Help identifying bicycle
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Help identifying bicycle
Hello,
I recently acquired a bike for my girlfriend and have been having one hell of a time identifying it. Any help would be greatly appreciated..
. Thank you
.
I recently acquired a bike for my girlfriend and have been having one hell of a time identifying it. Any help would be greatly appreciated..
. Thank you
.
#2
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 20,650
Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy 4 Trek Checkpoint ALR-5 Viscount Aerospace Pro Colnago Classic Rabobank Schwinn Waterford PMount Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista
Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3091 Post(s)
Liked 6,599 Times
in
3,785 Posts
__________________
#3
Happy With My Bikes
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,186
Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 884 Post(s)
Liked 2,307 Times
in
1,117 Posts
I don't know who would have made it, but the Flying O was OTASCO's house brand. OTASCO, was a regional hardware chain mostly in Oklahoma and Kansas. This bike is probably from early to mid 70s and OTASCO was out of business by the mid to late 80s. As a small boy, my first non-second hand bike came from OTASCO. I have seen a few Flying Os come up in my area and while some are in good condition, they aren't worth much more than nostalgia to me. Tires for this will cost more than the bike is worth by far. Sorry.
__________________
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,874 Posts
Flying-O was the brand of OTASCO, orignally known as the Oklahoma Tire & Supply Company, a retail auto supply chain. Based on the rear dropout this bicycle appears to have been manufactured by Huffman/Huffy. The graphics look 1980s to me.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alta California
Posts: 14,266
Mentioned: 415 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3811 Post(s)
Liked 3,340 Times
in
2,180 Posts
-----
a serial commencing with the letters HC would indicate a machine produced at the Huffman plant located in Celina Ohio
-----
a serial commencing with the letters HC would indicate a machine produced at the Huffman plant located in Celina Ohio
-----
#6
Thrifty Bill
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,525
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 964 Times
in
628 Posts
Back in the day, many department stores, tire shops, and more were in the bicycle business. They would get decals applied to bikes made by others and "instantly" they had their own bikes. I bought a new bike at a lawn mower repair shop once. Store didn't even have a franchise to sell new lawn mowers, but they were in the bicycle business with their own brand.
People now researching such "brands" are challenged to find any information on them. Vintage bike information is usually posted on the web, for free, by people that just like one brand or another. Not much love for the old department store stuff.
Nothing unique or special about these bikes, the brand will tell you nothing as to parts and any repairs. Crimped drop outs look very "Huffy"-esque.
Hopefully the tires still have markings on them as to size. In the world of bicycles, there are five DIFFERENT tire sizes for 26 inch tires. The lack of standardization can be a real pain.
And on older bikes, wheels can get swapped out, so what originally was on there may not matter. I had a bike with 26 x 1 3/8 tires. Simple, right? Well, the rear wheel was the standard 590 tire size. The front was the Schwinn S-6 size (597). Needless to say, the pair of 590 tires I had only fit one wheel.
Bike was a Western Auto (not a Schwinn).
+10 new tires will exceed the value of the bike.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/26.html
People now researching such "brands" are challenged to find any information on them. Vintage bike information is usually posted on the web, for free, by people that just like one brand or another. Not much love for the old department store stuff.
Nothing unique or special about these bikes, the brand will tell you nothing as to parts and any repairs. Crimped drop outs look very "Huffy"-esque.
Hopefully the tires still have markings on them as to size. In the world of bicycles, there are five DIFFERENT tire sizes for 26 inch tires. The lack of standardization can be a real pain.
And on older bikes, wheels can get swapped out, so what originally was on there may not matter. I had a bike with 26 x 1 3/8 tires. Simple, right? Well, the rear wheel was the standard 590 tire size. The front was the Schwinn S-6 size (597). Needless to say, the pair of 590 tires I had only fit one wheel.
Bike was a Western Auto (not a Schwinn).
+10 new tires will exceed the value of the bike.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/26.html
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fairplay Co
Posts: 9,520
Bikes: Current 79 Nishiki Custum Sport, Jeunet 620, notable previous bikes P.K. Ripper loop tail, Kawahara Laser Lite, Paramount Track full chrome, Raliegh Internatioanl, Motobecan Super Mirage. 59 Crown royak 3 speed
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 1,767 Times
in
635 Posts
I would agree the bike is Huffy built circa late 70's early 80's based on the light metalic gold paint which I have only seen this paint on Huffy's and early 80's Pontiac's.
#9
Happy With My Bikes
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,186
Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 884 Post(s)
Liked 2,307 Times
in
1,117 Posts
Yes. The Western Flyer. My parents were loyal to a salesman at OTASCO named Cotton and dad didn't particularly care for the man that owned the Western Auto in my town so the couple of times I got a brand new bike as a boy it was Flying O all the way.
__________________
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
Likes For Chuck M:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Rupert's Land
Posts: 1,243
Bikes: 1981 Raleigh GP, 1985 Norco Bush Pilot, . . .
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 241 Post(s)
Liked 187 Times
in
136 Posts
This Flying-O frame has the look of Huffy Aerowind mixte, except without the aero tube set. the Aerowinds were manufactured in 1981 and 1982.
The bicycle model information will be on the non-driveside dropout. The serial number will be on the head tube.
Aerowind mixte for sale
Huffy Aerowind
The bicycle model information will be on the non-driveside dropout. The serial number will be on the head tube.
Aerowind mixte for sale
Huffy Aerowind
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: SE Wyoming
Posts: 604
Bikes: 1995 Specialized Rockhopper,1989 Specialized Rock Combo, 2013 Specialized Tarmac Elite
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 588 Times
in
278 Posts
I think your girlfriend deserves a better bike.