Lets see your Balloon Tire Bikes

[MCPRE]

Nice

Love the slate blue and cream, both bikes are nice. Is the blue one an old bike, I would like to get a 30's to 50's fixer upper and give it a go.

 

[KilroyCD]

Love the slate blue and cream, both bikes are nice. Is the blue one an old bike, I would like to get a 30's to 50's fixer upper and give it a go.

Both bikes would date from the early to mid '50s.

 

[MCPRE]

Great site

Hey Kilroy, you have probably seen this website but I spend hours looking at these beauties. I really like the womens like Colsons and Hawthorne. There are a few 20" boys bikes that are really neat.
http://www.nostalgic.net/arc/bicycles/

 

[KilroyCD]

Hey Kilroy, you have probably seen this website but I spend hours looking at these beauties. I really like the womens like Colsons and Hawthorne. There are a few 20" boys bikes that are really neat.
http://www.nostalgic.net/arc/bicycles/

That site is one of the best out there for vintage bikes. Dave Stromberger (that's his site) is one of the best vintage bicycle restoration specialists in the US. Another very good site is The CABE (The Classic & Antique Bicycle Exchange) http://www.thecabe.com/

 

[JD Boswell]

I just finished restoring a WW2 Compax Paratrooper Bicycle. It weighs between 40 and 50 lbs and drives like my 1942 Ford gpw jeep.

It has that 60+ year old feel to it and I just love it! The best part is that is collapses into 2 parts and can be stored in my jeep's bustle basket. I'll post some pics when I upload them this week.

I'm still looking for a WW2 military Columbia bike.

 

[KilroyCD]

I'm still looking for a WW2 military Columbia bike.

Join the club! I've been looking for one to restore as well, and all I have run across have been restored examples selling for far more than I can justify at this point.

I'm looking forward to seeing photos of the Para bike.

 

[CliffG]

This is one of my bicycles, she is a 1970 Raleigh Sport three speed, I purchased this bicycle from a woman in Texas and completely re-worked her.
I like this bicycle.
IMG http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy29/chasbeen/?action=view&current=SportFinished_010.jpg&newest=1 IMG
this is what she looked like out of the box after a few days waiting after the ebay deal was finalized.
[url]http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy29/chasbeen/?action=view&current=RaleighSportoutofthebox.jpg&newest=1[/url] [IMG]
A few details left to do to make her like I want, but those will come along soon.
oh yea this is my first attempt at picture posting! well that did not work well...
Thanks,
Cliff

 

[Dinerman]

There you are.

 

[KilroyCD]

Very nice! I like the contasting colour on the frame lugs.

 

[JD Boswell]

I just finished restoring a WW2 Compax Paratrooper Bicycle. It weighs between 40 and 50 lbs and drives like my 1942 Ford gpw jeep.

It has that 60+ year old feel to it and I just love it! The best part is that is collapses into 2 parts and can be stored in my jeep's bustle basket. I'll post some pics when I upload them this week.

I'm still looking for a WW2 military Columbia bike.

Here are the pics of my Compax Paratrooper:

BEFORE

AFTER RESTORATION

 

[KilroyCD]

The Compax looks great! If you want to put a Columbia headbadge on it (as Columbia made the Compax), they are available from Memory Lane Classics (www.memorylane-classics.com). They have the prewar Columbia headbadge on special for $5.

 

[CliffG]

JD you worked out all of the dents in the back fender/mudguard very nicly, I can not figure out how you took the beavertail flange out on the bac.
it is amazing how much just the addition of the front fender made on this nice bicycle.

 

[CliffG]

Thanks Dinerman for fixing my post problems with my picture!

 

[JD Boswell]

The Compax looks great! If you want to put a Columbia headbadge on it (as Columbia made the Compax), they are available from Memory Lane Classics (www.memorylane-classics.com). They have the prewar Columbia headbadge on special for $5.

Thanks for the compliment! I'm thinking of building a Bicycle Side Car for it so the gals at Reading can ride around hawking our charity calendars in it.

Actually none of the Compax Paratrooper or Compax Traveler Bicycles had the standard Columbia Head Badge. They had the Westfield Compax Head Badge:

I left mine on there painted over with OD Green.

I do have the pre-War Columbia Badge so I can put it on my MG frame when I find it.

I'm thinking of making a custom headbadge for it and paint it for the unit I portray the 8th ID. We'll see.......

 

[JD Boswell]

JD you worked out all of the dents in the back fender/mudguard very nicly, I can not figure out how you took the beavertail flange out on the bac.
it is amazing how much just the addition of the front fender made on this nice bicycle.

The back fender is actually a New Old Stock (NOS) replacement part for the G519 Military Bicycle. The back fender was torn at the bottom bolt so it couldn't be salvaved and plus the rivet had torn the metal. So I recycled!

