Lets see your Balloon Tire Bikes

[KilroyCD]

Yes it's a Monark, it still has the acrylic badge on the chainguard, and a 'Built by MONARK' stencil on the seat tube. As to value, sadly not many folks over here appreciate the style and quality of ballooners, preferring lighter weight over robustness and beauty. Most of 'em are scared of coaster brakes, too.

It's exactly the opposite over here. The ballooners command the higher prices, while beautiful British Sportsters and Roadsters go for much lower prices than they should. I recently bought a beautiful 1972 Humber Sport in excellent condition for $30, I got a 1962 Hercules Sportster for literally nothing, and a 1940 Raleigh Roadster for $60. On the flip-side, I paid $700 for that maroon and cream Columbia on page one of this thread.

 

[Luddite]

It's exactly the opposite over here. The ballooners command the higher prices, while beautiful British Sportsters and Roadsters go for much lower prices than they should. I recently bought a beautiful 1972 Humber Sport in excellent condition for $30, I got a 1962 Hercules Sportster for literally nothing, and a 1940 Raleigh Roadster for $60. On the flip-side, I paid $700 for that maroon and cream Columbia on page one of this thread.

The older British roadsters are still being thrown away over here. Which seems crazy to me, as they ride much better than the cheap 'mountain bikes' which proliferate. For occasional or even commuter use, a three-speed roadster is a far better proposition. There is, as they say, no accounting for taste. What fetches money are old BMX bikes, and flashy offerings from the 1970s, when the word 'quality' was not used much in the U.K.

I have rescued a good number of bicycles from the dump, one of the best being a 1937 Silver Sunbeam, still in gleaming black lacquer with gold hand lining. Simply beautiful and constructed by craftsmen from the finest available components; oil bath chain case, pierced brake levers, Bowden caliper brakes and relieved mudguards. It rode beautifully, and I was pleased to pass it on to a friend of a friend who wanted it as a companion for his 1937 Sunbeam car. The most recent rescue was a late 1940s fixed-wheel racing cycle with bespoke frame, ornate lugs and the finest componentry. A privilege to ride such a machine, but the fixed-wheel scenario proved too scary for me!

The Columbia is a beautiful cycle and $700 does not seem expensive for such a machine, however your Elgin straightbar is the one I would take home (if you don't have a Pierce Arrow or Racycle tucked away)!

 

[KilroyCD]

The older British roadsters are still being thrown away over here. Which seems crazy to me, as they ride much better than the cheap 'mountain bikes' which proliferate. For occasional or even commuter use, a three-speed roadster is a far better proposition. There is, as they say, no accounting for taste. What fetches money are old BMX bikes, and flashy offerings from the 1970s, when the word 'quality' was not used much in the U.K.

I have rescued a good number of bicycles from the dump, one of the best being a 1937 Silver Sunbeam, still in gleaming black lacquer with gold hand lining. Simply beautiful and constructed by craftsmen from the finest available components; oil bath chain case, pierced brake levers, Bowden caliper brakes and relieved mudguards. It rode beautifully, and I was pleased to pass it on to a friend of a friend who wanted it as a companion for his 1937 Sunbeam car. The most recent rescue was a late 1940s fixed-wheel racing cycle with bespoke frame, ornate lugs and the finest componentry. A privilege to ride such a machine, but the fixed-wheel scenario proved too scary for me!

The Columbia is a beautiful cycle and $700 does not seem expensive for such a machine, however your Elgin straightbar is the one I would take home (if you don't have a Pierce Arrow or Racycle tucked away)!

Wow! That Sunbeam sounds like a beautiful bicycle! Though I mainly collect ballooners, the British Roadsters and Sportsters are also favourites. Though you no longer have the Sunbeam, do you have a photo of it that you might be able to post? Also, your racing cycle sounds interesting. Feel free to post a photo of that as well. It's a shame that more people don't appreciate the classic sportsters and roadsters. Too many of them are being scrapped not only in the UK, but elsewhere. Someone I correspond with on another discussion forum laments the same thing happening in her country (New Zealand).
The Elgin is one of my favourite bikes, and is my favourite one to ride. That bike was a total basket case when I got it, and it received a complete restoration. Here's a before photo:

Here it is in a photo taken a month ago. My 1942 Hawthorne "Litewate" (with basket) and my 1962 Hercules are in the background, posing with friends of mine.

Unfortunately, I don't have a Racycle or Pierce Arrow tucked away, but they are a couple I wouldn't mind having either!

