Worksman Cruiser Year Please
- Thread starter Araya51
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It's hard to pin down an exact year, but the kinked downtube will put it in the early/mid 80s at the latest. The fork, assuming it's original, is the lugged crown ones they used BEFORE the Akisu forks. (Actually, TBH, I've never seen one of those forks in-person. Maybe you can check the steerer, to see if anything is stamped there? Might be a clue...) If the wheels are original, with 11g spokes and stuff, then the rear hub might give you some clues, too. Might be old enough to have a Bendix 70 or 76. Also, FYI, the fenders, stem, and bars are definitely replacements, so don't use those as indicators as to the bike's vintage....
So, my guess would be 1980ish--- but that's just a semi-educated guess. You might wanna PM Mark Sr about it; he's been in the Worksman game since before I was born....
So, my guess would be 1980ish--- but that's just a semi-educated guess. You might wanna PM Mark Sr about it; he's been in the Worksman game since before I was born....
I don't think that's a Worksman chain ring either. Someone redid the bike, so it may be an older model that was rebuilt. They used the same frame style for years so it's hard to tell.
It looks like it will last for a lot more years.
It looks like it will last for a lot more years.
Good point re: the chainring, but TBH, I've seen a lot of different sprockets on Worksman from the factory; seems like they keep chainging those. They currently run 3/16" (415) sprockets that you can sometimes find sold under the "Sunlite" brand. I think I have seen that same sprocket on Worksman before; a kid round me has a orange one with that kind of ring, a Bendix 76 hub, and the other lugged-crown fork.... pretty nice.
Can't believe I hadn't thought of it earlier, but do you have a good pic of the head decal? That totally looks like the early 80s one in terms of size/shape, but I can't make out any details...
Can't believe I hadn't thought of it earlier, but do you have a good pic of the head decal? That totally looks like the early 80s one in terms of size/shape, but I can't make out any details...
Sorry been busy since I posted my request for info on the Worksman.
I have to say the Worksman is about one of the only bike conpanys that have trouble finding out the year or details on there bikes. Kool bikes I give them that but poor info to get a hold of..
I do appreciate all the info that everyone is giving.
I have to say the Worksman is about one of the only bike conpanys that have trouble finding out the year or details on there bikes. Kool bikes I give them that but poor info to get a hold of..
I do appreciate all the info that everyone is giving.
They are one of the few American made bikes left. Mostly industrial bikes, they are heavy and bulletproof. There's one attached to a bike rack from the twin towers in the 9-11 museum warehouse.
Nice bike! Worksman serial numbers are all over the place, absolutely no rhyme or reason to 'em. No one at Worksman will be of any help either. If the bike is fairly unmolested, often the stamp on the steerer tube (between the top threads and the bottom bearing race) of the fork is the best way to ID them. Also sometimes the rims are stamped with a year, inside under the rubber rim strip. If the fork stamp and rim year are within 1 year of each other, there is your most accurate date.
I think 808 is right, the two bends in the downtube make it 80's or earlier. All newer Worksmans I have seen have only one bend in the downtube (and therefore do not look as good, IMO). Also I think mid to late 80s they went to the round headbadge sticker. The chainring is the classic Worksman sprocket I remember from the '80s (and need a few more of). Here is an untouched 82 Worksman:
I noticed the chrome chainguard and seat post clamp. Typically those were same color as the frame back then. Though when I was a kid, we took all the reflectors and the chainguard off and tossed them for some reason. That CG could easily be a replacement.
Those Union block pedals were typical early '80s ish. Are those Carlisle tires by chance?
Just noticed the rims, front does not have the typical jumbo hub, which was typically black back then. Are they lighter duty rims?
I think 808 is right, the two bends in the downtube make it 80's or earlier. All newer Worksmans I have seen have only one bend in the downtube (and therefore do not look as good, IMO). Also I think mid to late 80s they went to the round headbadge sticker. The chainring is the classic Worksman sprocket I remember from the '80s (and need a few more of). Here is an untouched 82 Worksman:
I noticed the chrome chainguard and seat post clamp. Typically those were same color as the frame back then. Though when I was a kid, we took all the reflectors and the chainguard off and tossed them for some reason. That CG could easily be a replacement.
Those Union block pedals were typical early '80s ish. Are those Carlisle tires by chance?
Just noticed the rims, front does not have the typical jumbo hub, which was typically black back then. Are they lighter duty rims?
