Hercules for the Ladies

[kingplinker]

Get this! My wife comes home and says "go look in the back of the SUV" - my wife has no interest in bikes really at all - - but she brought this home from goodwill today! I could not find any serial numbers, but it's lugged frame, sturmey 3-speed, made in england bike - has nice seat and overall in good shape! I guess it's maybe from late 60's or ? any ideas? - it ain't no Airman, but it's new to me! pretty clean bike!

 

[warpigg]

the best way to date the english 3 speeds is to date the SA hub.

i have a 67 herc (pic in my intro)... it is my current project.

i like 'em.

nice score (finding the wife).

[image grabbed from sheldon brown's site]

 

[kingplinker]

Hey thanks! mines a 70 - cheers, T.

 

[Wildcat]

The seat looks brand new. The girl's don't beat up their bikes at all. Nice find. Is it for you or is it hers?

 

[Graylock]

SA hubs are easy to date, mine doesn't have that hub.
I picked this from the landfill. I think It's from the 70's but I have not taking the time to date by numbers or Sachs 3-speed I can only guess, the older ones have codes. It also has string holes in the rear fenders and a tool kit. It's hanging peacefully from the rafters in my garage.

GL

 

[Wildcat]

I think that's a different Hercules company, made in Germany. Nice bike.

 

[Rustinkerer]

Nice one King, I have one that's very similar, but it has a shimano 333 hub. The owner claimed her parents ordered it from Montgomery Ward's in the 50s. I know they did import them, but I don't know if mine's that old and just has a newer wheel on it. Actually, I didn't want it, but the co. I was working for had built a big addition for them, and they were "difficult"... Seemed to like me alright though, so I gave 'em $20, and added it to the pile! -Adam

 

[DeadBolt89]

SA hubs are easy to date, mine doesn't have that hub.
I picked this from the landfill. I think It's from the 70's but I have not taking the time to date by numbers or Sachs 3-speed I can only guess, the older ones have codes. It also has string holes in the rear fenders and a tool kit. It's hanging peacefully from the rafters in my garage.

GL

The Hub in your bike is a Sachs Torpedo 3-speed H3111S and was build from 1975 on...

 

[Pinche]

I had a hard time figuring out the build date of my BSA since it was just the frame and no hub. I thought it would go along with the Raleigh date code but that didn't work either. Being BSA's and a bunch of other British bicycles were made by Raleigh. I've got a men's Hercules in the garage that I'm going to build another fixie out of. It's pretty complete but headset was locked tight when I got it.