Angidoc

Scored this Kent bike. The top bar is removable to convert it to a girls bike. The head tube says "Made in Hungary". It appears to be all original, may be missing horn or light in front fender. Looking for any information on it at all. THANKS

Angidoc

Scored this Kent bike. The top bar is removable to convert it to a girls bike. The head tube says "Made in Hungary". It appears to be all original, may be missing horn or light in front fender. Looking for any information on it at all. THANKS

T-Mar

Kent is a USA based marketing brand that goes back to the late 1950s. The bicycles were generally entry level models sold through chain and department stores. Various sources were used over the years. Based on Hungary being the country of origin, it was probably manufactured by the Csepel factory, which contract manufactured many private label brands. It's hard to tell much from that picture but it appears to be a late 1960s to early 1970s convertible hi-riser model. If it is from Csepel, I should be able to determine the exact year from the serial number.

AlexCyclistRoch

More likely a mid-90's retro-reproduction. That fork bridge looks like a cheap sheetmetal cover, made to LOOK old. Back when Hungary was communist (pre-1990), we had very little trade with them, certainly no commie-built bike would be sold in the US during that period. Probably worth $75-100 if in good working condition. Probably sold new for less than $200. Probably weighs a ton, too.

juvela

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with respect to Csepel -

the forum had one two years ago:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...on-please.html

There is a chart posted in this thread which may permit you to get a date from the cycle's serial number.

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exxongraftek

There isn't enough "brand-capital" in the Kent brand for anyone to make money off it in "retro-reproductions" I'm afraid.

And we did do business with Hungary in those days, it was one of the few "Commie" markets open to the West!

AlexCyclistRoch

Somebody could've bought the brand rights cheaply, or if the brand has been abandoned, they could've used it for free. The few components I could see on this rather poor pic LOOKS like a cheap retro-look bike of the many, many types that were sold in discount stores in the 1990's, the majority of which came from China. The chrome is also TOO perfect, as is the paint.

Angidoc

Thanks for the info. I am having issues uploading a few more pics, I will keep trying. I am out of town for a week, so I get the serial number when I am back in town. I did buy a 1984 Schwinn Fair Lady in pristine condition from the same estate, so I am hoping it is from the same era.
Thanks again for the help

Angidoc

It does have a cotter pin crank, when did those go out of style? I remember pulling those pins out of old Raleigh's in the late 70's early 80's..I don't think they were ever in style!!!

AlexCyclistRoch

Chances are that bike manufacturers behind the iron curtain were still using them when the wall came down. East Germany was still making Trabants, and some of the trains within the country were still using steam locomotives. Back in 1979, my train to Berlin was pulled by a steam loco from the W. German border on the inbound, and horses were still being used in East Berlin for delivery wagons!

Angidoc

The serial number is O55047 From another post the inital "O" would make it a 1975... Let me know what you think when you get a chance. Thanks you very much

juvela

Angidoc,

Thank you for the additional information and photo. This second photo is of too small a format for readers to be able to make much comment.

If you are able to upload any additional images please try for a larger format.

Thank you.

T-Mar

I don't think that is the complete serial number. It may just be the base, sequential manufacture number. On the Csepel product I've seen, there's a two letter prefix indicating the product type and year. The 20" children bicycles typically have a prefix that starts with "H". I recently identified another Csepel 20"convertible bicycle that had the serial number prefix stamped at a right angle to the base number.

Angidoc

Yup..another look gives me a HI and then the number. It is at a right angle to the number. What I thought was an O must really be a zero.

T-Mar

Yes, that's the right format. The serial number would be HI 055047, This indicates a children's model with 20" wheels, built by Csepel of Hungary in 1971. This fits well with my original assessment im post #3. We know it's not newer because circa 1990 Csepel changed their format, using the 2nd letter as a month indicator and at that time they dropped the use of the "I".