3 Vintage?? Bikes, For Free

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Sat, 07/12/2025 - 15:58

I have recently acquired 3 bikes that I don’t need for parts and due to lack of space can’t give a home too. I received them for free and am passing them on the same way. I looked for serial numbers at the top of the seat post and on the bottom under the pedal tube, not sure where else the number might be? They’ve all had a repaint but I don’t think enough to totally obscure the serial numbers. Not sure what make the men/boys bike is, it has 26 inch wheels, tires are shot and head badge is missing.Of the two Ladies bikes, the CCM has 26 inch wheels, tires on it are shot as well. The second Ladies bikes is a BF Goodrich, tires on it are good, just pumped them up today, will have to see if the tubes hold air.

I'm thinking based on the similarities, that the Mens bikes is a is likely a BF Goodrich as well.

8 Comments

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Sat, 07/12/2025 - 16:11.

For some reason the pictures I added didn't attach to the original message, so here they are.

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Submitted by T-Mar on Mon, 07/14/2025 - 07:17.

CCM started installing reflectorized pedals circa 1972, so assuming the pedals are OEM, I'd expect the serial number to be on the lower, left hand side of the seat tube. If the pedals are repacements and it's a 1960s model, the CCM's serial number should be on the right, rear dropout.

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Mon, 07/14/2025 - 18:45.

Thanks T-Mar, I'll take a look in both places for serial numbers. Do you know if CCM ever manufactured bicycles for BF Goodrich tires? Looking that up via Google I fiound that BF Goodrich did sell bikes for a time in their tire stores. The ones sold in the US were made by Schwinn, the sources I looked at stated that none were ever manufactured in Canada but the head badge does say Canada on it. The badge is a stick-on decal that is damaged, likely by a loose basket, so "Made in" is missing.

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Tue, 07/15/2025 - 18:14.

Hi T-Mar

I worked on the two BF Goodrich bikes today and was able to find the serial numbers on them. On the Mens bike it is D353595 and on the Ladies bike it is F649854. I'll try to attach the photos of both to this email. The seat on one of the bikes is made in England by a company called Middlemore, would it be original to the bike?

Thanks again for any information you can provide.

Clark

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Submitted by T-Mar on Wed, 07/16/2025 - 08:14.

Yes, they're all CCM manufacture. The D-code represents the 1972 calendar year while the F-code represents the 1974 calendar year. Of course, if they were manufactured late in their repspective calendar years, they could be 1973 and 1975 models.

The Middlemore saddle is almost certainly OEM.  I recall them on some models when I worked at a CCM dealership during the 1970s bicycle boom. 1972 was right around the time that they started phasing out the two-colour mattress saddles in favour of monotone black. 

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Wed, 07/16/2025 - 10:36.

Thanks again T-Mar, I appreciate your willingness to share your wealth of knowledge.
Would I likely be correct in assuming that both bikes were made for BF Goodrich? In my internet searching, there was a statement that US manufactured BF Goodrich bikes made by Schwinn were made to specifications required by BF Goodrich, so it was a case of a Schwinn bike not really being a Schwinn. Was the same arrangement true for BF Goodrich bicycles made by CCM?

Cheers

Clark

Submitted by T-Mar on Wed, 07/16/2025 - 13:45.

Stating that the contractee (i.e. B.F. Goodrich) had the bicycles made to their specifactions is, in my opinion, stretching the truth. Typically, most contractees would approach the bicycle manufacturer requesting tenders for a specific style of bicycle in a certain price range. The bicycle manufacture would then submit possible configurations, using standard frames, parts and accessories from their product range. Basically, the contractee would create the bicycle by selecting from options offered by the bicycle manufacturer. Rarely, would the contractee spec anything beyond what the manufactrer routinely manufactured or stocked, with the exception of decals and the head badge, as this would add to the price.

The 3rd bicycle could be a B.F. Goodrich but you can't rule the possibility that it's one of the other numerous brands that CCM contract manufactured. About the only thing that I can say with any confidence is that while it was manufactured by CCM, it almost certainly wasn't sold under the CCM brand. 

Submitted by C. C. Schultz on Fri, 07/18/2025 - 21:28.

Thanks again for the information T-Mar. The BF Goodrich bicycle and the Mens bike are in many ways mirror images of one another. They have the same chainring, wheel rims, pedals, handle bars and grips, fenders, rear reflectors and chain guard. Basically all the Mens bike needs to be a BF Goodrich bike is a BF Goodrich head badge. I'm wondering if anyone has any NOS BF Goodrich decal head badges or knows of someone who has a program and printer to make them.

I replaced the saddle on the Ladies Goodrich bike and have repaired the one on the Mens, have also put a new front tire on the Mens. Which means I've decided to keep them, so only the Ladies CCM is available for free now.

The Ladies Goodrich is now riding ready, I'll be respoking the Mens tires and painting the rims on it next.