Help! Identify this little guy
08-17-18 | 04:55 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 15,369
Likes: 4,391
From: Alta California
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Blades the recipient of "customisation."
Adult saddle could not have been original.
Chainwheel pattern might possibly give readers a clue to at least country of origin.
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Blades the recipient of "customisation."
Adult saddle could not have been original.
Chainwheel pattern might possibly give readers a clue to at least country of origin.
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Last edited by juvela; 08-17-18 at 04:56 PM. Reason: spellin'
08-17-18 | 06:16 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 121
Likes: 17
From: Left Coast, U.S. of A.
Looks to me like it has been fabricated from a full size mixte frame and a few other bits and pieces by some enterprising metal worker who wanted a first bike for his kid. Chain guard has been cut down, crank arms have been shortened and rewelded at the ends. Someone did a workmanlike job I'd say.
Last edited by Unapomer; 08-17-18 at 06:59 PM.
08-17-18 | 07:12 PM
#5
I AM AI
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,287
Likes: 1,168
From: Tucson, AZ
Bikes: 2008 S-Works Roubaix SL, 1979 Raleigh Comp GS, 1978 Schwinn Volare
Can't decide if it's a kid bike or a clown bike...
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
08-17-18 | 09:39 PM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,140
Likes: 2
From: Portland,Or
08-18-18 | 12:31 AM
#14
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
How do you know the wheels are not original?
How does the front brake work, if at all?
Is there a rear brake, hub brake, freewheel, or fixed gear?
I don't see any of the signs of "customization" mentioned by other viewers; neither to the fork blades, the chain guard, nor the crank arms. The brake lever on the handlebar looks like it should work with a rod brake, and there appear to be hooks on the fork to hold the brake stirrup (better photos, please?). The rims are Westwood pattern, that would suit the rod brake.
The integrated headset style --headset cups resting in the bulged head lugs-- went out of fashion ca 1950, so it's at least that old.
The aluminum caliper brake does not belong.
I would check the bottom bracket threading, headset threading, tube diameters, cotter pin size, etc; anything that can be measured. I suspect it will all be English, like the wheels.
How does the front brake work, if at all?
Is there a rear brake, hub brake, freewheel, or fixed gear?
I don't see any of the signs of "customization" mentioned by other viewers; neither to the fork blades, the chain guard, nor the crank arms. The brake lever on the handlebar looks like it should work with a rod brake, and there appear to be hooks on the fork to hold the brake stirrup (better photos, please?). The rims are Westwood pattern, that would suit the rod brake.
The integrated headset style --headset cups resting in the bulged head lugs-- went out of fashion ca 1950, so it's at least that old.
The aluminum caliper brake does not belong.
I would check the bottom bracket threading, headset threading, tube diameters, cotter pin size, etc; anything that can be measured. I suspect it will all be English, like the wheels.
Last edited by rhm; 08-18-18 at 12:41 AM.
08-18-18 | 07:59 AM
#16
Bikes are okay, I guess.
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 8,006
Likes: 3,777
From: Richmond, Virginia
Bikes: Waterford Paramount Touring, Raleigh Sports 3-speeds in M23 & L23, Schwinn Cimarron oddball build, Marin Palisades Trail dropbar conversion, Nishiki Cresta GT, Jeunet mixte
The thing looks OEM to me.
08-18-18 | 08:49 AM
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,212
Likes: 3,122
You certainly wouldn't be able to fit those rims/tyres into a standard frame. They would be too wide. They look like they're about 3" wide. The only time I can recall seeing tyres like that on a bicycle, was an early 1970s Sekine Boonbike-GT, which was the bicycle equivalent of the motorized mini-bikes that were popular at the time.
08-18-18 | 08:53 AM
#18
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 34
Likes: 5
@rhm, Thank you for taking the time to respond!
I only assumed the wheels/ tires were not original.
The front brake does not work in this configuration, I did have it working fine with the other handlebars and lever. Rear hub is a free wheeler. The forks do have tabs for another kind of brake but I do not have any of those parts.
I only assumed the wheels/ tires were not original.
The front brake does not work in this configuration, I did have it working fine with the other handlebars and lever. Rear hub is a free wheeler. The forks do have tabs for another kind of brake but I do not have any of those parts.
08-18-18 | 03:54 PM
#19
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Ok! I really don't know what your bike is, but I can tell you a couple things. The main missing part of the front brake is a stirrup, something like this:
https://m.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-BIKE-BRAKE-FRONT-STIRRUP-ROLLER-LEVER-ROD-BRAKE-ROADSTER-BIKES-COMPLETE/183373438444?hash=item2ab1e89dec:g:GycAAMXQVT9TAz7E
I don't know whether that will fit your bike or not, and I don't know what parts you'll need to connect that to the existing lever. These brakes are primitive and setting them up is not rocket science.
The whole system is called a "rod brake." This is obsolete technology, with good reason.
Can you find any writing on the bike? "British made" or anything like that? I can see the tires are English and this leads me to suspect the whole thing is English. If so, you may hit pay dirt in old catalogs-- Raleigh, Hercules, Phillips, also Armstrong, Norman, I don't know what else. Don't expect to find an exact match, but if you find a similar bike made by any English manufacturer, then you can safely assume it's English.
Just out of curiosity...: Why? What's your goal here? Want to restore it? No matter what it is --even if it's exceedingly rare (which is not that unlikely)-- the resale market for things like this is not good. I don't want to dissuade you from whatever it is you have in mind, but I'm curious what that is (and why).
https://m.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-BIKE-BRAKE-FRONT-STIRRUP-ROLLER-LEVER-ROD-BRAKE-ROADSTER-BIKES-COMPLETE/183373438444?hash=item2ab1e89dec:g:GycAAMXQVT9TAz7E
I don't know whether that will fit your bike or not, and I don't know what parts you'll need to connect that to the existing lever. These brakes are primitive and setting them up is not rocket science.
The whole system is called a "rod brake." This is obsolete technology, with good reason.
Can you find any writing on the bike? "British made" or anything like that? I can see the tires are English and this leads me to suspect the whole thing is English. If so, you may hit pay dirt in old catalogs-- Raleigh, Hercules, Phillips, also Armstrong, Norman, I don't know what else. Don't expect to find an exact match, but if you find a similar bike made by any English manufacturer, then you can safely assume it's English.
Just out of curiosity...: Why? What's your goal here? Want to restore it? No matter what it is --even if it's exceedingly rare (which is not that unlikely)-- the resale market for things like this is not good. I don't want to dissuade you from whatever it is you have in mind, but I'm curious what that is (and why).
08-18-18 | 08:49 PM
#20
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 34
Likes: 5
@rhn, I appreciate all the education on vintage European brakes! That’s exactly why I joined this site, I have learned more in the last two days on here! I’m not too worried about the brake as the bike will be for display only. To answer your question... why? Dang, I don’t know? I have been collecting bicycles since 1983 and have gone from post war balloon tire to prewar Schwinn’s and early Stingrays to vintage BMX but I also like the unusual small bikes.
