david101

Hi,
I'm trying to date and ideally identify a pre-1970 bike. The handlebars are branded 'Dayton'. However, elsewhere online I've found a picture of very similarly styled and labelled bars (albeit a different 'Type') branded 'GB' (see pictures). Does anyone know if GB made bars labelled 'Dayton' specifically for use on Dayton bikes, which would imply that my bike is probably a Dayton? Or has anyone encountered 'Dayton' bars on other bikes? All thoughts and speculations gratefully received, including any guesstimates of the age of the Dayton bars.

I should probably say I'm in the UK so Dayton refers to the defunct English bike manufacturer of that name.
Thanks,
D


Dayton


GB

3speedslow

Hey David,

Probably a good chance that GB did make your bars. Age... would have to see the rest of the bike and know components. The sleeve could be from GB. Is there script on the end of the bar either side?

GB did make bars and stems for other bike makers, Schwinn being a big one.

rhm

I too think it likely that GB made the bar in the photo, based mainly on the similarity you show.

Whether that means the bike is a Dayton, I don't know. It's certainly one place to start. What's the frame construction? I know some Daytons were amalgam welded (rather than lugged or fillet brazed) which gives them a distinctive look.

GB made aluminum bars for Dawes as well.

david101

A few pics of the frame. A family member acquired the bike second hand in 1970, and all components except the seat, pedals and rear wheel are unchanged since then. The (probably) original rear wheel was also fixed. As you can see, the bike's been badly repainted, so no frame numbers or other identifying marks are visible.

rhm

Thanks for the photos!

Interesting frame. It's certainly from the 50's or earlier. I am not familiar with the Dayton line of bikes, so cannot comment on whether it's a Dayton, but it is not amalgam welded (see below). The chainset (crank) looks like a Williams crank from the 30's. If that's what it is, you should be able to find date codes on the crank arms and chainring; the date code looks like a small drawing of a dagger with four or five letters spaced around it.

The paint covers a lot of parts that should not have been painted over including the bottom bracket oil port, fixed cup, adjustable cup, and headset parts. I'm guessing the bottom bracket and headset have not been overhauled in over 50 years, so a little maintenance is definitely in order. There may be a serial number on the fork steerer tube-- you will find it when you remove the fork. The serial number may possibly help identify the maker, though I am a bit doubtful of that.

The frame appears to be fillet brazed, though the finishing work on then fillets does not look great. I wonder if someone added auto dent filler to make the fillets? The top of the seat tube has a curious collar around it; I've never seen that before. The head tube has something similar top and bottom. These may well prove to be the 'signature' of the maker. Anyone who knows this framebuilder's work will recognize it right away. I, however, do not recognize it.

3speedslow

Nor I.

Look at the length of those flat sided seat stays! All that paint has to come off. Looks like a worthy frame for some attention.

david101

Thank you both for looking and for all the really helpful and interesting information. I've looked at a lot of frames online without any luck, but having an approximate date might make things a little easier, as will checking those distinctive features that you've mentioned. I'll report back with any breakthrough. And from what you say about the paint and mechanical matters, it seems that I may have found myself a bit of a project -- not sure if that's a good thing or a bad
David

rogerm3d

All of the Dayton amalgam frames I have seen have much tighter builds/finish (even though it's hard to tell what is under all that paint). All Dayton frames (lugged or amalgam) post rod brakes also have cleaner dropout connections and generally some cutouts. Most frames will also have some cable routing for the rear brake along the top tube. On your frame the 'washer' treatments at the seatpost and the headset is quite strange (and unlike any Dayton I've found in catalogs or photos).
In relation to the bars I wouldn't be surprised if they are GB bars as everything I've found in catalogs has every aluminum bit being GB equipped. My early 50's Roadmaster (lugged) has the same Dayton Maes bars as shown in your first image.
A member's Dayton Amalgam

david101

Thanks for that; it's the first time I've seen bars matching mine. It would have been nice if Dayton bars meant a Dayton frame, but life is never simple and my searches have also failed to find any similar Dayton frame. Seems that either the bars on my bike aren't original or the bike was assembled with some weird mish mash of components. For my next move, I'm going to follow the earlier suggestion of checking the fork steerer tube, and then maybe see if there's anything under the paint.

Nice bike, btw.
D