Lets see your Balloon Tire Bikes

[KilroyCD]

I passed a charity shop today and saw this bike in the window:

It's in kind of tough shape and I don't know how much they want for it (the shop was closed) but I like the decoish look of it. Does anyone (ahem, KilroyCD, ahem!) know what kind of bike this is, how old it might be and/or what a fair price would be? It looks sort of similar to the JC Higgins posted earlier in the thread, but I know nothing of bikes. TIA.

It's a prewar Elgin (made by Columbia/Westfield). You weren't far off in comparing it to the JC Higgins, as both are Sears Roebuck bikes. Elgin was prewar (and wartime), JC Higgins was postwar. It is a bit rough, but the original paint looks like it would clean up pretty well with some Mother's or Griot's polishes. There are two things that are of concern. First, the front fender is missing, and the second thing is that the fork is bent backwards. Someone ran hard into something with it, a rather common occurrance. The fork would need to be straightened, and a competent bike shop would be able to do that. Finding the right front fender may be a bit harder, but one can look on eBay. Also, though the clip for the rear drop stand is there, the drop stand isn't. It has been replaced by a regular kickstand. That's easy to find on eBay. My best guess as to the date of the bike is probably 1937 to 1939. Because of the issues with the bike, I wouldn't offer more than $75. Here's a pic of one of these Elgins that sold recently on eBay.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Thank you so much KilroyCD for sharing your expertise, I really appreciate your help. Very cool that it is pre-war!

The plot thickens--I spoke to the folks at the shop this morning and I was told the bike will be for sale in "a few weeks" when they change the window display. They didn't know how much they were going to ask for it, but I left my name and number and I'll check back with them as well. Stuff from this place is usually quite cheap so I have my hopes.

If the price was right I'd be willing to get the fork fixed and put a little elbow grease into polishing it up. I'm not a serious biker, I'd mainly use it for weekend joy riding. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[KilroyCD]

Thank you so much KilroyCD for sharing your expertise, I really appreciate your help. Very cool that it is pre-war!

The plot thickens--I spoke to the folks at the shop this morning and I was told the bike will be for sale in "a few weeks" when they change the window display. They didn't know how much they were going to ask for it, but I left my name and number and I'll check back with them as well. Stuff from this place is usually quite cheap so I have my hopes.

If the price was right I'd be willing to get the fork fixed and put a little elbow grease into polishing it up. I'm not a serious biker, I'd mainly use it for weekend joy riding. I'll keep you all posted.

If the shop has a history of selling cheaply, then by all means you should go for it! The fork repair shouldn't cost much, and it can certainly be ridden as is. I'm inclined to think that the front fender was taken off as a result of the fork getting bent rearwards. The fender probably rubbed the frame. The paint is the big thing. It appears to be in such good shape for its age, that if I was looking at the bike it would be a no-brainer. I'd go for it too. As they say, a bike is only ever original once. Good luck, I hope you get it!

 

[PA Dancer]

Just picked this up today...

Can anyone pinpoint the year of this beast?

I just bought it today. Major impulse buy.

Part of me wants this bicycle, the other part of me is sorry I bought it.
I know I will never ride it. I just thought it would make a nice decoration.

It's in great shape, but needs some major cleaning.
It looks like it was stored under a birds nest!!!

So, I started the cleaning process by dumping two buckets of hot water on it. I'll let it sit through a rainstorm or two then start scrubbing it down.

 

[KilroyCD]

Can anyone pinpoint the year of this beast?

I just bought it today. Major impulse buy.

Part of me wants this bicycle, the other part of me is sorry I bought it.
I know I will never ride it. I just thought it would make a nice decoration.

It's in great shape, but needs some major cleaning.
It looks like it was stored under a birds nest!!!

So, I started the cleaning process by dumping two buckets of hot water on it. I'll let it sit through a rainstorm or two then start scrubbing it down.

PA Dancer,
What you have there is a Western Flyer middleweight made by Cleveland Welding / Roadmaster. The bike will probably date from the late 1950s to early 1960s. Chrome fenders became de rigeur in the early 60s, so I doubt the bike is any newer than that. Also, the painted rims point to the 50s, as chrome rims were more common later. It appears that the original paint is in decent shape, so cleaning it and polishing it with a good polish like Mother's or Griot's Number 3 will help. Tackle those handlebars with some 000 steel wool and they should shine up nicely. If that Wald wire basket has some rust, wire brush it or hit it with some steel wool and it should look good. I hope this is of some help.

 

[PA Dancer]

The Cleaning Begins.

Well, I turned on the hose FULL BLAST and that vintage bird doo is not moving.
I blasted it straight for about 5 minutes and gave up.

So then I went and got the Clorox Clean up and sprayed the whole bike down.
If the beach doesn't eat thru that stuff...The bike is goin' in the trash.

The only rust on the whole bike is the chain and the handle bars...and a little bit on the inside of the wheel where the spokes meet the tire rim. It's not bad though.

The back of the seat says "Huffy". I'm still looking for a serial number.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Tackle those handlebars with some 000 steel wool and they should shine up nicely.

Kilroy, what are your thoughts on using a Brillo pad on rusted chrome? I've done that several time to great success.


Lee

 

[KilroyCD]

Kilroy, what are your thoughts on using a Brillo pad on rusted chrome? I've done that several time to great success.


Lee

Well, a Brillo pad is fine steel wool, but I don't think it's quite as fine as 000 steel wool. Plus, it's coupled with soap. I don't see why it wouldn't work, just keep it away from the paint (lol).

 

[KilroyCD]

Well, I turned on the hose FULL BLAST and that vintage bird doo is not moving.
I blasted it straight for about 5 minutes and gave up.

So then I went and got the Clorox Clean up and sprayed the whole bike down.
If the beach doesn't eat thru that stuff...The bike is goin' in the trash.

The only rust on the whole bike is the chain and the handle bars...and a little bit on the inside of the wheel where the spokes meet the tire rim. It's not bad though.

The back of the seat says "Huffy". I'm still looking for a serial number.

Don't despair if the bird guano doesn't come off right away. I have caged birds, and dried bird droppings can be difficult to clean up. If the Clorox Clean doesn't help, try a local pet shop for "Cage Wizard" or "Poop-Off". I use Cage Wizard on my cages and it loosens dried bird poop in no time. You mentioned that the seat says Huffy. I suspected it wasn't original as it's a seat style typically found on lightweight bikes, as opposed to middleweights.
The serial number would typically be located in one of two places. It's usually either on the bottom bracket (where the pedal crank goes through) or the rear drop out on the left side. The rear drop out is where the rear wheel axle mounts to the bike frame.

 

[PA Dancer]

Don't despair if the bird guano doesn't come off right away. I have caged birds, and dried bird droppings can be difficult to clean up. If the Clorox Clean doesn't help, try a local pet shop for "Cage Wizard" or "Poop-Off". I use Cage Wizard on my cages and it loosens dried bird poop in no time.

Oohhh!!! Thank You.
I'll give it a shot!!! And the good thing about it is...if it's safe for birds..It's safe for humans.
If this works...I owe you big time!!!

I let the clorox clean up stay on the bike over night, and then rinsed it off this morning with a bucket of hot water....still nothing.

I'm not too interested in touching the stuff....ick!

 

[Dinerman]

I took a picture of this one at an antique store a little while back.

 

[Lucky Strike]

I hope I'll be forgiven for posting a pic of my Italian stallion, even though it's as non-balloon as they come:

Bianchi "Lusso", with added tennis racket/umbrella holder on the fork. Probably sixties, but the model was made from the thirties. If anyone saw "La Vita ?© Bella" with Roberto Benigni, he uses the same model as transport for the family in one of the opening scenes.

