1980 Schwinn Sting-Ray II

1980 Schwinn Sting-Ray II

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1980 Schwinn Sting-Ray II

1977 Schwinn Sting-Ray Junior

1977 Schwinn Sting-Ray Junior

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1977 Schwinn Sting-Ray Junior Built May of 1977 Schwinn Stingray Junior. This bike is 100% original and unrestored. Has just been recently cleaned up and polished for the "new" appearance. Luckily bought at a yard sale for $20--what a steal. Also has a cool SEARS speedometer and a chrome bell w/ american flag on it. Awesome bike. photo cred: cool-cat

1973 Schwinn Sting-Ray Junior

1973 Schwinn Sting-Ray Junior

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1973 Schwinn Sting-Ray Junior

1953 Monarch Rocket

1953 Monarch Rocket

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1953 Monarch Rocket This is a Monarch Rocket, complete except for the chainguard. Tank with horn, Delta Winner headlight, Lobdell-Emery saddle, and New Departure Model "D" coaster brake. Handlebar grips are "Coke Bottle" style, and have holes in the ends for colored jewels, which are missing.

1931 - 1940 Monarch Rocket

1931 - 1940 Monarch Rocket

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1931 - 1940 Monarch Rocket

1941 - 1945 Delta Rocket Ray

1941 - 1945 Delta Rocket Ray

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1941 - 1945 Delta Rocket Ray Fender Light

1968 Raleigh Rodeo

1968 Raleigh Rodeo

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1968 Raleigh Rodeo Closeup of rear fender decal.

1967 Raleigh Rodeo 3+2

1967 Raleigh Rodeo 3+2

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1967 Raleigh Rodeo 3+2 5-speed with internal rear hub

1949 Coca Cola Rollfast delivery bike

1949 Coca Cola Rollfast delivery bike

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1949 Coca Cola Rollfast delivery bike Original Rollfast Coca Cola delivery bike

1987 Schwinn Rolling Rock

1987 Schwinn Rolling Rock

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1987 Schwinn Rolling Rock 1990s Schwinn-built Rolling Rock

1949 Legnano Roma

1949 Legnano Roma

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1949 Legnano Roma A Legnano Roma, probably about 1948-9, with Campagnolo Corsa 4 speed gear. RIPE FOR RESTORATION.

1921 - 1930 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam

1921 - 1930 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam

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1921 - 1930 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam Hello there,
I felt as a Sunbeam owner I really ought to do something about your
current Sunbeam entry, which suggests that the famous Sunbeam "Little
Oilbath" was "a really bad idea that only lasted a few years" whereas
it was an excellent idea that was introduced in 1892 and remained the
hallmark of Sunbeams through the remaining 65 years of their 70-year
history. I can testify to the fact that having a constantly lubricated
chain that is fully protected from dirt and grit makes a significant
difference to riding, particularly up hills. My 3 speed has a bottom
gear of 56" and will go up hills that my other bikes will not look at except in much lower gears.

The significance of the Sunbeam in bicycle history is well expressed by
Robert Cordon Champ in his Illustrated History of Sunbeam bicycles and
motorcycles:

"An example of a product made deliberately to the highest standards, the pre-1918 Sunbeam is undoubtedly the finest production cycle ever made."

One hundred years ago, in 1908, you could buy a six speed Golden Sunbeam
(two speeds in the front bracket married to Sunbeam~s own 3 speed hub)
with "Romanium" aluminium alloy rims for the princely sum of 19 guineas
(£19-19s-0d) the equivalent of around £1060/$2120 at today~s prices.

My own machine falls just outside that golden age of 1887-1918 when the
firm was owned and run by the Marston family. However, the quality was
maintained under the ownership of Nobel industries (later ICI) for at
least a decade, and it was only from 1928 onwards that there were
significant attempts at cost-cutting, though even as late as 1934 an
internal memo complained that "one of Marston~s problems is that they
make too good a product". The bicycle and motorcycle operation was sold
to AMC (Associated Motor Cycles) around 1936-7 and manufacture was
gradually transferred from Wolverhampton to London. However, it moved back to the Midlands when the firm was taken over by BSA in 1943 who
continued manufacture until Raleigh took over and effectively killed off
the Sunbeam name in 1957. (For a fine online history of Sunbeam, see
http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/bicycles/Sunbeam.htm)

My bike dates from around 1923 and is a Royal Sunbeam, frame no 141812,
fitted with a three-speed hub. (from 1913 Sunbeam used a version of the
BSA hub that was in turn the Sturmey Archer X-type made under licence.

This hub has several distinct advantages over the standard S-A hub,
being in constant mesh so it does not have the groin-threatening no-gear
positions that bedevil the standard S-A article. In addition, it is
designed to fail in bottom gear rather than top - with the lever full
forward and the wire slack, it is in low gear, the reverse of the
standard S-A hub. (for the low-down on this, see Tony Hadland~s excellent site at http://www.hadland.me.uk/ ).

You can see more of my machine at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7595435@N02/2327063512/ and you are welcome
to use the picture. I hope to post others soon.
All the best and thanks for a great site.

