Ugly green eyesore...

[kingsting]

I have a soft spot for war time bikes. It's a Columbia roadster with some nice blackout goodies like the hubs and chainwheel. Also has straight Lobdell rims covered in white housepaint.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I kind of like the character it has as it sits...

 

[jaydub]

Eyesore...? I don't think so...Built to last another 50 years.. :shock:

 

[B607]

That's funny. I've collected bikes for 20+ yrs and I've never run across a blackout bike. Way out here in the country...maybe they used them more in cities? Ballooners... and middleweights till I'm blue in the face. Gary

 

[kingsting]

Eyesore...? I don't think so...Built to last another 50 years.. :shock:

50 years? At least - although the headset could use a refreshing. The hubs feel like they're just getting broken in. Incredibly smooth and the brake works well. It does need another saddle... :roll:

B607- I've found a lot of blackout stuff here in Central PA. I currently have this one, a ladies Shelby wartime bike, (I know where a mans version is too.) a New World with all the blackout goodies, and a Columbia balooner with blackout parts. My 46' Schwinn DX has a New Departure blackout two speed hub.
I let a real sweet Elgin wartime lightweight bike get away at the Fall Hershey car show many years ago. It was black with red and blue pinstripes and little white stars on the frame. It had all the blackout goodies, war grade tires, and no chainguard. I saw it late in the day and nobody was at the stand. It rained all night and the seller pulled out before I returned the next day.

 

[deorman]

My experience with Pennsylvania in general is that a tight rural/industrial economy, combined with widespread Mennonite culture means they don't throw things away, abandon. or replace them unless it's completely worthless, especially thrifty transportation.

 

[roadmaster]

not an eye sore, i like it. id keep it the way it is. simple, classic. never seen a black out bike and thought they only did that with cars and if they did it with bikes at the same time, puts that around a 42 to 46.

 

[kingsting]

Here's another wartime bike from my collection. It's a plain Columbia ballooner. It has black hubs, black chainwheel, black stem, black handlebars, black pedals (no wooden blocks though), black headset, black bottom bracket, and painted rims and chainguard. There are spots where the seat top is worn away and you can see the fabric below is from a recycled feedbag. The printing is still on it! It looks like a boring bike but after further observation, you can tell it has an interesting story behind it.

 

[user 135]

All that blackout parts are cool. Never find that out west unless it was bought buy a collector.

 

[N8NBOX]

yeah I agree that its not an eyesore...really digging it myself

 

[kingsting]

yeah I agree that its not an eyesore...really digging it myself

This is why I love you guys here on the boards! I bring stuff like this home and the wife wants to know when I'm putting it out for the trash... :roll: