Hercules Camel Back

[us56456712]

I have a pre Raleigh take over Hercules camel back that a friend has been admiring. I made it into a sort of road bike I take on shorter tours.

He finally got himself a Hercules camel back frame but it was from after the Raleigh take over so it has the Raleigh bottom bracket, 7/8 seat post instead of 1 inch and no H pattern on the chain wheel. It also has a seat post flat iron stay instead of the tubular one on my original. The drop outs are also flimsier than on my original and lack the forged measurements that aid in getting your wheel straight. Otherwise it is very similar to the older one. He gave it to me because he said "I will never get around to doing anything with it, I'm too busy". Now I wonder what I will do with it? The owner before him primed everything including the brass head badge.

 

[horsefarmer]

Cool looking bike and frame. Guess they were made for the American market.

 

[tucker]

If your Hercules has a perry hub, sometimes there is a date stamp on the back of the brake arm.

 

[us56456712]

If your Hercules has a perry hub, sometimes there is a date stamp on the back of the brake arm.

Thanks, I didn't know this, but neither Hercules had wheels. They were just frames and the black one had no fork. I still don't know what to do with it. I have too many bike projects as it is.

 

[us56456712]

Cool looking bike and frame. Guess they were made for the American market.

The guy who gave it to me also said they were made for the American market and he told me who sold them here but I forgot already. It was a department store I think? I might be able to see the decals through the primer, I'll look tomorrow and see if it has an indication of who imported it. It isn't as nice a frame as the black one as it has a straight down tube and straight seat stays. It's still a pretty cool camel back with a lugged frame. The lugs are not fancy, just round cheep affairs.

 

[horsefarmer]

Found this:
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index....s-english-benched-for-good.56244/#post-559729

According to this:
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/help-with-jc-higgins-age.39927/#post-389278
"Hercules made for JC Higgins."

and this:
http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/323843-1960-hercules-english-bike-interesting-frame.html
"lHercules Hawthorne... Raleigh Colt"
So I guess Sears and Montgomery ward sold them.

 

[Wildcat]

I refer to the pre-Raleigh bikes as the Birmingham Hercules, that's where they were made. Raleigh made them with their bikes in Nottingham. Still, both are good frames, but I prefer Birmingham. Montgomery Wards also had those Birmingham bikes and the later ones too, as Hawthornes.