Here's a new one for me. It's a lugged cantilever frame J.C. Higgins. The wheels are 26 X 1 3/8, three piece cranks and a Higgins three speed hub. I'm not sure how much of the rest is original. Maybe you know?
HiggiCanti.....on the road again.
- Thread starter Tonka
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Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever?
is the b.b. a smaller one thats standard on the 3 piece cranks?
the welds on the canti part of the frame dont look factory(im far from a higgins expert though) try posting some pics of the b.b. i just want to see the welds on them.........
im guessing from what i see that its a custom home made frame(again im far from a higgins expert its just the welds look like some one franken-biked it)
is the b.b. a smaller one thats standard on the 3 piece cranks?
the welds on the canti part of the frame dont look factory(im far from a higgins expert though) try posting some pics of the b.b. i just want to see the welds on them.........
im guessing from what i see that its a custom home made frame(again im far from a higgins expert its just the welds look like some one franken-biked it)
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever?
These are somewhat of a mystery to me too. I have always liked the JC Higgins bikes the best, and would like to own one of these, they are pretty unique. I've seen a few recently- They were new to me before having seen the last few, I had no idea they existed. Interestingly enough, as ratina said, JCH Diamond frames existed too, also lugged and apparently of the same make. If what I am told is correct, Jc Higgins began contracting with an Austrian company (Puch?) and began offering the lugged diamond frames and cruisers in '61 or '62. It seems that these weren't as popular as the previous Murray made tanked models and cantilever frames, as I have only seen a few of these. I am pretty sure that the cantilever to downtube welds are factory as well. Neat bike. (I have been told that these Austrian bikes have a reputation for rust as Austrian chrome is supposedly notoriously bad :lol: ).
These are somewhat of a mystery to me too. I have always liked the JC Higgins bikes the best, and would like to own one of these, they are pretty unique. I've seen a few recently- They were new to me before having seen the last few, I had no idea they existed. Interestingly enough, as ratina said, JCH Diamond frames existed too, also lugged and apparently of the same make. If what I am told is correct, Jc Higgins began contracting with an Austrian company (Puch?) and began offering the lugged diamond frames and cruisers in '61 or '62. It seems that these weren't as popular as the previous Murray made tanked models and cantilever frames, as I have only seen a few of these. I am pretty sure that the cantilever to downtube welds are factory as well. Neat bike. (I have been told that these Austrian bikes have a reputation for rust as Austrian chrome is supposedly notoriously bad :lol: ).
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever?
Looks like the same forks and headtube as my Austrian made 1963 Sears. Hub looks like the Sears hub on mine also, so I would be inclined to think this is an earlier model than mine, and it is a JC Higgins bike all the way around. The year may be on the hub shell, 2 digits after the word "speed". I noticed the same chainguard also. I'll bet your bike is late 50's.
edit: looks like your tires are 26 x 1 3/8.
Looks like the same forks and headtube as my Austrian made 1963 Sears. Hub looks like the Sears hub on mine also, so I would be inclined to think this is an earlier model than mine, and it is a JC Higgins bike all the way around. The year may be on the hub shell, 2 digits after the word "speed". I noticed the same chainguard also. I'll bet your bike is late 50's.
edit: looks like your tires are 26 x 1 3/8.
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
Your bike shows up in the 1961 Sears catalog, referred to as a 'streamlined lightweight'. It all started in the early 50s, when kids started losing interest in heavy tank ballooners, and started buying Ralieghs and other imported lightweights. The US bike co.'s retaliated with middleweights in 1954, and also started importing lw's to sell along with their regular line. (Except for Schwinn, who stood by their "lightweight" Traveler, World, etc., light being relative!! As middleweights took over, some of the overseas co.'s started building their own versions of middleweights, Stelber and Royce Union being two. And, there were hybrids like your JCH, which is to say, a lightweight, with middleweight styling and canti bars. ~Adam
Your bike shows up in the 1961 Sears catalog, referred to as a 'streamlined lightweight'. It all started in the early 50s, when kids started losing interest in heavy tank ballooners, and started buying Ralieghs and other imported lightweights. The US bike co.'s retaliated with middleweights in 1954, and also started importing lw's to sell along with their regular line. (Except for Schwinn, who stood by their "lightweight" Traveler, World, etc., light being relative!! As middleweights took over, some of the overseas co.'s started building their own versions of middleweights, Stelber and Royce Union being two. And, there were hybrids like your JCH, which is to say, a lightweight, with middleweight styling and canti bars. ~Adam
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
Wow....That's great information Rustinkerer, and thanks for the pics of your bike Wildcat. The resources from our members never fail to impress me.
