Ok dude...Whre can I get those..." the string loops that go under the axle nut" ??olschbp said:
Puzzle Bike...
- Thread starter bikeriderx
- Start date
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The bike is not unidentifiable; it was built by the H.P. Snyder Company. But unless you decide to, and are able to chase the chain of transfer you may not be able to pin down what badge it originally wore.
This is not unlike finding a prewar Schwinn frame without a head badge; Schwinn also used hundreds of badges so you may never know which one the bike was sold under. Another analogy is finding a frame that has been thoroughly sand blasted; you can determine who made the frame and the colors it was available in but the only way to know what color it originally was would be to find the person that removed the paint.
Unfortunately many bikes have had their head badge removed over the years. In the case of bikes from early in the last century you may never even be able to determine the manufacturer as there may be no one alive with the information you are seeking.
Since you know the manufacturer and do not have the original badge one route to take is to replicate one of the known versions the bike was offered as. This would include Rollfast, Hawthorne, Elgin, and could include many others such as Zenith, Trailblazer, Winchester, Yale, Princeton, and on and on.
The skirt string holders turn up occasionally on eBay but all you need to do is attach a 1/2" bullring or key chain loop to the bottom of the fender stays and run the string up an down. If you get ambitious study some of the old photos, many bikes were originally strung in an involved woven pattern.
This is not unlike finding a prewar Schwinn frame without a head badge; Schwinn also used hundreds of badges so you may never know which one the bike was sold under. Another analogy is finding a frame that has been thoroughly sand blasted; you can determine who made the frame and the colors it was available in but the only way to know what color it originally was would be to find the person that removed the paint.
Unfortunately many bikes have had their head badge removed over the years. In the case of bikes from early in the last century you may never even be able to determine the manufacturer as there may be no one alive with the information you are seeking.
Since you know the manufacturer and do not have the original badge one route to take is to replicate one of the known versions the bike was offered as. This would include Rollfast, Hawthorne, Elgin, and could include many others such as Zenith, Trailblazer, Winchester, Yale, Princeton, and on and on.
The skirt string holders turn up occasionally on eBay but all you need to do is attach a 1/2" bullring or key chain loop to the bottom of the fender stays and run the string up an down. If you get ambitious study some of the old photos, many bikes were originally strung in an involved woven pattern.
Thanks again to all! Especially rms37!!! This is why I think that RRB.com is the BEST bike site on the web! Thanks again!!
Yes, Phil is THE MAN! After seeing his response, I leafed thru my Rollfast book, and sure enough, there's the bike. It's a semi-front view, but you can see the two cross pieces, and the funky angles of the tubes. What I didn't know was that Snyder produced some Elgins for Sears! I believed most were made by Westfield/Columbia thru 1937, after which they were mostly Murray built. (btw, your bike does have a Columbia-esque sprocket, which goes with Dave's id. Might not be original either, who knows at this late date!) Again, more proof that "motorbike" era bikes are some of the hardest to id, as they were all VERY similar in style and accessories! ~Adam
Dude, thanks! Yea...I'm satisfied now that it's a H.P. Snyder...I need to educate myself...I'm gonna restore that skirt guard...Overall I'm gonna go for a low grade restrore. I mean...strip the paint (sand blast?), fix the steerer tube, new tubes for the tires...Ride 'er for awhile and then take suggesions on what to do next!! :mrgreen:
