I got this today as you see it. No seat post clamp needed, bottom of forks there are holes not slots, fork matches frame very well through layers of paint. Any details would be much appreciated guys... 
??? My guess is mid 30's higgins? Any idears?
- Thread starter CrazyDave
- Start date
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The Renaissance Man
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You're beginning to hoard Dave. We may have to do an intervention.
I can tell by his eyes in the avatar, he's too far gone already!!You're beginning to hoard Dave. We may have to do an intervention.
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Dang big Dave, save some for everybody else!
Okay, so I have a bit of bike problem lately, but I can quit really...if i wanted too...I could quit..I swear..its no big deal to me..... Anyone know what the heck I bought today pictured above? I guess it don't matter really, but it sure would be nice to know
ELgin Oriole? http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle41
ELgin Oriole? http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle41
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Definitely not a Higgins. They were postwar only.
Could still be Sears, I've seen Elgins with that hub. No idea who made it.
Bingo. That is the Elgin Air-Cooled hub, which is a Musselman hub that has an awesome Sears-specific finned hub-shell. Assuming that the hub is original to the bike, than your bike is an Elgin, which is essentially a pre-war JC Higgins, b/c that's how Sears decided to market their bikes. If that's the case, almost all Sears Elgins were made either by Murray or Westfield (Columbia). Pre-war Murrays were basically electroforged, like the familiar Chicago Schwinns, so the joints will look smooth and flowing, almost like fillet-brazing. Being that your bike isn't electroforged, plus based on other details, such as the ends and the seatbinder treatment, I'd wager that this is a Westfield-built, Elgin-badged bike.... mid-30s seems like a solid guess, but I couldn't say for sure.
FWIW, you'll get your best ID info by posting juicy close-ups of the dropouts/ends, the seat cluster area, and the headtube junction. Of course, a full-length driveside shot is always helpful, too.
Awesome bike, regardless... Congrats!
Just did some googling, and the air-cooled hub didn't appear until 1937, and by this point, Elgins with the moto-type frames tended to have the curved seat tube. Which may mean that the hub isn't original. Still, i think the frame is Westfield-built, and quite possibly was Elgin-badged. Probably '33-36? Fork looks right; sweetheart-type sprocket doesn't. Hopefully, one of the real oldbike guys will chime in soon.
I kinda think its a elgin oriole or a earlier version, motobike? http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/1934-35-elgin-oriole.95851/
the hub brake arm says JC higgins on it, so evidently it is not the right rear hub/wheel...it doesen't match the any color in the bikes history i can see either, but from what ive read the serial isn't right for that.
Heres the pics 808 suggested
the hub brake arm says JC higgins on it, so evidently it is not the right rear hub/wheel...it doesen't match the any color in the bikes history i can see either, but from what ive read the serial isn't right for that.
Heres the pics 808 suggested
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very good of you man, wooo, my first colson.....now I cna figure out what to do with her! Im stoked.your frame is a 1935 colson flyer. thanks for the better pics. The year is based on the serial, which matches with 30s-era colson numbering systems....
HTH
In my experience, once you start cleaning and tuning what' already there, the vision takes shape in your head. That bike is really awesome; it's sure to inspire you. (I'm loving the forks....) Colsons were top quality. If it were me, i'd be tempted to play around with wheelsize; measure it up and see if it'll fit 28s or fairly fat 700c rubber.... but those bikes look great on 26s, too!
As I was negotiating the price of her I was thinking a 700C set, cyclocross kinda wheelset, frame seems to be well made and much lighter than I expected. Hmm...I could see a set of velocity deep V's on it...
Deep Vs? No. Chukkers. That bike needs big diameter hoops, but they need not be skinny.... Chukkers are Deep Vs on steroids. Deep Vs are 19mm wide/30mm deep, and you can maybe squeeze 32s into'm. Chukkers are 24mm wide/32mm deep, and you can run >50mm (29er size!) rubber on those.... assuming the Colson can clear them.....
Just my $0.02...
Yeahhhhh, your spot on man. Thanks, heck I'll just ship it to you and yu can send it back how I want it! loloolol...Great info man, much appreciated. Ill drag it down to my LBS and see what I can't fit on her
Great find Dave!
The cool thing about Colson is it was a 'boutique' bike builder. Meaning, back then, a local hardware store/other could contract Colson to provide bikes badged with their company name and whatever color scheme they wanted.
Long story short, it gives you 'artistic freedom' to build this anyway you want, because there are numerous non-factory applications.
Good luck with it, looking forward to the build.
Cheers,
Dr. T
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The cool thing about Colson is it was a 'boutique' bike builder. Meaning, back then, a local hardware store/other could contract Colson to provide bikes badged with their company name and whatever color scheme they wanted.
Long story short, it gives you 'artistic freedom' to build this anyway you want, because there are numerous non-factory applications.
Good luck with it, looking forward to the build.
Cheers,
Dr. T
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
