JIM DOES NOT DO APPRAISALS

Jim's Vintage Bicycle Photos

July 04 2008 Jim has known of this rare original photo for many years. This image hung in the CITY NEWS STAND in downtown Lafayette. One of Lafayette's oldest businesses, the CITY NEWS closed it's doors in May 2008. Jim was fortunate to obtain this original photo in the liquidation sale. The significance of this image for Jim? The bicycle is the brand sold by Mulhaupt's where Jim's Grandfather worked. The Chicago Daily News is a paper from the Hometown of the Schwinn Bicycle company, it is a statement of Americana and of downtown Lafayette heritage.

This photo was taken at the Lafayette offices of the Chicago Daily news on 4th Street.

WARNING: It has been reported that antique bicycle collecting may be habit forming!

ENJOY THE RIDE!

JIM'S PERSONAL COLLECTION GALLERY

JIM'S VINTAGE BALLOON TIRE GALLERY

JIM'S VINTAGE MIDDLEWEIGHT GALLERY

JIM'S VINTAGE SCHWINN PARAMOUNT GALLERY

JIM'S VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHT GALLERY

VINTAGE BICYCLES FOR SALE, CLICK HERE

Why does Jim "dig" old Schwinns?

This page is dedicated to Jim's Grandfather. It was Sylvester who taught Jim the basic mechanical skills, and attention to detail that lead to his evolution into a master craftsman.

Jim began collecting Schwinns in the early 1990s. Jim was raised in the 1960s in the twin cities of Lafayette-West Lafayette Indiana. His family lived on the edge of the PURDUE University campus. In a campus town, bicycles were a big business. Jim’s grandfather, Sylvester was a locksmith and bicycle repairman at the local Schwinn dealership. Jim grew up watching his grandfather repair intricate devices, and learned his attention to detail. Jim’s grandfather worked at Mulhaupt’s Schwinn. Mulhaupt’s is one of the oldest Schwinn dealers in the USA, and is still in business today. In the 1960s, Mulhaupt’s was a 1000 club dealer. This meant that they sold more than 1000 bicycles per year! In the 1960s, the dealers would assemble for the Schwinn national dealer convention. This event was held at the famous Drake Hotel in Chicago. Awards for sales were given, there was the presentation of new models, sales meetings, and banquets. A visit from long time Schwinn spokesman Captain Kangaroo was always a highlight of the trip! Jim’s grandfather was very proud of his association with the Schwinn bicycle brand. In those days, being the local Schwinn dealership mechanic was a career!

When Sylvester assembled a new one, he would carefully align the bolt heads of the mounting screws, and every spoke was tightened to perfection. He went so far as to solder the cable ends to prevent them from fraying, and wound the excess cable into a loop for a nice appearance.

Jim's Grandfather, Sylvester "Syl"

At Christmas time, Jim would be on vacation from school. In the evenings after the store was closed for the day, Jim would help his grandfather who was working overtime to assemble the hundreds of new Schwinns due to be delivered in the week prior to the holiday. In the few days prior to Christmas, Jim and his grandfather would drive around the Lafayette Indiana area in the Mulhaupts van delivering new Schwinns to the designated secret hiding places at the homes of Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, friends and neighbors. An intricate plan to prevent the children from finding out that a new Schwinn awaited them on Christmas morning.

Jim began gravitating toward a career in mechanical repair at an early age. At the age of ten, Jim was already repairing the neighborhood bicycles and had mastered the basic skills of a bicycle repairman. In the early 1970s Jim worked with Sylvester at the Pedal 'N Pack shop at "Five Points" in Lafayette. Selling and repairing bicycles including the fine European brands of Motobecane and Gitane. These experiences, and the realization that Schwinn is an American icon, led Jim to begin a collection of vintage Schwinns.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by,

and that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost