Craftily painted nonsense?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Cavalol

Guru
Location
Chester
This (Raleigh) is being sold as ex-USAAF but something in my tiny brain is pinging a radar that tells me the bike isn't what is seems.
Any thoughts, please, as to whether it's genuine or not? Thanks in advance.

xDCMl5QK3W3Tz5uHr5B7SpFpiYb5WOu2MJzrYRfwv0kseSvZM7-Xo_ArLkupU8_a3IOx1kGFQ&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.jpg


K8eBZA-yO9LBAV1nL29-lb4xnO7UaRHH19Ix0OJposLzSNzWH2mXzdm3Bt_IFNL9uirZUwCmw&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.jpg
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
I think you are correct. Have a look at these real USAAF bikes:
http://www.theliberator.be/militarybicycles.htm
 

Poacher

Gravitationally challenged member
Location
Nottingham
Apart from anything else, US armed forces seemed reluctant to buy anything local; even food was imported from the states.
Would they have used Raleigh in preference to a good 'ol USA POS BSO? Doubtful in the extreme.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
Yes, these were all Huffy's or Columbias. With coaster brakes, presumably. Heavy, durable single speed machines. Our War Department, now Department of Defense, issues bids and specifications for equipment such as this, and most equipment is bought from U.S. sources. Worksman bicycles would now fill this role. They make cycles much like these, BTW.
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
Americans tend to bring everything over with them: cars, fire hydrants, the lot. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't drink our water.
 

ozboz

Guru
Location
Richmond ,Surrey
Apparently though they yanks were not to good at taking stuff back the states , when in Australia about a mile away were the remnants a of a US Army base , Camp Cable , built for a Division of troops to train for war in the Pacific , the story was as the first vehicles arrived at the Camp the last we’re just leaving the the Port of Brisbane , 45 km away and it was a solid line of traffic !
Anyway at the end of its use and the allies were on top it was closed , according to locals of the day the Yanks dug giant pits and buried all equipment etc that was left ,
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Looks like a bog standard Raleigh roadster to me that someone decided to give a coat of NATO drab paint to. Fake, fake, fake in every way. I'd value it like any ratty old thing that I wanted as a hack bike. It is not a valuable historical artefact!
 
Top Bottom