Help diagnosing problem with old bike - probably silly newbie question...

I got an old bike recently that I'd like to use when I want something lighter than my cruiser.

Although it's some other brand I haven't heard of, it looks a bit like a Schwinn Breezer or Collegiate or similar from the 70's or so.

Anyway, while riding it to test it out I noticed that when I went off a particulary high curb the bike didn't seem to "bounce" and the derailleur part (I think) seemed to catch on the curb.

I'm not sure what might cause this. I'm going to check the air in the tyres but other than that I'm not sure what might cause this. Or am I just so used to my big, fat tyred cruiser and this is what happens on bikes with skinny wheels?

What kind of bike is it? A Free Spirit, maybe? Most of those bikes don't have deraillieurs -- they are either single-speeds or they have internal shifters.

Either way, skinny-tired bikes are not really meant for bouncing off of high curbs. You probably don't want to do that with that bike.

Yes, I think it is a Free Spirit - I can't check right now but that sounds familiar.

It's a 10 speed and the gears are changed by using 2 levers that are in the centre of the handlebars (I've not seen that kind before but I'm from the UK and I'd never heard of coaster brakes before either - although this bike has regular hand brakes).

I just asked a friend about it and he agreed that I shouldn't go off high curbs or similar with that kind of bike.

I love those Free Spirit bikes; that was one of the makesI was looking for when I was shopping for a townie. I think that was a Sears brand, but that was back in the days when department stores sold some perfectly good bikes. I haven't seen many of them with derailleurs but the bikes seem to last forever. Have fun with it but stay off those curbs! Heh.

Neat - I had a Free Spirit 10-speed when I was in high school! It had 10 speeds, downtube shifters, and was a very patriotic red/white/blue. And yes, it was from Sears.

Agree with the others - no riding skinny-tired bikes off curbs. That's what mountain bikes are for. :D

Emily