Well I need to check the info you gave in IDing the cruiser and also the front wheel is a schwinn HD.. Tires have been replaced and I believe the stem and bars also have been replaced as well.
Since the last picture I posted I have changed out the stem and bars and removed both fenders and chain guard.. But the one thing that I am looking for is the correct front wheel to make the set.. I will post a current picture of the cruiser here sometime soon..
Since the last picture I posted I have changed out the stem and bars and removed both fenders and chain guard.. But the one thing that I am looking for is the correct front wheel to make the set.. I will post a current picture of the cruiser here sometime soon..
Did you pull the fork? I'm dying to know what (if anything) is stamped on there... Also still curious about the rear hub....
As for the front wheel, here's a quick/easy place to find a brand new one http://industrialbikes.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=320
Obviously, at $90, that's a bit steep... maybe see if Chuckz has a decent K/O front he can sell you? (My only Worksman front is a 20")
As for the front wheel, here's a quick/easy place to find a brand new one http://industrialbikes.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=320
Obviously, at $90, that's a bit steep... maybe see if Chuckz has a decent K/O front he can sell you? (My only Worksman front is a 20")
No yet.. I will pull the fork off this weekend to check for the info and also will PM Chuckz for that front wheel..
Trying to finish my grandson"s bike for an upcoming bmx bike show here locally..
Trying to finish my grandson"s bike for an upcoming bmx bike show here locally..
Ok so I pulled off the front fork and It had "NANIWA" Made in Japan stamped on the steertube.. So this tells me that the front fork has also been replaced. I decided to change out the front fork to a bmx style fork and here is the new look on the Worksman cruiser..I think it looks a lot better this way.
Like that bike! Don't fret over Japanese forks though. I have found that the 2 most common Worksman forks from the '80s era are stamped either "Akisu Japan" (the "crown" curved fork) or "Tange Japan" (the straight tube BMX fork), the latter being my favorites. I bet that those were your originals, but the tubes look great.
I will also bet that if you checked the steerer tube on your baby blue Emory's fork in the background, they would be Jap made too.
Did I spot horizontal rear dropouts before 808 did???
I will also bet that if you checked the steerer tube on your baby blue Emory's fork in the background, they would be Jap made too.
Did I spot horizontal rear dropouts before 808 did???
No fret on the Japanese fork cuz that's what I'm putting on my Schwinn the "Left Koast Kruiser" build and recently picked up another Schwinn cruiser with Tange forks and not to mention the collection of Akisu forks that I have.. I took the Worksman to another level in a look that fit just a bit better than the curved fork that it came with.. Yes those are the horizontal dropouts on the Worksman.!! Lol
I don't think 808 has seen the updated post yet so yes you beat him to it.!!!
The powder blue bike in the background is my Jamis Earth Cruiser with Akisu forks ( I think ).?? Need to double check..
I don't think 808 has seen the updated post yet so yes you beat him to it.!!!
The powder blue bike in the background is my Jamis Earth Cruiser with Akisu forks ( I think ).?? Need to double check..
Like that bike! Don't fret over Japanese forks though. I have found that the 2 most common Worksman forks from the '80s era are stamped either "Akisu Japan" (the "crown" curved fork) or "Tange Japan" (the straight tube BMX fork), the latter being my favorites. I bet that those were your originals, but the tubes look great.
...
Did I spot horizontal rear dropouts before 808 did???
I agree that the Naniwa forks are probably original; i've seen a lot of INBs online with those forks, but (until now) I didn't know who made them. I like the Tange-built forks (a lot of 80s 26s have those), and i really love the Akisu-built Worksman forks, they're just really nice. Araya51, if you wanna sell those Naniwa forks, pm me...
And yeah, Mak, you totally beat me to it on spotting the horizaontal ends on that one. The first set of pics, with the fenders, they were obscured by the stays. good eye, my friend...
Like Mark said, i think the tubular forks look rad on your bike. It looks much meaner/sportier with those. Be careful, though.... in your pics, we can see both your blue Jamis and your blue Emory. Are you lucky enough to have the Cook Bros fork on your Emory? (I know i saw that bike when you posted it on the strandie thread, but i cn't recall....)
I have called the Worksman office and was told that they really have no system or archives to I.D. a bikes serial number. I think they would or do but just not published or available to the general public.
I believe this has been an ongoing issue on IDing the Worksman info unless someone has owned there Worksman since day one that they rolled it out of the bike shop. Or key things to look for on the bike.. I think I will just roll with it and have some cruiser fun..
