Just got this " Cycletruck."
10-19-16, 08:01 AM
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Just got this " Cycletruck."
I just picked up this cycletruck over the weekend . Shame it isn't a Schwinn, though. It has a " Ross " headbadge & a Chain Bike Corporation " data plate. I am not sure of the date of it & the serial number is very worn. I think I will just get it riding, & clear-coat the rusty, banged up parts. Opinions ???
10-19-16, 08:11 AM
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Any cycle truck is a rare item. Not many made, worked very hard in their lives and generally had no maintenance. The Ross is probably rarer than the Schwinn were. This my 1947 Schwinn that a previous owner (I think Schwinn store) modified to make it a better rider. Roger
10-19-16, 08:45 AM
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A couple of interesting posts by Andy Ross- Sherwood Ross' son:
https://www.bikeforums.net/1525498-post35.html
Hi, my name is Andrew Ross and I am the grandson of the founder of Ross Bicycles, Albert Ross. The company was statred in 1940 as the Ross Galvanizing Works. It was located in Brooklyn, New York near the Brooklyn Navy Yards. During WWII the company had extensive contracts with the U.S. Government to coat (galvanize) the bottom of ships. When the war ended, at the suggestion of my Dad, Sherwood (Jerry), and his brother in-law Sam Wilkens, the company switched to the manufacturing of wheeled goods including bicycles, tricycles, wheel chairs, lawn mowers and roller skates.
The company moved its manufacturing plant to Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York in the 1950's and by the late 50's solely manufacured bikes and trikes and was the 3rd largest domestic producer of bicycles after Scwinn and Huffy. The compnay moved again in the early 70's to a new facility in Allentown, PA. During the two oil crises of the 1970's (1973 & 1979) the company worked around the clock in three shifts and turned out over 1 million bicycles in each of those years.
Upon my granfather's retirement in 1969 the ownership of the company was turned over in equal shares to my Dad and his sister Teddy. In 1980 my Dad bought out his sister and remained the sole owner until the company went bankrupt in 1989. The company was unable to compete with imports from the Far East made with very cheap labor. The company tried to stay afloat by shifting it's bicycle manufacturing to leased factories in Taiwan and use the Allentown facility to fulfill government contracts that it had sucessfully bidded on. Due to my Dad's lavish lifestlye he was unable to "buckle the belt" sufficiently to save the company.
The name ROSS was purchased out of Bankruptcy Court by Rand Cycle, Farmingdale, NY. My dad worked for Rand for 5 years as a consultant as part of the name deal. Rand never sunk enough money into marketing the ROSS name and although they still own it, they are not actively pursuing ROSS sales. However, they do have about 300 ROSS, Mt. Washington mountain bikes, both mens and ladies in a warehouse in New York. I purchased a few of them last year and the're dynamite low end units. Anyone interested in purchasing any or all of this inventory can contact Rand at 800-883-7677, ask for Alan Goldmeir. I can be contacted at 888-575-4433. Just as a closing note, my Dad who was for many years the President of the Bicycle Manufacturers of America (BMA) is alive and well at 85 living in South Florida and is working part-time as the pre-eminent expert witness in bicycle product liability litigation.
https://www.bikeforums.net/1526500-post37.html
Just to set the record straight, chainbike's grandfather Samuel Wilkens was the vice president of Chain Bike Corp, he basically functioned as the Sales Manager of the company. He passed away 4 years ago, I was present at the funeral. He never was associated with Ross Bicycles Inc which the company was renamed after my Dad bought out the Wilkens family. There remains considerable bad blood between the two families who when working together were constantly squabbling about money. My Dad deeply resented the fact that his father left the company in equal parts to each of his children which gave the Wilkens family equal control over the company. My Dad (Sherwood) was the engineering genius and day to head of the company at all times. It was he who was lauded by his peers over the years and was driving force along with Eddie Schwinn in the American made bicycle scene.
https://www.bikeforums.net/1525498-post35.html
Hi, my name is Andrew Ross and I am the grandson of the founder of Ross Bicycles, Albert Ross. The company was statred in 1940 as the Ross Galvanizing Works. It was located in Brooklyn, New York near the Brooklyn Navy Yards. During WWII the company had extensive contracts with the U.S. Government to coat (galvanize) the bottom of ships. When the war ended, at the suggestion of my Dad, Sherwood (Jerry), and his brother in-law Sam Wilkens, the company switched to the manufacturing of wheeled goods including bicycles, tricycles, wheel chairs, lawn mowers and roller skates.
