Sterling Bikes POSSIBLY made by Bilenky?

[trophyoftexas]

I'm looking at a REALLY nice brazed Sterling that the guy that has it indicated that it may quite possibly have been done by Bilenky...and I've seen several others over the years that were actually called with both names...anyone out there know the history of these two seemingly interconnected cycling names? This bike has perhaps the nicest and smoothest brazed joints that I have ever seen!

[bigflax925]

I'm looking at a REALLY nice brazed Sterling that the guy that has it indicated that it may quite possibly have been done by Bilenky...and I've seen several others over the years that were actually called with both names...anyone out there know the history of these two seemingly interconnected cycling names? This bike has perhaps the nicest and smoothest brazed joints that I have ever seen!

I've seen fillet brazed Sterling tandems that were done by Bilenky. Gorgeous. I believe he used the Sterling name in the mid 80's and changed to Bilenky in the early 90's?

Very under rated, as most people don't know about the Bilenky connection. I've only heard them referred to as Sterling/Bilenky - never seen decals.

[Peter P.]

Yes. I had a Sterling which was built by Bilenky. I think I bought it in 1990/91. The downtube decal was a very simple, Helvetica font. There was just an "S" on the head tube. Those were the only decals.

[Doug Fattic]

I painted a few frames for Steve Bilenky back in the mid-late 80's and put Sterling decals on them. They were a silver color of course and had a kind of Old English script. I'm not sure when he switched marketing names from Sterling to Bilenky in the 90's.

[rdparadise]

Sterling bicycles were indeed built by Bilenky and that was the "house" brand name until someone who had the name trademarked prior to Bilenky decided to bring it to Steve Bilenky's attention. After that happened he stopped using the Sterling brand name and just branded his bikes with the Bilenky name.

Bob