Lets see your Balloon Tire Bikes

[Land-O-LakesGal]

You are right on the mark about the Sears Spaceliner, which was made by Murray. These are gaining in popularity with collectors as well as Boomers looking for the bikes from their youth. The Fire Arrow is at oldest a 1959 model, but the fenders and rack are not original. The frame style for the Fire Arrow changed to that cantilever design for the 1959 model year. However, all Fire Arrows I have seen have chrome fenders and a lighter weight rack. It also appears to heve been repainted (with the possible exception of the tank) sometime during its life.

Thank for the information I was guessing they were originally chrome too since all the models I could find online had chrome fenders but someone gave it a really bad home paint job and yes on the tank too they just went around the Colombia (kinda it is really a slap on job). We plan to sand it down and have the frame repainted but I kind of like the look of the painted fenders over the chrome so I guess this will become more of a custom job than a restoration.

 

[Denso]

Wanted to share the following with members. 1942 Elgin 4 Star Deluxe.

 

[LuckyKat]

I've been recently obsessed w/ bikes...& they're a dangerous hobby to get into, but here are a few of mine:

My newest purchase (still being shipped) all original paint, 1935 Rollfast:

My very rare 1937 Colson Imperial:

My 1935/36 Mead Crusader MOTOBIKE (FOR SALE on EBAY RIGHT NOW: Item number: 320692000736):

My fully restored 1949/50 Shelby Donald Duck ladies bike:

 

[billyspew]

Nice bikes, especially the Colson.

Does the Mead have smaller wheels fitted currently?

 

[KilroyCD]

Wanted to share the following with members. 1942 Elgin 4 Star Deluxe.

Very nice Elgin! Notice how the ad says "deluxe equipped"? Prior to the war that would mean a tank and a rear carry rack in addition to the horn and headlamp seen on the bike. With the war situation, 1942 was the last year of balloon-tire bike manufacture (for civilian use) for the duration. Lightweight bikes that used less material became the war production standard. Also because chrome was a metal used in armaments, what were normally chrome parts now sported a painted finish, like your handlebars. Early in the war there would be a mix of chrome and painted parts until the stock of (prewar) chrome parts ran dry. I have a 1942 Westfield/Columbia- built woman's lightweight that only has a chrome gooseneck. The handlebars are painted black and the wheel hubs, crank and chain ring all appear to be cadmium plated. It also sports wooden grips.
Here is a photo of it (on the left) with my '41 Columbia Superb.

 

[KilroyCD]

I've been recently obsessed w/ bikes...& they're a dangerous hobby to get into, but here are a few of mine:

My newest purchase (still being shipped) all original paint, 1935 Rollfast:

My very rare 1937 Colson Imperial:

My 1935/36 Mead Crusader MOTOBIKE (FOR SALE on EBAY RIGHT NOW: Item number: 320692000736):

My fully restored 1949/50 Shelby Donald Duck ladies bike:

Nice bikes! Yes, this can be a dangerous hobby, LOL. I know exactly what you mean. I plan to start on the restoration of my Schwinn Cycletruck soon, plus I just recently bought a Victory Bike (made by Schwinn) project.

 

[Nathan]

Here's my 1941 Roadmaster

 

[Nathan]

1936 Ladies Roadmaster... I posted this some time ago but thought I'd include it here as the paint matches the boy's I just posted...

 

[LuckyKat]

Ya, it would've come with the standard (for the time period) 28". Balloon tires weren't introduced until 1932 & not everyone wanted them right away...but obviously, some tried it out.

Nice bikes, especially the Colson.

Does the Mead have smaller wheels fitted currently?

 

[jeep44]

Denso-i have one of those Elgins,too-here it is:

I picked up this ('46,I believe) Dayton at the Ann Arbor bike show:

 

[Nathan]

I posted this a long time ago and the photos been taken down so here it is again... My 1949 Schwinn Black Phantom... Thanks for looking!

 

[Nathan]

1938 Colson made Goodyear. I've just got done parting it out so this is the old girls last hurrah... I hope you like it!

 

[herringbonekid]

can anyone help me date my Roadmaster ?
i've done as much research as i can online but can't find this this exact shape...

the 'petrol tank' is very geometric rather than curvy: (the chain-guard is very straight too).

the saddle and headlight aren't original. the previous owner gave it the present paint-job. there are many pits in the metal work which indicates it had been in quite a beat-up state beforehand.

cheers.

 

[spindeepster]

I'm not allowed to post pics anymore?? How come?

 

[munimula]

here are my art deco prewar bikes: 1937 silver king flo-cycle and my 1936 silver king m1 deluxe - frames are made of aluminum.

 

[munimula]

the flo-cycle photo was taken at pier 39 on the "rolling relics" vintage bike club ride in san francisco. the m1 photo was taken on the alameda,ca. ride along the bay.

 

[Giftmacher]

That's great! I want a vintage bicycle club too!

 

[1955mercury]

I spotted this old Monark at a flea market and had to have it. I plan to restore it. I've put some new whites on it and have it functional since this picture was taken.

 

[overboost]

Bikes with balloon tires, that's my department:

I am the proud owner of several modern balloon bikes (and one classic from the 70s).
A modern interpretation and as european as it can get is my Utopia Roadster:

You can read plenty about Utopias and their thinking here:
http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/fiultra/BICYCLE Utopia Kranich Drool.html
http://www.cycleexif.com/utopia-roadster
and of course on their website
http://www.utopia-velo.de/

My wife rides a Utopia Kranich with the NuVinci CVT transmission.

Then I own a Patria Potsdam (Patria is Latin for 'Fatherland'):
http://www.patria.net/

Both makers are known for their craftsmanship and the modular configuration of their bikes, which have more variants than most car makers. You can specify a variety of top-of-the-line accessories and in the case of patria you can order bespoke frames and custom changes to cater for your needs. The Patria Terra is the bike of german world travellers. Outfitted with the trinity of S-M-R (Son (Hub-Dynamo) - Magura (hydraulic brakes) - Rohloff (14 internal gears in a hub) )

Those balloon Bikes have 60mm wide tires in 28inch (so what is now called 29ers in the mountain bikes scene)


Finally I aquired a 70s Hercules Estrella in mint condition, with the then very modern Pentasport 5-gear hub (This example still with the two cables on the chainstays for shifting).

 

[esteban68]

Here's a couple of my 'balloon tyred' bikes, both are French 650B size, first is a c1947 Semper, pictures aren't great as they are off an old cybershot camera and I found the pics lurking,