1952(?) Road Master

[bikeriderx]

I went thrift store shopping with the wife and a friend and found this:

It has a skiptooth sprocket and horizontal dropouts...

The serial # is: B76052 and there was this symbol: 52 CW...The "W" was inside the larger "C". Soooo I'm guessing it's a 1952?

 

[Markm]

right on!!! :mrgreen:

 

[bikeriderx]

Dude! The tires are weather checked, of course...But they hold air! I threw this saddle on and took her for a spin!

She rides sweet!

Or maybe this saddle:

 

[rms37]

Hi again BikeriderX,

I’m happy to see a Cleveland Welding Bike turn up with the 52Cw serial number suffix. Post war production serial numbers began using a suffix to separate bikes that otherwise would have had the same letter/five digit number. To date I have recorded “Cw”, “ACw”, “53Cw” and “54Cw” suffixes. I have assumed there are more and your number adds to the list.

Anyone out there have a 50Cw, 51Cw, 55Cw, or 56Cw serial number?

It probably does mean that your bike was built in 1952 but I have found a couple of anomalies in the 53Cw series to date so I am waiting for more numbers before I feel I completely understand the sequencing of the Suffix bikes. Beyond the serial number the drop out style dates the bike as post 1949 and the up-curved chain stays were phased out starting in 1954.

The chain guard is a common Wald accesssory and not something that would have come on the bike originally. CWC used several different chain guards at that time, the bike you have would have probably used the one shown in this post:

http://www.thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5838

Thanks again for posting the pictures and serial number.

Phil

 

[bikeriderx]

Dude you are freackin" AWESOME! Thanks to you for my part in this great lifestyle... (This goes way beyond a "hobby"...) So that makes: One pre-war and one post-war...Cool! :mrgreen:

Thanks again!

 

[roadmaster]

cool find. i have what i think is a 59' or 60' roadmaster, but i mainly go by the chainring style and frame style. its a two-toned black and white, with a 48t "spiral" stlye chainring (the one b4 the coveted "star" chainring) and has a cantilever frame. a master list of numbers would be great.

loks like that bike is ready to ride as is.

 

[bikeriderx]

Yup!! She rides sweet!! The tubes hold air and rolls reeeel nice! :mrgreen: