Winchester Bike

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Kato

Kato

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I've had this bike for about 5 years now.........it's a Winchester, as in the gun company. I've found very little info on it / these bikes over the years.
Pretty sure it was built by another company and Winchester badged / sold them - you'd be surprised what Winchester sold.
I've talked to one Winchester gun collector and he said they are rare - very rare.....other than that not much info.
Original paint except maybe the rims. Paint is really good shape except for front fender under the light. Owner left batteries in it and the paint flaked off the fender after taking the pics. Appreciate any info - I've been thinking about selling it.



 
Maybe be a parts is parts bike. The front sprocket is Schwinn. I am not too sure on the rest. Can you post pictures of the rear dropouts, front head tube area. Also are there any serial numbers on the dropouts or underneath the bottom bracket?
 
Essentially is a Rollfast. Built by HP Snyder late prewar or early postwar. Serial number will read something like EH-14. Flip those digits and you have the year.
 
cman / Walker / Jpromo - Thanks !!!! Let me dig the bike out of my storage in the basement this weekend and I'll get some info off of it.
 
Just got the bike out Serial 44386 Under pedal crank
Looks like there may be another number or something above those numbers but really can't confirm. New Departure Model D hub.
Front tire - Lightning Dart and rear The Special IRC Ballooon Tyre.
Pedals have 2 red jewels on the end of each.
No frame numbers back by rear sprocket. Rear reflector on fender says STOP below reflector. It looks like the chain guard was originally blue -backside of guard has blue paint that matches the bike color.
I forgot how clean this bike is considering the guesstimated age. I think it'll go in between the 52 Schwinn and 42 Roadmaster :)

Appreciate any other help / suggestions........can take more pics etc
 
Having a true serial number like that, I'd guess it's most likely from 1940ish, since 1941 is when I believe they started the reversed year serials like I mentioned above.

It looks like the whole drivetrain was likely swapped. You see this a lot on skiptooth bikes that Grandpa put into service 25 years later for the grandchildren to ride when they come over (that's the story I set up in my head at least). But really any reason to get it riding again years later instead of buying a new bike. The IRC tire is imported, which you really don't see much of until the early 60s, leading me to believe this was gone through in the 60s sometime and updated, since skiptooth parts would have been dwindling in bike shops, or they had a beat up bike laying around with parts to steal from. So replace chain, crank and pedals, wheels from another bike and painted white to match this one more appropriately. The guard is also aftermarket. There's a story to everything, which we'll never known, but it's had a lot of years for things to be changed on it and has seen at least two tours of duty. The heart of the bike is original though, which is the important thing.
 
Winchester (the gun co.) made a wide variety of products in the 20's. Roller skates, wrenches, you name it. When the depression hit in '29 they stopped making everything except guns. Since that bike is not a 20's bike, I'd say it has nothing to do with Winchester Gun Co. Gary
 

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