old's'cool

Nice story David.
My Royce Union will always occupy a special place as my first ten speed. As recall I was 10 when I got it so that must have been in spring or summer 1972. It was a 21" red frame, a bit big for me at the time, biut not too much.

rohmell

I remember that at one time, Royce Union's address was on Peninsula Blvd in Hempstead, NY.
I went there to check it out, and the place was a side office located in the TSS-Seedman's department store in Hempstead NY.
I also have a Royce-Union hydraulic floor jack that I bought at that TSS in Hempstead in the mid-80s.

cdman

i have a royce union pacemaker one speed from the 1950's and it is red with white decals. The seat says it was made in holland but the bike says it was made in germany. It rides very nicely and I ride it in my neighborhood. I could really appreciate some info on it if you have any

u4s

Hi I have a men's 10 speed and need to have a clue as to what it might fetch. Needs only a main hub cable and one new tire. you can call me if you wish: 248 496 6364
Thanks

cudak888 

<satire>
Hello I have a royce union apprasial location, you just go here instead of senselessly bumping dis thread every 2 years for free information: https://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...-and-Inquiries
</satire>

Got it?

-Kurt

Savoy Rider

Hi, i like this post a lot especially since i own and ride a Royce Union: Savoy Mountain bike for 15+ years now. ive read a lot of comments about how bad this bike is, saying that Royce Union never made a Mountain bike. Well my bike clearly shuts that up, got 15+years of experience on it to prove it. as to the origin of this brand, i gotta say it must've been in European countries. later, manufactured in both the US and Asia. heres a pic of me and my faithful bike made in the 1980's.

bicyclegirl1961

WOW!!! I bought my 12 speed Royce Union at the TSS on Long Beach Rd in Oceanside in the early 80's. It was black with gold decals. I still have it and still ride it all these years! I never had a break down only just flat tires. The gears still change smoothly and all 12 work. I stripped the decals years ago and replaced them with Peugeot ones, lol, because I liked the colors. Here is my Royce Union disguised as a Peugeot:
https://s37.photobucket.com/user/digi...80a5a.jpg.html

I will take more detailed pics including the original Royce Union decal at the base of the tube that the seat is on.

nfmisso

I have recollections of two Royce Union bikes from the '60's; in our family. Both purchased from Caldor's Dept Store in Wilton, CT. One for my dad: a yellow/gold 3 speed "English Racer" style with a Shimano 3 speed hub and twist grip shifter. By the time I was a teen in the mid '70's the front fork had broken near the drop out - probably partially caused by me riding around with my sister on the handle bars. We used to get to HS that way.... The other RU was a "Long Horn" sting ray, also with a Shimano 3 speed hub and a stick shifter on the top tube. It was probably 6" longer than a Schwinn Stingray, and thus much easier to ride with a passenger on the banana seat. On that one the frame failed just above the drop out on the left - the welding technique caused a weak spot. Both were Japanese made.

juvela

the company also distributed cycles under other badges. one have owned is Sutton. the forum has had several threads on Sutton products.

Moosebreath

I recently was given a XL road bike, completely Royce Union. All it needed was new tires and tubes. Oiled it up and took it for a spin. This looks like a very old road bike, but man does this thing sail! It actually is in great shape, no damage to it except a lot of rust on cables and minor surface rust. I have never seen a crank set so well built. I am wondering if I should keep riding it or donate it to a bicycle collector.

Glacier John

I got a really nice Raleigh three speed for Christmas 1959 which I happily rode for three years until I just had to have a ten speed. The Schwinn Continental was all the rage to us 13 year olds, but for Christmas 1962 I received a 10 speed Royce Union. Though I was mildly disappointed it was a real 10 speed and it rode great.


I rode that bike until high school made it uncool to ride a bike. I didn't realize until much later that lugged frame Japanese bike was superior to a Continental. Also it didn't become cool to ride a bike until I was in college, could have saved me a lot of walking miles to high school if the bike boom hit around 1965!

GRAZIA

Ladies/woman's raspberry pink power king / royce union brand shimano shifter w/eagle derailleur
i am not allowed to post picks at this time but these bikes are out there

Giacomo 1 

Goodness, I know this is an old thread, but man, does Times Square Stores bring back memories! My mom took me there before the new school year started by the El, elevated subway, into Brooklyn. I loved the ride on the K train, but I hated the shopping part! In the early 80's Seedman built a monster store in Queens close to my house that was as long as the Empire State Building is high. I was never sure how he pulled that off.

