Age of this J.C. Higgins?
 

I am working on this as a "Homework Bike" for the Silicon Valley Bike Exchange. I am curious as to how old it might be......


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dbfcc1f92f.jpg

It has crimped seat stays but they are nicely pinstriped

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a7b426110b.jpg

Elegant pinstriping on the top tube as well

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...99841612a0.jpg


Derailleurs are Campagnolo, rear is a Gran Sport

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b2d5676bc1.jpg

Brakes may help date the bike - they are Weinmann but not a pattern I have seen before.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a4971b35a8.jpg

Crankset is close ratio - nice paint fill in the relief.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b4a3d67514.jpg

The rear wheel is a replacement with an Asian hub and steel rim but I suspect the front to be original. Weinmann alloy rim with a Normandy hub that has round holes, another thing I've never seen before.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5fc69556a.jpg


Your thoughts and observations on this bike are most welcome!

Please forgive this total guess but I'm going to say the late 1950's. J.C. Higgins was a brand sold by Sears Roebuck back then they had real marketing clout. Lots of guns were sold under the J.C. Higgins brand among other things.

I think late 50's sounds good. Very nice bike...I'd love to know what hubs and rims. Maybe BH Racelites, alloy Dunlops? Love the infilled fluting on the cranks. Sweet.

Edit, ah now I see the Atom hub and Weinmann Alessa rim. Still love it.

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cycle is the same as the Puch Bergmeister model

could be anywhere from the late 1950's to the mid-1960's

details for the Campag Gran Sport rear mech can be a helpful dating aid
this product enjoyed a relatively long production life beginning in 1952
you can see the differing generations at VB and compare to the example on the cycle

one thing to be aware of when you work on these Steyr/Puch cycles is that they have a unique dimension steerer of 26.0mm OD, so the headsets are special

fabulous restoration done on an example from 1967 by a forum member in this thread -

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...pic-heavy.html


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:thumb:

yes, front wheel is OEM


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Don't forget to replace that cotterpin! ;)

I’d guess right around 1960 having seen a few Raleigh products from that era with very similar characteristics.

Yup. I don't have a proper cotter press at home so I used the one at the shop to loosen the cotters before bringing it here.

I have one of the Burgmeister machines and that JC follows along with several of the same components. Late 50’s is a good guess.

Another bike I can’t wait to get back to restoring after My hiatus.

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wrt narrowing date -

back S&R catalogues are archived online

you could check to see the listing for this model which most closely resembles the example

IIRC there were some small variations in transfers and other details through time

the Normandy Sport hubs with the round holes in the flanges ended ~1967

the design of Weinmann centrepull brake caliper seen on the cycle ended ~1963

the S&R item code for the cycle will begin with the 503 prefix; this indicates an item sourced from Styria

a great many S&R bicycles were provided by Murray; the code for them is 502

the actual serial, not the number beginning with 503, may also prove of help to narrow the cycle's date


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Thank you all for your help. Well, not sure I should thank [MENTION=333224]juvela[/MENTION] for the suggestion of looking in archived Sears catalogs - that is a veritable black hole of nostalgia and I lost several hours in there looking back at my childhood!

Unfortunately the serial number on the bottom bracket is not adequately imprinted - There are six, perhaps seven digits, of which only the last five are legible:
??32861

The old threads I was referred to were useful, the seat tube graphics on this bike are nearly identical to those on the 1962 J.C. Higgins in the thread from 2014. The color fill in the reliefs of the head tube lugs is different so the bikes aren't identical but still very similar so the age may be 1962 +/- a year or two.

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good to read catalogues of some help and of "memory lane" enjoyment

note on numbers marked into frame -

a) there should be a big long one beginning with 503. this has the appearance of being machine struck and the characters are very even and uniformly spaced. this is the item number from S&R and is not the serial. you might wish to advise the machine's new owner, when it is sold, not to permit a licensing agency to record this number. there are thousands of bicycles exhibiting it so it can make for record keeping confusion and false identifications.

b) the actual serial is less evenly struck and shows fewer characters

the tentative dating you have made sounds about right to me (FWIW :rolleyes:)


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According to Wikipedia the J.C. Higgins brand was last marketed by Sears in 1962 so this frame would have to be equal to or earlier than that.

Ifn I was you, this would not return to the co-op, mine, mine, all mine regardless of fit or any else, very cool, all original, mine. ;)

There are a couple of entries on "Old Ten Speed Gallery" that peg this one around 1964:

Peter T?s 1964ish J.C. Higgins 10-Speed | Old Ten Speed Gallery
Harv?s 1964ish J.C. Higgins 10-Speed | Old Ten Speed Gallery

I had this bike's cousin, a 1972 Puch Bergmeister, that my neighbor bought brand new and had placed on his junk pile after years of neglect. I rode it for a couple of years and loved it. A little heavy, but it had a luxurious ride.

Remember when almost everybody had a junk pile behind their garage or workshop? You could tell a lot about someone by what was on their junk pile. Some people brought home stuff from their junk pile at work. Now that was cool.

Man that 42 inch wheelbase just makes one smooth ride! Working on a Puch I just got today and soon will get back to gathering parts for my Burgmeister as well.

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...can see it now...

soon we shall be commencing a Bergie fan club :D

owners will be comparing small details between their respective examples


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The wheelbase, plus 27” wheels, plus 1 1/4” wide tires, and with no toe overlap.

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​​​​​​https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik...355670983.html


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I am slightly biased toward Austrian bikes (see signature), but I am very disappointed by the chainstay - dropout junction on what is otherwise a great-looking machine. Definitely circa 1960, contemporary of all 3 of my Capos, which are from Vienna instead of Graz.

I’ll be in. Some Campy cable stops and replacement rims and I’m blue!

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and then there shall needs be a separate subset for members who own Puch badged Bergies

the two camps are sure to have lively "discussions" (:D) as to whether the S&R version or the Puch version be the superior mount

all in the best traditions of BF :lol:

group buys for 26.0mm headsets will be coming next...


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I almost purchased an identical one a couple years ago as a wall hanger since it was too small. It was in excellent condition and was advertised for $50. It was such a cool looking bike.