Me got ESP

Hi! I´m from Estonia (if You know this country) and my english is very poor. I found this Swift story and I try to tell/ask something too. In Estonia before WW II were selling a lot of german and swedish bicycles but some english ones too. The Swift bikes too. There were Swift bicycles in Russia before WW I also, I have a catalog of John Block´s supermarket in Russia from 1893 where the Swift bikes are shown.

But I have one not in good condition and in poor completeness of set lady´s Swift bike. No wheels, brakes, saddle and so on.. Ihave some pictures and I can take more. I havn`t read this full thread yet (it takes a lot of time with my bad english ) but I am interested to get info about my Swift. I´m afraid I don´t find wheels and other missing parts from Estonia and before I found this thread I tought to let it be in peace....But it is a beautiful thing with some interesting details.
I´ll try to put some picture links lather, maybe somebody is interested.

priitkasikov, we would LOVE to see photos and read your story! Please feel free to post whatever information you have, don't worry about your English (I'm not having any difficulty understanding you at all), and most importantly, we are always happy to see someone with an interest in vintage and classic bicycles .

So, Welcome to Bike Forums!

East Hill

I second everything East Hill says above!!
Welcome, and let us see some pictures of your machine.

I'm currently researching Swift bicycles and have just joined the Swift Club, here in UK, hoping for more help and information there. It's a slow process!

I do know the Swift Club has 200 machines on it's register world wide.
Many in the old British Colonies but I didn't know they were also in Russia and the Baltic States!
Very interesting, but they were obviously a big, big company at the time.

Thanks, Viscount and East Hill !
Yes, I know about The Swift Club and the "some 200" bikes in the register , I found it before I found This forum here. But I saw that it`s not so easy to get contact with them.
So, some pictures
https://img519.imageshack.us/img519/1183/pr001uk2.jpg
https://img477.imageshack.us/img477/2686/pr002ev1.jpg
https://img514.imageshack.us/img514/2208/pr004ok8.jpg

Interesting detail I haven`t seen before
https://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6747/pr003di6.jpg
https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/9017/pr005cf8.jpg
only something is missing, not complete.
These pictures Were in Estonian forum for identification, I can do some more but ....
Swift`s production were selling in Estonia 1925-37 (??? if the company finished in 1931).
My bike`s nr. is E7921, little one? Maybe E means Estonia , Export or smth? 7921 swift`s bikes are too many for Estonia.

Thank you, priitkasikov . Viscount will be pleased to see the photos. By the way, I could not view the last one, for some reason.

East Hill

I fixed the link to the last photo, try it again

marty

Thanks!

East Hill

Thanks for your pictures!
I also find it not so easy to get in contact with the Swift Club!!
But they have my subscription and I expect news shortly.
I believe the site/club is run by volunteers, so patience is required.

Your bicycle pre-dates mine because it has the front forks with the indentation along them.
This is an important distinction with Swifts, I have learned.
Do not know when the change occurred though.

Also your chain-wheel seems to have a heavier/thicker construction to mine.
Same logo/pattern though.
I will ask the curator at the Coventry Transport Museum tomorrow for more information
re your pics. Have you tried to contact them?

https://www.transport-museum.com/swiftcentre/index.aspx

If you email them address your message to lesley.robertson@transport-museum.co.uk
She is the bicycle curator and very helpful.
She will be very interested to see your pictures.

Priitkasikov.
I have emailed the Coventry Transport Museum with links to your pictures.
I don't know enough to help you very much with your machine because it is obviously older than mine, but if the Museum can't help you I will be very surprised.

When I get my Swift Club membership sorted I will have some sort of access to all the other Swift owners.
And things should start moving then.
I would think/expect spares to be available within the community.
I know for sure that some Swift decals are available, for a price!

Does your have a head-badge?
Mine has a decal only.

Some more pictures, but there are not verymanymuch of bike!

No, I haven`t tried to contact with the Museum.
No head-badge, no decal too


https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_001.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_002.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_003.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_004.jpg
<https://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5928/pr004bm3.jpg>
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_005.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_006.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_007.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_008.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_009.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_010.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_011.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_012.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_013.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_014.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_015.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_016.jpg
https://a.imagehost.org/0069/PR_017.jpg

Sorry, the first picture is from an other opera. Badge from "Estonian" Brennabor.

I`ll try to put some pictures of the supermarkets catalogue from 1893 with Swifts bikes.

Good pictures!
First thing: To me the forks of yours look as if they are pushed back.
Second: Don't worry about that!! It is still a very interesting machine.

I'm still waiting for information from those who know more than I do!
While we wait have you got any other interesting machines?

The 1890s Russian catalogue/adverts will be very interesting!!
Don't give up, we will find everything in time.
Trust me
Swifts are rare here, but there are people who know.
Time will tell.
The real, knowledgeable enthusiasts will tell us eventually most of what we don't know now.

Yes, and that means that people will be able to come here and find out more, and add to the stockpile of knowledge.

You have brought new knowledge here just by telling us that you have a Swift in your possession--in Estonia!

Who knew?

East Hill

Wow, I love C&V. What an awesome thread.

Priitkasikov, what's the little thing on the head tube? Is it for attaching a lantern?

https://a.imagehost.org/download/0072...3007-0001.tiff
https://a.imagehost.org/download/0072...3029-0001.tiff
https://a.imagehost.org/download/0072...3050-0001.tiff
https://a.imagehost.org/download/0072...3113-0001.tiff
https://a.imagehost.org/download/0072...3521-0001.tiff
https://a.imagehost.org/download/0072...121-0001j.tiff

Great stuff, priitkasikov! One of those bikes looks like a mixte, even.

