Franklin Bike

[P!N20]

From bikeforums.net - anyone heard of Franklin?

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vint ... speed.html

[foo on patrol]

Can't say I have heard of that brand before.

Foo

[Imwit]

From bikeforums.net - anyone heard of Franklin?

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vint ... speed.html

There was a Davies and Franklin Bicycle Company but much earlier (c1900 to 1910). Started in Ballarat and spread across the country. Looks like Mr Franklin got sent to jail. Possibly the end of the business?

That bike must be 30s or 40s with the osgear style changer.

[Johnj]

The derailleur is a Cyclo Ace, you can tell by the dual cables and the shape of the shifting fork. They were available pre and post WW2, though I suspect they were pretty rare in Australia. I've never seen another Australian bike fitted with one. The bike looks 1940s to me, possibly repainted. More images are available here.

[P!N20]

The derailleur is a Cyclo Ace, you can tell by the dual cables and the shape of the shifting fork. They were available pre and post WW2, though I suspect they were pretty rare in Australia. I've never seen another Australian bike fitted with one. The bike looks 1940s to me, possibly repainted. More images are available here.

Do you know the owner John?

[Johnj]

Do you know the owner John?

Nope. Clydesdale Scott sent me a link to the photos about a month ago. Aside from that I have no idea.

[WyvernRH]

The derailleur is a Cyclo Ace, you can tell by the dual cables and the shape of the shifting fork. They were available pre and post WW2, though I suspect they were pretty rare in Australia. I've never seen another Australian bike fitted with one. The bike looks 1940s to me, possibly repainted. More images are available here.

That's a good spot John! Could indicate a British bike repainted by an Oz shop? Where I'm afraid I don't know. Or, maybe a UK bike brought over as is, by a ten pound pom? I can't say I've heard of a 'Franklin' brand in the UK but here were so many small builders/shops just after WW2 who can tell?

Richard

[Imwit]

Did UK bikes get the fine scroll work additions?
I thought that was really an Aussie (& Kiwi?) thing. Speaking of which, the scroll work shown doesn’t seem to be done in the normal matching left side/right side style. And the painted fork crown seems distinctive.

[Clydesdale Scot]

If you do a deep search on Trove you see advertisements for these from an electrical retailer in Bourke and another mention comes up in Yass. So I suspect these were made and available for generalist retailers in country towns.
https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page10631071
https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248218891

That was reported on the Bike Forums site.

[bicyclepassion]

Everything about this bike says Australian Made ‘club racer / semi racer’ frame, post war. The lining is not quite up to standard for the time, (which was very high) but fairly typical Aussie work. Cyclo Ace is a pre war derailleur, but of course could have been fitted to a post war bike. The FRANKLIN decal on the main bar is made up from individual letters available from wholesalers, and were used by enamelers to construct whatever brand or word you asked for. (Gold size application). Only very small bike shops or individuals used these, as proper decal sets with your artwork were not that expensive. The fact that even the head and seat bar decals are ‘homemade’, with an F in a readily available blank shield decal, would suggest a very small production or an individual. The rims, ‘centred and lined’ match the bike. The enamelers would paint the frame and two rims for the same price as just the frame, so people would include two prime coated rims with the frame to be painted, cheaper in the end than supplying the bike with chrome rims.

[Johnj]

Cyclo Ace is a pre war derailleur, but of course could have been fitted to a post war bike.

The Cyclo Ace was still in the Cyclo catalogue in 1953, though not after that. My guess would be late 1940s for this bike, before the Super Champion, Cyclo Ace and Simplex Standard were consigned to history by the Campagnolo Gran Sport, Cyclo Benelux and Simplex Tour De France. According to the history supplied in the forum article this bike stayed in one family, so if we knew the name it would be easy enough to work out where it came from. As Warren points out this bike is the product of a very small builder.

[case310]

There is a custom builder in the US, Franklin Frames. He still has a website under that name and is still in business. I don't know if one of his frames ever made it to Australia. He is in the State of Ohio

[Jilly]

I had a girls Franklin bike in the mid 1950's bought new as a Christmas presen; colours predominately purple and green. Rode it for 10+ years and never a problem

[LG]

I had a girls Franklin bike in the mid 1950's bought new as a Christmas presen; colours predominately purple and green. Rode it for 10+ years and never a problem

Hi Jilly, where abouts were you located when you had the bike?