DAHLQUIST CYCLEWORKS
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        • 1943 Dayton Military Bicycle
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        • 1983 Trek 850
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        • French Gray Mead Crusader
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        • 1983 Moulton-Made John Howard
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    • 1920s Hercules
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    • Hercules NFS & Humber Messenger Bicycle
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      • 1930s Royal Enfield Roadster
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      • 1936 Hetchins Brilliant No. 2
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      • Robin Hood Camping Bicycle
      • 1947 Humber Roadster
      • 1947 Raleigh Loop Frame
      • 1949 Paris Tour de France
    • Even More British Bicycles >
      • Bicycle Institute of America Mystery Racer
      • The Double Bar Humber Number
      • 1952 Humber Sports
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      • Ephgrave No. 1
      • Dahlquist Cycleworks Delivery
      • Teens Era BSA Path Racer
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    • Bobet's Bicycle
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    • Motobecane Wine Bike
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    • 1939 Durkopp Track Bicycle
    • 1940 Achilles Gents & Ladies Roadsters
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    • Repurposed WWII German Military
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    • Bianchi Military Bicycle
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    • 1967 Torpado
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  • Japanese Bicycles
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    • Kyokurei Post-War Roadster
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    • Klunker Dan
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    • Tribute to Tyger
    • On a Mountain Road in Virginia
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      • The Humber Chainring
      • What I'll See on that Bicycle Ride
      • 1940
      • The Aging Athlete Reinvents Himself for John Howard
  • Events
    • 6/11/2022 Dream Team Presentation
    • 7/19/22 25th Anniversary
    • 8/26/222 Auburn Vintage Bike Show
    • I Sold My Rat Rod
    • John Howard Visits Missouri
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1930s Special Sunbeam

How could one not love a bicycle created in Sunbeamland?

The name for the British Wolverhampton bicycle works, manufacturers of The Sunbeam bicycle, was suggested to the originator/owner of the company, John Marston, by his wife Ellen in 1887.

Here's a brief summary of Sunbeam bicycles:

"Sunbeam bicycles (always "The Sunbeam") were made in Wolverhampton from 1887 to 1937.[4] As the factory was used to sheet-metal working and japanning (the Victorian equivalent of today's oven-baked enamel or 'powder coating') the construction of cycles presented few problems. At first of similar design to other makers' machines, the company adopted a version of Harrison Carter's Little oil-bath chain case in the mid-1890s. The cycle was re-designed so that the oil contained in the oil bath lubricated the bottom bracket, chain and rear hub, the only cycle so designed to date. 

The Sunbeam was designed to last a gentleman a lifetime and such is their longevity that models a century old still have their original finish, chain and transmission. The top model was the "Golden", with alloy wheel-rims, epicyclic two- and three-speed gears and real gold-leaf pin-striping. The "Royal" was of the same quality but had red lining and simpler equipment. The 'RR' model was used at the Olympics in 1929 and the later 'Golden Light Roadster' was made from the latest 'Cromoly' tubing. These and other models were made alongside the motor cycles at "Sunbeamland", Pool Street, Wolverhampton until 1937 and subsequently, to the same designs, by AMC until 1943 and BSA until 1957." --Wikipedia

I have been searching for Sunbeams for over thirty years. A Sunbeam bicycle is beyond aristocratic--it is positively regal. Stately. Refined. (It must be admitted that the subtle qualities of a Sunbeam may be lost on some. I remember talking with the great Sam Fitzsimmons at a Memory Lane swap meet years ago. Sam had purchased a beautiful old Sunbeam (for a song) before I arrived on the scene. I congratulated Sam, saying "This Sunbeam is so beautiful in every way, I think one could collect nothing but British roadsters!" Sam responded by saying "Daniel, you know what you would have if you collected nothing but British roadsters? A basement full of black bikes."

Be that as it may, a well-adjusted Sunbeam is not only beautiful; it rides like a dream. John Marston was said to be a perfectionist;  his machines have been called "The Rolls Royce of Bicycles." (As much as I love Raleighs, when placed next to a Sunbeam, in my opinion they rather suffer in comparison). The fact that many of Marston's bikes are still being ridden 100 years after they left Sunbeamland is a testament to his insistence on achieving the highest quality. 

