Sears Spyder 500 date???

[outskirtscustoms]

Anyone know how to track down a year on a 24" Sears Spyder 500???

Just picked this up on the cheap this morning for $40 and am curious as to what year it is. Has a drum brake 5 speed hub.

 

[Ride 'em High]

I found a year on my Sears/AMF here

 

[Wildcat]

That looks like everything down to the tires came with it. Girls back then didn't take their bikes off ramps or jump curbs.

The BMA decal on the set tube is 1971 or later. It's a Murray frame but they had a sears stock number on the serial numbers Usually the last 4 or so numbers can be traced to a catalog number. You'll find a bunch of numbers:

Notice the wheel has never been removed, the tire probably holds air.

 

[Wildcat]

I found this pic, says it's a 70. I'm pretty sure BMA6 decal wasn't until 71 though. Maybe bought at Christmas 1970 as the new model. I was checking to see if any had a front derailleur, nope, all 5 speeds.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

That looks like everything down to the tires came with it. Girls back then didn't take their bikes off ramps or jump curbs.

The BMA decal on the set tube is 1971 or later. It's a Murray frame but they had a sears stock number on the serial numbers Usually the last 4 or so numbers can be traced to a catalog number. You'll find a bunch of numbers:

View attachment 226285

Notice the wheel has never been removed, the tire probably holds air.

That's what really struck me on this bike is just how original it is I did a quick Google search in the store and it looked like everything was there. The chrome looks like it will clean up for the most part but the rear rim has a few spokes that are broken and the rest are crispy so I'll probably respoke both wheels and clean up all the chrome and clean it up as best I can and see what's there. Do you know if they reproduce these tires or something close to it?

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Interesting that it has a rear rim brake and a rear drum brake and no front brake.

 

[Wildcat]

24 X 1 3/8ths? There's very little selection of tires that I've found. I recently built a couple of 24 x 1 3/8ths bikes and only found two style of tires, both bland. That's the size many wheelchairs use. That'll work fine for the front tire, but the rear slick probably can't be replaced. Maybe it's good, although at 50 years old isn't reliable even if it's not cracked.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

The original is cracked pretty bad along the sidewall so I think it's toast. It it will at least air up without blowing out completely I'll probably just leave it on there it just wouldn't look right without it.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

So I decided to give it a shot and air them up. They hold air! And despite some dryrot cracking they don't look as bad as I thought and I think they will clean up enough to do just fine.
Before

After

Front holds air too. Will clean them up when I respoke the wheels.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

That looks like everything down to the tires came with it.

Notice the wheel has never been removed, the tire probably holds air.

You were right the tires hold air and honestly look better than I thought. Should clean up nicely and work for what I'm doing.

 

[Slow-Rider]

killer buy. can't wait to see it shined up.

 

[Lisa Fender]

Anyone know how to track down a year on a 24" Sears Spyder 500???

Just picked this up on the cheap this morning for $40 and am curious as to what year it is. Has a drum brake 5 speed hub.

View attachment 226248 View attachment 226249 View attachment 226250 View attachment 226251 View attachment 226252

I have my original in PRISTINE condition. I have had it for over 48 years, and put it at about 1974. I have a printout of the Sears catalog page it was sold on