Unknown something that needs a name.

[SpikeFC]

Got this bike last year in a very horrible shape.

At first I tried to identify it. My first guess was a Sturmer from the 40's...

But then it came out, that only the fenders are from a ladies Sturmer...

Next Guess, by the pedals, that it must be a WWII Nazi military bicycle - the Truppenfahrrad.

But then it turned out that the pedals are early post-WWII Polish made pedals, probably from a Łucznik/Pafaro or Bałtyk bicycle.

Then I tried by the markings on the crankset that read MB3 (Moscow Bicycle Factory). Maybe It's an MB3 MD-1 from the 30's?

And again... the headtube is shorter...

The wheels are from 60's-70's with German hubs (rear one is a Sachs Jet coaster brake), the fork is probably also Polish from a Bałtyk bicycle, and the chain is an almost modern Romet....

Yeah, a headache...

While I was thinking that this is a Truppenfahrrad I decided to give it a somewhat military-look. Stripped the 6 layers of paint with paint-stripper, and assembled it back together.

After removing the paint two features came out. There was a headbadge with 74mm of rivet hole spacing, that would indicate that it could be a NSU Flux...

Then again - my frame does'nt have a greasing hole in the BB, steering limiter, and since that NSU was made post-WWII the frame numbers were counted in hundrets of thousands...

Yeah... 41706...

I asked a lot of people to help identify the frame, but it turns out that nobody has a clue on what it was... Nearest guesses are Polish/Chechoslovakian/German from the 30's up to late 40's....

So without knowing what it once was... It can be anything I want it to be...

So today:

Swapped the bars & Stem for dropbars from a Chechoslovakian Favorit:

Swapped the tires for 29x2.0 Race King, and boy, do they sit tight!

Also swapped that modern seat for something that looks like it was dug up from a bicycle graveyard...

The logo reads "SCHUTZMARKE" & "No. 58". Probably pre-war. Kinda comfy for something that badly decomposed...

Aaaaaand this is how it came out:

Still need to finish the carbide-to-LED conversion, put on a proper tailight, a bell & make a custom emblem... only what name to give it, and what style of emblem to choose...

Soviet Style?

Something Art-Deco like Bauer?

A classical "shield" design?

 

[toro1978]

Wow, they are all so cool. Very hard to pick one.

 

[Rat Pilot]

I like the Bauer ones. Very cool looking!

 

[Grant]

The geometey + the rust + the big tires make this this thing look REALLY bad@$$.

 

[toro1978]

It looks like it is racing even though it is standing. Like a cheetah. Or something.

It deserves a nicer seat , a race seat perhaps.

 

[Grant]

It needs some Major Taylor style track drops and not the standard road drops that already on it.

 

[toro1978]

Sick fork on the red one! The last one is gorgeous.

Spike, is there something wrong with the cranks? It kind of looks like they are not quite in the opposite directions.

 

[Grant]

One of the cotter pins needs to be installed in the opposite direction of when you originally installed it.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

That looks ridiculously fun!! Even with drop bars! Very cool

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Yup, Major Taylors

 

[SpikeFC]

Sick fork on the red one! The last one is gorgeous.

Spike, is there something wrong with the cranks? It kind of looks like they are not quite in the opposite directions.

Actually their fine, it's just the perspective of the photo

One of the cotter pins needs to be installed in the opposite direction of when you originally installed it.

Eyup! They are.

Right now I'm making LED light conversions for it, and still working on the front brake. Would love to install classic track dropbars on it, the only problem is that I can't find them cheap. Also a must-need part is a pre-WWII bent seatpost in the shape of a "7"

It allows to mount the seat closer to the front, cause riding it, even for a taller guy like me is a real pain in the behind... the lean on this is just crazy

 

[toro1978]

Race stem with a cut off bar clamp and shimmed? But then probably too short?

 

[SpikeFC]

Race stem with a cut off bar clamp and shimmed? But then probably too short?

Too short, and I also think it might not be a good thing for my fat... you-know-what

In the meantime - took it for a spin to my work today - rides... I don't know. Acceleration is mediocre, speed is not that great, but it's so much fun on the gravel!

Also installed some new stuff:

The carbide headlight converted to LED came back. I only need to fabricate a lens for it.

Bought it really cheap, since it was dug straight from the ground. The carbide container is broken from rust, and when I tried to clean it, the main valve just snapped.

Also you may have noticed the cable operated spoon brake - or whatever-it-is-called. In Poland we call it simply "Stamp Brake". Also it's a reason why Polish hardcore fans of our domestic brand Romet will hate me, since I connected it to a racing ZZR handle... oh well...

Also got a bell. It's a modern one, made from brass, but the sound it gives is just amazing.

Also there is this little fella...

He has magnets in his hands/legs, and I found him just hanning on a trafficlight post... so now he can hug my still unknown frame