Got a new project an old Hawk Cycles

[Screwdriver32]

I think i had a lucky find today I'm not too sure of its age but was hinted at possibly late 50s early 60s by a local bike shop, all i know is that its German made & my daughter can't wait to get out & show it off.

[nfmisso]

here are a few links that may be valuable to you:
http://www.shimano.com/publish/content/global_corp/en/us/index/financial_information/fact_sheet.download.-mainParsys-0037-downloadFile.html/1005_FactSheet_GB.pdf
http://www.mombat.org/Shimano.htm
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-207856.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220744330464&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm570%26_nkw%​3D220744330464%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

[nameused]

I'm staring at this is awe right now

[Painkiller]

(04-08-2011, 03:39 PM)Screwdriver32 Wrote:  I think i had a lucky find today I'm not too sure of its age but was hinted at possibly late 50s early 60s by a local bike shop, all i know is that its German made & my daughter can't wait to get out & show it off.

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Funky cool ! I like it. My bet it is 60's early 70's
let us know

[nfmisso]

The shifter and the way the shift mechanism enters the hub say '60's to me.

The kickstand looks much newer.

[Painkiller]

If it is the same company, I saw online that it started in 1968

[RobAR]

Regardless the year of mfrg, I must say that THAT would be a WAY COOL project! A very pristine condition to begin with, TOO! I can't wait to see what you uncover, 32.

[Bill]

Yes older the better (old school fan I am)!!! This is really a cool bike! Something else I noticed right away is the "cottered crank"! There is currently very limited information on how to properly remove them online. However I consider myself well schooled on them! If ya need some pointers please let me know!

Also it implements the same style some BMX Bikes hole their handle bars! Yes on the shifter. is it a three speed?
Last thing that is driving me NUTS is that it looks like the "wheelie bike" or chopper style?!?!?

Bill

[hcjg1]

hi absolutely amazing bike. never seen anything like it. you could really see the German engineering in this. Whats your address, i'm coming to nick it.

[trevgbb]

Im pretty sure this Hawk Cycles was based in Cradley Heath, West Midlands( it certainly looks like their logo and graphics) and sold their bikes mainly through Woolworths. Where they had them made, I don't know,but they did do some assembly on site, I think.
There is still a company trading there, but the original co. went bankrupt a few years ago and left lots of debts behind when the owner retired to the Channel Isles, I wonder how he could afford that?
Probably not as old as you might think, it looks like a Raleigh Chopper rip-off to me.

[Screwdriver32]

(04-08-2011, 04:43 PM)painkiller Wrote:  

(04-08-2011, 03:39 PM)Screwdriver32 Wrote:  I think i had a lucky find today I'm not too sure of its age but was hinted at possibly late 50s early 60s by a local bike shop, all i know is that its German made & my daughter can't wait to get out & show it off.

---

Funky cool ! I like it. My bet it is 60's early 70's
let us know

Well i got as far as an approx year of around 1975, but i no longer have to worry about it as someone took a fancy to the bike too & woosh its gone, oh hum i'll have to be more careful next time

[Painkiller]

easy come easy go

[Bill]

Definitely worth the post anyways ! Thanks for sharing!

[Jimbobbedyjobob]

That is one of the coolest beasts I have seen in a long time! I am quite jealous!

[baz8755]

Wow!

I had one of these when I was a kid.

It was bought new from Woolworths in Commercial Road, Portsmouth, England. I cannot remember the exact year but as most of my friends had Raleigh Grifters (which is what I wanted) at time and I was at middle school it would have been early 80's.

The one I had had a bar across the top of the handlebars to which it had a white motorcross style racing number plate (although some had a black plate with a picture of a hawk). I actually had 2 of these bikes as my first one snapped at a weld near the back wheel bracket within a few weeks so was replaced.

Although the bike looked cool with it's fake springs and big padded saddle it was an awful bike to ride. It was very heavy, had twist 3 spreed hub gears which were very difficult to change and brakes that just didn't slow you down at all. If I remember rightly the gears were Sturmey Archer and the small diamenter shiny white plastic grips meant you would get blusters trying to twist to change gear. The rims were chrome plated which meant keeping them rust free was a job for monthly polishing which in turn made them slippy and not much use for braking on. The brakes (as you can see from the picture) were very cheap and had a plastic adjuster screw that would slip through the caliper and lose all cable tension, also the positioning of the back brake was not the best. I also had a lot of issues with cotter pin wear and that chain guard would always clatter against the chain or crank no matter how much you tinkered with it.

The only good thing about the bike was it was built like a brick and survived many years of jumps and crashes without damage, but as you can tell I do not have fond memories of this bike and I thank god that during my adult life I have found that not all bikes are as awful as this.

I never ever saw anyone else with this bike so I assume sales were really low and was really surprised when I saw this thread.

Shame you no longer have it though