Hercules Junior Bike

[Reynard]

As mentioned on a thread in the Cafe board, I have a Hercules junior bike stashed on my loft. I rescued it from a skip in Epsom back in 1988 when I was 13 and rode it for a couple of summers before moving on to other bikes. Due to space constraints, all those other bikes have long since gone, but I held onto this one.

Am trying to find out more about it and try and plan on fettling it up sympathetically at some point.

I thought it might even be pre-war because of the rod brakes. But my initial research has put pay to that as the head badge and mudguards were the wrong shape. Best bet now is somewhere between the late 40s and late 50s, and I believe the model is a "Ranger".

It's got 20 x 1 3/8 wheels, a 16 inch top tube and weighs considerably more than my 9kg road bike. The head badge is stamped Birmingham, England, and there is a frame number on the top left hand side of the seat tube. Seat stays are bolted rather than welded into place.

It's been repainted rather badly - not by me might I add - it was like that when I rescued it, and this paint is now starting to flake off in places. Not sure if the saddle and handlebar grips are original or later additions. It's hard to tell, but am wondering whether this is an earlier bike tarted up to look like a later one, as from what I gather, the Ranger was made from the late 30s through to the late 60s and remained more or less unchanged throughout...

Any ideas / thoughts folks?

 

[Hugh Manatee]

It looks like a Mini Me post office bike. It's rather sweet. Maybe it was hand painted at some time?

 

[Reynard]

From what I've gathered, the Hercules junior bikes were quite literally shrunk-down adult ones, made using the same tubing.

Was definitely hand-painted, you can see brush marks in places. Wasn't particularly well done as there are paint splotches all over the chrome and plenty of drips and runs. Managed to shift some of the flaking paint with my thumbnail and the original is cream and burgundy.

 

[Cycleops]

Fettling it to sell it? I'm assuming it's too small for you to ride. Not sure you'd get your money back.

 

[Reynard]

No, to ride it. I'm only 4' 11" tall, you see. And I don't think I've grown that much since I rescued the bike. Or failing that, to stop it deteriorating any further.

 

[classic33]

A "Lone Ranger" maybe?

http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/childrens/1955-hercules-lone-ranger/1953-hercules-ranger/

 

[midlife]

Box lining = classy bike

Shaun

 

[Reynard]

@classic33 - yes, that looks about right.

@midlife - will see if I can remove the red paint and see what's lurking underneath all of that. Hopefully a nice wee bike

Any ideas on paint removal folks? White spirit? Or something less harsh?

 

[biggs682]

you could try gently with some really smooth sandpaper for taking the red off or a very week mix of nitromors

 

[classic33]

Be careful on the diagonal, there could lie the identity of the bike!

 

[Sharky]

My first bike was a blue Hercules, very similar to yours. Same size and rod brakes etc. Got it for my 6th birthday in February 1956, but I seem to remember it took me until the summer before I learned how to balance on it.

 

[raleighnut]

@classic33 - yes, that looks about right.

@midlife - will see if I can remove the red paint and see what's lurking underneath all of that. Hopefully a nice wee bike

Any ideas on paint removal folks? White spirit? Or something less harsh?

I'd give white spirit a go, the original finish should be stove enamel which the white spirit shouldn't affect, it depends what the paint on top is though as to whether it softens it.

 

[Reynard]

Will try a dab or two of white spirit on an unobtrusive spot first and see how it goes. I split my thumbnail trying to get that paint off yesterday.

@classic33 - yep, I'll go careful on the down tube Apparently there should be some very nice graphics on there.

@Sharky - Neat!

 

[classic33]

My first bike was a blue Hercules, very similar to yours. Same size and rod brakes etc. Got it for my 6th birthday in February 1956, but I seem to remember it took me until the summer before I learned how to balance on it.

They did "Balance Wheels", costing more than most of the bikes they were meant for!

 

[simongt]

My first bike was a secondhand Ranger. I was about 6 years old and the bike was in the classic 'racing green' My parents bought it on the Monday and with a couple of evenings of my mum hanging onto the back of the saddle to balance me, suddenly I was away on my own - ! That awesome feeling of achievement; never forget the moment - !