I believe the Special Sunbeam pictured here was manufactured in the 1930s. Today the downturned handlebars would place it in the "sport touring" category. There is still work to do on the bike. I will soon attach a battery tube for the Powell and Hamner lamp, and arrest a bit of corrosion here and there. If you are interested in Sunbeam bicycles, I urge you to consult my friend Colin Kirsch of the onlinebicyclemuseum. He owns several very rare machines, and is an expert on all things Sunbeam. 
​
Note the toe clips on my Special Sunbeam, designed expressly for rubber-block pedals, and the "dreadnought" carrier on the rear.  Thanks to Bill Smith for bringing the bike to me from Michigan. More and better photos will be forthcoming.
1930s Special Sunbeam ©Daniel Dahlquist
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  • Home
  • Bicycle Stories
    • Story of America in 2 Bicycles
  • American Bicycles
    • American Bicycles >
      • 1890s Columbus Bicycle
      • 1892-93 Stover
      • 1893 Elliott Hickory
      • More American Bicycles >
        • 1895 Columbia Model 45 C.A. Fudge
        • 1895 Gormully & Jeffery Rambler No. 12
        • Patee Track Bicycle
        • 1895 Patee Gents'
        • 1895 Patee Ladies' Loop Frame
        • 1895 Sterling (As Ridden by Bobby Walthour)
        • 1896 Buffalo Soldier Bicycle
        • 1897 American-Made Humber Roadster
        • 1897 Crescent No. 9
        • 1899 Sterling Shaft-Drive
        • 1899 Monarch
        • 1900 Gormully & Jeffery American Bicycle Co. Rambler
        • 1902 Columbia Model 92
        • 1902 Sears Kenwood
      • Some More American Bicycles >
        • Teddy Roosevelt 1904 Campaign Bicycle
        • 1907 Cruso Double Bar Semi-Racer
        • 1908 Tribune Blue Streak Racer
        • 1909 Sears Peerless
        • 1912 Elgin King
        • 1914 Crown
        • 1915 Sears Chief Motorbike
        • 1915 Truss Frame
        • 1916 Mead Ranger Coaster Brake Special
        • 1919 Haverford Black Beauty 'Pacer' Arch Bar
        • Tyger's 1918 Mead Racer
        • 1918 Columbia Military Model
        • 1920s Mead Ranger Motorbike
        • 1923 Mead Racer
      • Even More American Bicycles >
        • 1923 Iver Johnson Model 90
        • 1926 Columbia 50th Anniversary Motorbike
        • Supplee Hardware Suhaco Special Crown Wannabe
        • 1920s/30s Greyhound Semi-Racer
        • Marshall Field Tricycle
        • 1930s/40s Drysdale Special Track
        • 1936 Schwinn Liberty First Generation Klunker
        • 1936/37 Iver Johnson Model 90
        • 1937 Schwinn Paramount Track
        • 1938 Shelby Hiawatha Airflo Rat Rod
        • 1939 Mead Ranger
        • 1939 Schwinn Superior Sports-Tourist
        • 1939 Shelby Airflo
        • 1940s Schwinn New World (Admiral) Track
      • Additional American Bicycles >
        • 1943 Dayton Military Bicycle
        • 1949 Schwinn Paramount Sports-Tourist
        • 1954 Mead Ranger/Schwinn New World
        • 1956 Schwinn Paramount Sports-Tourist
        • Mead Coventry Flyer
        • 1972 Schwinn Super Sport Custom Coffee Bike
        • 1983 Trek 850
        • 1985 Schwinn Voyageur Custom
      • Further American Bicycles >
        • French Gray Mead Crusader
        • Napoleon and Josephine
        • 1987 Schwinn Paramountain
        • Iver Johnson Lightweight Touring Mens' & Ladies'
        • Schwinn Paramount Tricycle
        • Tyger's Teesdale
      • Extra American Bicycles >
        • 1983 Moulton-Made John Howard
        • 1986 Schwinn Sierra
        • 1986 Schwinn Mirada Mixte
        • 1992 Schwinn Paramount S.A.S.S. Buell Mountain Bike
        • 1997 Rivendell Road Standard
        • 1981 Jeffrey Bock Light Touring
        • 1981 Trek 950
        • 9/11 Yellow Schwinn Tribute Bike
        • 2017 Rivendell Appaloosa
    • American Balloon-Tire Bicycles >
      • 1935 Schwinn Excelsior Double-Diamond Clunker
      • 1940s Schwinn Excelsior Clunker
      • Scotty Bandito Cowboy Bike
      • Roadmaster Rat Rod
