T-Mar

Make sure that you confirm the fork dimensions, as these were available in Junior, Juvenile and Standard versions. There was even a Mustang style version with a 24" rear wheel, 20" front wheel, banana seat and hi-rise handlebars.

clubman 

Very good point! 16 1/4 " from the end of fork tips to the top edge of crown cap. Plus it fits a CCM wheel. Whew.

T-Mar

I knew this was late 1940s, the moment that I saw the head badge. The serial number is from 1948, so it's a 1948 or 1949 Men's Standard Roadster model. This was CCM's base men's model during the post war era. They did not come with chain guards. The closest pricing that I have is from 1950, at which time it had an MSRP of $49.95 CDN.

T-Mar

As previously stated this was CCM's base (i.e. least expensive) adult model. CCM's prices only went up from there. ​​​​​​At the time, CCM still had a very good reputation, a well established national distribution network and consequently, the majority of the market share. As a result, they charged a premium price. Anybody wanting to try to break into or survive in the bicycle industry at the time, had to underprice CCM or offer a superior product for a specific model style. The former approach was easier and chosen by most compeititors. So, for a base, adult roadster, $50 was expensive.

Alternatives were relatively limited around this time.There were about 8 other Canadian manufacturers but they were typically restricted to small, regional markets. Other national brands were typically house brands, such as Supercycle (Canadian Tire) or Glider (Eaton's). CCM covered their budget offerings with thier own budget brands, offered via their three non-unionized subsidiaries. Imported foreign brands were a still a small percentage of the market and the only major name with any signicant presence was Raleigh.

Of course, all this would change over the next couple of decades. CCM's position atop the industry would become a laibility in the face the growing counter-culture movement embraced the nation's youth, who would become the prime market demographic. They would turn to the growing number of foreign brands that, while just as old and corporate entrenched as CCM, were perceived as being new and exciting.

T-Mar

Yes, there was a catalogued 3 speed version. It was called the Imperial MK II Sports. Unlike the coaster brake model, the men's Sports version used 26" wheels, in conjuction with a straight/non-camelback top tube. The frame size should be 21". The juvenile version also used 26" wheels but employed a camelback top tube to produce a frame with an 18" seat tube. The colour is called Lincoln Green. They were produced for the 1962-1963 model years, being replaced by the Mk IV for 1964. I'm not sure if they were available prior to 1962, as I don't have any literature for 1959-1961. FYI, there was also an Imperial Mk II Racer with 3 speeds and drop bars.

clubman 

My friend worked an lbs in for a few decades and this 1948 woman's was left, unclaimed for near a decade. I bought him coffee and I got the bike for my wife. It's a premium model, lovely pins and a triplex crank and painted centre strip on the rims with pins.
It rode well, I loved it but her Hercules was the fave so we donated it to a local auction for health care. It only made $200 and that's fine. No chainguard. Oddly, I've got a 48 like yours.

clubman 

Likely sell it...too many projects.

clubman 

Bought as a frame only, with stock tag on it. Likely a replacement frame with the extra pinstripes.
I've got the parts to build it up but I'm not inclined do do that, yet.

T-Mar

The CCM Imperial GT was a 1968 to 1969 model. The serial number's K-prefix indicates it was manufactured during the 1967 calendar year, so the subject bicycle would be a 1968 model manufactured in late 1967. The wheel size indicates the Standard version. It also came in Juvenile (26" wheels) and Junior (24" wheel) versions. The colour is called Astro Blue. It was CCM's top roadster model of the era. I don't have 1968 pricing but the 1969 MSRP was $64.95 CDN. Thxs for posting. Enjoy your new acquisition!

C.C.M

I have the same model/color , but.. mine is the ' Imperial 700 ' and the wheels are 28 X 1 1/2 . What's the difference mister T-Mar ? thanks in advance .

T-Mar

The Imperial 700 was the immediate predecessor to the Imperial GT. It was manufactured for the 1966 & 1967 model years. There a 66.6% chance that I can determine the exact model year from the serial number. There were 5 distinct generations of Imperial bicycles, with the 700 series being the 4th generation. The GT had slightly different graphics than the 700 and the chainguard was bumped up a notch, with the GT's being chrome plated versus paint on 700's. There were some other smaller changes but the chainguard finish and graphics are what stood out to most owners.

C.C.M

Thank you T-Mar ...yes , indeed ,the chain-guard is painted but i don't know where is the serial number .

T-Mar

During this era the serial number was typically stamped into the rear, non-drive side dropout. However, I have seen the odd case where it's on the rear, drive side dropout.

C.C.M

The fork seems slightly bented , Am I wrong ?

T-Mar

The fork appears normal for a CCM product of this particular era. Rather than having the typical gradual bend on the lower end of the blades, the rake constituted a sharper bend on the upper half of the blades. I'd have to check my literature to be sure but CCM used this rake style circa 1967-1970 on the adult models. It continued to be used through the 1970s on the hi-riser and children's models. You can see the same style of fork on this men's Imperial 700.

