# Is this repop?



## Pantmaker

At some point I just need to sit down and learn for myself the real from repop in this whole category. Opinions on this bike? Is it worth a couple hundred bucks?


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## Gordon

Not my area of expertise either, but I believe that is one of the Wal-Mart Black Friday bikes.


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## GTs58

What color is that? It's not Lime or Campus, looks more like a Radiant Green. Must be a repop or repaint. If I'm not mistaken, the Black Friday bikes were $88 new.


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## schwinnray

repop worth $50


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## Pantmaker

Thnx guys!


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## sfhschwinn

look at serial number of the frame to see when it was made. could be possible it is an original frame with some original parts that was rat rodded with crap stuff like the front wheel, stem, seat, fork. If the tire was original it would say USA on it.  
Here are some tips to determine repop from original:
 Few ways to tell. look at serial number, if it doesn't match data base then not original. Second, look at fork. If the springer fork has a hole in which a brake unit can be mounted then it is reproduction, Schwinn springer forks never had this hole. Next look at seat pan, should say persons, if not then its repop. Other ways are look at rims, should be stamped Schwinn, handle bars and stems were always stamped with dates as well.


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## Jeff54

The quickest way to tell the difference between stingray repops and older is the head tube joints.. Schwinn's are rounded and smooth where as all others including the repop are flat angled. 

here's an example of typical Schwinn joinery. They were fillet brazed into the the mid  to late 40's and after, Schwinn designed a system which eletro-welded along with the modern trend of other manufactures  that copies the appearance. For that single reason no other bikes after, some time near 1950 looked the same. The greater majority of standard bikes by other makers  before WWII were fillet brazed also.  I.E. all Post war Schwinns that mimicked the brazed appearance are unique for it, no other manufactures made the style.  until they stopped making them at the Chicago factory circa 1983. . The only exception was the frames made for the 1995 phantoms. They are truly limeted:






And here's an example of others yet, this one is also better than others while not smooth either the welding is tight and balanced.

The repop welding is no where close to as good as this.  :





Once you can recognize the difference you can pick em out even in some of the worse photos. 

Whenever I was a kid in the 1960's your stingray fake could be spotted a mile away for this single feature! 

You didn't show this area in your photos and had you, presto bingo repop!


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## Metacortex

Jeff54 said:


> The quickest way to tell the difference between stingray repops and older is the head tube joints.. Schwinn's are rounded and smooth where as all others including the repop are flat angled.




I believe that the 1998-2000 Krate reproductions had the appearance of the original electro-forged joints: http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?24459-1998-Schwinn-Sting-Ray-Apple-Krate-(reproduction)


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## Jeff54

Metacortex said:


> I believe that the 1998-2000 Krate reproductions had the appearance of the original electro-forged joints: http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?24459-1998-Schwinn-Sting-Ray-Apple-Krate-(reproduction)




thanks meta I was thinking there might have been another period, but couldn't nail it down to say so.. tks.


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## GTs58

That sure looks like this piece on eBay. So the color is called Emerald Green?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schwinn-Sti...248?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4632e30038


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## Pantmaker

Thank you for all of this great info.


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## Metacortex

Jeff54 said:


> thanks meta I was thinking there might have been another period, but couldn't nail it down to say so.. tks.




No problem Jeff. I wanted to add that I'm pretty sure that this EF appearance was only at the headtube and didn't extend to other parts like the bottom bracket shell, in other words the BBs didn't have the shell housing seam and slag rings on the chainstays like the '68 to '73 originals, so that would be another way to tell them apart.

I sure wish somebody who knows the reproduction Krates inside-out would write up a detailed guide to all of the specific years, models, colors, etc. A guide to these would be very helpful as I think they are fooling a lot of people.


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## PCHiggin

Its a BFK,Black Friday Krate, They were given that name by a member of the old Schwinn sponsored forums.I have 2. They were sold @ Wal Mart, on,(you guessed it) Black Friday 2007 for $88.00 initially.I bought my 2nd one for $60.00 on a closeout. This one obviously needs a good cleaning but worth much more than when it was new.They have become somewhat collectible too.Just check completed listings on ebay.They have been parted out for the tires,h/bars,springer. Worth more than $50.00,lol


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## PCHiggin

Metacortex said:


> I believe that the 1998-2000 Krate reproductions had the appearance of the original electro-forged joints: http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?24459-1998-Schwinn-Sting-Ray-Apple-Krate-(reproduction)




They did indeed have the smooth joints and the flashing on the chainstays by the btm. brkt. The serial nums. all began with the letter H


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## Jeff54

Metacortex said:


> I sure wish somebody who knows the reproduction Krates inside-out would write up a detailed guide to all of the specific years, models, colors, etc. A guide to these would be very helpful as I think they are fooling a lot of people.




Well I donna much about the reproductions but I see the black Fridays on Craig's list all of the time. they're fooling people who don't know the differences, mainly none collectors, and usually see black, green and blue.. 

I don't known that they've gotten collectible because, I know of one collector of Schwinn stingrays and he's been trying to get a buck an-a quarter for a blue one for a year now. that's not what I'd call a hot and heavy chase. I've only gotten close to two BF's and they were rust bucket Supremes, appeared to have been made even worse than the phantom repops. .

Might get collectible  soon though, cause the supply is  disintegrating. [grin]
.


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## Metacortex

PCHiggin said:


> They did indeed have the smooth joints and the flashing on the chainstays by the btm. brkt. The serial nums. all began with the letter H




So they did have the slag rings on the chainstays like the Chicago bikes? What about the shell seam? Thanks for the info on the serial nos.


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## PCHiggin

Metacortex said:


> So they did have the slag rings on the chainstays like the Chicago bikes? What about the shell seam? Thanks for the info on the serial nos.
> 
> View attachment 193053
> View attachment 193052




I don't know,Never looked @ mine back then.They're long gone.


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