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View Full Version : I've fallen in love... with an ancient bike!



redeyedtreefr0g
11-23-2012, 08:57 PM
Ok, Ride Schwinn recently asked for people to post their "dream bike" on their page, with the hint that there might be some sort of giveaway. See the post here (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=442430349149840&set=a.130204420372436.20065.127833437276201&type=1&theater) (The bike pictured is just like my Schwinn Gateway from Target).

Well, I considered lots of options for a dream bike- such as a tandem to ride with my twin sister as I sometimes wish we could so, to a longtail cargo bike (Schwinn doesn't make one, but wouldn't that be neat?!). Finally I decided to draw a bike that might be what I want in order to fulfill a real dream i have- which is to cycle across the United States someday. I didn't like any of the bikes currently offered since none are perfect- and this is a "dream" bike after all. So I drew one.

Somewhere along the way, I came across a site with very old catalog page scans of vintage Schwinns. I realized immediately that I had to have one. I wasted lots of time (Thanksgiving break with no work means I got bored very quickly) comparing models. So many look just the way I want! I determined that a Super Sport is the lightest model with the right look to it. I want a ladies frame- it's SO GORGEOUS!

Does anyone have one of these? I'd like to find out if its too large for me and if my dream of getting one is silly. I'm 5'2" with a 28" inseam (measured crotch to floor barefoot, that's not a vague clothing size). I think the frame comes in 19", 20" or 22" only. Fit charts say that for my leg length I should have a 17" frame, though...
I only saw the step-through frame for 1972 and 1973.

If you'd like to see the pretty bikes too, the catalogs can be found here (http://bikecatalogs.org/SCHWINN/).

goldfinch
11-24-2012, 09:36 AM
Last spring I went up into the loft of the barn on the property where I grew up. My old Schwinn Collegiate from my teen years was up there. I loved that bike. I rode and rode everywhere. I had a speedometer on it and even got it up to 45mph down a switch back through the neighboring state park!

The bike looked terrible. It had a mouse nest in the cracked old tires. It was covered with rust and dirt:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wvugewd-ZCo/UAwDsBwHikI/AAAAAAAAc4U/WWNf10OPJog/s640/053.JPG

I took it out of the barn, took it apart and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I could not believe what a brass brush can do to clean up good old chrome!

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--CIcXRZ5whw/UAyF58P2bCI/AAAAAAAAc5Q/rz5NfvbjlPE/s640/062.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gv6PPP-0SMs/UAyKDDP1p6I/AAAAAAAAc7I/xaDLqNel3wk/s640/077.JPG

I ran all new cabled and housing. Tracked down Schwinn tires. I put on koolstop brake pads. I serviced the bearings in the wheels. I took out the crank and lubed up the bearings. Now it rides beautifully. All I have left to do is to pound out a big dent in the rear fender. Here is is, sans fender and before front brake pads were installed:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QQFoEO4_uZA/UCBWwrGWv2I/AAAAAAAAdCQ/y-gXXJGIU00/s640/008.JPG

I love the old bike because I am sentimental about it. But, it is a slow moving tank and is too big for me even though it was the smallest Collegiate of the time with a 17" frame. That size should fit you as you are quite a bit taller than I am. I will use it to ride to town to pick up my mail in the summer.

smilingcat
11-24-2012, 02:20 PM
WOW!!! Super job. Looks like you are ready to ride it again.