I just got into collecting and building old bikes or "rat rod" bikes.

Here's one that I just finished.





I used a newer cruiser frame that I had laying around, new wheels, old tires and handlebars, old rear rack, new truss rods, a newer seat and old Shwinn fenders.

I also have this all original JC Higgins. This is one of my favorite bikes.



Here's a link to a photo album containing all of the bikes that I currently own.

Bicycle collection and Misc parts

Between the two old cars, the petroliana collection and the bikes, I'm running out of room. The inside of my house isn't any better. Have a bunch of old radios and memorabilia all over the place. My place looks like an antique store.

A friend of mine has 40 or 50 brass bike badges from above the front forks he has collected over the years, phillips bsa etc etc...

Just a couple of my favorites, of the many I have accumulated over the past year, are you on ratrods.

Ratrods is a cool place to stop in on every now & then.
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/
I haven't been there for a while, but I'm hoping to get started on something soon....

Heres a shot of the "Evil Twin"

"My place looks like an antique store."
What days are you open ? LOL
My place looks like Sanford & Son !

MY BROTHER AND SISTER BOTH GOT JC HIGGINS BICYCLES IN THE LATE 50'S. SURPRISINGLY MY BROTHER (NOW 60+) STILL HAS HIS. MEANWHILE MY SISTER'S BIKE FELL INTO MY HANDS AND I HAD IT AROUND FOR MANY YEARS (SINCE 1971). I TRIED MANY TIMES TO SELL IT UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR $100 AND IT WAS IN GOOD ORIGINAL SHAPE. I EVENTUALLY JUST GAVE IT TO A LONGTIME FRIEND WHO IS INTO THE HOBBY ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO.

I was down in the barn last week looking around and have a couple oldies, full size mans Westfield and a smaller Schwinn Red Hornet, not bad nor not good. Anyone know the scoop on Westfield bikes. It has the rear rack and kind of fancy seat.

Yes, I'm also on ratrodbikes.com.

Westfield is a Columbia made Bike

I'm beginning to think that we need an Oldgas old bike forum here..... Would my bike be petro related, if it was a tanker?

a pedal tanker?now thats something i would like to see!

Thunder, that bike is cool, have you done one for one of their Buildoffs

No, I haven't KZ. Check out "Now I know what to do". Its a spinoff of "Gender reassignment". That builder, his name escapes me, actually named my bike, saying that it looked like his bikes "Evil Twin". Both of our bikes, started life as girls bikes. A little fire, a little steel, a few Silver Bullets..... You get the picture.

My '51 DX is probably next. Maybe another springer, I like those Monarchs, but I'm not sure yet.

Michelle is getting tired of all my collections but she loves this bike. So do I.
It is a Worksman INB (Industrial Newsboy Bike). The company is the oldest American bike company still making bikes in the USA.
Mike

Hey Badgas... I checked out your pics. You've got all the bikes covered.... Tankers, trikes, tandems, balooners...... Are ya' leaving anything for the rest of us? LOL.

Yes, there's still plenty to go around.

I did pick this one up on Sunday morning. Looks to be a repro Schwinn. Needs some work on both fenders and the rear hub rebuilt. Also missing the horn assembly from the tank. Not sure if the Schwinn Typhoon Cord tire in the back is original. Took it for a quick spin after I got and it needs a tune-up.



I added the old Marx Toy plastic bicycle engine. It makes a revving and idle sound like a motorcycle.

Heres a bit of old bike/petro.....
http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/forums/showthread.php?t=62041&highlight=tigeroo
Check out the pics....

Got another Worksman today. This one is from the Boeing Company when they switched over to Trikes.
Michelle took over the Orange Worksman and left me with the girls Huffy. So I had to drive 2 1/2 hours and trade the girls Huffy and $$ for this but now I have my very own Big Boy Bike. In pretty good shape for being a company bike. The basket will hold all my cans for recycling so I can pay for it.
Mike

How about tricycles?

Very cool. Now that I have a Grandson I'll be into the trikes too.
Mike

Mike, glad you got the bike. Matt like the tricycles also. Jack

ahhh Boeing, there's some history. Nice score.

Here's one that I picked up at a swap meet earlier this year.





Also picked up the trailer next to it (it's from a JD pedal tractor) in order to replace the rusted out bed on the tricycle.

When I was towing the tricycle behind my wagon through the swap meet, an older lady stopped to tell me that she had a similar tricycle like the one I have when she was a child in the 40s.

