Co-Op bikes

This is a bit random but here goes...

I was talking to my dad at the weekend about his first racing bike. Turns out it came from the Co-Op in Sheffield (because my grandad wanted the MASSIVE divi that would come from purchasing a bike through them) and was badged as a CWS - or Co-Operative Wholesale Society - bike. He says it was a very nicely put together frame, light, with ornate lugs and Benelux derailleur. Just wondered if anyoneout there has ever come across a CWS bike, or owns one now, or knows who built for them? If so I'd be really interested to hear from you.

Cheers,

Luke

You could try these guys;

http://www.v-cc.org.uk/specint.html

There's a passing reference to Co-Op branded bikes on their site, could be worth contacting them?

David

Aye, that looks spot on, many thanks

CWS bike

I have a CWS bike. I bought it about 25 years ago, when I was 18, from a very sweet old man in Portsmouth who had had the bike since he was young but had become too old to ride it. It sat in my parents' shed until last week when it was taken to the local bike shop for new tyres. They got very excited, and said that CWS bikes are very rare. Supposedly if it were to be fixed up properly it would be worth a lot of money. It's a bit of a dilemma for me, as I just want a bike to cycle around on, and I don't know whether it would be worth having it renovated. It's in perfectly useable condition now. Have you managed to find out more about yours?

Jonathan

At a Bygone Bykes ride yesterday I was talking to a guy who has a 'Federation' 1930's CWS bike and he said that he understood they were made by the same people that made 'Gamages' bikes.

Now - hands up if you know the answer - who made the bikes for 'Gamages'?

From memory: CWS did have their own bike factory in Birmingham, I think up to mid 50's. There were also a number of makers who would supply "own name" bikes to retailers.

Hope no one minds me resurrecting an old thread - found it while searching for information.

I have inherited a "CWS Gipsy Moth" which has been abandoned for a long time and is in a bit of a state. I plan to see if I can get it up and running but am keen to find out any more information about it. I'm especially keen to put a date on the bike - I think 50's but not even 100% on that. Also interested whether it was made by Co-op themselves or by another manufacturer.

I will follow up the link above but interested in any information available!

Can't post pics on here yet - but its the only result searching for "CWS Gipsy Moth" on flickr!

Not at all. I think it was a Gypsy Moth that my dad had - I'll ask him next time I see him. The head badge suggests that yours was built in CWS's own works.

It'd be great if you could stick some pictures up - particularly of equipment such as the cranks / chainwheel, derailleur and stem which might help date the bike.

But I'd be really interested in any photos of the bike. It looks great in that purple and blue colour scheme

Thanks for the reply!

I think I can post pics now... will give it a go. I haven't started any cleaning up let alone fixing up so as I said the bike is in quite a state.

It has a Benelux Derailleur as mentioned in your first post (fitted wrongly in the pic), Wrights saddle and Williams crankset. I read on another site that Williams components are stamped with letters to show year of manufacture but I can't find any letters.

Moth, What I can see in your pics is a low end schoolboy type bike. The Benelux gear is from the early 60's, and looks original. I think the CWS bike factory (Redditch?) had closed by then, and Tyseley was a main CWS address.
There were a number of makers in the Birmingham area making "own transfer" bikes, and by 1960 they were all in difficulty or closed due the the rapid decline in commuter bikes.
I think Comrade Cycle Co. were still selling to Brown Brothers, and would be a likely suspect to supply Gamages, also well known for cheapness.

Some Williams cranks were dated, I think rarely on the cheap ones.
The rear drop-out brazing to the seat stay appears to have a large pin to retain it while brazing. Very unusual, someone might see something like it on another bike.

I think they spent more on the finish than the frame, not unusual at that time when sales were very poor.

I am only commenting on what I see in the pics, quality has nothing to do with "collectable", or value.