Can you translate any of that for us?

East Hill

Priitkasikov that above is brilliant
All new to me but it's fascinating stuff.
Russian translators needed but I bet there are able people willing to fix/help with that one!!
Is one of them the Swift In Moscow??

I've still got no reply from the Coventry Transport Museum but I'm sure the bicycle curator is on holiday,
because I would have a reply by now if she wasn't.
I will call them tomorrow and get an answer.

Stick with us please and we will all be wiser soon.

I thought it might be a mounting for a steering lock.
As with certain Raleigh/Rudges.

I`ll try to write some tomorrow if I `ll get more free time. My Russian is better than English, maybe I try to translate something too.

You English is very good, don't worry. (And far, far better than my Russian!!)
We can all understand you perfectly
I just realised the bikes you posted last night are Swifts because of the characteristic arrow.
I was slow there!

I have already sent the links to the Coventry Transport Museum.
I'm sure they will be interested to see them.
Got an email from them this morning, but no progress on my Swift ID yet.
I know it is definitely one of the last made.

I may spend the Christmas holiday in Coventry and will take my Swift if I do. (By train)
And then I'll be able to visit the museum and look at their archives.

Okey, some translation about the list where Swift`s roadway`s Nr. 1 are.

J. Block`s supermarket
Swift`s highway`s (roadway`s) Nr 1
With Bartlet`s pneumatic tyres "Klencher?" Produced specially for russian roadways. The most durable of all existing bikes.
Short discription : 2 wheels 30". The movement on balles in all joints, besides head?* (steeringthing) and pedals. Arabian (saddle) spring without special price. Updated frame. Adequately strong abdominal band brake. Updated bearings. Moveable first forks fastenings???. Finish adequately brilliant (or smthg like..), easy running and noticeably durable than other roadway`s bikes.
- Price 300 roubles- include bag, wrenchis, pump? and oiler.
=When ordering, please tell the rider`s weight for choosing (saddle) spring according to weight.
*The new head noticeable makes more easy to ride without hands.
Moscow, St. Peterburg, Odessa,.....
On left: Such Swifts" have obtained from us The Imperior Heigt Greatprince(..duke) Mihail Aleksandrovich and the Prince of Oldenburg.
On right: 542 3/4 versts ( 1 verst = 1,067 km) M. Golbein covered in one day with roadway`s Swift with pneumatic tyres, with weight 50 pounds ???

The other Swift roadway`s Nr 1 on right site costs as You see 250 roubles and has variants with pneumatic or massiv tyres 1 1/4".
On te top : Besidesmajority of regiments more than 600 officers obtained our bikes. On bouth sides are also the names of Imperor`s relatives who had obtained this model.

To Role-Monroe-Co - the little thing on the head tube, as Viscount said, seems to be somekind steering lock, but something looks missing there. Haven`t seen before, it helps to make this bike interesting for me
Any other interesting machines? As I wrote, we have more german and swedish bikes from 1930-s, I mean before WW II (1940), from 1920 and older we have more less machines. After WW II we got german reparation bikes (Diamant mainly), then latvian (Riga) and after from Ukrain (Lvov/Lviv) and Belarussia (Minsk) and some russians too.

Most of my old bikes Ihave saved from a local firm deals with secondary metal. Some time ago people throw away old bikes and now they are gone mostly.
From UK Ihave only 2 man`s Royal Enfield frames and some other details, from 1930-s. I have more complete Dürkopp 1935, Husqvarna 1936, Opel 1928? ....
In Estonia we have man who has more 100 hundred old bikes, some of them in good condition (for example The King Alfred, sporties 1922) and some restored and some not so big enthusiasts, I don`t belong there, I haven`t no one restored and in good order bike.
Maybe there are some Swifts in Estonia more, I don`t know.
I`ll try to put one bike for identification from estonian Auto-moto forum, probably from UK, a new thread.

To Role-Monroe-Co - the little thing on the head tube, as Viscount said, seems to be somekind steering lock, but something looks missing there. Haven`t seen before, it helps to make this bike interesting for me
Any other interesting machines? As I wrote, we have more german and swedish bikes from 1930-s, I mean before WW II (1940), from 1920 and older we have more less machines. After WW II we got german reparation bikes (Diamant mainly), then latvian (Riga) and after from Ukrain (Lvov/Lviv) and Belarussia (Minsk) and some russians too.

Most of my old bikes Ihave saved from a local firm deals with secondary metal. Some time ago people throw away old bikes and now they are gone mostly.
From UK Ihave only 2 man`s Royal Enfield frames and some other details, from 1930-s. I have more complete Dürkopp 1935, Husqvarna 1936, Opel 1928? ....
In Estonia we have man who has more 100 hundred old bikes, some of them in good condition (for example The King Alfred, sporties 1922) and some restored and some not so big enthusiasts, I don`t belong there, I haven`t no one restored and in good order bike.
Maybe there are some Swifts in Estonia more, I don`t know.
I`ll try to put one bike for identification from estonian Auto-moto forum, probably from UK, a new thread.

These are fascinating details, priitkasikov.

Do start another thread with your own bikes. You know that we will be interested .

East Hill