Local CL find:Elgin Twin Bar 20

Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
232
Reaction score
71
Location
East Los
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
Hello fellow members. I came upon a very unexpected surprise during a late night skim of my local Craigslist. I found blurry,badly lit pics of an upside-down bike hanging from rafters. I enlarged the pic,and still wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. Not only due to the bad pics, but because I'm fairly new to the Vintage bicycle hobby. I thought I saw 2 top tubes,2 lower tubes, but couldn't make out the seat tube. Was this an Elgin? Similar to the one I drooled over being sold in the classifieds just a few weeks ago? I forwarded pics to fellow member lobsterboyx(Danny). I knew he had a couple of his own and would be able to tell right away. Sure enough, it's a Elgin Twin Bar 20. The ad had been posted at 10:51pm. I was texting to set up a meet by 11:10pm. So, I did what any excited bike collector with a job would do. I made up a well planned out excuse to be 3hrs late to work this morning! I picked up Danny on the way there to take advantage of his Twin Bar expertise to ensure I as making a wise investment. Here she is,as I purchased her. It had been sandblasted(why must everyone do that!),primered,wrong wheels,bars,grips & I believe seat installed. Other than that, she looks pretty complete. The seller also threw in a extra pair of newer import G3 copies & a really nice Schwinn skiptooth crankset. Danny hooked me up with a correct air-cooled rear hub assembly,so I can lace it up to a set of crusty drop-centers for now. I plan to go through and clean,gease & adjust it up for daily riding until I can come up with the needed parts & more importantly $$$ for a complete resto.

5L45V15W33E23nf3G8c819559fa8d12081ee4.jpg


5Z35Ed5K33F93Mb3H1c81f5cb647777b619b6-1.jpg


IMAG0823.jpg


IMAG0824.jpg
 
I know that is gonna set a few hearts on fire here in the fresh finds! Glad you got it. I love a good sleepless night pre-CL pick up! If that is the sprocket that came on it, it doesn't look like any Schwinn Skip tooth I've run across. Usually its a Clover or a Sweet Heart in my (limited) exp,

Enjoy!
 
Wow, did your seller know what he had? And what did you have to give? Great find!!


1918 Ranger
 
heyslugger said:
I know that is gonna set a few hearts on fire here in the fresh finds! Glad you got it. I love a good sleepless night pre-CL pick up! If that is the sprocket that came on it, it doesn't look like any Schwinn Skip tooth I've run across. Usually its a Clover or a Sweet Heart in my (limited) exp,

Enjoy!


Yeah, I couldn't believe it when he brought it down. It had been hanging up there for 10yrs. Honestly I never thought I'd even be able to afford one, both because they're way out of my price range & when one does go on the chopping block,it goes quick. As far as the crankset, it was just another one he had lying around. Chrome looks to be in great shape.

IMAG0832.jpg


IMAG0831.jpg
 
1918 Ranger said:
Wow, did your seller know what he had? And what did you have to give? Great find!!


1918 Ranger

Well, he knew it was an Elgin Twin bar, but thought it might have been early 30's. This wasn't one of those $20 picker's dream stories, but I did pay a killer price for what it is. That being said after paying rent,bills & this unexpected purchase I have $150 in my bank account until next payday :shock: . I can't wait to get her on the road. Already blew the cobwebs out & dusted her off. Going through the bearings & wheel hubs later today in hopes of riding her this weekend. I might just have to ride her to work since I can't afford to fill the tank in my ride till my next paycheck!
 
Great story! Great score!! You know you are well bitten by the vintage bike bug when u deplete the $$ so far u can't afford fuel!! LOVE IT!! If u need parts, may I suggest you also check The Cabe? Lots of collectors there who might be able to hook u up!
 
Thanks for the tip. I've been on The Cabe for a bit now as well. A lot of very knowledgeable & friendly members there. Cleaned up the front hub & regreased so far. Gonna need new bearings, but gonna run them till I pick some up.
 
fordmike65 said:
1918 Ranger said:
Wow, did your seller know what he had? And what did you have to give? Great find!!


1918 Ranger

Well, he knew it was an Elgin Twin bar, but thought it might have been early 30's. This wasn't one of those $20 picker's dream stories, but I did pay a killer price for what it is. That being said after paying rent,bills & this unexpected purchase I have $150 in my bank account until next payday :shock: . I can't wait to get her on the road. Already blew the cobwebs out & dusted her off. Going through the bearings & wheel hubs later today in hopes of riding her this weekend. I might just have to ride her to work since I can't afford to fill the tank in my ride till my next paycheck!

Don't you hate and love that? "you have vowed to NOT buy another bike for a while. Then out of blue, a deal you can't or better not refuse presents itself. What do you do,? But scrape, borrow, Beg, whatever necessary to buy that bike. If not you will regret forever letting it go.". Especially when it's a rare one like this twin bar. You did say you paid your rent. That's at the top of priority list because that's where you store your bikes. Food and gas? They are not necessity when it comes to buying one of these. Great catch.


1918 Ranger
 
That is one heck of a score 8) ...and you may have drained your bank account but its towards an investment that you can always re-sell, unlike spending money at no return on say....booze, gambling, fast women, etc.

1918 Ranger said:
Don't you hate and love that? "you have vowed to NOT buy another bike for a while.

I always make that vow, however it tends to last only 2-3 days. :mrgreen:
 

Latest posts

Back
Top