 

[KilroyCD]

Okay, time for the Christmas Bike

Hi all, each year I put out a decorated bike as part of my Christmas display. My neighbours expect nothing less from this lunatic. Here it is in the snow we just got today (and are still getting). First, with the flash (you can see it still snowing):

Next, without the flash:

 

[Luddite]

Here you go....

The Sunbeam, scanned in from a Polaroid, I'm a digital late adopter

The Jensen. Wasted on me!

 

[Mike1973]

Hey Luddite, I've just sold one of those kiddie crossbar seats on ebay!

Haven't got a decent picture here of it in action though... Fun to use but the stirrups flap around a bit too much. Bought for a tenner, spruced up, used for a few rides, sold for a tenner...

The Sunbeam is nice, the Jenson is drop dead gorgeous though :eusa_clap

Now there's a proper bike lol lol

 

[Mike1973]

Next, without the flash:

I wish my neighbours decorations were as imaginative as yours, that is fantastic!

(Makes note, save image for new screensaver...)

 

[KilroyCD]

I wish my neighbours decorations were as imaginative as yours, that is fantastic!

(Makes note, save image for new screensaver...)

Thanks for the kind words. My neighbors probably don't think I'm imaginative, just crazy! lol lol lol

 

[KilroyCD]

Sorry about the belated reply...

Here you go....

The Sunbeam, scanned in from a Polaroid, I'm a digital late adopter

The Jensen. Wasted on me!

The '37 Sunbeam looks like a fantastic find! Although you no longer have it, I think it's great that you saved it from being scrapped. I'm sure it makes a great companion to your friend's '37 Sunbeam auto. I've never seen one of those crossbar kiddie seats before. In today litigious society, they would be a liability nightmare! Most of the child seats I've seen on this side of the pond mounted on a rear carry rack, and had the child seated behind the rider.
Like you, the Jenson would be wasted on me. I'm not a performance bike person (and have the physique to prove it). lol

 

[cowboy76]

The sizing is virtually the same as bikes nowadays, but there were definite youth-sized 26" bikes in addition to the adult-sized bikes.

So the youth sized tire is 26" then?...or am I wrong?? It would be an adult at 26" right? How can I tell youth from adult? I had thought if it was a youth it would have been a 24" bike?Seems like such a simple thing,....I can't recall!!

Oh, I realized its a Roadmaster too,...still never got picks ot it,..go figure!!

I was looking around the net and came across a fellow with the '39 Cleveland Welding Company catalogue scanned in to view. I believe by the design, tank, headlight and luggage rack that one of these two models is the one I have!! (i know my headlight is painted white, so i'm thinking its the 1826 Mens Deluxe??) Pretty cool if i'm right!! I see one option was a horn on the inside of the tank? I know the tank has a button, or buttons on the sides,...is this to gain access to the inside?

 

[cowboy76]

Now at the same time I picked up my Roadmaster, I picked up my wife's Rollfast,...and I "THINK??" that the Ladie's Deluxe (in blue) pictured in this page from a 1936 Rollfast catalogue is the same one. Maybe a little later,...1938,39 maybe but not later, as I know the old lady from whom I bought the bicycles from told me that her and her husband bought them when they got married and were told they were from the 1930s. I beleive her,...she was in her 80s I'd say.

Honestly, I'd like to restore them completely and then stop by with them and my wife if she's still alive by then. Would like her to see what I've done with them, and let her know that she passed them on as a pair that was enjoyed by her and her husband, to my wife and I, and that they'll stay as a married pair long after, just as they were when she was young.

 

[KilroyCD]

So the youth sized tire is 26" then?...or am I wrong?? It would be an adult at 26" right? How can I tell youth from adult? I had thought if it was a youth it would have been a 24" bike?Seems like such a simple thing,....I can't recall!!

Cowboy, there were youth sized 26" bikes as well as the 24" bikes. The difference between the 26" youth and adult sizes would be in the size of the frame. Looking at a 1941 Columbia catalog I have, the adult sizes have either an 18 inch or 20 inch frame. The youth sized 26 inch bike has a 16.5 inch frame. The illustration shows a bike with a shorter frame as opposed to the men's version.
There are even some adult sized 24" bikes, but they are less common. A good example is the Whizzer motorized bike. Most of the factory built Whizzers are 24" bikes. So as you can see, when it comes to sizing balloon tire bikes it can be as clear as mud. lol

 

[KilroyCD]

Honestly, I'd like to restore them completely...

What kind of condition are they in? Keep in mind that anything is only ever original once, and if the condition merits conservation instead of restoration I would suggest following that route. If there is light surface rust, use something like Meguires' Fine Cut polish to clear it off and bring the paint back to a nice shine. Then coat it with a nice carnauba wax.

