Hi,

Can help me to know how old this bike?

Sunbeam, 3 speed BSA hub and trigger, front wheel BSA hublite, blumels pump and grips.




Best regards,
Paulo

Paulo,

The front hub looks like a Sturmey Archer, it will have month and year date code, assuming the hub is original that should give you a date. I'm thinking just post war maybe mid-late 40s. Interested to see what the front hub reads? Very nice find by the way!

Hi Velognome,

I haven't cleaned the front hub to search the year, but rear hub only has writen BSA Three Speed.
The front and rear hub are BSA. The front hub its a "HUBLITE" and there is this text in it: "patent pending"
The bike has some very nice details (pedals, rear light and reflector, trigger...). I bellive it's in original condition.
I've read somewhere that this front hub should be earlyer than 57, when raleigh bought BSA cycles.
Let's see if someone else helps me.
Thanks

I'm going out on a limb and say the Sunbeam has a late 30's look about it.

I think immediate post war, but regardless it is a great find! Clean it up and enjoy riding it.

Aaron

The front hub doesn't have any number...
I've saw a similar bike on ebay and the user told me that is from 1953.
I think that the head badge and the "S" on the top of the fork are the tracks I have to follow.
Thank you all for your comments.

RATS I was thinking of this Sunbeam.




Great looking bike though I would love an old rod brake 3 spd.

Hi Bianchi,

I was so pleased with my sunbeam, now I have to sell it to buy a car like that

I'd wager your saddle is original. The Terry mattress saddles were popular in the 30's - It seems that by the 50's their popularity faded. (At least most of the pics that I have seen of post-war roadster-type bikes show they were equipped with leather saddles).






Also - the rear mudguard white-tail was a new safety reg circa 1934, so I'd surmise that your bike was built late 30's or 40s.

It is a beautiful bicycle and one of the very best examples of British production...

Dating can be hard because these bicycles remained unchanged for so many decades, wartime models lacked the white tail and chrome due to blackout restrictions and rationing of materials so my WAG is pre WW2 based on the saddle although these things can be changed out.

Does the BSA hub have any date markings ?

No, there isn't any year on the rear or front hub. The front one does have "HUBLITE patent pending", I don't know if there are others with the patent not pending...

Yes, this model is very similar to other's, but the "head badge" and the "S" on the top of the fork are diferent from the ones I found in my research.

There is other detail that is diferent from the others, the front and rear brackes are "flat" and not rounded as usual...

A close up from the Terry:

This might be a long shot. The rear reflector appears to be glass. It is possible that there is a date cast into it.

As a fan of the unusual, I'm envious of your bike. The way the shift cable and brake rods are routed makes it extra nice.

Thanks, the bike blushed with your compliments

I don't have (yet) a good picture from the reflector...

I really think the early trigger shifter, the white tale and chrome rims and bars point to a later rather than earlier production. As for the class reflector, immediate post war, they ere using up existing supplies. Pre-war, I would be looking for a quadrant shifter, nickel instead of chrome or black-out painted. Then again, the shifter could be a replacement and the tail could have been painted on a later date.

Do some sleuthing. Look to see if the white tail is factor or added later. Look for shadows on the down tube for evidence of a quadrant shifter. This would point to a pre-war date.

From Wikipedia: [SUP][25][/SUP] BSA bought the Sunbeam motorcycles and bicycle business from Associated Motor Cycles Ltd in 1943 and then Ariel Motors Ltd in 1944 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birming...l_Arms_Company

With the BSA hubs, we can safely presume a build of 1943 or later.

We are on the right way ...

From wikipedia:
"... BSA bought Sunbeam in 1943 and produced Sunbeam bicycles using up existing frames and parts and using BSA components for the missing bits. The first BSA produced Sunbeam catalogue was published in 1949..."

"... all BSA hub gear production ceased in 1955"

I realy bellive its a post war, and maybe from 50's... now I will check if there is any sunbeam with BSA hubs before 1943.

I also find this image from 1950 about the bsa hublite and sunbeam:




Thanks.

According to this link https://hadland.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/bsa.pdf BSA produced a special hub in 1954 that allowed the rear wheel to be removed without disturbing the chaincase. The tech sheet says that the operating chain was located on the left hand side which clearly yours is not. So now we can presume a build between 1943 - 1954. If the reflector has a date cast in to it that falls between those years, odds are good that is the build year.

The taillight has what appears to be a 65 or 66 cast in to it and so probably was a later addition.

So was I.

I think it would be fun to add a Sunbeam bike except no way would I ever put a rack on the back.

I have almost the same as yours and I dont know the age too.

I have one Sunbeam too similar to what you have, but up to now I dont know anything about its model, year, etc etc can anyone please help me to identify this? . .

Yur head badge and fork top are diferent.