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My latest aquisition! This beauty is something I've always wanted - a DARK PURPLE 1976 Raleigh Chopper Mark 2, all original. Only missing a chain-guard. I'd be hard-pressed to part with it, but contact me to negotiate! :-)
I will be fitting it with a dynamo head-lamp, rear-view mirrors and a hooter before I ride the 2007 CapeArgus cycle tour http://www.cycletour.co.za on it!
This is what a fellow chopper enthusiast from Canada says about my bike on http://www.bikeforums.net: "Never sell the Chopper. Chances are you will never find another in that color."
Best regards, Doug
P.S "If you ever sell the Chopper, make sure you get a lot for it. Those chopper lovers, especially those in the UK, would do anything to have an original metallic purple Chopper.
This Hercules bicycle was used for many years by the maintenance staff at Rhenish Girls High School (the oldest girl's school in South Africa) until the 5th of August 2005. That's the day I bought it! The attractive headbadge (which reads Hercules & Phillips Cycles (SA.) Limited) seems to indicate that it was locally manufactured. I dont know just how old this one is.... my educated guess is that it dates from the 1930's.
The seat is not original (but 'fits" the bike) and I still have to find rubber block-pedals and replacement parts for the rod-brake system. The rear wheel was also unfortunately fitted a coaster hub (back-pedal brake sytem) some years ago. I will have to paint the rear rim black to match the front wheel, which is original.
I bought the quaint basket at a local farm stall near Stellenbosch (Mooiberge), and it fits into the carrier perfectly! Since this isn't any old bike (excuse the pun) the selling price is R 2,500.00, a BARGAIN for a piece of cycling history!
Now this is an unusual bike to find in South Africa! I found this bicycle quite by chance in a cycle shop in Kuilsrivier, a suburb of Cape Town. Apparently an old gentleman brought his Fongers Elegant over from Holland and used it for many years until he got too old to ride. I dont know for sure how old this bike is, however another Fongers on http://www.rijwiel.net/fongersd.htm dated 1915 has a similar Hygia No.1 seat...
However, in a recent e-mail sent to me by Herbert Kuner he says the following: "About your Fongers: Between 1940 - 1970 Fongers used frame numbers consisting of a letter + a number. In your case, I think the correct frame number is P11569, while the letter "P" means that the bike is made in 1960. See for a comprehensive overview on Fongers frame numbers the tables on my article (in Dutch language) on http://www.rijwiel.net/fonprodn.htm." So, it looks as if I should do a bit more research into this bicycle's real age. It just seems strange to me that a 1915 bicycle and a 1960 bicycle should have identical seats!
History: According to Marty (a.k.a Lotek) on www.bikeforums.net, Fongers started production in 1874 in the City of Groningen, Holland. In 1896 the factory was established as a limited company. They were taken over by Phoenix in 1961 and then by Batavus in 1970, who closed the Groningen factory in the same year. The bicycle is still sold as a sub brand of Batavus bicycles (who bought the company that bought Fongers). Batavus is now part of the Accell Group, a bicycle conglomerate quoted on the Dutch stock market. If you can read Dutch there is a more complete history on http://www.rijwiel.net/fongersd.htm
This brand also has some interesting royal history: With the kind cooperation of HRH Princess Margriet, the Velorama National Bicycle Museum http://www.velorama.nl purchased the Fongers bicycle used by Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in the 1940s and 1950s. Until recently Princess Margriet also rode on this historic cycle.
Eveything is original on my bicycle (bikes of this style are called opafietsen in Holland) excepting the headlamp, which I fitted recently. However, looking at other vintage Fongers bicycles advertised on http://www.marktplaats.nl/ and on http://images.google.com, the chrome headlamp is of the correct type. Some parts on the bike are pretty unique - take a look at the interesting seat! The bicycle has no gears and has a back-pedal braking mechanism. The rear hub is a German-manufactured Torpedo. This is what Sam says about the hub on http://www.oldroads.com: "Charl, The german built torpedo hub was the longest running coaster (back-pedal) hub built.built from 1905 till the 1980s. It under went changes (got cheaper) as time went along. But it is still a good hub. If your lucky to have a pre-war hub you have a very fine hub."
SELLING PRICE: Make me an offer
Included in this photoset:
1) Side View 2) Headbadge 3) Hygia seat 4) Fongers crest on down-tube
5) Decal 6) Pedal 7) Fork badge
I picked up this classic Hercules (made in Birmingham, England) in Stellenbosch, South Africa. It has a top-tube shifter and an undated Sturmey-Archer rear hub. The undated hub means that it was manufactured in 1940/41. Only the seat is not original/vintage. I have since replaced the pedals pictured with vintage pedals. I found it in a sorry state and have enjoyed cleaning it up, scouring the rust off the chrome parts etc. I use this bike regularly in my meaderings through the picturesque town of Stellenbosch.
SELLING PRICE: R1500.00 neg.(excluding P&P)
Included in this photo set: 1) Side view 2) Original headbadge on bike 3) What the headbadge should have looked like 4) Replacement headbadge purchased on eBay 5) Top-tube shifter
Photo credits: Charl Cilliers.
I found this South African manufactured Achilles bicycle in a local shop. What a find! It has a licence disk mounted on the handlebars (not visible in this picture) which dates from 1962. Bicycle licences were law in SA until around 15 years ago. It is in great condition with the varnish/painted badges and logos all in great condition. The head and tail lamps both work from a dynamo. I suspect that the rear hub is not original since it has a 73 date code. Otherwise all original. I do not ride this bicycle or take it out-doors in case of theft. It's just too valuable to me!
