IthaDan 

Alright, if I missed an angle let me know-











More (and full resolution) in the album- https://imgur.com/a/0Bgfz

Juggler2

Thanks for the "heads up"! I haven't actually seen one or have any first hand experience with one, so you may have saved me and possibly others from some future grief. At least my intentions were good!

PalmettoUpstate 

This bike may be a diamond in the rough; anybody have any info on it? It has just turned up on our local Craigslist. Thanks!

[h=2]ANTIQUE COLSON BIKE - $100 (Pelzer SC)[/h]https://greenville.craigslist.org/bik/3403009586.html

noglider 

I have a 24T sprocket on mine. Sure, the gears are low, but we have some hills here, and I've even used the bike to tow a trailer full of stuff. Top gear is about 69" so I spin out easily, but so what? By that time, I'm going downhill anyway.

Velognome 

Colsons are nice, chainguard is a classic. Would make a nice project. the parts alone are worth more than the asking price.....but it's not English, nor a 3speed so Blah! Not interested....but I'd buy it if I were local

sailorbenjamin

Yeah, that Colson is an old American bike. Looks like it would clean up to a nice patina. The wood rims are really cool but the 28" singletube tires are really expensive. It's cheaper to convert them to English 28" clinchers. Look over at www.thecabe.com for more like that.

Velognome 

just

PalmettoUpstate 

Yeah the chainguard definitely caught my eye - I wasn't able to find a pic online with one like it. Also like the "integrated skirt guards" LOL.

Here's a better pic of the chainguard that I have saved in my own archive now:

PalmettoUpstate 

So are you saying that those are wooden rims?

Tx

Velognome 

The chainguard was a common design from say 1890's thru the late teens.

Rims look to be 28" steel clad wood which would put the bike squarely in the teens or 20's

ftwelder

I would say so. Most american bikes up to 1920 had wooden rims. 28" is the same as 700C and wood rim bikes can often fit semi modern big tubular tires.

clubman 

This. A Colson needs it's own thread. Stay the course boys! (and girls)

w1xq

Picked up this evening! In pretty good shape.

Velognome 

Whle making plans to build up this Rudge Whitworth using new Sturmey gears and brakes I noticed a very slight bend in the seat tube at the juction of the looped down tube. The frame and fork are sound and show no signs of abuse or a crash so I'm thinking this is just from fatigue. My thought is to run a steel seat pin all the way down the tube, forcing the seat tube straight and reinforcing the junction. Any thoughts or comments ?

rhm

Hmm, you mean no signs of a crash, or no other signs of a crash? But crash or no, that's the weak spot on a frame of this design. I have a fillet brazed chromo Schwinn frame in my cellar with the same problem.

As for your proposed fix, I think the problem will be getting the post down there. With careful measuring, generous lubrication, and some patient pounding with a mallet, you might get it in the right spot. My fear is you'll get it stuck somewhere short of destination, and then where will you be.

PalmettoUpstate 

Yes I agree. However, putting it out there [as such] instead of here** - where doing so would be certain to glean comments and info both erudite and asinine - would have surely cut down on the information I needed to determine whether or not to purchase the bike in order to help fund my 3-speed addiction...

Please forgive my faux pas...

BTW, I will be taking delivery of the bike about 5:30 this evening.

**This is easily the best thread for the 3-speed hobby on BF. And it attracts the most knowledgeable people from what I have been able to determine

PalmettoUpstate 

Thanks for the excellent info. I'm excited to be scheduled to take delivery on the bike tonight and I will indeed start a "Colson thread" after I have it safely in my possession and can take a series of "before" pics.

Although some of the infantilesque purists will surely diss me for it, I plan to part the bike out in order to fund my 3-speed thing. Any further advice on maximizing my ebay net is certainly appreciated.

CycleRail

Great find!

Velognome 

Yes, it is a weak point in the design. A very complete examination and measurements on a frame builders table confirmed that.

The plan for accurate placement of said seatpost is to invert the post so "TGF", taper goes first. Then a push rod marked to the correct depth will run the seatpost turned internal lug to it's final resting place. Lubrication should aid the insertion as well as a plan to fasten the frame via the lower down tube to the bench while the seattube is pulled backwards.

Nothing ventured nothing gained. Plus, I don't think weight was ever a consideration in the design or construction of the beast, so another 16oz would just be ballast anyway.

rhm

Right.

If you have a trashed frame around, you might consider taking the top tube from that, strip the paint off, sand it real smooth, and see how far down into the bent seat tube it goes. Diameter should be correct. Use plenty of lubrication, of course. This has the advantage that you can pull it out again (maybe).

Velognome 

More work ....I've got a few really heavy seatposts that are a snug fit, plus they come tappered!

PalmettoUpstate 

New additions to the family - all procured in the last 6-8 months.

Front to back with brief notes...

AMF Hercules - built by Raleigh in Nottingham [needs more work but very sound; paid $35]
BSA - built by Raleigh in Nottingham [This sweet beauty needs a chainguard... was amazed at how nice she is beneath the Colorado patina! Paid $30]
Schwinn Breeze - built in Chicago [probably will part her out; removed a nice SA AW which more than justified $25 purchase price]
Columbia Sports III - built in Massachusetts [probably will part her out; has a nice SA AW which more than justifies $20 purchase price]

FWIW, this thread and the BBTE3S [Bring Back the English 3-Speed] thread quickly got me up to speed on these bikes so that I could make informed buying decisions and maximize this most excellent of pursuits. Thanks to all who have contributed and please see the next post I make with a couple of more shots of these bikes and brief notes that I hope are useful to people getting involved with these great lightweight bicycles.

PalmettoUpstate 

1. AMF Hercules headbadge
2. AMF Hercules chainguard
3. Schwinn & Columbia headbadges
4. Rampar [Raleigh] saddle that was to the best of my knowledge original equipment on the AMF Hercules

noglider 

Congratulations, w1xq, and welcome.

Velognome, if you believe the bend to be caused by fatigue, that probably means the frame is not safe. But I'll bet it was a crash or other abuse and that it is not fatigued.

noglider 

Congratulations, PalmettoUpstate.

If I remember right, Rampar was a name that Raleigh started using in the mid or late 70's. More likely that it was a replacement saddle purchased at a Raleigh bike shop.