I've found this along the road on a run with a sign - Free Bike Merry Christmas. I've been cleaning it up ever since. I posted it in the what's it worth but I'm keeping it.

I'd really like to know as much as I can about how old it is, possible history, etc. It's cleaning up really nice, the paint and some of the decal are in pretty rough shape in spots. I thought it was a track bike at first but it has a rear freewheel - thus the brake.

This is what I know about the Bike so far:
Decaling is:
Badge Decal - Champion High Grade Cycle
Champion Du Monde on the top tube (nearly completely worn off)
Hand Made on chain stay,
Mad. i. West Germ. on seat stay
Seat tube decal - North West Cycles - KI5-8703 5839 Irving Park Rd, Chicago 34, Illinois
Reynolds 531 Decal on Down tube
NERVEX decal on Down tube - the lugs

Components:
Titan adjustable reach Stem
Altenburger 36 hole high flange hubs
Weinnann Tubular wheels.
Magistroni Strong Light Crank
Lyotard M23 'Marcel Berthet' Pedals
Christophe toe clips
Weinmann Type 600 rear brake
Brooks B-17 Champion Narrow sadle

I'd love to know how old the bike might be, anything on the history, etc. would be cool.

Here are the rest of the photos - sorry.

very sweet

Well of course it is track bike, with a rear brake added. Old skool.
Quality frame, unique parts...holy cow! Secret Santa indeed.

This is a better deal than my $60 paramount. I got to start driving around more. Nice score. Track bikes are pulling in a premium now with all the hipsters wanting "fixies".

Wow. Very nice find.

Scanning your list of components quickly, the only one I think should have a date code is the saddle. Often absent but worth looking for. The earliest I've seen was 59 c (3rd quarter, 1959). On a bike this old, the saddle isn't likely to be original anyway... but it's still worth looking for the date, which is stamped on the underside of the cantle plate (back of the saddle).

I think you know everything else I can figure out from the photos. Apparently a German made bike for the American market, which dates it to that part of the post-war period when German labor was still competitively priced against, say, Japanese labor. That, and the Titan stem, suggest mid 60s at the latest. I'm thinking it's a custom build from a small shop that built for a bike shop in the US.

A lot of the decals seem just generic.

Very cool.

I agree: very cool, and holy cow... the manner in which it was found is incredible!

Thats a fantastic bike. The paint and chrome combination and parts combo is very 60's. Its also interesting that it came from a bike shop in Chicago. 5711 w Irving Pk is Rudys Schwinn. Rudy(if he is still alive and kicking) is Ukrainian. Not sure if there is a ralationship with the North West cycles or not. Rudys is a very old bike shop and in that neighborhood since the 60's at least.

German track bikes and bikes in general are really rare in the States. Also a long history of german track cyclists thruout cycling lore. You have a real gem there. I wouldn't do anything but clean it carefully and ride it as is. Beautiful and a real rarity.

you might post about this on CR list, there are a few German members
and Ted E. probably has forgotten more about German track bikes than
most of us will ever know. He raced in Europe in the 50's (?).

Marty

Where on CR List would I post it?

good suggestion, but you have to join the "list" in order to post:
classic-rendezvous-lightweight-vinta...oglegroups.com
If you don't want to join, one of us who's already a member could just post a heads-up to view this forum thread, if you'd rather.

It would be great if you or someone could do that unworthy1!

Free bike? Merry Christmas, indeed.

Edit: Saw the detail about the bike shop location.

I found out a little about the bike shop decal - the decal was pre-Zip codes. Zip codes were first introduced non-mandatory in 1963, so I would assume the bike is at least prior to to 1963 or 1964?

yah it has that old zone number, i.e. Chicago 34.

I wrote to Ted E. about the bike, hopefully he'll pop in over
here and comment.

Marty

holy crap

The hubs look like Altenburgers, which go back to at least the early 60s (and I believe late 50s)?

The more I ponder this bike the more I'm convinced it was produced for the US market.
I've never seen a German bike with English wording, i.e. "Made in Germany" or the
wording on the headbadge.
Whatever it is it's a nicely made bike. About the rear track ends and drilled brake
bridge and fork, Path Racer?
just a thought.
Marty

That is a Jingle Bells. Fun looking bike for sure.

What a beautiful bike! And I love this decal:

Being brand new to wheel building, I couldn't help but notice the way the rear wheel is laced. Can anyone speak to that?

It looks weird in the photo but it's actually a standard 3 cross on 36 hole Altenburg hubs. The shadows make it look like paired spokes or a strange lace pattern but it's normal lacing.
The spoke heads have a mark that looks like a Y probably Prym double butted spokes.

WOW! that thing is gorgeous! if you decide to part with it, please PM me, i'd love take it off your hands... wow!

That bike is probably a very early 58/9 Rickert, made in Dortmund, Germany.
I don't think it's a Koethke out of Koln/Cologne.
If you'd like to know more, contact me at ternst1@ cox.net.
Best, Happy New Year,
Ted Ernst