Personally don't know anything about it, but the rod
brakes makes it sound like a city bike, guestimate
(i.e. wild guess!) its a 70's bike boom refuge.
I would also suggest you check out Classic Rendezvous,
they might have some info on it.
FYI all capitals is SHOUTING, and considered poor
ettiquette (or however thats spelled).

Marty

Well, a quick Google search led me to find out that it is a Taiwanese bike, not Japanese. Rod-brake bikes are (were) very common in China from the pre-Mao era onward, and I'd assume that the same is true for those on the island of Formosa. The company is known as the Fong Kee Iron Works, Ltd., and they don't apperar to make bicycles any longer. Chances are, it's only value is as an oddity, not as a serious collectible.
BTW, are you sure the rims are 26", and not 28"?

THANKS FOR THE INFO AND COMPANY NAME, THE TIRE SAYS
26X1 3/8 IWAO RUBBER CO. GORIKI COMMERCE "9". I HOPE
SOMEONE CAN HELP IN DATING THIS BIKE. NOW I HAVE A PICTURE

It's an Asian imitation of the "classic" English Roadster (3 speed). They were often referred to as "English Racers" in the US market though Sheldon Brown takes serious objection to that.

On the English bikes, rod brakes could put the bike back into the 1930s and probably wouldn't be any newer than the 1960s. With an Asian bike though, who knows? Could be really new or fairly old. I understand there are Raleigh copies with rod brakes still being made in India.

Check out www.oldroads.com and scroll to their "English Roadster Discussion Area" and describe your bike and link to this picture you might learn more there though those guys have ALOT more interest in the Euro bikes.

BTW those 26X1 3/8 were the common size for the later models, esp in the US. The 28 inchers Alex referred to would indicate either an older bike or a really faithful replica.

Since the company in question was formed in 1953, I'd hazard a guess, and say that it's an early 60's bike-from a time when such designs were still more-or-less commonplace. FWIW, the writing may actually be Japanese, since Japan has always had close ties to Taiwan (actually occupying it from the late 1800's until the end of WW2), so it's possible that the bike was actually made for the Japanese market.
Now, as far as that stem is concerned-I'm going to have to call the stem police on that one..............

Now, as far as that stem is concerned-I'm going to have to call the stem police on that one..............

Gotta agree with you there. Isnt that small blemish on the stem about 3" above the headset the minimum insertion mark???

Now, as far as that stem is concerned-I'm going to have to call the stem police on that one..............

LOL :roflmao:

Ever been to Holland? I bet the Stem Police are pretty busy over there - most of their bikes seem to look like that...

THANKS FOR THE INFO AND COMPANY NAME, THE TIRE SAYS
26X1 3/8 IWAO RUBBER CO. GORIKI COMMERCE "9". I HOPE
SOMEONE CAN HELP IN DATING THIS BIKE. NOW I HAVE A PICTUREYou have a incredibly beautiful bike there.

That chain guard is cool, not my style...but as far as chainguards go -IT ROCKS!
Why the little steel bar under the handlebars? Roadster drops?

Why the little steel bar under the handlebars? Roadster drops?
That's the brake lever. :)

That's the brake lever. :)
Woah, it looks really long and thin, maybe it's my visual impairment.

..and you pull the bar up towards the handlebars to actuate the cable...

Far out.
.

..and you pull the bar up towards the handlebars to actuate the cable...
On this bike, it's a rod, not a cable. :)

FWIW, the writing may actually be Japanese, since Japan has always had close ties to Taiwan (actually occupying it from the late 1800's until the end of WW2), so it's possible that the bike was actually made for the Japanese market.

It's probably more likely that the original poster can't readily identify asian languages. A bit of a novice in Japanese myself (2 semesters several years ago), I usually parse for hiragana and katakana, because of the immediate visual difference, before I begin trying to understand something I've just found. Try to explain that to someone though, and they look at you like your speaking Chinese... :)