Mos6502

So today I bought a couple of bikes, I stopped by a guy's house he said to look through his bikes and to take what I wanted and leave some money on his porch. It was dark so couldn't see very well and I just grabbed a Raleigh Sports (women's) because I figure you can rarely go wrong with a Raliegh (not for $20 you can't) and this Columbia 5 speed - because well, I've always wanted a columbia 5 speed.

So when I get home and have chance to look at the bicycles, the Columbia seems kind of odd compared to any of the 5 speeds I had ever seen. The serial number is N008933, which indicates 1963? - so it's the oldest Columbia 5 speed I've seen, it has an all metal Simplex deraileur, and the five speeds ratios are surprisingly close. The chainguard seems like it doesn't belong (it looks like it was meant for a children's bike because it doesn't reach all the way back to the seat stays - unlike the 70's columbias I'm familiar with) It also has an english style handlebar stem instead of an American style one - and maybe it's just me, but the pedal cranks seem longer than normal - haven't measure them, but my knees seem to come up far higher than they should with the seat height adjusted correctly.
Tire seem to be original, Kelly Springfields, 26x1.375 (is that size still available? - it looks like a 26x1 3/8" tire) and uncracked with plenty of tread still to spare. The rear wheel is way out of true, and the shift lever is missing, so if anybody has a Simplex shifter they could part with...
As intrigued as I am by this bike (finding any deraileur bike from the early sixties always seems cool, even if it is an American utility bike) it's kind of ratty so I was going to use it for commuting.
So has anybody seen a "Pacer Sport V" before? Know when they started making them? Is it desirable at all?

Thanks in advance.

redneckwes

Any Chance we could get pictures??

I'm a Columbia fan. '77 roadster and a 70's Tourist 3spd.

Mos6502

Okay, I took some pictures. Seems to be "Sports Pacer", not the other way around.

simplex derailleur... note how close the ratios on those gears are... and how tiny the dork disc is...

Shift lever is missing. Does anybody have one?

Another thing I noted when taking these pictures, the brakes are weinmann alloy sidepulls.

Mos6502

No ideas? Does anybody have any 1960's columbia sales literature that might list this model?

It also has this cool decal with a highwheel bicycle on it:

Pompiere

https://www.bikecult.com/works/wheelsizes.html

According to this website, the 26x1.375 has a 599mm bead, versus the 597mm for 26x1 3/8. You could probably get a 597mm tire to fit, but if the tires are in good shape, I would keep what you have. For some reason, blackwall tires seem to last a lot longer before cracking. With gumwalls your'e lucky to get 4-5 years.

edit: Sorry, 597mm is the Schwinn size, 590mm is the more common British 26x1 3/8. Schwinn tires are not common, but can be found.

divineAndbright

Quite an interesting find, I'd guess its early to mid 60s also by the rack on the front. Don't really have much else to say, but hey..!

Oh, the chainguard doesnt seem unusual to me, although maybe thats because im Canadian and its the norm like that, when I see full sized chainguards that go all the way to the seat stays I say "Now thats weird!"

Looking at old photos of old american ballooners and middleweights though the chainguards are usually shorter like so, to.

Mos6502

Well I suppose I'll clean up the chrome and see if I can find a simplex shift lever for it. Looks like it's keeper to me, it's a pretty smooth ride but being stuck in high gear it's mostly useless - looks cool, I've got to shine up all the acres of chrome on this thing.

EDIT: I found a simplex shifter, wrong vintage but it works fine.