The company moved its manufacturing plant to Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York in the 1950's and by the late 50's solely manufacured bikes and trikes and was the 3rd largest domestic producer of bicycles after Scwinn and Huffy. The compnay moved again in the early 70's to a new facility in Allentown, PA. During the two oil crises of the 1970's (1973 & 1979) the company worked around the clock in three shifts and turned out over 1 million bicycles in each of those years.
Upon my granfather's retirement in 1969 the ownership of the company was turned over in equal shares to my Dad and his sister Teddy. In 1980 my Dad bought out his sister and remained the sole owner until the company went bankrupt in 1989. The company was unable to compete with imports from the Far East made with very cheap labor. The company tried to stay afloat by shifting it's bicycle manufacturing to leased factories in Taiwan and use the Allentown facility to fulfill government contracts that it had sucessfully bidded on. Due to my Dad's lavish lifestlye he was unable to "buckle the belt" sufficiently to save the company.
The name ROSS was purchased out of Bankruptcy Court by Rand Cycle, Farmingdale, NY. My dad worked for Rand for 5 years as a consultant as part of the name deal. Rand never sunk enough money into marketing the ROSS name and although they still own it, they are not actively pursuing ROSS sales. However, they do have about 300 ROSS, Mt. Washington mountain bikes, both mens and ladies in a warehouse in New York. I purchased a few of them last year and the're dynamite low end units. Anyone interested in purchasing any or all of this inventory can contact Rand at 800-883-7677, ask for Alan Goldmeir. I can be contacted at 888-575-4433. Just as a closing note, my Dad who was for many years the President of the Bicycle Manufacturers of America (BMA) is alive and well at 85 living in South Florida and is working part-time as the pre-eminent expert witness in bicycle product liability litigation.
https://www.bikeforums.net/1526500-post37.html
Just to set the record straight, chainbike's grandfather Samuel Wilkens was the vice president of Chain Bike Corp, he basically functioned as the Sales Manager of the company. He passed away 4 years ago, I was present at the funeral. He never was associated with Ross Bicycles Inc which the company was renamed after my Dad bought out the Wilkens family. There remains considerable bad blood between the two families who when working together were constantly squabbling about money. My Dad deeply resented the fact that his father left the company in equal parts to each of his children which gave the Wilkens family equal control over the company. My Dad (Sherwood) was the engineering genius and day to head of the company at all times. It was he who was lauded by his peers over the years and was driving force along with Eddie Schwinn in the American made bicycle scene.
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10-19-16, 09:11 AM
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I think a Ross is rarer than a Schwinn. I recently bundled a couple prewar of those(Roadnmaster and Schwinn) on a deal for a different bike:
10-20-16, 10:23 AM
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Cargo bikes or bike trucks or whatever you call them are far from rare here in NYC where we have a lot of old world traditions still going strong. Delivery by bike is just the most sensible thing for many kinds of businesses here.
We also have criers selling newspapers and handing out leaflets outdoors.
We also have criers selling newspapers and handing out leaflets outdoors.
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10-20-16, 02:30 PM
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Wayne/Dresser (gasoline pumps and dispensers) used trikes to carry parts along the assembly line up until 2001 AFAIK. They could handle heavy loads in tight spaces very well.
10-20-16, 03:22 PM
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In that condition, I wouldn't hope for too much. Maybe break even after the price of parts? Hard to say on the oddballs that don't really have a known market. Pretty rusty front wheel; is it even salvageable?
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
10-20-16, 03:47 PM
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Butcher Bikes too.
Butchers & Bicycles
And some bikes in Mexico haul a lot too; I forget what those are called, I think we talked about this about 18 months ago.
But certainly, nothing new to the Americas.
Butchers & Bicycles
And some bikes in Mexico haul a lot too; I forget what those are called, I think we talked about this about 18 months ago.
But certainly, nothing new to the Americas.
10-20-16, 03:49 PM
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If you ask how much it might be, this should be moved possibly to appraisals, this is not the area for that.
BTW, the Mexican Cargo bikes, now I forget the specific name and there is some company in Arizona or California that sells them.
BTW, the Mexican Cargo bikes, now I forget the specific name and there is some company in Arizona or California that sells them.
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