# What to look for on a Schwinn DX



## schwinnlax (Sep 28, 2019)

I was in the local Salvation Army store yesterday, and they had what looked like a pre-war DX.  It was completely painted over and had no headbadge.  I did not have my phone with me, so I could not take pictures.  Planning to go back on Monday.  How can I tell if this is a Schwinn or some other maker?  Did other bike companies make bikes very similar to the DX?  This bike had the rear dropouts facing the back, hence my assumption that it is prewar.  It also had a larger area around the dropouts that seems to be for the bike stand, but I can't remember if there were holes in them to mount the stand.  Looked at a lot of pictures of Schwinn DX's here and it seems bikes with the stand mounted on the dropouts had a straight down tube rather than a curved one.  Is that always the case?  I'm pretty sure this bike had a curved down tube.  Also had chrome fenders.  Both wheel rims were painted with pin stripes, but they were a mis-match.  One was a cream color with red stripes, the other was a reddish color with pin stripes.  I believe the front forks were tubular rather than blade. Seat post also looked smaller than the normal post war Schwinn seat post.  However, the top two curved tubes did look right for a Schwinn DX.  Just not sure if other manufacturers made this style.  Where would the serial number be, and how many digits?  They had $150 price on it, which seems pretty high for SA.


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## fordmike65 (Sep 28, 2019)

Gotta post some pics. Seems to me $150 is a safe bet.


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## rbertjr (Sep 28, 2019)

1939 Schwinn DX has the straight down tube and the stand mounts on the dropouts.  The 1940-1941 DXs have the curved down tube and no stand mounts on the dropouts.  The serial number is located under the bottom bracket and starts with a letter followed by numbers.  The DXs I own have 5 digits after the letter.  But like fordmike65 stated, pics would be most helpful since other bike manufacturers also had the two top bars curved as well.


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## schwinnlax (Sep 28, 2019)

Yes, hope to go back and get some pictures on Monday.  They are closed today and tomorrow.  The reason I did not buy it on the spot is it had features I'd never seen (such as the rear dropouts), but most of my experience is with middleweights and postwar lightweights, so I really did not know.  Is the seat post on a prewar DX the same size (diameter) as middleweights and lightweights?  The one on this bike was substantially smaller than anything I have seen.


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## schwinnlax (Sep 28, 2019)

After doing some searching, I'm leaning toward it being an Elgin.  The seat post and forks are the same as on this bike.


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## John G04 (Sep 28, 2019)

Def an elgin. Still a great buy at $150 though!


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## schwinnlax (Sep 30, 2019)

Here it is.


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## bobcycles (Sep 30, 2019)

Franken bike CWC frame, schwinn sprocket, shelby fork.... a junker
150 too high to fly


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## Jay81 (Oct 2, 2019)

*Maybe* $50 if you really like it. Definite pass at $150.


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## schwinnlax (Oct 2, 2019)

When it became apparent this was not a Schwinn, I was no longer interested.  I think they will have that bike a while.  They use price tags in several colors and each week a different color is 1/2 price.  So _maybe_ someone will pick this up at $75, but it won't be me.


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