Cryptocyclology

[SaintSeptum]

Hey all,

So, I'm working on a belated Christmas gift for a friend.... being that he lives close to work, and I'm forever messing with bikes on his back porch, he'd expressed interest in a bike. So off I go.

So, I find (hopefully) the perfect frame, and meet my New Best Friend in the process (MID MISSOURI FOLK: pm ME AND i WILL GIVE YOU THIS GUY'S NUMBER! He has literally mountains of scavenged bike stuff, all for cheap). But it bothers me, because I have ABSOLUTELY no clue what it is or whence it came. And it is, in technical terms, a Weird Frame.

So, any help would be appreciated....

the frame.... some eccentricities become obvious

The double..um...double tubes. Rather cool....

Eccentricities become more pronounced..... and yes that is a british 3 piece crank...

Going through cartridge bearings! Held in place by some strange process beyond my ken!

Aaaaand the chainguard.

Oh, add to the above that I have yet to find a serial number and the head tube isn't drilled for a badge. I'm really starting to think this thing might be homebuilt, but if anyone has any other ideas (including how to get those stupid bearings out! Gah!) I'm wide open.....

-Elias

 

[musclebikes]

Is that an old Mercury frame?!?!?

 

[Ahab]

thats a nice looking frame i really like the way the tubes are on it.

 

[aka_locojoe]

What ever it is it's cool for sure.

 

[Joshua85]

wow, i wish i could help you, that frame is wierd, its like some wierd offspring between the schwinn cantalevier (spelling) and a straightbar...looks Awesome!

...sorrry for the typos, i'm super tired.

 

[skoda]

It's a Raliegh built, maybe sold as a Western Flyer, but it's a Raliegh frame.

 

[SaintSeptum]

It's a Raliegh built, maybe sold as a Western Flyer, but it's a Raliegh frame.

Ooh, interesting.... any idea where I could find info on these? Everything I can find about Ralieghs seems to center on Choppers or Sportes....

-E

 

[user 135]

Not quite the same but here may be some where to start on the Raliegh built Western Flyer
http://www.schwinnbike.com/heritage/sho ... p?p=230471
http://www.jumpingfrog.com/images/ads-b ... bik004.jpg

 

[Boardtrack fan]

That is a very cool frame. In motorcycle terms that is called a loop frame because of the obvious loop that the down tube makes. The motorcycles without the loop used the engine as a stressed member and were called keystone frames. Just some useless trivia!

 

[kingplinker]

weren't most boardtrack motorbikes loopback frames? frame is very cool - perfect for a boardtrack looking bike fer sure...

 

[heyslugger]

You ever find out what you had? Because I found the same thing I think. Chain guard a bit different.


Mystery bike by buck50sdelt, on Flickr

 

[heyslugger]

Mystery Bike by buck50sdelt, on Flickr

 

[highwheelerboy25]

Based on the chainguard, the red red bike looks like an iverson.

 

[heyslugger]

Based on the chainguard, the red red bike looks like an iverson.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg42 ... son006.jpg

Chain guard looks right to me! and it was screwed to the frame so it's original to the bike for sure. may have solved it for me.

 

[Outlaw90]

Dang i like that one man theres one around here but it didnt like that cool.