aaschnobrich

Hi there. I purchased this bike at a thrift shop years ago and was considering selling. Does anyone know the year and value based on the description - I'm not allowed to post URLS or photos until 10 posts. Thank you!

Green - Light on front handlebars powered by a small generator on front tire. Bell, silver fenders, luggage rack on back tire. Chain Guard. Stamped in the metal by the back hub are the numbers 3368693.

Hercules and Estrella black on silver badging on the frame. Front under the light is an "H" with Hercules written under it in black on a silver background.

Says Nürnberger on the post below the seat.

wrk101

How many speeds?

Where are you located?


Exact year has no bearing on value.

aaschnobrich

Thank you - Single speed with a break on the right handle bar. I'm in Reno, NV.

clubman 

Sounds like a German Hercules. Value is as much as any stylish, utilitarian rider is worth, almost always well under a couple of c notes. Unlikely to be valuable in any real sense, just like 99.9% of all bikes.

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. The subject bicycle is a German made Hercules ladies' Estrella model. The rear hub appears to be a Fitchel & Sachs Torpedo 415 or 515 3 speed with coaster brake. If so, it will have a single letter date code on the shell, to identify the year. The bicycle itself looks late 1960s to early 1970s based on the front hub's wingnuts and the Altenburger Syncron front brake, so the serial number may represent 1973.

I don't see much value in the current condition, which is only fair. The biggest factor affecting the value is the shift mechanism that appears to be missing. Based on the rear fender holes, it also had a skirt guard. I'd value it at $25-$50,

The OP's photo album: https://www.bikeforums.net/g/picture/13637858

aaschnobrich

Thank you very much everyone. Extremely helpful. Knowledgeable community.

3alarmer 

...it's a good candidate for the "Lovely Bicycle" ladies gang as a restoration, but most of those women are over here in California. I have one of those rear hubs on an old DBS bike, and it's a solid performer when lubricated and adjusted.

But most of any value in it would be contributed by whoever did all the work to bring it back up to speed. You might try expanding your Craigslist ad presence out to the Bay Area, but that presents its own set of complications.