 

[cowboy76]

What kind of condition are they in? Keep in mind that anything is only ever original once, and if the condition merits conservation instead of restoration I would suggest following that route. If there is light surface rust, use something like Meguires' Fine Cut polish to clear it off and bring the paint back to a nice shine. Then coat it with a nice carnauba wax.

Nope,....the paint isn't all that good, pretty messed to be honest with ya. I'll see if I can get some time today to take some pictures. The chrome is lousy too.

 

[cowboy76]

Cowboy, there were youth sized 26" bikes as well as the 24" bikes. The difference between the 26" youth and adult sizes would be in the size of the frame. Looking at a 1941 Columbia catalog I have, the adult sizes have either an 18 inch or 20 inch frame. The youth sized 26 inch bike has a 16.5 inch frame. The illustration shows a bike with a shorter frame as opposed to the men's version.
There are even some adult sized 24" bikes, but they are less common. A good example is the Whizzer motorized bike. Most of the factory built Whizzers are 24" bikes. So as you can see, when it comes to sizing balloon tire bikes it can be as clear as mud. lol

So the reference to a 16.5" frame is that the measurement is taken from?? (I want to say from the top of the crank to the seat post??)[huh]

 

[KilroyCD]

So the reference to a 16.5" frame is that the measurement is taken from?? (I want to say from the top of the crank to the seat post??)[huh]

Exactly right, from the top of the bottom bracket (the part the crank goes through) to the top of the seat post tube, not including the post itself (as that is adjustable). Some kid's bikes frequently had a proportionally shorter top tube, as was evident in the 1941 Columbia bicycles catalog I have.

 

[KilroyCD]

SGB's bike

Hi all, SGB asked me to post a couple photos of his bike, as he doesn't have a photo hosting account. He has a 1946 Schwinn DX (BF Goodrich badged) that was rebuilt by a friend of his to represent a WWII US Army bike. Perhaps SGB can give us more of the story behind this bike. Here are the photos:

 

[cowboy76]

Anyone make repro parts for my Roadmaster or wife's Rollfast? Anyone sell restored or refurbished parts for them? I know I should be able to get new handlebars that are the same as the onld,....and have seen numerous handlebar (center posts? is that proper terminology?) for them on ebay, old, but look to be in good cleanable shape and look the same as what I have on it now.

 

[KilroyCD]

Anyone make repro parts for my Roadmaster or wife's Rollfast? Anyone sell restored or refurbished parts for them? I know I should be able to get new handlebars that are the same as the onld,....and have seen numerous handlebar (center posts? is that proper terminology?) for them on ebay, old, but look to be in good cleanable shape and look the same as what I have on it now.

What kind of repro parts are you looking for? The handlebars are readily available, and I just saw several of the Roadmaster style available on eBay. That center post you mentioned is known as a gooseneck. If yours won't clean up using steel wool, you can find them on eBay or you could try Memory Lane Classics. They have a website: www.memorylane-classics.com , but they don't have their full inventory online. You might want to contact them and request a catalog. Repro parts of a more generic variety (not specific to a particular make, but vintage-style) are available through www.BikeWorldUSA.com . I have sourced many parts through Deb at BikeWorldUSA, she is a very reputable dealer. I hope this has been of some help.

 

[cowboy76]

What kind of repro parts are you looking for? The handlebars are readily available, and I just saw several of the Roadmaster style available on eBay. That center post you mentioned is known as a gooseneck. If yours won't clean up using steel wool, you can find them on eBay or you could try Memory Lane Classics. They have a website: www.memorylane-classics.com , but they don't have their full inventory online. You might want to contact them and request a catalog. Repro parts of a more generic variety (not specific to a particular make, but vintage-style) are available through www.BikeWorldUSA.com . I have sourced many parts through Deb at BikeWorldUSA, she is a very reputable dealer. I hope this has been of some help.

Yes of course! A GOOSENECK!! I just could NOT think of it!!

Yes I want to put back the exact same style handlebars that originally came on it, I saw them BUT they were too small,...only a 26" spread on them,...they came with a 28", if you can spot one or two on ebay let me know. As far as the original gooseneck,...teh chrome is peeling off!! I'm going to save it though, if I get cash to blow I'll get it rechromed sometime later in life. I need the trusses, (they're also peeling), and the rear tail light (hmm,...maybe it was just a reflector??,..cant remember,..that isn't very important to me really). Hmmm,....lets see,...those parts and,....possibly a nice crank, chain (any will do obviously), and possibly a repro seat,..thought about recovering mine,..not sure what all's involved in it though...yeah, I guesss thats it.