The Flying Pigeon Project

Shuang Xi

When does a Red Flag Roadster mean happiness? When it IS happiness, or more precisely Double Happiness (Shuang Xi). You may recall the antique Red Flag Roadster I posted about a few months back. This bike surfaced again a few weeks later and I found myself in a broken Chinese conversation with the owner.. As it should turn out, with the exception of the magnificent rear fender,  it is not a Red Flag at all. It is from a brand called Shuang Xi. I kick myself for not noticing this earlier.

 

Shaung Xi or "Double Happiness" is one of the most common Chinese characters. It is actually two symbols for happiness standing side by side, and it can be found on everything from fine porcelain to front doors...and it was right there on the bike's head badge... and handlebars... and rims.  Shuang Xi is a very auspicious symbol and is often used in connection with weddings, marriage, etc. So how does a bike come by this name? Well, not too long ago, a bicycle was one of the key items that a groom was supposed to bring to a marriage. Sounds like a very modest gift by western standards, but in the hardline communist days you could spend several months wages and wait several years to get a roadster. A bike was proof you had financial wherewithal.

Now whether Shuang Xi chose their name as marketing stunt because of the marriage tradition is anyone's guess.  But I think it likely. Shuang Xi is still around. They seem to focus mostly on women's bikes these days.

 

Lhasa Roadsters Pt. 3: Postal Bikes

There are postal bikes in almost every major Chinese city and Lhasa is no exception. There were two major brands. First, the Forever. Postal Green, of course, with the heavy duty steel side racks and canvas panniers.

The next brand was a bit more unusual to see as a postal bike.

These were parked outside the famous Johkang temple in the old Barkhor area of Lhasa. Note the very large bell on the handle bar. You can see the underside here. These are the same kind used on the rickshaws in Beijing. In Lhasa however the Rickshaws used ones mounted on the front axles with a clapper attached to a string. You would pull on the string which would dip the clapper into the spinning spokes and beat it into the side of the bell. Quite clever.

But back to the topic. What brand is this postal bike? 

A quick glance at the seat post reveals it is a Red Flag. Hong Qi it is! The famed logo also appears on the fork.

Red Flag!!

Of the Chinese old line "Big 4" bicycle brands Hong Qi or "Red Flag" is surely the least well known. They are made in Tianjin, but have lived in the shadow of that town's better known brand, Flying Pigeon.

Recently an older example showed up at Panjiayuan. It wore the patina of ages, but you could tell it was well loved during it's time.

First thing you notice about the bike is the super heavy construction. This extends to the fenders, which follow the same pyramidal format as the Fuji bike posted about a few months back.

The headbadge itself was also quite impressive and the owner was taking steps to protect it with a plastic tube.

As nice as headbadge might be, it does not begin to compare to the rear fender badge which is a spacious wrap of brass and enamel. How this managed to survive the decades unscathed is probably a story in itself. Like I said, the bike is clearly well loved. It's also interesting that Hong Qi was willing to spend the money on such a detail. Clearly they were setting this apart as the absolute top end roadster.

Tianjin Bicycle Factory #2, the parent company of Hong Qi still exists. In addition to the strangely named "Sprick" brand, they still make  Red Flag roadsters, although they now follow the more common "Flying Pigeon" type design, with which surely almost all parts will interchange.

The rear logo has also significantly been economized. Still the same logo, still the same Red Flag, but now made out of mylar rather than bright brass and glowing enamel.