Does that Sears catalogue have any detailed photos that might help me recognize the missing parts when I see them? The front fender has some cool details but I have no idea what the rear one should look like. What type of neck and handlebars did it have originally?
Wow....That's great information Rustinkerer, and thanks for the pics of your bike Wildcat. The resources from our members never fail to impress me.
Does that Sears catalogue have any detailed photos that might help me recognize the missing parts when I see them? The front fender has some cool details but I have no idea what the rear one should look like. What type of neck and handlebars did it have originally?
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
Like the lugged diamond frame variants this bicycle is also made by Steyr Puch and sold by sears (jc higgins, free spirit, etc). These bikes have odd sized headsets and bottom bracket cups but are quite well built. The later model bikes didn't have lugged frames and were made by murray.
Like the lugged diamond frame variants this bicycle is also made by Steyr Puch and sold by sears (jc higgins, free spirit, etc). These bikes have odd sized headsets and bottom bracket cups but are quite well built. The later model bikes didn't have lugged frames and were made by murray.
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
Well, the cat. pages in the Elgin/JC Higgins Hawthorne book are all photocopies, some are easier to see than others. It shows regular touring style bars, the front rack and chainguard look the same, and the seat isn't clear, but surely different than the road bike seat on yours. The rear fender looks to have the same wrap around brace. I'd scan it if my scanner was working! ~Adam
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
I just picked up a perfect donor bike from TempeTerror that is almost exactly like the one in Wildcats pics. It's kind of a shame to cannibilize it because it's so nice but I think all of the parts are correct and I really like the cantilever frame.....
I just picked up a perfect donor bike from TempeTerror that is almost exactly like the one in Wildcats pics. It's kind of a shame to cannibilize it because it's so nice but I think all of the parts are correct and I really like the cantilever frame.....
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
I don't suppose that photo is clear enough that you might be able to explain the cable routing to me? My donor has all of the cable clamps and the pulley wheel, but since the frames are pretty different, I can't quite figure out the routing on the shifter cable.
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
Some must die so that others may live. :lol: :lol: :lol: The Cantilever certainly is very cool and will be great to see it up and running with the donor parts.
Tonka said:
Some must die so that others may live. :lol: :lol: :lol: The Cantilever certainly is very cool and will be great to see it up and running with the donor parts.
Re: Higgins Lugged....Cantilever...more pics
The donor parts matched up pretty well with the exception of the cable length on the shifter. At any rate, the HiggyCanti is road worthy once again......
and the bones of the noble donor (a great looking bike in it's own right).....
The donor parts matched up pretty well with the exception of the cable length on the shifter. At any rate, the HiggyCanti is road worthy once again......
and the bones of the noble donor (a great looking bike in it's own right).....
...It looks like the cable runs to that clamp on the top tube, then just the inner wire goes to a pulley mounted on the rear tube just above where the brake caliper is. Then, it goes straight down to the bell crank thingy on the hub. Hope that helps! ~Adam
Thanks Adam.
That does help. My pulley wheel clamp is too big for the smaller rear tube, so I think I'm going to route the cable between the twin top tubes down to the seat post tube and then to the wheel. I've seen that on another cantilever type three speed. If I ever lay my hands on the right pulley wheel clamp, I'll put it to stock again.
That does help. My pulley wheel clamp is too big for the smaller rear tube, so I think I'm going to route the cable between the twin top tubes down to the seat post tube and then to the wheel. I've seen that on another cantilever type three speed. If I ever lay my hands on the right pulley wheel clamp, I'll put it to stock again.
Check this out for cable routing. http://www.flickr.com/photos/14310824@N08/2351110110/sizes/l/in/photostream/