1911 - 1920 Century Cycle Co Royal Roadster

1911 - 1920 Century Cycle Co Royal Roadster

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1911 - 1920 Century Cycle Co Royal Roadster This is a teens or 1920~s Century Cycle Co "Royal Roadster." It has a truss frame, metal-lined 28" wood clincher rims, a leather Troxel saddle, and stitched leather grips. Rear hub is a New Departure Model A, front is a New Departure Model M. I suspect this bike was manufactured by the Mead Cycle Co, or possibly by Schwinn. Craig cleit273

1921 - 1930 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam

1921 - 1930 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam

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1921 - 1930 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam 1923 Royal Sunbeam
Frame no. 141812.
(according to Pinkerton et al - "Sunbeam Cycles, the story from the catalogues, 1887-1957" - no.140107 was sold on 25.5.1923 and 142400 0n 23.3.23 so it probably dates from that year)

Proportion in bicycles is a subtle matter, generated by lengths and angles: to my eye, this is the epitome of the roadster bicycle, with its 26" frame and 28" wheels - it is certainly handsomer than another bike I have, with 28" wheels but only a 24" frame. I think the length of the head-tube is critical.

The bike is fitted with the "standard" Sunbeam 3-speed hub introduced in 1913 to supersede the Newill "stepped" hub pictured elsewhere on this site. It is effectively a clone of the BSA 3 speed, which was itself a version of the Sturmey-Archer X type made under licence.

This hub has two notable virtues compared to the usual Sturmey-Archer article: first, it is always in some gear, so no risk of groin-crippling pedal slip; second, the wire is slack in low gear rather than top, so that if it fails, it is easier to get home. Why Raleigh (who effectively owned S-A) did not use it on their bikes is a great mystery.

It also has "Roman rims", first made in 1897 and fitted to Sunbeams at least as early as 1902 . These were made of a patent alloy of aluminium invented by Dr Reinhard Isidore Roman, and called "Romanium"
The relevant patents can be viewed at
ep.espacenet.com/numberSearch?locale=en_ep
by keying in GB189907786 (which relates to the making of the rims)
GB189806730 (relating to the use of alloys in bicycles generally)
and GB189806729 (the actual composition of Romanium)

1870 - 1900 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam oilbath filler

1870 - 1900 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam oilbath filler

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1870 - 1900 Sunbeam Royal Sunbeam oilbath filler Royal Sunbeam oilbath filler (patent 1896)
Another view of Sunbeam patent GB189623149, this time as fitted to my 1923 Royal Sunbeam. The removable quadrant looks a bit out of shape on the r.h. join.

1964 Capo RS Sport

1964 Capo RS Sport

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1964 Capo RS Sport Model Capo RS Sport. This bike is produced from Capo bicycles Vienna (Austria) in the Year 1964. The frame is out of Steel and painted black. Shifting is Campagnolo Record 5 gear. The crank set is single blade with 52 teeth. Brakes are from Mavac. The wheels have Tubeless tires with Steel rimms and Campagnolo high flange hubs. There is no Serial number engraved in the frame.The Bike was found in an Basement in Vienna and was there for more than 15 Years. The restauration has startet and will be finished in the end of 2004. for further info contact: fastaudi

1966 Raleigh RSW

1966 Raleigh RSW

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1966 Raleigh RSW Raleigh "RSW 16" on frame. "AW 66 7" on sturmy archer hub. Sturmy-Archer twist grip 3 speed shifter. Dyno hub powered lights. Cables run through inside of frame. 16X1 3/4" tires. Rampar seat. Serial # 0077121 on back extremity of frame (left) near rear axle, and rear fender strut attachment. Bike owned by capt bill, memharwich

1970 Schwinn Run A Bout

1970 Schwinn Run A Bout

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1970 Schwinn Run A Bout 1970 Schwinn Run A Bout, Schwinn~s, answer to the folding bike. It~s a one previous owner bike that is all original.

1975 Roadmaster Runaway

1975 Roadmaster Runaway

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1975 Roadmaster Runaway

1949 Persons Saddle

1949 Persons Saddle

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1949 Persons Saddle

1987 Huffy Savannah Tandem

1987 Huffy Savannah Tandem

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1987 Huffy Savannah Tandem 5 speed, full fenders. Good paint and chrome. Alloy Sun 26x1.75 rims. Dual rear brakes

1946 Whizzer Schwinn

1946 Whizzer Schwinn

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1946 Whizzer Schwinn 1946 Schwinn Whizzer (Unrestored)

1931 - 1940 Indian Scout

1931 - 1940 Indian Scout

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1931 - 1940 Indian Scout With rare rear shifter

1952 Indian Scout

1952 Indian Scout

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1952 Indian Scout Indian Scout 1952 - FW 4-speed - Purchased new by my Dad from the Indian Motorcycle Factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, as my birthday gift - I still ride this bike daily - e-mail address: SCUBA4Bugs

1951 Indian Scout

1951 Indian Scout

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1951 Indian Scout 1951 Indian Scout 3 speed in as found condition, all original except for chain guard. Photo by David Lee Bolman

1951 Indian Scout

1951 Indian Scout

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1951 Indian Scout 1951 Indian Scout 3 speed head badge. Photo by David Lee Bolman