1940s Mercury Military Roadster
Officially described as: ‘Bicycle, Trade Pattern, Heavy Duty’
Series 6/VEH/17245
With Military Accessories, Transfers & Tag
24″ Frame
26″ Wheels
26 x 2 x 1 3/4 Tyres
Ready for Action!
This is an original military Mercury that was sold many years ago in an army auction in Wiltshire. My friend Richard bought all eleven of them. They are distinguishable by their army tags around the top tubes.
He sold five, and I purchased the rest from him over the past five years. I’m keeping three (you can see them on the www.BSAbikes.co.uk Military Bicycle Museum website: a BSA & a Mercury Army Medic’s bikes and a Mercury Fire Service bike); I scrapped one (a Fire Service bike which was too badly damaged, using the parts to restore my Fire Service Mercury); and I’m selling the remaining two on ebay now.
The one available in this auction has been repainted. The other one on ebay is unpainted and completely original.
When Richard repainted this one, he painted around the army markings on the front and rear mudguard.
This one has an original army rear carrier, offset to allow a rifle butt to rest on it while the barrel is strapped to the front of the top tube with a short leather strap. So, if you want to use it for displays with a rifle mounted on the bike, it’s very easy to set up by cutting a leather belt short for the front mount, and using the rest of the belt to strap around the rifle butt and the carrier.
Mercury military bicycles were not used during WW2 (Mercury Industries was formed in 1947), but are the same specification as the BSA Mk V and officially known as ‘Bicycle, Trade Pattern, Heavy Duty.’ Many were used on airfields. The British Army was busy after WW2, with a lot of post-war work in Europe, supporting the US Army, campaigns in India, Palestine, Africa, Malaya, Suez, etc, and these bicycles saw military service.
These are the only two of these military bikes with army tags that are available for public purchase. When they have been snapped up by collectors, there will not be any more of them to buy. So if you want one, I suggest you allow your trigger finger unhindered access in its trajectory toward the buy-it-now button …and pay for it before asking your wife’s permission. (You’d be surprised how often I have to deliver a bike around the corner from the buyer’s house 🙂
Good luck!
*********************************************************************************
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE BIDDING
OWNER: BuyVintage Online Auctions
LOCATION: Brighton, E.Sussex, United Kingdom
DELIVERY is not included in this auction.
Britain – delivery is £50 for a bicycle to main parts of England; extra to Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, etc.
I use a man & van for England deliveries
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERIES:
Ireland & N. Ireland, Europe – £100
USA, Canada – £150
Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, etc – £250
South America – £300
PAYMENT: Paypal, cheque, bank transfer
AFTER PURCHASE: Please email me your phone numbers; I prefer to speak to all purchasers personally.
FEEDBACK: I do everything I can to make your purchase a pleasurable experience. But I only leave feedback when someone has taken the trouble to leave it for me.
VEHICLE CONDITION: Vintage vehicles are wonderful beasts – but each has an individual personality and they sometimes have bad days just like you and me.
You will need basic mechanical skills (or a local mechanic) to use one on a regular basis.
These are rare vehicles whose values are not necessarily based on running order.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE ABOVE, PLEASE DO NOT BID.
********************************************************************************************
If you have any questions about this (or any other vehicle in these BuyVintage Online Auctions),
you can contact Colin in the Customer Service Department between 9am and 7pm daily:
By Phone – (UK 0044) 07866-126469
By email – Buyvintage@mac.com
The Auction Catalogue is our website –
*************************
to see what’s currently being sold
PLEASE CLICK HERE – http://buyvintage.co.uk/
2nd BuyVintage Online Auction: 2015 Onwards 