Identify the bike
05-29-23, 09:38 PM
#1
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Identify the bike
My brother sent me this single pic and asked if I could identify the brand. He thinks it’s British, but looks American to me. Any guesses?
05-29-23, 09:58 PM
#2
cowboy, steel horse, etc
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Kinda looks like the right lever is actuating the front brake, so could very well be British.
ETA: the pump peg placement gives me British vibes too.
ETA: the pump peg placement gives me British vibes too.
Last edited by LesterOfPuppets; 05-29-23 at 10:03 PM.
05-29-23, 10:21 PM
#3
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My guess based on the vaguely familiar seat tube decals - Royce Union.
This isn't exactly what I was thinking of but...
This isn't exactly what I was thinking of but...
Last edited by Bad Lag; 05-29-23 at 10:26 PM.
05-30-23, 06:48 AM
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British, American, Japanese--- what does it matter? What matters is that he is a proud owner! 
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05-30-23, 07:16 AM
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see nothing to suggest yankness
appears to be wearing a stamped aluminum fork crown cap - this is a common DE treatment
complexity of headlugs something more likely to encounter on a three-speed product from the continent than the U.K.
nothing in transfers suggests a Royce Union badged cycle
if contract produced for a U.S. chainstore or distributor one possible maker might be Bauer
another continental maker who did a great deal of contract work for U.S. companies at this era was Batavus
photo looks like it may have been taken in the mid to later nineteen fifties
automobile in background looks like circa nineteen fifty-three
hem length of coat worn by lady in background is consistent with this era
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see nothing to suggest yankness
appears to be wearing a stamped aluminum fork crown cap - this is a common DE treatment
complexity of headlugs something more likely to encounter on a three-speed product from the continent than the U.K.
nothing in transfers suggests a Royce Union badged cycle
if contract produced for a U.S. chainstore or distributor one possible maker might be Bauer
another continental maker who did a great deal of contract work for U.S. companies at this era was Batavus
photo looks like it may have been taken in the mid to later nineteen fifties
automobile in background looks like circa nineteen fifty-three
hem length of coat worn by lady in background is consistent with this era
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Last edited by juvela; 05-30-23 at 07:28 AM. Reason: addition
05-30-23, 11:28 AM
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It kind of looks like a 1970s Sears seat tube decal. Difficult to tell with that resolution.
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05-30-23, 11:49 AM
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Sears Steyr three-speeds go back at least to the 1950's -
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/i-...-along.225483/
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Sears Steyr three-speeds go back at least to the 1950's -
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/i-...-along.225483/
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05-30-23, 11:52 AM
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05-30-23, 11:54 AM
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Sears Steyr three-speeds go back at least to the 1950's -
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/i-...-along.225483/
-----
Sears Steyr three-speeds go back at least to the 1950's -
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/i-...-along.225483/
-----
Big Smile!
05-30-23, 12:00 PM
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FWIW, my brother says the photo is from 1954, so @juvela is on target with respect to the date. And that seat tube decal does look like the Steyr image, so @Schweinhund might be right, too.
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05-30-23, 12:05 PM
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FWIW, my brother says the photo is from 1954, so @juvela is on target with respect to the date. And that seat tube decal does look like the Steyr image, so @Schweinhund might be right, too.
05-30-23, 12:10 PM
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Very well played!!!
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05-30-23, 12:30 PM
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if someone has a time machine all they need do is to go back there and measure the machine's steerer
26.0mm diameter equals a Steyr product for sure
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if someone has a time machine all they need do is to go back there and measure the machine's steerer
26.0mm diameter equals a Steyr product for sure
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05-30-23, 02:44 PM
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If the gold war stripes are painted, it could be German. Victoria Werke, Göricke, Rixe, Hercules among others are all guilty with such motives, and that modestly sized headlamp was also not uncommon here. however it reminds me to pre and wartime Bosch units, in the 50's 60's they were not so huge. The rear rack is not familiar, neither the lack of a mudguard emblem, although that could vary based on domestic or export model.
05-31-23, 10:46 PM
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FWIW, my brother says the photo is from 1954, so @juvela is on target with respect to the date. And that seat tube decal does look like the Steyr image, so @Schweinhund might be right, too.
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06-11-23, 02:01 PM
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The bicycle resembles the 1952 - 1954 Sears Imported Lightweights.
Here are some catalogue images from christmas.musetechnical.com.
Sears 1952 lightweight
The 1952 models were imported from the Netherlands and France.
1953 Sears lightweight
The 1953 model was imported from England. Colour was red with white and gold trim. The saddle, tool kit bag, and pump are a good match.
1954 Sears lightweight
The 1954 model has the same colours and standard accessories as 1953.
Sears also sold bicycle accessories including generator and headlamp, and rear rack.
From these catalogue images the chain guards and decals may not be good matches for the subject bicycle.
As early as 1957 some Sears lightweights were imported from Austria.
Here are some catalogue images from christmas.musetechnical.com.
Sears 1952 lightweight
The 1952 models were imported from the Netherlands and France.
1953 Sears lightweight
The 1953 model was imported from England. Colour was red with white and gold trim. The saddle, tool kit bag, and pump are a good match.
1954 Sears lightweight
The 1954 model has the same colours and standard accessories as 1953.
Sears also sold bicycle accessories including generator and headlamp, and rear rack.
From these catalogue images the chain guards and decals may not be good matches for the subject bicycle.
As early as 1957 some Sears lightweights were imported from Austria.
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06-11-23, 02:44 PM
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The bicycle resembles the 1952 - 1954 Sears Imported Lightweights.
Here are some catalogue images from christmas.musetechnical.com.
Sears 1952 lightweight
The 1952 models were imported from the Netherlands and France.
1953 Sears lightweight
The 1953 model was imported from England. Colour was red with white and gold trim. The saddle, tool kit bag, and pump are a good match.
1954 Sears lightweight
The 1954 model has the same colours and standard accessories as 1953.
Sears also sold bicycle accessories including generator and headlamp, and rear rack.
From these catalogue images the chain guards and decals may not be good matches for the subject bicycle.
As early as 1957 some Sears lightweights were imported from Austria.
Here are some catalogue images from christmas.musetechnical.com.
Sears 1952 lightweight
The 1952 models were imported from the Netherlands and France.
1953 Sears lightweight
The 1953 model was imported from England. Colour was red with white and gold trim. The saddle, tool kit bag, and pump are a good match.
1954 Sears lightweight
The 1954 model has the same colours and standard accessories as 1953.
Sears also sold bicycle accessories including generator and headlamp, and rear rack.
From these catalogue images the chain guards and decals may not be good matches for the subject bicycle.
As early as 1957 some Sears lightweights were imported from Austria.
thank you so much for digging out and sharing these catalogue pages!
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the 1952 imports mentioned as being from France were done by Riva-Sport
here are two forum threads discussing a Sears (Cyclia) Riva-Sport three-speed of 1953
CYCLIA French Bike...Sold by SEARS...
Post War(?) Sears "Made In France"...Well, Sold Through Sears...
Riva-Sport ceased play in 1958 after launching only in 1941 during the occupation, and from the seat of government no less
the source code for these is 510
503 is the source code for Steyr
the 502 source code seen on so very many Sears cycles is Murray
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one thing which made me doubt subject machine a Steyr product is the colour
all of the Sears Steyr three-speeds of the era have seen have been either bright red or black
in the photo posted of the subject cycle it appears to be a metallic redish-brownish colour (russet?)
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