Polish bikes

[Dbubbleguy]

In the summers of 1973 and 1975 I worked on Nantucket Island at a bike rental shop. After the bike craze hit in 1973/1974, 3 speed bikes were hard to get. In 1975 the shop purchased a number of TYLER 3 speeds. They held up fairly well under rental conditions. Years later when I was working for DuPont, my supervisor bought a TYLER for her son and I mentioned that it was a Polish bike. One of the engineers, who was Polish with the name "xxxxski", said "That's not a Polish name". I said "Yeah, but who would buy a xxxxski?".

 

[SpikeFC]

In the summers of 1973 and 1975 I worked on Nantucket Island at a bike rental shop. After the bike craze hit in 1973/1974, 3 speed bikes were hard to get. In 1975 the shop purchased a number of TYLER 3 speeds. They held up fairly well under rental conditions. Years later when I was working for DuPont, my supervisor bought a TYLER for her son and I mentioned that it was a Polish bike. One of the engineers, who was Polish with the name "xxxxski", said "That's not a Polish name". I said "Yeah, but who would buy a xxxxski?".

you're totally correct. That's the reason why nowadays Polish bike manufacturers known in the world are Accent and Dartmoor. But still, the most legendary of the Polish bikes from pre-WWII era are from the brand Kamiński

 

[SpikeFC]

The 1969 Karlik went a lot modifications since last year.

New leather key purse, electronic speedo (Made by Gazelle), new-used chrome fenders instead of alloy ones, new brake handles from Tektro, new kickstand, original pump with mounts, ape hangers from Romet Polo (almost 2x bigger than the old ones),much shorter and higher stem, and a lot of pin-up girl stickers. Also had to repair the lamp with electric tape since it broke in half... ah the "greatness" of Polish roads

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Duuuuude... Don't call it a purse!

 

[Klunkruiser]

The 1969 Karlik went a lot modifications since last year.

New leather key purse, electronic speedo (Made by Gazelle), new-used chrome fenders instead of alloy ones, new brake handles from Tektro, new kickstand, original pump with mounts, ape hangers from Romet Polo (almost 2x bigger than the old ones),much shorter and higher stem, and a lot of pin-up girl stickers. Also had to repair the lamp with electric tape since it broke in half... ah the "greatness" of Polish roads

That...is exactly what I would expect a Polish bike to look like.
Of course I am not very culturally astute.

 

[SpikeFC]

Duuuuude... Don't call it a purse!
View attachment 106851

Sorry, bag or something Had to use translator on that one, since we call it "sakwa"

Also I forgot to mention - that's not the final form of that bike since i already have new chrome rims & golden nipples for it. Just need to order white spokes, new headbadge & stickers.

That...is exactly what I would expect a Polish bike to look like.
Of course I am not very culturally astute.

Close enough most of bikes that people ride in Poland nowadays look more like this:

or this:

279PLN is about 70$ so you can imagine the quality of those bikes.

A lot of people are riding on 10-20 year old bikes from European makers such as Kellys, Author & such.
You rarely see old bikes made by Romet or other makers, since Romet stopped producing bikes in 2005 (but most of it's bikes stopped being popular in the mid nineties). If you see an older guy riding a 30+ year old Romet then most of the time the bike looks like it could fall apart any second. I don't even get a lot of them in my shop, and in most cases they are totally falling apart.

 

[Grant]

Sorry, bag or something Had to use translator on that one, since we call it "sakwa"

Also I forgot to mention - that's not the final form of that bike since i already have new chrome rims & golden nipples for it. Just need to order white spokes, new headbadge & stickers.



Close enough most of bikes that people ride in Poland nowadays look more like this:

or this:

279PLN is about 70$ so you can imagine the quality of those bikes.

A lot of people are riding on 10-20 year old bikes from European makers such as Kellys, Author & such.
You rarely see old bikes made by Romet or other makers, since Romet stopped producing bikes in 2005 (but most of it's bikes stopped being popular in the mid nineties). If you see an older guy riding a 30+ year old Romet then most of the time the bike looks like it could fall apart any second. I don't even get a lot of them in my shop, and in most cases they are totally falling apart.

Where I live, there is not many bikes that are falling apart, but are still being ridden

 

[SpikeFC]

Where I live, there is not many bikes that are falling apart, but are still being ridden

Just yesterday an older lady came to my shop with an old Jubilat 2 folding bike, almost the same as this one:

She complained about "weird sounds from the rear wheel"

Literally everything was wobbly in it - headset, BB, wheels, everything. When I took apart the front wheel the balls from bearing fell out, and both of the cones were almost gone.

