Dating my triumph
 

No I'm not going out with a Triumph bike, just trying to find manufacture date. I found an old Triumph bike at my co-op (not sure of the model) and I did a little research on Triumph. Started in 1884, made mostly English 3-speeds, then bought by Raleigh in 1954. I've been telling everyone that its at least 70 years old, assuming Raleigh didn't continue selling under the Triumpj name for any number of years afterwards. I've been interested in finding at least the correct year that the bike was made. I haven't been able to find any serial database for their bikes. I was hoping that someone here with more experience in the field of dating C&V bikes could help. Serial number is on the top tube-seat tube fillet. Here is a pic of the head badge and decal: http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...1&d=1378400377http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...2&d=1378400495

I'm not sure where Triumph was originally based, whether Birmingham or Coventry; but not Nottingham. Nottingham means Raleigh. Raleigh continued to sell "Triumph" labeled bikes well into the 1970's and even the 80's. Yours has typical Raleigh-pattern lugs, and the head badge says "Nottingham," so there is no doubt yours was made by Raleigh.

I would estimate early 70's based on the little I see. A serial number on the seat lug is consistent with that.

You should be able to look up the serial number as if it were a Raleigh serial number.

I see you have a filp-flop rear wheel, but if you still have the Sturmey Archer AW 3-speed hub, it will have a date on the shell, like: 71 6

I did put a modern wheelset on this, and I left the old wheelset at my co-op and I can check to see the year on it. However, if I recall correctly this had a 5 speed freewheel on it. I may be wrong though.

And thanks for that link [MENTION=73614]rhm[/MENTION]. I'm pretty sure I'm waaaayy off on the date now, as the seat lug serial number wasn't practiced until the early 1970's. That seems a lot more plausible, as the rust on this frame is quite minimal. It hurts knowing the frame isn't as old as I suspected but I'm glad I know the truth. :)

If you had the 70 year old one it wouldn't look too much different. They make great fixies, though, don't they?

Absolutely! I love it. My first fixie too.
I've had a problem with adjusting the headset which I just found the cause of- a bent steerer tube. I will put on the old fork Sunday and hopefully that fixes it. Speaking of which, I'm not sure why I even put a different one on.

But I found the correct year of manufacture-1971.

Dating my Triumph II
 

Hi there was another post here from 2013 thought I would try a new one.

I purchased a Triumph bike and have been unable to find the year it was made. It has the Sturmey-Archer logo on the back wheel but in pictures the year is below the ASC I did find a stamped 72 to the right but I believe this bike to be somewhere closer to the 50's. The frame stem off the seat has 1039076. Can someone help me date this bike?

ASC? Wow, that is a very rare 3 speed fixed gear hub. Valuable too. ASC hubs were made in the early 50s and used on higher end club type bikes.