Celebrating with twodays of working the garage as well as two or three great finds in a 5 bike package.
Independence Day 2024
- Thread starter Flying Merlino Brother
- Start date
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That coppertone Sears with the 20" wheels is called a "Tote Cycle". Sold in coppertone or brown. 1 speed coaster brake or 3 speed with coaster brake (Sachs or Sturmey Archer depending on the year). The 3 wing bolts in the middle allow it to separate. Not a folder as there is no hinge. Just a warning, it takes 2 people to reassemble it. Both halves are top heavy and it's pretty difficult for 1 person to put it back together. Sears sold an optional kit to hold the 2 parts together for toting or storage. I have a brown 3 speed with Sturmey Archer hub and shift lever. I replaced the 3 frame wing bolts with hex head stainless steel bolts to discourage anyone from separating the 2 halfs. I replaced the shifter with a newer trigger on the handlebars. Note the original 3 speed shifters were mounted on the seat tube (hard to reach) so there were no cables spanning the joint. Mine was massively over geared. It had a 13t cog on the back. I tried out different sprockets and cogs to get a better gear range and also to clear the stock chain guard with it's odd shape that gets in the way. Doesn't get much use. I added a milk crate on the rear at an angle to get more heel clearance. The front rack is about right for a 24 pack. Ride quality isn't very good. Plenty whippy. Short cockpit that forces you into a too upright position. I think our longest ride on it was about 20 miles. Better suited as a grocery runner.
Here is mine after the mods. You can see what the original chain guard looks like.
Here is mine after the mods. You can see what the original chain guard looks like.
Wow, what a great reply. When I saw the bike IRL my immediate thought was that it would be a great Amsterdam bike. Riding it, before the back tire blew the sidewall, reminded me of an old C20 with a granny gear. That truck just wanted to move bricks, this bike just wants to haul groceries. This one is a three speed and I like the awkward shift position. Putting it together alone is a dangerous pursuit for sure! Cheers.
Here is the only Sears catalog page I have found so far. It's from 1968 that I got from Wishbook. I don't know how many years Sears had the Tote Cycle listed.
Wishbook is an internet attempt to scan all the department store catalogs. A rather monumental task considering the sheer number of catalog pages from Sears, JC Penney, Wards and more. Over 100 years of history and each catalog could be over 1000 pages. Add seasonal catalogs and good luck just finding all those catalogs.
My own Tote Cycle appears to have the catalog item number as part of the serial number but it doesn't match 1968 catalog numbers.
For many Sears branded bikes the serial number starts with a 3 digit supplier code, a catalog item number then the sequence number.
502 was the supplier code for Murray.
I think 503 was Steyr
my tote cycle has 507. I think that is the code for Huffy (Huffman Bicycle Co)
There are many Sears supplier codes lists on the www but most seem to specialize (appliances or electronics, etc) and none are very complete. 507 isn't on any of them.
An original sprocket pattern is a sure sign of a particular maker. Kinda like finger prints. Most bike makers had unique patterns and would do special versions for various stores or branded names. I changed the sprocket on mine to get more practical gearing. But I see yours seems to match the catalog images. "Huffy The Wheel Sprocket".
Sears had no factories, they outsourced all their branded products. Sears bike brands were JC Higgins, Free Spirit, FS, FS Elite, Ted Williams and Sears.
Steyr of Austria was another supplier of bikes for Sears. Most of those had 2 or 3 piece cranks.
AMF (American Machine & Foundry), formerly Cleveland welding supply was another supplier but AMF made all kinds of sporting goods and I think they had different supplier codes for different categories of gear. AMF even owned Harley Davidson for a while.
I don't think Schwinn was a Sears supplier, at least not since the late 1950s when Frank Schwinn put a stop to making bikes for other brands. I've talked to some who claimed they bought their Schwinn bicycles at Sears.
Columbia, Huffy and Ross were other potential suppliers.
1968 catalog item numbers:
45981 deluxe 3 speed
45980 1 speed
48530 Stowage Bracket
48477C wicker basket.
Wishbook is an internet attempt to scan all the department store catalogs. A rather monumental task considering the sheer number of catalog pages from Sears, JC Penney, Wards and more. Over 100 years of history and each catalog could be over 1000 pages. Add seasonal catalogs and good luck just finding all those catalogs.
My own Tote Cycle appears to have the catalog item number as part of the serial number but it doesn't match 1968 catalog numbers.
For many Sears branded bikes the serial number starts with a 3 digit supplier code, a catalog item number then the sequence number.
502 was the supplier code for Murray.
I think 503 was Steyr
my tote cycle has 507. I think that is the code for Huffy (Huffman Bicycle Co)
There are many Sears supplier codes lists on the www but most seem to specialize (appliances or electronics, etc) and none are very complete. 507 isn't on any of them.
An original sprocket pattern is a sure sign of a particular maker. Kinda like finger prints. Most bike makers had unique patterns and would do special versions for various stores or branded names. I changed the sprocket on mine to get more practical gearing. But I see yours seems to match the catalog images. "Huffy The Wheel Sprocket".
Sears had no factories, they outsourced all their branded products. Sears bike brands were JC Higgins, Free Spirit, FS, FS Elite, Ted Williams and Sears.
Steyr of Austria was another supplier of bikes for Sears. Most of those had 2 or 3 piece cranks.
AMF (American Machine & Foundry), formerly Cleveland welding supply was another supplier but AMF made all kinds of sporting goods and I think they had different supplier codes for different categories of gear. AMF even owned Harley Davidson for a while.
I don't think Schwinn was a Sears supplier, at least not since the late 1950s when Frank Schwinn put a stop to making bikes for other brands. I've talked to some who claimed they bought their Schwinn bicycles at Sears.
Columbia, Huffy and Ross were other potential suppliers.
1968 catalog item numbers:
45981 deluxe 3 speed
45980 1 speed
48530 Stowage Bracket
48477C wicker basket.
All of this history and backstory leans the bike to a permanent place! What gearing did you finally settle on? Any room in you're shop for another?
The bearings are a bit loose but this bike rides like a Caddilac! Big and heavy, the springer fork is awesome (first experience with one that works). I understand it is from 1941. More to follow.
I am also mashing the two Schwinn's into one saving the wheels (hubs) that were "Made in France'.. the spin like they are new.
I am also mashing the two Schwinn's into one saving the wheels (hubs) that were "Made in France'.. the spin like they are new.
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