Bikerbyday

I recently acquired 2 old Sears Robuck & CO Free Spirit Ted Williams Bike (his and hers).

I have looked around on the internet trying to find some info on these and have not had much luck.

Anyone have some links to websites to find old bike info. I'm trying to find out how old they are and I would like to rehab them so I also need to find some parts

alanbikehouston

My vague recollection is that Sears used those tradenames on many different bikes over a period of decades. During the 60's and 70's, some were imported from Europe. In the 80's, from Asia. To get parts for one particular bike, your LBS would need to examine the bike closely. I put tires on a Free Spirit 3-speed that were impossible to get off. Turned out the rims were a old europeon type that were about 1/8th inch larger than the rims on Schwinn or English 3-speeds of that era.

jemoryl

This is what I can recall from working in a shop during the '70s. Some of the FS Ted Williams bikes were very poor quality - US made frames from the likes of Huffy or Columbia (the bike maker, not the country), one-piece iron (Asthabula?) cranks, low level Shimano gear, etc. Typical dept. store bikes from that time. There were some other Sears bikes of a somewhat higher level made in Austria (maybe Puch?) but I don't recall these being labeled Ted Williams. Most of these were classic 3-speeds or similar. Maybe you could post a picture?

virx

I have a Blue 10 speed Sears Roebuck "Ted Williams Brand" made in Austria made around 1969 - 1970. The picture is the label.

robin-d

Hi..

there is a beautiful pair of these being listed on my local craigslist (https://lascruces.en.craigslist.org/bik/1853492524.html)... I was curious if you guys thought I should jump on this?

-robin

USAZorro

If you're looking for them to use, and you're satisfied with them for the type of riding you are going to be doing, and they fit, go ahead.

sykerocker 

Sears, Ted Williams and Free Spirit bikes were all over the map when it came to price and quality. As previously mentioned, the cheapest models were welded gaspipe frames, one-piece Ashtabula cranks, and most likely Shimano Eagle derailleurs (which were the cheapest you could get in the first half of the '70's). Quality wise, they were the on the high end of department store cheapies - the stuff that came through the bike shop always reminded me of Huffy bikes made on a good day. I believe a Sears cheapie cost a couple of dollars more than a Huffy, and the Sears name did have a quality reputation at that time.

Once you get into lugged frames and three-piece cranks you're most likely talking Puch's, although I think some other European manufacturers also made them. I think Sears, Roebuck & Co. put out specs to various manufacturers and entertained bids for the following year's production. The frames on these bikes were about the equal of a UO-8, Grand Sport Deluxe or Roger Riviere, although it always seemed the paint was a bit cheaper. Where they usually fell down was the components weren't quite as good as the French bikes. They usually used German hubs, cranks, etc., which weren't quite as nice as the French components.

Then there were the Reynolds 531 Ted Williams bikes. Hardly a Paramount, but then they didn't cost much considering you got a 531 frame.

As to the names: For years, Sears had a contract with Ted Williams for it's top of the line sporting goods: Bicycles, shotguns, badminton sets and Lord knows what else. Once the contract ran out, they started using Free Spirit on the bicycles, and I think some other stuff - at this time they quit dealing in lugged bikes, and I don't think I've ever seen a Free Spirit frame that wasn't an American made cheapie.

sykerocker 

From what I can see of details (admittedly, not much, those pics ain't great) you're looking at a combination of a welded lugless frame but a three-piece cottered crank. Can't really see the derailleurs, but the dork disc on the men's is the typical Shimano one that came with an Eagle setup. Guessing on that, I'm going to say mid line bikes if the lugged frame jobs were still being made at the time, or top of the line bikes if they weren't. Having the Ted Williams name means they weren't the $69.95 cheapies. By the way, I'm guessing 27" tyres - Sears tended to go with them at prices that the competition still used 26".

Like USAZorro said, if they fit, and they're good enough for what you want to use them for, why not? I think the price is a little high, but if they're actually as mint as the pics make them appear, they might not be a bad buy.

SirMike1983 

The Austrian Sears/Williams are in all likelihood Puch bicycles. They're decent utilitarian bikes and are pretty sturdy. The heavier Ashtabula stuff is likely lower-end American stuff made by Huffy and others.

