Dating a Rollfast 3-Speed, yearless AM Hub
04-18-23, 09:37 AM
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Dating a Rollfast 3-Speed, yearless AM Hub
This bike is on the market in Tulsa and got me curious: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...7499448945579/
So I asked the seller to check the date on the rear hub, since that information would help him sell it to me or anyone else. This is what he sent:
Looks to me like it says it's an AM hub, there doesn't appear to be a date where the year usually goes, and there's a clear 1 in the typical month spot.
Any thoughts on what I'm looking at here? I need a new project and this might be fun, but I hate to rush in with no idea what I've got. Thanks!
So I asked the seller to check the date on the rear hub, since that information would help him sell it to me or anyone else. This is what he sent:
Looks to me like it says it's an AM hub, there doesn't appear to be a date where the year usually goes, and there's a clear 1 in the typical month spot.
Any thoughts on what I'm looking at here? I need a new project and this might be fun, but I hate to rush in with no idea what I've got. Thanks!
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04-18-23, 10:28 AM
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To my eyes, that looks like an AW marking, not AM. The year code is probably there, faintly.
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04-18-23, 11:15 AM
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I'm really not certain, but I thought the AM hubs all had an aluminum shell as opposed to stainless steel.
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04-18-23, 11:50 AM
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That looks to me like a 1960s era AW hub that just happens to have a very light imprint.
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04-18-23, 12:11 PM
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Thanks for the feedback. Now I agree the M I thought I was seeing was a bit of an optical illusion. And 60's seems like a good date on the bike.
04-19-23, 09:32 AM
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That looks like a nice bike if you are in the market for an English three speed @dbhouston . My thinking is that this was made in England and private labeled as a Rollfast. The rear rack looks out of place on that bike. I'm guessing that someone took that off another bike, but it could be that Rollfast thought that this rack and chrome fenders might appeal more to Americans. It looks like the chrome will clean up to some extent. It will be important to wax the fenders to keep the rust from coming back, if you do get it.
I am not a Facebook user so I cannot get access to the ad. How much is it listed for?
I am not a Facebook user so I cannot get access to the ad. How much is it listed for?
04-19-23, 10:01 AM
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I can't find any reference to S-A stainless steel hub shells. Chrome-plated, perhaps?
Last edited by tcs; 04-19-23 at 10:44 AM.
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04-23-23, 07:20 PM
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Well, the bike sold pretty quickly, but thanks for the feedback. Would have been an interesting project. Found a crazy good deal on a Raleigh Competition, though, so at least my next project will produce a much better bike!
