Dating my Hercules Bicycle

[JohnnyW]

Hi. I have a Hercules bicycle, can't find any serial number and trying to ascertain a date. Any help would be very greatly appreciated.

 

[Chris S]

The Sturmey Archer KB7 hub was only manufactured in 1937. That would date your bike fairly precisely, assuming it's the original hub.
https://hadland.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/type-kb-1937.pdf

 

[Chris S]

Did you find this site using a search engine that returned this page?
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/hercules.251309/

They found a frame number on the left-hand dropout. Once you've go that you should be able to Google it.

 

[Tom...]

Take her for a nice meal

 

[netman]

That's rather gorgeous. I have a 1934 Dawes and it's very similar. It's hard to make out, but the date on the SA K series 3 speed hub may well be 1937. That would fit with the quandrant gear lever - here's a similar one dated 1937... http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Raleigh/GoldenArrow/sashiftlever.html

*Edit - yep looks like a KB7 so it's probably one of these: https://hadland.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/type-kb-1937.pdf as above

 

[T4tomo]

Its a testament to SA hubs that an 84 year old one is still going strong

 

[Chris S]

Its a testament to SA hubs that an 84 year old one is still going strong

Old British bikes often get left in sheds for decades. Having said that it doesn't take much to get them going again.