Rollfast coaster brake single speed
06-28-20, 10:41 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Rollfast coaster brake single speed
I spent today helping a buddy clean out the home of a deceased relative, the old guy passed away a number of years ago and they've been slowly trying to clean the place out. After digging through a well-packed basement I came across a 1970's era Rollfast lightweight with a Bendix 70 coaster brake. Its not anything special but I was told anything bike or tool related was mine, they're only looking for family items. The chrome shines, the paint is ok, but the forks and chain guard are green and the frame is red.
I found bits of a hand written bike shop receipt stuffed up under the seat springs from 11/26/1971 for a Red B54 Rollfast -- $54.99 ($57.74 with sales tax). He kept the receipt, gave me the bike.
My buddy said he remembers the bike when he was a teen, he seems to think they robbed the fork off it back then to make a 'chopper' bike out of an old 20" bike, he said they cut the fork blades off and hammered them over the blades on another bike to make really long forks. He must have found another fork and put it back together sometime over the years.
As soon as I got home with it I pumped up the tires and took it for a ride. Its one of the easiest riding bikes I've ever been on. I was expecting the feel of an old three speed but its more like a cruiser with those drawn back bars and padded saddle.
I'll be tearing it apart for a full relube this week, but it won't need much chrome polish, nearly ever last bit of chrome looks almost new. I guess his $57 went a long way back then, almost 50 years so far.
I found bits of a hand written bike shop receipt stuffed up under the seat springs from 11/26/1971 for a Red B54 Rollfast -- $54.99 ($57.74 with sales tax). He kept the receipt, gave me the bike.
My buddy said he remembers the bike when he was a teen, he seems to think they robbed the fork off it back then to make a 'chopper' bike out of an old 20" bike, he said they cut the fork blades off and hammered them over the blades on another bike to make really long forks. He must have found another fork and put it back together sometime over the years.
As soon as I got home with it I pumped up the tires and took it for a ride. Its one of the easiest riding bikes I've ever been on. I was expecting the feel of an old three speed but its more like a cruiser with those drawn back bars and padded saddle.
I'll be tearing it apart for a full relube this week, but it won't need much chrome polish, nearly ever last bit of chrome looks almost new. I guess his $57 went a long way back then, almost 50 years so far.
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07-05-20, 06:53 PM
#2
Recovering Bikeaholic
I spent today helping a buddy clean out the home of a deceased relative, the old guy passed away a number of years ago and they've been slowly trying to clean the place out. After digging through a well-packed basement I came across a 1970's era Rollfast lightweight with a Bendix 70 coaster brake. Its not anything special but I was told anything bike or tool related was mine, they're only looking for family items. The chrome shines, the paint is ok, but the forks and chain guard are green and the frame is red.
I found bits of a hand written bike shop receipt stuffed up under the seat springs from 11/26/1971 for a Red B54 Rollfast -- $54.99 ($57.74 with sales tax). He kept the receipt, gave me the bike.
My buddy said he remembers the bike when he was a teen, he seems to think they robbed the fork off it back then to make a 'chopper' bike out of an old 20" bike, he said they cut the fork blades off and hammered them over the blades on another bike to make really long forks. He must have found another fork and put it back together sometime over the years.
As soon as I got home with it I pumped up the tires and took it for a ride. Its one of the easiest riding bikes I've ever been on. I was expecting the feel of an old three speed but its more like a cruiser with those drawn back bars and padded saddle.
I'll be tearing it apart for a full relube this week, but it won't need much chrome polish, nearly ever last bit of chrome looks almost new. I guess his $57 went a long way back then, almost 50 years so far.
I found bits of a hand written bike shop receipt stuffed up under the seat springs from 11/26/1971 for a Red B54 Rollfast -- $54.99 ($57.74 with sales tax). He kept the receipt, gave me the bike.
My buddy said he remembers the bike when he was a teen, he seems to think they robbed the fork off it back then to make a 'chopper' bike out of an old 20" bike, he said they cut the fork blades off and hammered them over the blades on another bike to make really long forks. He must have found another fork and put it back together sometime over the years.
As soon as I got home with it I pumped up the tires and took it for a ride. Its one of the easiest riding bikes I've ever been on. I was expecting the feel of an old three speed but its more like a cruiser with those drawn back bars and padded saddle.
I'll be tearing it apart for a full relube this week, but it won't need much chrome polish, nearly ever last bit of chrome looks almost new. I guess his $57 went a long way back then, almost 50 years so far.
07-05-20, 10:33 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 2,107
Bikes: Trek 800 x 2, Schwinn Heavy Duti, Schwinn Traveler, Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, Schwinn Continental, Cannondale M400 and Lambert, Schwinn Super Sport
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That chrome gleams. Nice looking bike. Enjoy.
07-06-20, 06:18 AM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
The chrome on this thing is like new, not so much as a scratch.
At last back then they had chrome, now all you see it black paint and bare aluminum.
I need to find some red paint to match for the chain guard and fork.
Its a very easy bike to ride, it pedals easy, stops well and is completely non tiring.
It rolls far better than the Mongoose single speed I've got an its likely only half the weight.
I've got a Schwinn Racer here too in the same size, but this Rollfast is so much lighter.
Along with this bike, I also found a matching three speed rear wheel, plus a shifter and cable. I think the
last owner had intended to convert it over. There's also an extra bare rim to match but no front hub or spokes.
I was thinking maybe I'd convert this over but I can't see messing with something that works the way it is, maybe I'll
look for another frame to use the other wheels on.
At last back then they had chrome, now all you see it black paint and bare aluminum.
I need to find some red paint to match for the chain guard and fork.
Its a very easy bike to ride, it pedals easy, stops well and is completely non tiring.
It rolls far better than the Mongoose single speed I've got an its likely only half the weight.
I've got a Schwinn Racer here too in the same size, but this Rollfast is so much lighter.
Along with this bike, I also found a matching three speed rear wheel, plus a shifter and cable. I think the
last owner had intended to convert it over. There's also an extra bare rim to match but no front hub or spokes.
I was thinking maybe I'd convert this over but I can't see messing with something that works the way it is, maybe I'll
look for another frame to use the other wheels on.
09-02-20, 12:16 AM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Well, after riding this a bit I got tired of the mismatched fork and chainguard on this thing.
It took a bit of trial and error but I got the paint matched pretty good and solved the problem.
Now I need to find a way to copy the graphics. I've not seen a clear pic of one of these in a single speed yet,
I think the fork and chain guard were off a ladies bike so the CG graphics would be wrong, and likely a bit older than this bike.
For what its worth, its a surprisingly light and easy bike to ride. My newer Mongoose single speed feels like a tank compared to this.
The only thing wrong with the new paint is that its too perfect compared to the rest of the bike but I really didn't want to tear it all down and then loose all the decals. The CG decals appear to have bee screen printed not a decal, but I'm not sure what would a 70's model would have had. The rest of the graphics are all heavy reflective decals. I guess it was their way of not having to add any reflectors?
The rear fender has no rear hole for a reflector, nor does the back of the saddle. The pedals are Crown brand and have reflectors. When I ride it at night I just clip on an LED tail light to the seat post, but I avoid anywhere there's any sort of traffic most of the time anyhow.
It took a bit of trial and error but I got the paint matched pretty good and solved the problem.
Now I need to find a way to copy the graphics. I've not seen a clear pic of one of these in a single speed yet,
I think the fork and chain guard were off a ladies bike so the CG graphics would be wrong, and likely a bit older than this bike.
For what its worth, its a surprisingly light and easy bike to ride. My newer Mongoose single speed feels like a tank compared to this.
The only thing wrong with the new paint is that its too perfect compared to the rest of the bike but I really didn't want to tear it all down and then loose all the decals. The CG decals appear to have bee screen printed not a decal, but I'm not sure what would a 70's model would have had. The rest of the graphics are all heavy reflective decals. I guess it was their way of not having to add any reflectors?
The rear fender has no rear hole for a reflector, nor does the back of the saddle. The pedals are Crown brand and have reflectors. When I ride it at night I just clip on an LED tail light to the seat post, but I avoid anywhere there's any sort of traffic most of the time anyhow.
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