Vintage AMF Roadmaster 3 Speed Men's Bike

[FreddyS]

Got this bike on the cheap and trying to figure what to do with it. I am replacing all cable lines for brakes and shifter. Want to lose the fenders as well. Gonna swap out my wife's Bontrager 26.190 tires and buy some Fat Franks for her bike. Not much rust, mostly a little on the wheels. Bike is pretty decent shape. Looks to be an early1970's vintage bike

Should I keep the finish as it is now it has on it now or throw some paint on it? I am going to market it as almost a Fixie, but with three gears. That's why I was thinking of painting it with some funky colors. I got it cheap and should make a few duckets on the flip

What would you guys do?

 

[CRASH]

I've seen people try to tap into the fixie market with a "not quite a fixie". They never sold the bike because the hipsters know better. Plus the fixie market is dying/dead. They were cool to a niche for a while because they were different. Now they are mainstream, so uncool.

If you are flipping that bike, I would clean it up, make it run right, and sell it for as a vintage survivor.

 

[horsefarmer]

Pic is very small, but probable old English racer type 3 speed. Pretty much worthless around here (rural Wisconsin). Brother in law gave me one, found 1 at dump totally complete, bought a KIA girls version for my wife at FFA auction for $5 ect. My wife has 2 girls 26x1 3/8" 3 speed bikes The KIA and a Ross, and loves them. Enjoy it yourself, or use for parts, don't think general public would buy it tho. Sorry.

 

[FreddyS]

Here in Houston it does have some value, not a whole lot, but I should get about
$ 150 when I finish. Considering what I paid for it, its a decent profit margin. The good thing is that I already have all the parts that I need to refurbish so no need to buy anything. I always stock up on the cheap when I go to bike swaps. The best time to attend them is towards the end when sellers don't really want to take their stuff back. I have picked up a lot of good stuff cheap when I go to them.

 

[horsefarmer]

That's great! glad you have a market that will support used bikes there.

 

[Wildcat]

I think the other tires, the Bontragers, may be a different 26 inch than the wheels on the 3 speed. They are 26 x 1 3/8's, taller than the 26 x 1.90, the more common diameter 26".
I had a complete 3 speed like that, only a Huffy, from 1971. I got it running good and looking great, and sold it for $85, after listing it for a month or so on CL.

 

[FreddyS]

I think the other tires, the Bontragers, may be a different 26 inch than the wheels on the 3 speed. They are 26 x 1 3/8's, taller than the 26 x 1.90, the more common diameter 26".
I had a complete 3 speed like that, only a Huffy, from 1971. I got it running good and looking great, and sold it for $85, after listing it for a month or so on CL.

Yeah, I factored that in. I looked at the height and width and so long as I lose the fenders, I should be good. The safe thing is to keep the look of the bike the same, but I'm gonna roll the dice here. I have a red brake cable set that I am going to put on it and I'm gonna slap some rattle can paint on it. I don't care if I have a hard time selling it, I just want to do it for myself. I'm sure someone will like it and buy it.

 

[Chad T]

Sounds like you'll have some fun with it.

I think Wildcat is right on your tires. Those older 3 speeds were usually 26 X 1 3/8 rims which are not compatible with regular cruiser/mtb 26 inch rims. The 1 3/8 rims have a larger diameter.

 

[STEZELL]

I agree with Freddy might be a hard sell, but a good project. No harm, no foul

 

[FreddyS]

I like to wait a little before I actually start to refurb. I will look at the bike a little and then go back and look again. I have finally had enough time to look at the bike and I am really stoked. It is actually in really good shape and it really only needs tires and shifter cable. Can't find the build date on frame but tires are Goodyears Rib 26 1 3/8 with a date code of 1969 so bike should be a 1969 or 1970 model. Very little rust on bike so I will clean and polish it. I am going to lose the fenders though. Will post a pic of cleaned up bike soon.

 

[us56456712]

I bought this 3 Speed AMF from a forum member a few weeks ago $85. I noticed on maybe Craig's List or some other site for more $. It came without a front tire and no rack. I replaced the real good black seat with the gold one. Anyway here it is.

 

[FreddyS]

I bought this 3 Speed AMF from a forum member a few weeks ago $85. I noticed on maybe Craig's List or some other site for more $. It came without a front tire and no rack. I replaced the real good black seat with the gold one. Anyway here it is.

Nice! We're you ever able to find the date stamp on the frame?

 

[us56456712]

Nice! We're you ever able to find the date stamp on the frame?

never looked for it. Where would it be? How could you tell the date?

 

[Wildcat]

Amf Roadmasters have the serial number on the left dropout, but no date code has been figured out yet. Your bikes were Probably early 70's if they have the BMI sticker on the upper part of the seat tube. I can see it on the Courier, but the first pic is too small to make out. Made in Olney, Illinois probably.

 

[FreddyS]

I found a number 042267 on the side of the head set. Could this be the date of manufacture? It also has a BMA/6 sticker on the top part of frame above the crank on the left side.

 

[Wildcat]

The BMA/6 sticker started appearing on bikes in 1971, so the bike would have been made 1971 or later.

 

[FreddyS]

Got this bike done today and posted it for sale on CL. The hardest part of the whole thing was putting the Shimano 3 speed shifter back together the right way. New tires, tubes, rim strips, brake pads and lines. Left fenders off as I llike the look of the bike without them