Ishamael

Hi everyone,

I was hoping to get some help identifying this CCM road bike. It belongs to a friend of mine who inherited it when someone close to him passed away last year. My friend would like to get it fixed up for mostly sentimental reasons. He took it to a local bike shop and they did some work, but it started getting too expensive and they don't really do vintage bikes. I said I'd take a look, but I thought I'd post it here before I started wrenching on it. The serial number is stamped on the back of the seattube: E992847

I'm assuming it's probably a pretty low end model given that all of the badges and labels are just stickers, which are pealing very badly. I guess they are technically pealing very well...but that's a bad thing. I'd love to get vinyl decal replacements made, but not sure who feasible that is.

Some oddities - the cranks are both Silstar, but they don't match. I'm assuming that the drive-side crank and chain rings were replaced by the previous owner at some point, as they don't seem very at home on the bike.

I'm also worried that there is a small dent in the drive side of the fork - not sure if I'm just imaging it.




There are no mounting points on the tubes - shifters are clamped on. There were a couple of water bottle cages clamped on as well, which caused the damage to the stickers.

Frame is just painted a solid colour - the gold bands are part of the sticker. It's all one sticker, the parts where the frame colour shows through are just clear.

Mismatched crank 1

mismatched crank 2

Shimano RS RD


Hubs all need to be serviced, and the freewheel needs to be replaced as it isn't happy playing with the new chain that the bike shop installed.

T-Mar

Based on the serial number, in conjunction with the graphics. it should be a 1980-1981 model. CCM was really struggling by this time and the model line had been cut back, eliminating the high end and mid-range models. Their top model at the time might be considered very low mid-range but that is arguable. Regardless, CCM would go into bankruptcy and close the Weston factory in January 1983.

Unfortunately, I don't have any 1980 literature, outside of a price list, and 1981 is devoid of component specs. Still, it's a pretty good visual match for a 1981 CCM Carrera, which was 2nd in a four model line of adult, drop bar, "racers". The graphics, colour, wheels, crankset and front derailleur are a match. The brakes looks they could match but I can't say for sure. The RS rear derailleur doesn't match but it would appear to be a replacement, as it's lower level than the front derailleur. The only other obvious discrepancy is the shift levers, which are stem mounted in the factory photo.

Given the stamped dropouts and steel seat post, it is almost certainly a basic, hi-tensile steel tubeset. We can verify the level of tubing via the seat post diameter.

Ishamael

Thanks for the information, T-Mar. Doing an image search for Carrera's, I agree that seems like a likely candidate. It could very well be that the downtube shifters aren't original - their placement has caused severe damage to the CCM decal, so in the very least I assume they weren't intended to be in that exact position. I assume the tubing is basic hi-ten. I have a digital caliper on order so I can verify the seatpost diameter once it arrives, if it's of interest.

I'm talking to someone about reproducing the decals as cut vinyl. I'm not sure if I'll try and get matching cranks, or just keep the funky mismatched set. A new freewheel is on the way. Other than that, I'll probably just clean it up, and service the hubs, headset and bottom bracket. I'll post more pictures once it's all back together.

browngw 

I'm not sure the CCM brochures were all that accurate. A known history original 1972 tube shifters I inherited from a friend and restored, always had down tube shifters yet the ad shows stem shifters.

T-Mar

This is almost certainly a case of the component manufacturers' inability to respond to the sudden increase of demand during the 1971-1972 period. Adult derailleur bicycle sales tripled in 1971, then tripled again in 1972. A lot of component manufacturers just didn't have the capacity to respond to a nine-fold increase over two years. Consequently, there were a lot of factory substitutions. I got used to opening the first carton from a new shipment of bicycles, only to find that the models didn't match the catalogue or even a previous shipment.

Basically, with the customers crying for bicycles, companies like CCM would install whatever components they could get their hands on. The supply was in such flux and the factory so busy, that they wouldn't even try to keep catalogues up to date. I've always been convinced that this is the era that eventually gave rise to standard catalogue disclaimer, " specifications subject to change without notice".

T-Mar

This may help to convince you even more. From my 1981 literature...

Ishamael

Okay, that's a fairly convincing argument, haha. Interesting that it's a 12 speed though, as the one I'm working on is only 10. I'd love to find a matching replacement for the non-drive side crank, but I don't think it's very likely.

moonm

My CCM Projects:
1926 Flyer:



1930's CCM Flyer



1951 & 1955 CCM Flyer Frames.



More photos can be seen on my Flickr site in the bike collection folders at this link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/...7628707166153/

clubman 

Amazing collection of Flyers moonm ...the red one does it for me.

moonm

Thanks:
The red frame is from 1955, probably one of the last old school Flyer frames made.
After this they went more conventional and used Nervex lugs on the few Flyer's that were made until the Factory closed.

Keep meaning to build it up along with the blue 1951 frame.
Have the parts for both builds but have been lazy.

Would like to take photos of all 4 Flyers together.