  • Austrian Bicycles
    • 1948 Norwegian Styria
  • Belgian Bicycles
    • 1930s Delfa
    • 1940s Sieber
    • 1950s Jean Aerts
  • British Bicycles
    • 1895 Humber Path Racer
    • 1897 Humber Tandem
    • 1907 Full-Nickel BSA Path Racer
    • 1910 Raleigh Superbe Cross Frame
    • 1911 New Hudson Imperial
    • Unique & Unity Juvenile Bicycle
    • WWI Humber British Army Postal Service Bicycle
    • 1920s Hercules
    • 1920s New Hudson Cross Frame
    • Hercules NFS & Humber Messenger Bicycle
    • More British Bicycles >
      • 1930s Royal Enfield Roadster
      • 1930s Special Sunbeam
      • 1932 Royal Sunbeam
      • Humber Bermuda
      • 1936 Hetchins Brilliant No. 2
      • 1940s Maclean Featherweight
      • Robin Hood Camping Bicycle
      • 1947 Humber Roadster
      • 1947 Raleigh Loop Frame
      • 1949 Paris Tour de France
    • Even More British Bicycles >
      • Bicycle Institute of America Mystery Racer
      • The Double Bar Humber Number
      • 1952 Humber Sports
      • 1952 Carlton Silver Clubman
      • 1967 Marshall Field Raleigh 5 Speed Sprint
      • 1970s Bob Jackson
      • Ephgrave No. 1
      • Dahlquist Cycleworks Delivery
      • Teens Era BSA Path Racer
  • Canadian Bicycles
    • 1926 CCM Motor Bicycle
    • 1940s CCM Flyer Track Bicycle
    • 1976 Marinoni "Quebec" Special
  • Chinese Bicycles
    • Tiananmen Square Tribute Bicycle "Forever"
  • Dutch Bicycles
    • Netherlands Raleigh City Bike
    • Netherlands Raleigh Prestige
  • French Bicycles
    • 1903 Peugeot Roadster
    • 1903-1910 Tour de France Racer
    • 1910/Teens J.B. Louvet Truss Frame Racing Bicycle
    • 1920s L' Automotion
    • Automoto Champion du Monde
    • Bobet's Bicycle
    • 1961 Rene Herse Touring
    • Bobet Cyclo-Pedia Touring Bicycle
    • Blue Bobet
    • 1955 Peugeot PHX-10
    • 1960s/70s Peugeot UO-8 Juvenile
    • Motobecane Wine Bike
  • German Bicycles
    • 1939 Durkopp Track Bicycle
    • 1940 Achilles Gents & Ladies Roadsters
    • 1940s/50s Durkopp Diana Sport
    • 1940s/50s Durkopp Diana Loop Frame
    • Repurposed WWII German Military
  • Italian Bicycles
    • Bianchi Military Bicycle
    • 1940s Bottecchia
    • 1941 Legnano Tipo Campione Del Mondo
    • 1949 Gloria Garibaldina Extra
    • More Italian Bicycles >
      • 1950s Fausto Coppi
      • 1950s Legnano Tipo Roma Track Bicycle
      • Gino Bartali Team Bike
      • 1961 Bianchi Specialissima - T. Johnson's
    • Even More Italian Bicycles >
      • 1961 Olmo Special
      • 1961 Bianchi Rekord
      • Early 1960s Legnano Gran Premio
      • 1950s Legnano Tipo Roma Road Bicycle
  • Italian Bicycles II
    • 1967 Torpado
    • 1970s Eddie Merckx Colnago
    • 1970-71 Pogliaghi Italcorse
    • 1974 Carlsbad CA Masi Gran Criterium
    • 1976 Pogliaghi Selection
  • Japanese Bicycles
    • Miyata Mister
    • Kyokurei Post-War Roadster
    • Post War Maruto Deluxe "High Class" Roadster
    • 1960s Five Speed Fujicycle
    • 1973 Schwinn World Voyageur
    • 1973 Fuji S-10-S Special Racer
    • 1974 Schwinn Voyageur II
    • 1985 Fuji Opus III
    • 1987 Team Fuji Funny Bike
    • 1987 Bridgestone T 700 Atlantis Prototype
    • 1988 Team Fuji Time Trial
  • Klunker Bicycles
    • Klunker Dan
  • Swedish Bicycles
    • 1930s/40s Hermes
    • 1947 Crescent Roadster
  • Scottish Bikes
    • 1959 Flying Scot
  • Poetry
    • A bientot mon ami
    • Bicycle Haiku
    • Bicycle at Rest
    • Bill Harley and Major Taylor
    • Four Sunflowers
    • ​Mile-a-Minute Murphy
    • Neruda: Wrong on Bicycles
    • Tribute to Tyger
    • On a Mountain Road in Virginia
    • More Poetry >
      • Forever Bicycles
      • The Humber Chainring
      • What I'll See on that Bicycle Ride
      • 1940
      • The Aging Athlete Reinvents Himself for John Howard
  • Events
    • 6/11/2022 Dream Team Presentation
    • 7/19/22 25th Anniversary
    • 8/26/222 Auburn Vintage Bike Show
    • I Sold My Rat Rod
    • John Howard Visits Missouri
  • About
  • Contact