JC higgins find.

[villageidiot]

my buddy just rode this thing over to my shop today to say hello. his neighbor pulled it out of the garage to sell at the garage sale tomorrow. i don't know anything about it. i know what he paid, it seems to be in good knick.

i know the orange is a re paint, and I'm not sure about the rest, theres some blue under the yellow where there are scratches, but this thing it cool as hell.

it has new tires, but the rest looks OG, except for the big reflectors, which were an add on to comply with some funny 70's bicycle license requirement in his town

what is it? year? was it worth the 400?

 

[Nagant]

I can't help with the value or with who made it for Sears to be sold as one of their JC Higgins line. But I can say WOW! I absolutely love this model Higgins! Usually I see the woman's versions.

 

[villageidiot]

the horn even works, its a battery powered thing inside the tank. I'm kinda jealous of it haha, though its not my style.

 

[RustySprockets]

JC Higgins Colorflow. Not sure of the year, but early 50's vintage.

Here's a '52 Colorflow of similar configuration.

 

[deven_science]

I'm no expert, but I don't think Higgins were made for Sears, as another commenter said. I think they were made for J.C. Penny's, hence the name J.C. Higgins. I know that the J.C. Higgins name came after WWII, so it's late 40s at the earliest, but I suspect it's from the early 50s. Those are very valuable bikes, and worth the $400 (though not much more, as it sits). I would strip off that yellow paint. I'd probably keep it all bare metal. Either way, it was a great find for your friend.

Oh, and I'd definitely keep those reflectors on there. They've got a cool history.

 

[villageidiot]

its got a really cool patina on the yellow, and some gold around the reflectors on the tank, really make the bike kinda neat. i don't think he's gunna do anything with it other than cruise it around the hood, and fourth of july at the beach. he's kind of a hoarder type, and if i see it outside, I'm gunna steal it haha, hold it for ransom.

 

[Gizmo]

From Wikipedia...From 1908 until 1962, Sears, Roebuck & Company sold a wide variety of sporting goods and recreational equipment, including bicycles, golf clubs, rifles, shotguns, and revolvers under the brand name "J. C. Higgins." These products were well made and were popular with the company's historical core of rural and working-class consumers.

BTW, that's a really cool bike!

 

[Nagant]

I'm no expert, but I don't think Higgins were made for Sears, as another commenter said. I think they were made for J.C. Penny's, hence the name J.C. Higgins. I know that the J.C. Higgins name came after WWII, so it's late 40s at the earliest, but I suspect it's from the early 50s. Those are very valuable bikes, and worth the $400 (though not much more, as it sits). I would strip off that yellow paint. I'd probably keep it all bare metal. Either way, it was a great find for your friend.

Oh, and I'd definitely keep those reflectors on there. They've got a cool history.

I'm a history enthusiast and therefore I have encountered the J.C. Higgins brand many times in my life. It was a Sears brand for a long time. Some J.C. Higgins history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._C._Higgins

I first learned about this Sears brand when I was a kid and received a J.C. Higgins .22 rifle from my Dad.

 

[kingfish254]

GREAT SCORE!!!!
You are correct about Higgins being a Sears brand.
That looks like a very complete Colorflow. It has all of the right tins and they look to be in good shape. It would interesting to see the condition of the OG paint under the yellow. With some patience you may be able to uncover it.
My rough guess on value maybe $600, but I am sure some others could give a more educated guess than mine.

 

[villageidiot]

i don't know how to do that kind of thing stripping off the old paint to find whats under...... its not mine anyways, but its certainly neat.

i can say this.... its pretty dang straight.

 

[Hophead]

$400 is fair for a complete tank bike. Nice score.

 

[deorman]

Reasonably priced.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

I like it a lot. I just sold the girls version of that bike for $400.

 

[Wildcat]

Your friend's bike was sold at a Sears dept. store and manufactured by Murray of Ohio. If he likes it, he got a great deal. If he plans to resell to make some bucks, maybe not so good a deal.

 

[syclesavage]

Ok guys read the post quick elgin was prewar jc higgins was post war the deal was even post was bikes of this time period were skip tooth due to the leftover stock of prewar stuff retooling from the war was a slow process so the left over before the war started was the stock they had post war.

 

[villageidiot]

he likes it, he's not one to sell things. he's gunna kick it around the beach and the hood.

 

[deorman]

Reasonably priced.

 

[horsefarmer]

It is a nice bike but if it was mine those plastic reflectors and that yellow paint would come off QUICK!

 

[Rustinkerer]

I'm no expert, but I don't think Higgins were made for Sears, as another commenter said. I think they were made for J.C. Penny's, hence the name J.C. Higgins. I know that the J.C. Higgins name came after WWII, so it's late 40s at the earliest, but I suspect it's from the early 50s. Those are very valuable bikes, and worth the $400 (though not much more, as it sits). I would strip off that yellow paint. I'd probably keep it all bare metal. Either way, it was a great find for your friend.

Oh, and I'd definitely keep those reflectors on there. They've got a cool history.

JC Penny's bikes were branded Foremost, actually.

 

[sdframe]

I think it's great. He could sell the parts for over $400 right here on RRB.