# S6 N S5 TIRES



## freddy (Jun 18, 2017)

R THE SCHWINN S6 TIRE N S5 TIRES A DIFFERENT SIZE


THANKS


----------



## GTs58 (Jun 18, 2017)

yes they are a different size with the S-5 being wider at 1 3/8" .


----------



## rhenning (Jun 19, 2017)

The S5 and S6 tires are the same size.  The S6 rims are wider and a different shape. S6 rims also thake 1 3/8 tires.  Roger


----------



## GTs58 (Jun 19, 2017)

Really, the S-6 is wider than a S-5?  Guess all my Varsinentals have the wrong rims? :eek: The S-6 is a flat tubular rim and the S-5 is raised? in the center, wider and usually sports a 1 3/8" tire verses the 1 1/4" tire.


----------



## Schwinn499 (Jun 20, 2017)

Same bead seat diameter. Different profile. Only 597 ISO tires fit.


----------



## Schwinn499 (Jun 20, 2017)

Apparently the S-5 (westrick) profile was a transition profile from rod brake style rims (westwood) to cable brake style rims S-6 (endrick), but hey....im no expert!


----------



## rhenning (Jun 20, 2017)

Sorry I said that backwards S6 is narrower than an S5 but they do use the same size tires in 26 inch bikes.  That was my point.  Roger


----------



## Oilit (Jun 21, 2017)

I think the S-6 rim was for 1 1/4 width tires and the S-5 was for 1 3/8 tires, but both are the same bead seat diameter, at least in 26". Why Schwinn needed two different rims so close in size is a mystery to me. I've wondered if they copied the S-5 from Raleigh, but I don't know.


----------



## Adamtinkerer (Jun 24, 2017)

I can never remember which is which!


----------



## rustjunkie (Jun 24, 2017)

http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/schwinn-tire-sizes-aka-1-3-4-does-not-1-75-and-more.78808/


----------



## Oilit (Jun 24, 2017)

Schwinn499 said:


> Apparently the S-5 (westrick) profile was a transition profile from rod brake style rims (westwood) to cable brake style rims S-6 (endrick), but hey....im no expert!



You reminded me that Raleigh also used different rims that were the same diameter. But Raleigh seemed to use the "S-5/Westrick/Raleigh Pattern" rims on their higher end bikes, like Raleigh, Rudge and Humber (as Sheldon Brown pointed out), while most of the rest got the "S-6/Endrick" style rim. Schwinn never seemed to make that distinction.


----------



## SirMike1983 (Jun 24, 2017)

Oilit said:


> I think the S-6 rim was for 1 1/4 width tires and the S-5 was for 1 3/8 tires, but both are the same bead seat diameter, at least in 26". Why Schwinn needed two different rims so close in size is a mystery to me. I've wondered if they copied the S-5 from Raleigh, but I don't know.




My guess is that Schwinn was copying Raleigh, whose 3-speed Sports bikes were becoming increasingly popular by the early 1960s. Raleigh used the rim because you could produce a single rim that would work for either rod or cable brakes. Raleigh used the Sports platform to produce the common Sports (cable) and the Dawn (rod brake) series of bikes. This allowed them to produce almost exactly the same bike with the same parts, except one had rod brakes and one had cable brakes. You didn't need to re-tool to change to Westwood rod-only rims - just produce the same bike and rig up the frame and bars for the rods.

Schwinn, as far as I know, never produced a rod brake bike. The Westrick pattern is durable, but very heavy as it is. My experience is the S5 Schwinn rim is heavier and deader riding than the Raleigh Westrick is. The Schwinn endrick S6 is a better rim than the S5, while the stainless Endrick deluxe rims (1940s-50s era Continentals, for example) are even better.


----------



## SirMike1983 (Jun 24, 2017)

SirMike1983 said:


> My guess is that Schwinn was copying Raleigh, whose 3-speed Sports bikes were becoming increasingly popular by the early 1960s. Raleigh used the rim because you could produce a single rim that would work for either rod or cable brakes. Raleigh used the Sports platform to produce the common Sports (cable) and the Dawn (rod brake) series of bikes. This allowed them to produce almost exactly the same bike with the same parts, except one had rod brakes and one had cable brakes. You didn't need to re-tool to change to Westwood rod-only rims - just produce the same bike and rig up the frame and bars for the rods.
> 
> Schwinn, as far as I know, never produced a rod brake bike. The Westrick pattern is durable, but very heavy as it is. My experience is the S5 Schwinn rim is heavier and deader riding than the Raleigh Westrick is. The Schwinn endrick S6 is a better rim than the S5, while the stainless Endrick deluxe rims (1940s-50s era Continentals, for example) are even better.




I failed to add - that's not to say the S6 is necessary smaller or lighter than the S5. But my experience riding both is that the S6 is a notch pleasanter. The S5 wheelsets I've ridden all were durable, but had a very heavy and 'dead' feel to them.


----------



## Oilit (Jun 26, 2017)

SirMike1983 said:


> I failed to add - that's not to say the S6 is necessary smaller or lighter than the S5. But my experience riding both is that the S6 is a notch pleasanter. The S5 wheelsets I've ridden all were durable, but had a very heavy and 'dead' feel to them.



Do you think some of the difference could be down to tires? There is a pretty good selection of tires with the 590 bead seat diameter (Raleigh) but the only 597 B.S.D. (Schwinn) tires I've seen are from Kenda, and while they're not bad, they're pretty basic.


----------



## SirMike1983 (Jun 27, 2017)

Oilit said:


> Do you think some of the difference could be down to tires? There is a pretty good selection of tires with the 590 bead seat diameter (Raleigh) but the only 597 B.S.D. (Schwinn) tires I've seen are from Kenda, and while they're not bad, they're pretty basic.




I found it to be so even running Kendas on the various rims. At one point I had Kendas on two Raleigh Sports,  a Schwinn with S5s, a Schwinn with S6 chromes, and. Schwinn with S6 stainless. My subjective ride impression was not terribly good for the S5s. But you are right that 590 offers more tire choice than 597.


----------



## Oilit (Jun 27, 2017)

SirMike1983 said:


> I found it to be so even running Kendas on the various rims. At one point I had Kendas on two Raleigh Sports,  a Schwinn with S5s, a Schwinn with S6 chromes, and. Schwinn with S6 stainless. My subjective ride impression was not terribly good for the S5s. But you are right that 590 offers more tire choice than 597.



Thank you sir, that's interesting to hear. I've got a (1961, I think) Raleigh Sports project. I'll have to get it back on the road and try it for myself!


----------

