Rollfast

[Christie]

So I was told this is the place to get help with this kinda bike so I'll test my luck.
My Mom's nextdoor neighbor had this bike sitting out in the rain for years. I asked if I could have it a few times but he insisted that he had big plans for it. You know how you leave things out in the rain that you have big plans for. Today his son told me to take it and now I'm trying to get any info about it. I'd never heard of a Rollfast before today. Any info about the year or model would be awesome. What I do know is it has a horn, R's on the crank and under the awful paint job the original color was an emerald green. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Christie]

Ok ok, nobody seems to know anything about this bike and all the similar bikes I've found seem to vary in age from the 50s to the 70s. Maybe someone could suggest where or how to figure it out myself? C'mon, help a girl out! I'm thinking if I'm going to start looking for parts for it I have to know a year, or model, or something!

 

[JLarkin]

Take it easy Christie. Most folks sleep or have gone to work between you posting at 11:30pm and then again at 9:30am.

The bike looks 50s to me. Springer fork makes it worth having. What are your plans? It doesn't appear to need too many parts, just refurbishing of the ones it has. It is a good find.

 

[ratina]

I would guess 50's, but I'm no expert. Nice find!

 

[deorman]

Look on the bottom of the crank hanger and the rear dropouts for tags or stamped numbers or letters. Probably late 50's, maybe early 60's. Definitely NOT 70's.

 

[oldrider]

I think if I remember right RMS37 was telling us that RollFast serial numbers had not been decoded yet, so the exact year might be tough to pin down. I think it was D. P. Harris that produced the RollFast.
EDIT: One way to tell might be by the headbadge, they changed over the years I believe.

 

[Rustinkerer]

I'd say it's an early postwar due to the forward facing rear dropouts and the large chain guard. I have Classic bicycle News' Rollfast book, and it shows some 49 catalog pages with bikes similar to yours. Apparently sometime in the mid 50s they stopped using the R's chainring, replacing it with a modified star style. -Adam

 

[MarksA-C]

Your front rim seems to be a bit bent there ma'am

 

[ratina]

Your front rim seems to be a bit bent there ma'am

Hopefully its just an illusion with the flat tire

 

[Christie]

Ha, just a flat tire optical illusion. Well I appreciate the responses. I did hear from somebody else that there's not a whole lot of rhyme or reason to pinning down a year with the serial number. I guess it's just one of those things you have to deal with not knowing. Maybe when somebody asks about my super snazzy bike I'll just lie. "Why, it's a 1953 Rollfast Super Deluxe Horn-o-rama Limited Edition Model. There were only 16 ever made. Thanks for asking!" :lol:
Thanks for the input. You guys rule.

 

[flatblack50]

awsome score!!! I love that springer fork!

 

[mikesbikes36]

HORN-O-RAMA ..... thats funny i dont care who u r .....nice bike lady ...mike

 

[harquahalas]

That 1st pic looks like there's a giant peppermint just behind the head badge. Nice find