Help with old J.C. Higgins bicycle
09-14-11 | 07:36 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 13
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From: Cologne
Bikes: giant & j.c. higgins
Help with old J.C. Higgins bicycle
Hey BF,
a year ago I found this old man in a 2nd hand store in Toronto. I bought it cause it was the cheapest 'road bike' they were offering. I tried to find some information on the age of the frame, but couldn't find any.
The internet, friends, former tour-de-france riders and other bike mechanics couldn't help me so I ask you guys, hoping that someone has seen this 'thing' before.
The frame and the fork are the only original parts that I am sure of and it has a hand painted 'J.C. Higgins' logo on the seat tube.
Here is a picture.
a year ago I found this old man in a 2nd hand store in Toronto. I bought it cause it was the cheapest 'road bike' they were offering. I tried to find some information on the age of the frame, but couldn't find any.
The internet, friends, former tour-de-france riders and other bike mechanics couldn't help me so I ask you guys, hoping that someone has seen this 'thing' before.
The frame and the fork are the only original parts that I am sure of and it has a hand painted 'J.C. Higgins' logo on the seat tube.
Here is a picture.
Last edited by garamond; 09-14-11 at 08:09 AM. Reason: pictures
09-14-11 | 07:54 AM
#2
Get off my lawn!
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,035
Likes: 119
From: The Garden State
Bikes: 1917 Loomis, 1923 Rudge, 1930 Hercules Renown, 1947 Mclean, 1948 JA Holland, 1955 Hetchins, 1957 Carlton Flyer, 1962 Raleigh Sport, 1978&81 Raleigh Gomp GS', 2010 Raliegh Clubman
Looks a middleweight ballontire frame that someone has changed out the wheels, added drop bars and looks like the cranks also. Not too much original Higgins left at all but kinda a cool ride in the style of the Little 500 bikes. Looks like a lota fun to ride!
09-14-11 | 09:10 AM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Pearland, Texas
Bikes: Cannondale, Trek, Raleigh, Santana
garamond, All I can help with is that the English made JCHs were from the early 50s, maybe earlier, in the middle 50s the bikes were sourced from Puch in Austria. I don't know who manufactured it, I've read that the possible manufactures were Raleigh or BSA.
Brad
Brad
09-14-11 | 11:20 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 584
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From: the LOU, Mo
Bikes: Bianchi Nuevo Alloro, Cannondale ST400, Fuji Palisade, GT Timberline FS, Raleigh Technium 420, Schwinn Moab, Schwinn Passage, Schwinn Tempo, Specialized Sirrus Elite (aluminum), Specialized Sirrus Triple (steel), Trek 7.6, Viner Road Record
Man, that is some seriously relaxed geometry...what's the wheelbase on that thing ?
09-14-11 | 01:04 PM
#6
Behold my avatar:
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 447
From: SW Colorado
Bikes: 2019 Gorilla Monsoon, 2013 Surly Krampus, Brompton folder
I have an old JC Higgins, with a "stingray" style frame.
.
I cobbled it into a 3-speed, with parts from my Dad's retired Sears bike, + TA cranks and othere oddball parts. Did a hilly century on it. Fun!
.
.
I cobbled it into a 3-speed, with parts from my Dad's retired Sears bike, + TA cranks and othere oddball parts. Did a hilly century on it. Fun!
.
09-14-11 | 08:21 PM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,630
Likes: 18
From: Rhode Island (an obscure suburb of Connecticut)
Bikes: one of each
Did Higgins sell CMCs in Canada? That looks a little like a CMC.
Higgins was a Sears brand, right? First they called the bikes they sold Elgins, then JC Higgins, then Ted Williams and the Free Spirit. These names were also used on other sporting goods and I think some outboard motors.
Higgins was a Sears brand, right? First they called the bikes they sold Elgins, then JC Higgins, then Ted Williams and the Free Spirit. These names were also used on other sporting goods and I think some outboard motors.
09-14-11 | 09:05 PM
#8
SE Wis
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,555
Likes: 4,332
From: Milwaukee, WI
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
My 1961 Sears Elgin 7.5hp outboard motor was made down the road by West Bend Co.
09-15-11 | 10:31 AM
#9
Half way there
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 1
From: Durham, NC
Bikes: 69 Hercules, 73 Raleigh Sports, 74 Raliegh Competition, 78 Nishiki Professional, 79 Nishiki International, 83 Colnago Super, 83 Viner Junior
My first bike was a JCH. Got it in the summer of 1957 I recall. It was a 20 incher with coaster brakes that allowed me to terrorize the neighborhood with the gonzo riding of a 6 year old. After a while, the fenders came loose and rattled considerably. My friends started calling it the J.C. Higgins Fall-apart
-G
-G
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