 

[KilroyCD]

I took a picture of this one at an antique store a little while back.

Good example of an early to mid 1960s middleweight bike. I believe it's a Firestone "500", possibly built by Murray. It's a shame about the rust on the rear rim, that would need rechroming or replacement. Did you buy that bike?

 

[KilroyCD]

I hope I'll be forgiven for posting a pic of my Italian stallion, even though it's as non-balloon as they come:

Bianchi "Lusso", with added tennis racket/umbrella holder on the fork. Probably sixties, but the model was made from the thirties. If anyone saw "La Vita ?© Bella" with Roberto Benigni, he uses the same model as transport for the family in one of the opening scenes.

Gorgeous, Gorgeous bike! Bella, bella, magnifico! Sono nell'amore! Very classy bicycle, and the non-balloon classics are just as welcome on this thread as the ballooners. When I started the thread I should have said vintage bikes instead of balloon tire bikes.

 

[KilroyCD]

My newest find!

This past weekend I went to a vintage bicycle swap meet at Trexlertown, PA to look for some parts. I didn't expect to come home with another bike, but alas...
I couldn't resist the price when it was offered to me at $20. It's a 1936 Elgin, still in original paint. I'll have to replace the child's seat with an adult sized one, and the modern grips will have to go, but it's mostly complete.

 

[imoldfashioned]

She is mine!

I've been haunting that charity shop for weeks--stopped by last night and they had just put the bike on the floor. $35. The clerk was sweet--he said he was sending me psychic messages to come in since he knew I wanted it the most (apparently several people had inquired about the bike). I was walking it home and had 3 people stop me within 6 blocks to tell me how cool they thought it was.

Upon closer examination the paint is in darn good shape but I'm going to be scrubbing that chrome all winter long. I'll start looking for a replacement front fender and kickstand too (KilroyCD, if you happen upon either of these parts please PM me; I'll happily reimburse you--also, thank you again for your advice; I would have had no idea about the age, the make or what I should have paid for it without you). More pictures perhaps tonight but long story short; Yay!

 

[KilroyCD]

Great! I'm glad you got it! The paint should come up nicely with a little TLC, if you have any questions on what to use just PM me. I'll keep a lookout for the parts you need. I'm also looking for a drop stand for mine that I just got this weekend, so I'll be scanning eBay regularly. I'll keep my eyes open for the fender as well.

 

[KilroyCD]

This past weekend I went to a vintage bicycle swap meet at Trexlertown, PA to look for some parts. I didn't expect to come home with another bike, but alas...
I couldn't resist the price when it was offered to me at $20. It's a 1936 Elgin, still in original paint. I'll have to replace the child's seat with an adult sized one, and the modern grips will have to go, but it's mostly complete.

I've started on the refurbishment of this bike. Because of the original paint, I'm just touching up the bad spots. I'll be replacing the modern grips and worn out saddle as well. I'll post a photo of it when it's done.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Filth!

Well, I've started cleaning my bike and, boy, is it filthy, the poor neglected thing. When I laid it on it's side to take the wheels off I discovered a piece of ancient shingle wedged underneath the seat.

Two steel wool pads later I finished the first cleaning of the front wheel rim. I was surprised at how nicely it turned out--I'm looking forward to doing the detail work on it now.

Before

After

 

[KilroyCD]

Well, I've started cleaning my bike and, boy, is it filthy, the poor neglected thing. When I laid it on it's side to take the wheels off I discovered a piece of ancient shingle wedged underneath the seat.

Two steel wool pads later I finished the first cleaning of the front wheel rim. I was surprised at how nicely it turned out--I'm looking forward to doing the detail work on it now.

Before

After

That rim did shine up pretty nicely. What you need to do to protect it and keep it from rusting again (even due to humidity) is to apply a nice wax, preferably carnauba wax to it.
My bike is also pretty filthy. I haven't come across any surprises, but they may await me once I get the crud washed off.