I simply traced out the correct pattern from an original Columbia front fender (that will go on my MG frame when I find it). I turned it into the front fender. A little JB Weld to fill up the old holes and some sanding and Presto! New front fender!

 

[KilroyCD]

Thanks for the compliment! I'm thinking of building a Bicycle Side Car for it so the gals at Reading can ride around hawking our charity calendars in it.

Actually none of the Compax Paratrooper or Compax Traveler Bicycles had the standard Columbia Head Badge. They had the Westfield Compax Head Badge:

I left mine on there painted over with OD Green.

I do have the pre-War Columbia Badge so I can put it on my MG frame when I find it.

I'm thinking of making a custom headbadge for it and paint it for the unit I portray the 8th ID. We'll see.......

Hmm, I saw a couple OD Compax / Paras with the standard Columbia headbadge at the military vehicle rally at Aberdeen a couple years ago. I wonder if the person who restored those bikes put those on. Looking at the paint, the colour is spot-on. Did you use Aervoe 987-A?

 

[JD Boswell]

Hmm, I saw a couple OD Compax / Paras with the standard Columbia headbadge at the military vehicle rally at Aberdeen a couple years ago. I wonder if the person who restored those bikes put those on. Looking at the paint, the colour is spot-on. Did you use Aervoe 987-A?

Most likely he did. I've seen 2 unrestored original GI Compax Paras in person and both had the the Westfield Compax traveler's head badge on them. Through all my research into the Compax Sport Travelers and Compax Paras I have never seen a standard Columbia head badge on an original bicycle. Tony Oliver who wrote a book on the Compax Para (Not a great resource, with very little info on the Compax Para) has restored at least one bike with the standard badge. Probably because he didn't have the correct badge. I'm working on building a database with pictures and serial numbers of existing Compax bicycles and G519 models (Huffman and Columbia men's and women's)

I used the Army Jeep Parts 319 WWII, LUSTERLESS / FLAT 1941-1944 Paint (WW2 OD Green) for my paint as that was to closest match to the originals I've seen. The Aervoe 987-A is a bit more yellow/brown in color. Also the AJP green is the color I used to restore my 1942 MBT trailer and will be the color of my 1942 GPW jeep when I do the restoration. I think the Aervoe would work just as well, the AJP paint is just a personal preferance. I like it for painting ammo cans and helmets.

 

[KilroyCD]

To clear possible confusion...

Some of you following this thread might be wondering why someone would put a Columbia headbadge on a Westfield bike. Westfield is the parent company of Columbia, and Columbia bicycles (up until manfacturing was moved overseas) are in fact, Westfield-built.

 

[MCPRE]

Here is my other bike, I put over a thousand miles on her in 06', this is in the Blue Bells along the river. Love to ride, all around town, dirt or pavement!

Here she is in action on the bike path along the river.

 

[KilroyCD]

The Night Before Christmas - Balloon Tire Bike Style

The Night Before Christmas - Ballooner Style

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the shop,
Nothing was moving, not even the mop. My workbench sat
so empty and bare,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there.

The bicycles were nestled all snug on their racks,
With visions of happy riders perched on their backs. While I, in my
greasy blue apron and cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When down in the bike room, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the shop
I flew like an ace,
Tripped over my cat and fell flat on my face.

I stifled a curse meant for Shelby the cat,
And I muttered to no one, "I meant to do that," When what to my
wondering eyes should appear,
But a Columbia-built sleigh and eight Elgin reindeer,

With a cyclist driving, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than Paramounts, onward they came,
And he rung the bell twice and called them by name:

"On Colson! On Roadmaster, Monark and Schwinn!
On Columbia and Rollfast, Huffman and Elgin! To the top of the
bike shop's accessory wall,
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

As dry leaves that behind a new Silver King fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So in through the
window the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of bike stuff, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, at the bike shop, I saw on the tile
The prints in the snow of each whitewall Carlisle. As I drew a deep
breath, and was turning around,
From beneath the workbench, came St. Nick with a bound.

He was dressed like a cyclist from head to foot,
Spandex and anorak, he looked like a hoot; A bundle of
Troxels he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes - just like Delta lights! Dimples, how merry!
His cheeks like roses, nose like a cherry! His droll little
mouth drew up like a handlebar,
And his beard was so white, it could be seen from afar.

He puffed on a pipe that hung loose from his mouth,
Standing next to an Air-Flo I found down south. He had a broad
face and a belly (I found)
That shook like an Ingo - its wheels out-of-round.

He was chubby and plump, a jolly old chap,
I laughed to myself when I saw his Schwinn cap. A wink of his eye
as he passed near the door
Soon gave me to know I'd have balloon tires galore.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work.
He filled all bike racks; then turned with a jerk, And leaving a
Bluebird he'd found on eBay,
And giving a nod, he returned to his sleigh.

He picked up the reins, rang two times on his bell,
And away they all flew like a bat out of hell. But I heard him
exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! KEEP 'ON RIDING! GOOD- NIGHT!"