Classic & Vintage - Hercules Roadster find

I found this bike on craigslist. Bought it from a guy that came across it at an auction and he paid a couple bucks for it to keep it out of the scrap pile.
I bought it without actually seeing anything other than a couple pictures. It is in much nicer shape than I figured it would be in. It must have been stored in a shed because, other than the rear rim, there isn't much rust on it and the rear brake actually works.

What I'd like to know is what year it was built. I read all the info. I could find and have concurred that it was built in Birmingham England by Hercules Cycle Company at there original location.

It has a Sturmey Archer hub #AW-7

Front hub has the Hercules logo the says "H.R. Pattern made in England" w/ grease cup.

The hoops are Dunlop

It has rod brakes (missing front stirrup); back one works!

Brake pads say"John Bull" made in England on them :>)

Stem says "made in England"

Grease cup on bottom bracket

numbers on BB are #14 67 I think; they're hard to read actually.

Numbers on top of seat tube lug are #VS 3203. The "V" could be in question but the rest is clear.



Here is a link (http://photobucket.com/herculesroadster) to a album with more pics. of the old girl.

AW-7 makes the hub 1937 I think, which looks appropriate for the balance of the bike. Nice find, I love the handle bar grips.

AW-7 makes the hub 1937 I think, which looks appropriate for the balance of the bike. Nice find, I love the handle bar grips.

Aren't they a kick!! Thanks for the estimate on the year.

Sweetness!

That seat is going to be a killer!

You're welcome.

p.s. Ask around here for any missing parts, I have a "H" crankset you are welcomed to.

That seat is going to be a killer!

You're welcome.

p.s. Ask around here for any missing parts, I have a "H" crankset you are welcomed to.

I think this seat is a old Wright. Wright was a Birmingham company as well. It would make sense for them to use a local saddle company if there was one. Brooks makes a perfect replacement though; the B73.

I PMed you on the crankset.

Congrats on the find. Hercules made some excellent bikes in their time.

Man, that is one cool bike! :) I love those old Hercs and that one is very neat to put it mildly.

I am puzzling a bit over some of the odd bits. IIRC Hercules made there own hubs that were a copy of the SA as well as most other components. I have a early to mid 50's Hercules that came with a Hercules branded saddle.

I wonder is someone swapped in a replacement wheel somewhere along the way?

Pictures of the as found saddle an a replacement snagged off Ebay.

Aaron :)

http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/49278/2649520510066886751S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/49124/2703666900066886751S500x500Q85.jpg

Aaron, The front hub has the Herc. emblem on it but it also says "H.R. Pattern made in England" on the hub as well. I'm assuming that both hoops are Dunlop but the rear one cannot be read for the rust. Maybe they contracted them out for a time; who knows.
As far as the seat goes; it is hard to say what it is. All that is left is the frame. I've not been able to find any discerning marking on it anywhere. I seen a picture of a 1929 Roadster that was a complete rider and it had the same seat as mine. It didn't have the mattress seat you show here. See link below!

Herc Roadster 1929 (http://herculesmuseum.wordpress.com/1929-hercules-gents/)

Yup, that's a 1937 hub, and the rest of it looks to be of the same vintage.

Don't throw away that saddle. It's missing the nose piece and bolt/nut, but those can be bought new from wallbike.com, and new leather can be riveted on.

Great bike! Good luck on the restoration!

That is such a cool find. That bike has a lot of drama going on, with that old paint and the rack and all. . . very cool.

I think we have enough 1930's Hercules bike to have our own army. I have 2.2.

Frank,
Lets see them. I'm interested to see what type shifter & sprocket pattern was used.

Very nice. I'm slowly learning to appreciate bikes that are older than I am.

I don't doubt that the Herc is old. I just wonder about that SA hub. The Herc I have is mid 50's, it is the one that Pastor Bob found in the the magic dump in NH.

Aaron :)

I don't doubt that the Herc is old. I just wonder about that SA hub. The Herc I have is mid 50's, it is the one that Pastor Bob found in the the magic dump in NH.

Aaron :)

The hub is an AW-7 not an SA. The rims are a match although you can only read the ID on one of them. That one is identified as a Dunlop hoop laced to a HC branded hub. It is the rear that is rusty enough to have the branding obscured but it is identical to the front in every way except for the rust.