Two Questions

[highship]

What kind of tires would have come original on a 1941 Columbia?

and kind of a stupid one I think...

When you hear bikes classified as Pre War What exactly are we talking about, bikes earlier then '39 only, or does it include any number of years into the war?
It seems like I see a lot of bikes called Pre War but are early 40's.

 

[wheelbender6]

I interpret pre-war as pre 1950s, because cars and bikes produced during that time were still prewar design and construction. Just my opinion.

 

[pick]

That's a very good question! Since the war started in 39 & ended in 45. I have wondered the same thing. I don't have the answer though, so I guess we will both learn something on this subject. Maybe there should be 3 classifications, pre-war, war time & post war! :?

 

[65rat]

That's a very good question! Since the war started in 39 & ended in 45. I have wondered the same thing. I don't have the answer though, so I guess we will both learn something on this subject. Maybe there should be 3 classifications, pre-war, war time & post war! :?

I thought the war time bikes had blacked out hubs I have a Dayton like that.

 

[pick]

That's a very good question! Since the war started in 39 & ended in 45. I have wondered the same thing. I don't have the answer though, so I guess we will both learn something on this subject. Maybe there should be 3 classifications, pre-war, war time & post war! :?

I thought the war time bikes had blacked out hubs I have a Dayton like that.

I have a 1950 Monark with the black ND hubs, which brings up even another question. (when were the black hubs used & why?) But I'm not sure whether it came with them originally or not. I also wonder if they used left over parts from during the war on later bikes.

 

[meatwad1]

1. The reproduction 1941 columbia bicycle has tires on it that say columbia on them. Don't know how accurate that is. The 'nostalgic net" site has a wesfield catalog from 1938 that might be of help. Seems to me there were tires labeled westfield and that some had goodyear on them.

2. Prewar is before the rationing that came after pearl harbor and these companys either stopped production, greatly reduced or went onto building war impliments as did the auto industry. Generally I would refer to a bike as prewar until the next design change. Many of the bikes put together during the war and sold were called 'victory" bikes and were generally bare bones. Some had distinct paint jobs such as the elgin deluxe that refrered to the war. So yes it is actually resonable to have the dinstinction of 'war bikes". Also some bikes were built to be used in the war and so there is that angle too.

3. Hubs were painted black to look bad ass to frighten would be invaders. ha ha! Actually I think that these hubs were forged before the war but haden't been chromed or nickel plated yet and since these platings were important on war machinery ,tools, medical supplies etc. the hubs were religated to being painted black.

None of this is completely gospel but pretty close I would guess.

 

[tanksalot]

That's a very good question! Since the war started in 39 & ended in 45. I have wondered the same thing. I don't have the answer though, so I guess we will both learn something on this subject. Maybe there should be 3 classifications, pre-war, war time & post war! :?

I agree with the above statement... With that being said Pre war in my mind is pre 1942 because it seems that very few bikes where made between 1943 to 1945 .With that being said 1946 to 1949 are mostly the same designs as the 1939 to 1942 bikes with some minor changes you can tell if you know what to look for some times but not always Serial numbers can be helpful in some cases ..

As for the tire question .. I have two 1941 Columbias .. I can check to see what tires where on it if I can get to my original tires .. I changed the tires on my bikes so they could be ridden ..

 

[highship]

Thanks for all the responses! I'm glad to see the answer is not black and white, I was some what embarased to ask thinking it was a silly question.

I would love to here more about the tires for a 41' Columbia.

 

[deorman]

A lot of Columbias, and I mean a lot, were sold as Goodyear Highway Patrol brand bikes, and as you would expect, came with Goodyear tires.

 

[npence]

Prewar bikes are 1941 and earlier,
War era bikes 1942-1947 black out hubs no thrills basic bikes
Post war 1947-1955