The rear wheel was the same, except, that the bearing was compressed flat, and from seven balls only two remained in place. She was riding with a wobbly BB for so long, that the cup expanded the frame, and when I pulled out the axle the cup just fell out from the frame.

The chain was so extended (and rusty) that when took my measuring tool it just stopped on the next link (yes, the chain was expanded in almost a hole full link).

This is how at least 75% of bikes aged 20+ years look in Poland. And remeber the the most important thing - I live in Warsaw, the Capital City, were older bikes are like 35% of all the bikes you see on the streets. If you go to the more rural parts of the country, you can see bikes in much worst condition. It's a typical thing here - "It's a bicycle, it's simple, what can brake down in it?", and most of the people come to shops for service when it's far too late.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Crazy. But it happens here too. People buy the cheapo MegaloMart bikes and leave em locked up outside. Within a year or two, they're thirty years old!

 

[SpikeFC]

Another funny thing came to my head today. In Poland we also had the cheapest possible bikes known as "unfolding-folders".

Apart selling very old and outdated designs with new names as the super cheap bikes (mostly bought on the countryside) like Ambasador or Jagna:

Those were practically Bałtyk/ZZR Popularny bikes only rebranded.

But the ones that i mentioned earlier are like the Jubilat in the post above:

Yed, Traper was the same as Jubilat, only an "unfolding-folder" - the cheaper model. The same goes with the most popular folder Wigry:

The Romet Gil & Kos were the "unfolding-folder" version of the Wigry. Oh, and in the back is a 16" wheeler version of the Kos/Gil - the Salto.

 

[Grant]

I don't think it is Polish, but on the topic of folders... It sure is European. Something like this, but with one of those tall quill stems would be cool.

 

[SpikeFC]

I don't think it is Polish, but on the topic of folders... It sure is European. Something like this, but with one of those tall quill stems would be cool.
View attachment 107347

Romet did have a bike in that shape actually.

The second oldest folding bike type from ZZR/Romet - The Flaming. 20" wheels.

Also a few years later they made the smaller 16" wheel Pelikan.

They both had really tall quilles stems.

 

[Grant]

Romet did have a bike in that shape actually.

The second oldest folding bike type from ZZR/Romet - The Flaming. 20" wheels.

Also a few years later they made the smaller 16" wheel Pelikan.

They both had really tall quilles stems.

This fixed folder is similar to the ones you showed. The owner said that he/she removed the folding mechanism and welded in an extra length of tube.

 

[SpikeFC]

What has 24" wheels, folds in half and fits on the back seat of the Daewoo Matiz?

A 1984 Romet Jubilat, and I think I might even try and make it for Class 1 in the MBBO/WBO.

 

[Grant]

This is about the Polish. http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Rarest/straight_block.htm

 

[SpikeFC]

Weird, don't remember those on any Polish racing bike

 

[GTV]

I’m of Polish descent so I think that technically makes all of my bikes Polish.

 

[GeePig]

Just yesterday an older lady came to my shop with an old Jubilat 2 folding bike, almost the same as this one:

She complained about "weird sounds from the rear wheel"

Literally everything was wobbly in it - headset, BB, wheels, everything. When I took apart the front wheel the balls from bearing fell out, and both of the cones were almost gone.

The rear wheel was the same, except, that the bearing was compressed flat, and from seven balls only two remained in place. She was riding with a wobbly BB for so long, that the cup expanded the frame, and when I pulled out the axle the cup just fell out from the frame.

The chain was so extended (and rusty) that when took my measuring tool it just stopped on the next link (yes, the chain was expanded in almost a hole full link).

This is how at least 75% of bikes aged 20+ years look in Poland. And remeber the the most important thing - I live in Warsaw, the Capital City, were older bikes are like 35% of all the bikes you see on the streets. If you go to the more rural parts of the country, you can see bikes in much worst condition. It's a typical thing here - "It's a bicycle, it's simple, what can brake down in it?", and most of the people come to shops for service when it's far too late.

Whatever the stickers might say, the colour, kit and the flat BB to hinge stiffener suggests the original Jubilat. Lovely condition, and even has the cute little rear light in black plastic. My collection of Jubilat 2s all have the later tubular stiffener.