Plan is to restore this one in either red/white or blue/white colors.

I LOVE this old bicycle thread..... Anybody else have anything to add?

Just got this Vintage Ice Cream Cart, from, Where else, At A GAS SHOW, thanks to John Mancino

That is a cool looking ice cream trike. Did you know that one of the most famous Worksman Products is the original Good Humor Ice Cream Tricycle. Here is a website with some company history.
http://www.nationalguild.com/Worksman/aboutworksman.html
You never know but that might be one of the Good Humor Ice Cream Trikes.
Mike

Thunder could make that into a Mini trash retriever. Easier to get Unstuck.

I have GOT to get one of those!

BTT..... Heres a recent build. This was built for S Girl...
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=29462

Nice job on the bike, that explains why you have not been around here for a while. I spend too much time on the RatRod site

Awesome job Thunder. The Trike is not so old but it is a Worksman and the Company started in 1898 and still in business. AMERICAN MADE and it folds up!!!

Hi Guys,

Fun thread.I haven't thought about bicycles in years.Does anyone except me remember the "Whizzer"(I think) gas engine that could be mounted on a bicycle (I think) to make it a motorbike?

Anyeay,whether it was an add-on or a complete motorbike,we had one.I really got banged up because of one of those.My older brother was on the Whizzer motorbike towing be on a bicycle;we used atow rope.That was a wreck just waiting to happen,and it did.I was all skinned up,blace eye and all.Live and learn.WE didn't do that anymore.

MY BUDDY NICK FOUND THIS CHAIN BRIVEN TRIKE AT A YARD SALE LAST MONTH. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY COOL FOR $3!

Friend of mines shop !

http://chainreactionbikeshop.com/contact.html

I've been building early Schwinn bikes for years. I just returned from Speedweek at the Bonneville salt flats. Here's a shot of one of my "cruisers" in the early light on the salt.


1953 Panther frame and tank. Phantom sprocket and gearset.

MY BUDDY SOLD HIS KIDDIE CHAIN DRIVE TRIKE YESTERDAY FROM HIS FRONT LAWN TO A GUY WHO WANTED TO FIX IT UP FOR HIS GRANDAUGHTER.

PAID: $3
SOLD: $20

PROFIT: $17 (BELL RINGS)

Goodyear Bicycle

Goodyear bicycle. I don't know why my comments didn't show up with the images. Any information on this Goodyear bicycle made by Columbia would be appreciated. Don

Did someone say old bicycles?
Here's a few of mine, the others are muscle bikes.

Don. The only thing I know about that Goodyear bike, is that it belongs here... LOL. That is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

More bike stuff guys. Lets go!!!!

I've picked up a few old bicycles in the last few months.

I bought this vintage "rikshaw" tricycle at an auction. All I did was clean it and repair one of the pedals. It's now being used at my wife's preschool. The kids constantly fight over it.



Also picked up this 1938-1940 Harvard DeLuxe ladies bike. It's currently being refurbished by a local bicycle guru.



Grabbed these two at an estate auction. Paid something like $25 for both.



Lastly, picked up this 1951 Humber from an estate sale about two months ago. It's an English bike. It was all complete and rideable. Had really cool brake set up, as well as a cool chainring with a "five men" design, and dual tube designed fork. It was a cool looking bike, but not my style. Paid $165. Sold for $400.

Picked up two more bikes at the Turlock swap meet this past Sunday.

Both are men's 26". Hiawatha on left and an Evans on right.



Not sure what to do with them yet. I like the Evans because of the fenders and it's complete. However, I like the Hiawatha because it's older. I want to make the Hiawatha complete and will look for the correct fenders, tank and crank. I might sell the Evans to fund the parts for the Hiawatha.

PM me with a price. We'll discuss shipping later...

Cool bikes .. I got a Bonneville special too had it at BUB in 08..all rust tanker Rollfast with white Fat Frank tires on it!
Have Whizzers too no runner right now but close..

Sold a Whizzer to UtahSignGuy, I thjink he was called.. on this forum. I been into ballon tired for quite a while..
dodogas

Heres one that I picked up at an estate sale last year and haven't done anything with. I'm not into old bikes, so anyone thats interested should PM me. It'll be real reasonable!

I just picked this one up last week. Pre-war Schwinn Packard.....

That is sweet

Your bike is most likely 1940's not a pre -war. All pre war Schwinns used a rear drop out with adjusting screws.(see picture) Your serial number should be on the bottom of the frame under the crankset. PM me and I'll look it up for you.