I did have a Royce Union sting ray bike as a kid and I truly can't remember where my parents purchased it, but it could well have been bought at a Times Square Store.

Sorry for the memory lane rambling...

lauphoto

I grew up in Oceanside and fondly remember TSS.

bikerosity57

This is the bike I brought home yesterday. Definitely made in England. I’m sure it was made by Raleigh.

vintagebicycle

Do the crank arms have any markings on them? Does it have the Sir Raleigh stamping on the face?
Your bike closely resembles what would have been a Robin Hood, or other Raleigh brand bike of that period.
The chainguard certainly looks like a Raleigh or one of their sub brands too, as do the forks.
Compared to a few Robin Hood and Hercules bikes I've got here the only differences I see are the shape of the rear dropouts, with yours looking more like an actual Raleigh than the Robin Hood or other branded models.
Your fenders also look different from what Raleigh used. What year is stamped on the hub?
The color tells me mid 60's to very early 70's. The two tone head tube is also not a normal Raleigh built trait but that's only paint, anything is possible but Royce Union was known for lowest bidder type bikes, two tone paint wasn't likely anything they wanted to pay for.
What is the width of the bottom bracket shell?
Have you had it apart in any way? What is the threading?

Over the many years of dealing with bicycles I've often wondered if there were more than one Royce Union brand, the Royce Union I remember from the 60's and 70's was a low end, Japanese built brand with serious quality issues, yet from time to time I run into bikes that were obviously built in England or Holland which are of good quality.
While I realize the American owned brand had bikes built all over the place, most were from Japan and build cheaply.
I've also collected headbadges for 40 or so years now, I've got many variations of badges, none of which look related that read Royce Union. A few badges list both Union and Royce Union, others are simply Royce Union, but from both Nottingham and Birmingham England.
About four years ago I came across a vintage rod brake bike, it was a ladies model, likely from the 1920's. The headbadge read Royce Union Birmingham, England. The bike was basically identical to a same time period rod brake Gazelle from Holland.
Nothing on it said anything about the US or NY or any north American address of any sort.
I bought a ton of parts from a closed up shop in VT about 9 years ago, among the lot was an assortment of Royce Union parts, some headbadges, and some brochures from the mid 60's. The bikes in those brochures looked nothing like any quality bike and were advertised as being Made in Japan on a 1967 brochure. I bought a lot of parts, which was mostly all English parts from a guy who ran a shop in northern NJ years ago, I was mainly after the Sturmey Archer parts but in the lot was an array of various other parts, a few of which were some chainguards. One style of chainguard, which was in a Royce Union paper sleeve, said made in England on it, the chainguards mounted the same as a Robin Hood but were more ornate, much heavier and sort of wing shaped.
They were marked as being for a 'Royce Union Roadster'. Another box contained chrome plated chainguards that looked just like those used on Robin Hood and Hercules bikes, (frame clamp hockey stick version). Each one had Royce Union painted on it.
I also ran into a pair of his/hers Royce Union bikes a few years ago at a yard sale which were identical to a pair of Raleigh Sprite 27 bikes. Same red as your bike, Royce union decals etc.

I also have run into a few Royce Union three speeds that closely resembled a Raleigh built bike but the headbadge said Made in Japan.
Some headbadges reference 'Since 1904', others do not. This is a detail that I find puzzling, most brands developed a head badge and design and stuck with it.

juvela

-----

this machine is discussed in another thread which gets into a bit more detail:

1961 Royce Union


-----

Bikerookie13

I bought a Royce Union 10 Speed around 1962 at Times Square Stores in Oceanside. I believe it was $59.99. It had Campagnolo gears. I still have it. Needs a complete overhaul. Original saddle is on it but unusable.
I had the wheels replaced when I was in College in the early 70's. The Campy shifters broke and i don't know where they are. I had the frame painted silver but would love to find the old paint scheme of red blue and silver. Does anyone know anyone who restores these?

juvela

-----

the cycle's rear mech was likely the Campag Sportman, the front mech the Gran Sport model, the shift levers the Gran Sport model

actual manufacturer may have been Chiorda

frame was constructed with Agrati lug pattern "AM"

Universakl 61 centrepull brakes

Ambrosio I-beam stem/bar set

WA (Way-Assauto) pedals

Simplex of Italy hubs

Maccari wheel rims

it probably looked like this example...

The nicest Royce Union you ever did see

-----

MarkJansen

My Royce Union, I believe an 80's bike states made in Japan on the head badge, funky but cool purple color. Posted pictures in my profile as I'm not allowed to post yet....
Needs new tires and then a ride to see what else needs doing...

cb400bill