The Sears house brand was sold under the name "JC Higgins" prior to the use of the Williams name, so if you see that, then it's a Sears house brand too. For the cruiser type bikes, the older the better with Sears. During the late 1950s the Higgins label actually had some decent equipment: F+S coaster brakes, detailed and striped fenders etc. But as time went on things went downhill.

Taxi Rob

I just came across what I believe to be one of the Puchs mentioned above; it has the Ted Williams headbadge but also labeled "free spirit" on the top tube. This frameset features a small BB shell for either cottered or tapered cranks, and a dérailleur hanger on the rear dropout (!). I have never seen a Sears bike from that era with such high tech features, haha, thinking about building it up with an older brifter setup for something really unique, since it also has a clamp on cable stop where downtube shifters would mount... Whaddya think, worth $65 for a 6lb steel frame?

wrk101

No. But if you just want to have some fun with it, go for it.

dbakl

Pretty much throughout the 60s and early 70s. Ted Williams was a member of Sears Sporting Goods Advisory board which included Edmund Hilary. I'm not sure how much influence they had on Sears sporting goods, but Ted Williams was certainly more knowledgeble about baseball, hunting and fishing than bicycles. I have a couple of the 531 Sears frames; ok but no Colnago or even Raleigh. Most were pretty much what you might expect from a department store.

Leroysue

Wow Iactually just acquired two, man's,woman's, Austrian made,Ted Williams Free Spirit,Sears and Roebuck however on the back wheel is a device that powers up the safety lights? Does that sound correct?They are in great shape been hanging in a garage for years ,years, not a exaggeration .YEARS, plus a childs AMR Roadmaster two wheeler,VINTAGE

cb400bill

Leroysue, welcome to the forum!

Please post up some pics of your bikes. We like pics!

dbakl

Probably the best place to get dates/info are old Sears catalogs! Probably the earliest one, 60s:

Leroysue

We added [pictures ,not very good ones ,I 'm sure these are the best ones from Austria, well it say's made in.Also it has as mentioned a little pedal-charged light system, kinda cool huh?You can see the little pedal charger on the back wheel

Picchio Special

I've mentioned before here that someone in the building my folks live in at their retirement community has a super clean on sitting in the downstairs indoor garage that I'd love to own. It's the 531 frame, and has Campagnolo derailleurs (Gran Sport) and maybe a stronglight crankset. The owner has it setup with a rectangular handlebar bag with a map cover. It looks just "right" for tooling around Lancaster County. Maybe some day ...

Wonser

I am new to this forum, I have a 10 speed Ted Williamson bike, put out by sears Roebuck, with serial number 517 473120 and trying to find out what year it was made, it's in good shape, it has a schwinn approved (label) on seat, it is a girls bike and has free spirit stickers on body, also states on front of bike that made in France.

Wonser

Thanks for any help.

zandoval 

This is one of my family's favourite bikes - They call it the sleeper cause its light weight and fast - I came a hair breaths away from tossing this frame and then noted how light and well built it was - Here's a pic of my FrankenTed...



Here's a link to some GettoCals I made for it...

See Post #78 https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...light=gettocal

juvela

one thing to keep in mind when servicing a Steyr (Puch) built Sears bike is that they use a 26.0 mm steerer so the headset parts are unique.

Wonser

How much do you think I should sell it for if I want to get rid of it for. Also I noticed the label is different then zandoval label is mine has a V in front of Ted Williamson. Here are some pics.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xhdq5dalff...719_091344.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0y3eg0q1bb...%20%281%29.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0vp4e8vv8r...%2031%20PM.jpg

These were taken prior to a wash. Found in my grandfathers shop.

oddjob2

Your question belongs in appraisals, not in this forum.

Wonser

Ok, maybe the question of how much, might. But I am not saying I'm selling it, just curious. I also want to find out about it. That is why I posted the serial number, cause I don't Evan know when it was made. I read somewhere you can tell by serial number. I was told by someone this is one of the bike that was offered when sears first ever offered a bike that was mass produced, and the it was a schwinn, how much truth to that I'm not sure.

wrk101

$10. Bottom of the line womens drop bar dept store bike in needs quite a bit of work condition. Basically has everything going against it value wise.

Basically, everything you were told was wrong.

Sears does now sell the Chinese Schwinn knockoffs (Schwinn went bankrupt in 1995).