I made an exception and took part in the 109km 2005 Cape Argus Cycle Tour http://www.cycletour.co.za on the Achilles, dressed as a typical South African farmer (rugby shorts, khaki shirt and bush hat). The wind was very strong, but I managed to complete the race in just under 7 hours, with the help of a few beers along the way (I usually finish it in under 4 hours on a racer!). Included in this photoset are pics taken of me en route by http://www.actionphoto.net
This is what Herbert Kuner has to say about the brand name Achilles: "In 1897 the Wilhelmina cycle works from Zeist (Holland) were the first who claimed the rights on the name Achilles. In the thirties, bicycle manufacturer Kestein from Rotterdam seems to have made bicycles under this name. But I never saw one, and I have got no information about a link to British Raleigh. Of course, it could be that Raleigh owned the rights for the British and foreign markets, while Wilhelmina or Kestein did just for the Dutch market".
Included in this photoset 1) Side view 2) Headbadge 3) Mudguard badge 4) Licence disk 5) Noordhoek 6) Chapman's Peak 7) Finish line
Photo credits: Charl Cilliers; http://www.actionphoto.net
NOT FOR SALE
An old gentleman had been cycling this South African made 1953 Rudge-Whitworth for the past 40 years through the streets of Stellenbosch before I spotted it! It is in original condition barring the saddle and tyres. It has 3-speed Sturmey Archer gears (handlebar-mounted shifter). The rear hub has the date code 53 7 on it, indicating that it was manufactured in July of 1953. The original headbadge is still in place and indicates that it was made in the town of Springs, South Africa. It has it's own locking system with key mounted on the frame. This bike is very sturdy and comfortable to ride, but it is HEAVY! I completed the 109km 2006 Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour on this bicycle while a friend of mine, Marcello Bartolini, cycled on my Achilles bicycle. A low resolution pic from http://www.actionphoto.net is included here.
SELLING PRICE: R 2,500.00 neg (excl. P&P)
Included in this photo set: 1) Side view 2) Headbadge 3) Decal
Photo credits: Charl Cilliers
This women's Raleigh (also South African made) bicycle was the property of an old gentleman living in the suburb of Cloetesville outside Stellenbosch. He too has been riding it for many years. Everything is original on this bike barring the seat and pedals. The bike has no gears and hence no Sturmey-Archer hub from where one could get a date code. The serial number printed on the frame below the seat reads: 66330HI. I have however not managed to find a date of manufacture since it does not correspond to any of the codes listed in the Raleigh serial number chart on the website http://www.oldroads.com I suspect that this bike is VERY OLD since it has rod-brakes, no gears and no headbadge (also no indication on the frame of there ever being a headbadge! It also has an iteresting little rear reflector fitted to the carrier (see picture).
SELLING PRICE: R 1500.00 neg. (excl P&P)
Included in this photoset: 1) Side view 2) Rear reflector
I have just bought what I was told was a South African military issue (WWII) BSA Aquarius. BSA stands for "Birmingham Small Arms". It has a perished sprung leather seat, block-pedals and cable brakes. It has a lovely bell mounted on the handlebars with a Saint Christopher design on it (encircled by the following inscription in Latin: ASPICE CHRISTOPHORUM ET TUTUS VIAM CARPE). It also still has the headbadge intact, although all the paint is off.
The bike is predominantly black with dark orange mudguards, BUT it also has a 3-speed Suntour hub. According to Frank Berto (August 26, 1998 http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/'hadland/page35.htm), Sturmey Archer made 3-speed AW hubs with a SunTour logo on the shell for Maeda in the 1970s and 80s. The Sturmey Archer manufacture is not mentioned in either company histories. This makes indicates that the hub and gears were fitted years later, the date code on the hub indicating that it was manufactured in September of 1983.
Each vintage bicycle has its own unique history, which must be preserved. This bike has a dog licence! (inscribed: Dog / Hond, Cape Town, 1981). This is what I think happened: Bicycle licences were law in South Africa untill recently, but were similarly priced to the licences needed for dogs. I can only conclude that when the owner wanted to purchase his bike licence, the local municipality didn't have any in stock, so they gave him a dog licence and told him that it would suffice! I can hardly belive that it could have been a case of mistaken identity! The rims on this bike indicate that they were made in South Africa. Once cleaned up, this bike will be up for grabs. Have not thought about the asking price yet....
SELLING PRICE: R500.00
Included in this photoset: 1) Side view 2) Dog licence 3) Saint Christopher bell 4) Seat 5) Headbadge on bicycle 6) I'm trying to find a replacement headbadge like this one!
Here are some old bicycle pics taken with a mobile phone on a June 2005 weekend-away to the West coast town of Porterville...
Included in this photoset: 1) A proud father and his son on his Raleigh-manufactured Achilles bicycle in the main road of Porterville 2) Another Achilles used to advertise a popular coffee-shop and restaurant in Porterville (neither of these two bikes is in the near-perfect condition as the one in my posession)
3) A Phillips used to advertise a restaurant and guest-house in Tulbach, another West coast town. 4) One of the majestic waterfalls in the Grootwinterhoek Mountains where we hiked just outside Porterville.
Links:
http://www.rcoc.co.uk/
http://www.bikeforums.net
http://www.oldroads.com
http://oldroads.com/oldwebs.asp?uploadid=198