Thursday, November 24, 2011

Peerless

Saw this vintage cruiser bike locked to a pole in the rain.   Something about it made it seem like a very old bike, maybe even a vintage treasure.  I suspect that to it's current owner it's a BSO to get them around town until it rusts away.  Couldn't find much about them except the name has been around for a long time (1890's) although I'm not certain that it's all the same company.

Very full coverage fenders- cover at least 180 degrees of the wheel front and back.


Lovely double curved downtubes

Odd "stays" on either side of the headtube down to the front axle-  anyone have any idea what they're for? They have a graceful curve


The handlebars also have a nice sweep to them- although they need grips.  


I hope that it's not just going to be abandoned on a curb all winter, because it looks like a bike that deserves better.
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5 comments:

  1. dcainNovember 26, 2011 at 3:58 PM

    I have a bike that is quite similar. Although fun looking, I find it a hard bike to ride.

    ReplyDelete
  2. RandyNovember 27, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    Those "Odd "stays"" are fork truss rods. They strengthen/support the fork.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MoopheusNovember 28, 2011 at 12:50 PM

    Just today walking out at lunch I saw a nearly identical bike with a Sears badge but no curvy rods. Applying a little Goggle-fu, I found that similar bikes were sold also by Montgomery Ward under the Hawthorne name. It seems the truss rods went out sometime in the 1940s. That bike certainly looks like it spent more than a few years in someone's basement.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousNovember 28, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    That is definitely late 30's early 40's. Very cool !

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2012 at 10:21 PM

    I have a Peerless bike that I've owned for over 25 years......some of my best memories riding my little boy around on the little antique child seat I mounted on the rear. I still would love to restore it one day.

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