Schwinn lost their archives in a factory fire in 1948,but another way to date your bike is to disassemble the crankset and look for a date code on the crank. If it's original to the bike that will get you close.

Ser# C13334, but the # charts that I've found dont go back that far. It also has a tapered kickstand, and truss bar forks.

I havent pulled the crank yet. I was pretty sure about the drop outs too. And I also thought that the "Phantom" chainguard is newer also. Check out the headbadge. It says "Arnold Schwinn & Co." Let me know what you find out though.

How about this Worksmen motorbike. I have been working on it on and off all summer. Still need to make a few changes before I settle on a color.

That's nice! Is that a reproduction Monarch fork? If it is, be careful with it. They've been known to break.

Have a few here are a couple of them Early 30's Elgin that I need to get tires on otherwise probably leave as is

picked this columbia up yesterday first thought hey a beer basket for shows but it had to go

and today not sure plans for it yet but looks better already

MY MYSTERY BICYCLE FROM THE FROZEN TUNDRA OF LONG ISLAND.

i picked up a 1963 Murray Astro Flite a month or so ago. i need the headlight plastic lens. anyone know where i can find these? thanks.

Hey Russ. I noticed that the Green Columbia has been lightened by a couple of fenders. If those fenders need a new home, please let me know.

Picked up this one in a dirty old basement parked in the back seat of a 1951 Oldsmobile during a TAG SALE.

The only info I can find is that "Thunderjet" was the predecessor to the ROSS brand and was at times used together like this girls bicycle....

Thats SWEET Doc!

Good research Doc, I have the daddy bike to that little girl, don't have a pic of the bike handy but here are the two tanks that fit it, both names are what you mentioned.

I'm not a bicycle nut, so I do have it chained outside by the roadside with a For Sale sign next to it. I have no idea what to ask, so I Priced it (as is w/patina) @ $125 O.B.O. What do you think is a fair price on this 6-7 Cond bicycle with original tires that still hold air?

Kids bike are hard to sell unless it is a Boys muscle bike, Here I would be happy to get $50.-$75.

But it's got the looks and nice paint so you may get close to what your asking by someone driving by.

My dad picked up this Old Original Paint Hiawatha, just wondering what you bike guys think it is worth. I told my Dad I thought $150-$200. Sorry about the crappy cell phone pictures.

yea, you're about spot on with that price range

VERY nice! Good luck finding a chainguard though...

A boys bike in pink seems unusual. Was it during the pastel color craze or when little girls were expected to wear jeans/slacks as play clothes?

It is Brown and a Dark Cream color.

My Dad said the same thing about the chain guard, I told him it looks cooler with out it. I may buy it from as I have wanted a old bike for awhile now and this one is all original paint. Needs a good cleaning and I think it would look great.

Make sure you post a pic of you riding it!lol actually,size may make it easier to display.

Jason, find me a pic of the chainguard it might have had(not all bikes came with them), I have about 75 of them in a box.

I know these are girls/ladies bicycles, but when I saw them at a yard sale a couple weeks ago, I had to have them. No hesitation on forking over the $20 for the pair.

I never heard of either brand which I think are 50's-60's era and made in the U.S.A.

REX FROM SHELBY, OHIO:





AND ROAD MASTER FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO:





As much as I wanted to keep them for my own yard, somebody wanted them more than me for $130 (was asking $175) after I cleaned them and put them out for sale in the front yard! Cha-ching! They stayed local about 4 miles away. LOL!

Doc Likes Old Bicycles!

Can anyone knowledgeable on Bicycle head badges give me a fair value on this piece that reads:

New England Cycle Co. "Rover" Worcester, Mass.



Thank you!

I know that I have stated on here that I have a friend that restores bicycles out to the college where I work on my old pickup. Today he invited me to come look at his collection. I asked if I could bring my camera and post pictures on here. He said he didn't mind so here they are, probably not the best but whatever. Mitch

More pictures

Nice collection, thanks for sharing.

building this one have to patina the tank and a few parts to match the rest yet and will be changing exhaust yet

That's Cool Russ!! What's the motor from? 50cc?

Its just one of the cheap china motors I threw some patina on, some day would like to get a teens motor to put on if I can find one. was just messing around with a rough mocking up of a rear rack also, had to make it long enough for the beverage choice

that's some killer bikes for sure love those pedal cars