Ahrens Marathon Cycle Race

General vintage slot machine related topics.
coinopron
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Ahrens Marathon Cycle Race

Post by coinopron »

I recently purchased a marathon bike race in the US. It came from an operator and unfortunately some of the original coin gear was removed so that it could be operated on US coin. I'm interested in getting this machine operating correctly back on English penny. Is there anyone out there who may have some coin mechanism parts for sale? This is an original metal cabinet machine and is also missing its top marquee. I would be interested in any pictures showing what the marquee should look like or anyone who may have any parts for this game. Any help with this project would be appreciated. Future Thanks
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slotalot
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by slotalot »

Hi coinopron :D
Welcome to the Pennymachines forum. Judging by the lack of replies to your questions, I think your Cycle Racer must be a bit of a rare machine. :o I am not sure that I can help with the coin mech, but I have found some photos of the machine in wood cases. It looks as if the pediment was not a standard fitting, as both photos show the machine without one. The large photo is from the auction catalogue of the Smith collection, and the smaller photo is from page 12 of Brathwaite’s book Arcades and Slot Machines, and shows a row of machines (all with pediments except the Cycle Racer) under the rollercoaster at Blackpool. It is possible that a pediment could have been added by the operator to try and attract more custom. :!?!: .
Good luck with your project. I feel sure someone will come forward with the coin mech information in time. :tarah:
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Pre-war, Blackpool (metal case)
Pre-war, Blackpool (metal case)
Smith Collection (wooden case)
Smith Collection (wooden case)
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JC
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by JC »

Far be it for me to argue with my good friend Slotalot, but I'm sure the pediment would have been a standard fitting (it was a white enamel with oak frame). I guess some just went missing over the years.
The metal cased machines may well have had a slightly different pediment, but unfortunately, although I know of about 8 or 9 Marathon Cycle Racers in the UK, they're all oak cased.
The picture below might be of some help though.
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Ahrens Marathon Cycle Race.jpg
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slotalot
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by slotalot »

JC wrote:Far be it for me to argue with my good friend Slotalot,
Hi JC. No problem, it looks as if you may be right !THUMBS! I have just remembered where I have seen a Cycle Racer :cool: It was at Wookey Hole, and maybe they will have the answer to coinopron's questions. !WORSHIPFULL!
Check out the link. It is just after the Steer-a-Ball machine, near the end of the clip. !!CHEERS!!

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bryans fan
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by bryans fan »

You beat me to it! I was thinking of Wookey as the only place I've seen one.
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Ahrens-Cycle-Racer.jpg
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grabber
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by grabber »

Hi,
Joe Pettit of Bridgebarn Antiques, Battlesbridge, Essex, also has a Marathon Cycle Racer.
jingle
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by jingle »

i have a metal cased bike race
i restored it
and painted the top
i cant remeber there being any holes on the top
for the top flash
its a big fella
bigger than the wooden case one
so it may have been made without one
if i can get to mine soon
i will take a picture of the coin mech and post it
on for you to try copy
coinopron
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by coinopron »

Hello EVERYONE,
Thank you so much for all the support so far. My machine does have some holes on the very top of the machine that appear to be for a marquee. I would assume that since it was manufactured to be used outdoors that the marquee and its surround would be metal. I was hoping that someone out there may have either the same machine or something similar with a metal marquee that I could get an image from. I was planning on trying to replicate something close to original.

Fortunately, most of the original coin mech is still inside of the machine. There is a flip lever that mounts inside of the coin slide that is missing. This flip lever allows the first coin to load into the right side coin chute, and the second coin gets directed into the left (pennyback) chute. The pennyback coin tray on the lower front door is also missing. I guess that I had (high) hopes that someone out there may have some extra parts for these machines. I'm sure that most of these racers used similar coin mechanisms. Thanks to a fellow collector, I do have some detailed pictures of the coin mech pieces and may have to try and just fabricate something similar to original. Thanks again to all who have responded, Cheers.
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slotalot
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by slotalot »

coinopron wrote: I do have some detailed pictures of the coin mech pieces and may have to try and just fabricate something similar to original.
Any chance you could post a few photos of the coin mech? I am sure we would all like to see how it works :D
coinopron
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by coinopron »

Here are a few shots of the mech. I have the long vertical coin runway but I'm missing the small flip part that is shown in the side/back shot. I'm also missing the coin cup that is attached to the lower door. I have also included a shot of a brass medallion that is mounted to my lower door. Has anyone seen this type of medallion before? At first I thought that it was covering a hole in the door but there is nothing that it is concealing. Looking at that vintage photo showing the line up of two player games under the roller coaster, the Marathon in the shot seems to have something on its door as well. Anyone have any thoughts?
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ahrens-coin-mech-002a.jpg
ahrens-marathon-racer-coin-mech-001a.jpg
ahrens-marathon-racer-coin-mech-017a.jpg
ahrens-marathon-racer-coin-mech-010a.jpg
ahrens-coin-mech-004a.jpg
ahrens-coin-mech-005a.jpg
roger
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GREED

Post by roger »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

I was just browsing through coin-op sites when I spied this machine. A long time ago I had one in my collection.
It is a two player machine with revolving handles determining the speed of the motorcycles.
It will surely leave those members drooling who have an interest in motorcycles.
Again, my greed "done me in" .............It went out the door at a tidy profit.
It is hard to turn down an offer that is ten times your original cost. ROGER
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badpenny
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by badpenny »

I remember playing one in Paignton in about 1962, big old thing.
Although probably not so big as I remember it being.

BP :cool:
roger
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by roger »

Badpenny admits to playing the Cycle Racer in 1962.........According to my math he is, surely, no Spring Chicken.
From one old chicken to another...........Roger
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arrgee
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by arrgee »

Alas Roger, I too admit to playing the game in the very early 1960s - it could even have been down in Paignton.

I therefore reluctantly have to yield to the epithet as graphically shown below, but with slightly less energy.
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roger
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by roger »

At 96......................I feel more like this.


dead chicken.jpg
dead chicken.jpg (15.63 KiB) Viewed 872 times

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badpenny
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by badpenny »

96 !?
You're nearly a National Treasure :o
jingle
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by jingle »

Pictured mine last year after having to move container :evil:
This machine had doubled in weight in 10 years 😮‍💨😮‍💨
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brigham
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by brigham »

Is it still £400...?
jingle
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by jingle »

Put another £25 on it and it yours :tarah:
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arrgee
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Re: Ahrens Marathon Bike Race

Post by arrgee »

jingle wrote:Put another £25 on it and it yours
£40025 seems a lot for that jingle :lol:
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