# Tour De Tucson Vintage Schwinn Lightweight



## Schwinny (Apr 12, 2021)

Looking down the row, this String for Schwinn lightweights doesn't get a lot of attention. Just the couple questions Ive asked this year are still high up. Kinda looks like Im hogging the bandwidth. 
Let me know if I am, but I know how things get slow after awhile....

Anyway, I like to build bikes around parts at a hobby pace, and if you read a post below about a stem, that's the part Im going to build the next bike around.
The goal is for me to do the 57 mile run, in the Tour De Tucson next November. Then when that's done, it will be my getting across town bike to replace the nra MASI that holds that place now.
I want to build a vintage racer look-a-like that won't ask too much of my decrepitness and won't be too fragile to ride daily.
Here is the start:




A damaged, repaired and re-conditioned Schwinn track stem and a nearly new Brooks B17S. I wish they wouldn't have stamped that it was a girls model into the leather, but I like a wider, smaller seat rather than a crack filler "racing" seat. Gotta be somewhat period and style also and this one was half price with two rides on it so....

I dont want to take a 3pc crank Frame off the market, so I plan on using an early one piece crank 21-23" lightweight frame.
I've also got a one piece 7" stroke bayonet crank on its way but have thought about an adapter to 3pc for the larger BB. Im dabbling in forks and may have hit on a good one to accept the stem and fit the bill.
Right now, the plan is a sparse bike. 2spd coaster brake. _Maybe_ not even a front Brake. The handlebars have to be tourist, or flipped to track racer style for me to be able to hold on.

So I thought I would put it together here on this thread and solicit advice, experience, ideas and parts If that's ok?

The two biggest things to ponder of course is the frame and the wheels. The best choices for frames are wide. Id like to go early or light. Or... light and early. Or light and late. That might depend on availability of course but ideas are for a pre-war standard frame, or the ultimate might be a Chro-Mo brazed frame like a Super Sport if that will accept an early fork.

Comments, thoughts and beratements?


----------



## Schwinny (Apr 12, 2021)

The force is strong in this project.
Im going to buy as many parts bikes as I can for parts on this project as well as financing this project. Not a new thing, I do that anyway, but now Im going to dedicate all the returns to this project.
Found this one this morning for $20




February 1964 Ladies Varsity Tourist. WAS full tilt and a fabulous Lime Green, but the Sun is Merciless in Az.
It has virtually no hope of a good cleaning making any difference. But the Chrome is fairly nice.
It will donate its 1963 French, Sprint high flange front hub and perhaps its early 27x1-1/4 S6 rims that are in fantastic shape. I will keep the rims for now until Its time to worry about that.

Anybody need anything? the rest will be stripped, sold and donated to the local bike salvage. The headlamp is Excellent. 27" blade style Ashtabula fork is a sleeper item. Bow pedals are pretty nice but the caps are scuffed pretty bad on the right one....


----------



## Eric Amlie (Apr 13, 2021)

I think the bow pedals are worth saving, even if they are scratched up.
I'd also save the Sprint derailleurs and shifters. I don't need them, but if you're going to sell them cheap, I'd be interested.


----------



## SLM (Apr 13, 2021)

Schwinny said:


> The force is strong in this project.
> Im going to buy as many parts bikes as I can for parts on this project as well as financing this project. Not a new thing, I do that anyway, but now Im going to dedicate all the returns to this project.
> Found this one this morning for $20
> 
> ...



I would be interested in the handlebars and brake levers !


----------



## Schwinny (Apr 13, 2021)

Eric Amlie said:


> I think the bow pedals are worth saving, even if they are scratched up.
> I'd also save the Sprint derailleurs and shifters. I don't need them, but if you're going to sell them cheap, I'd be intereste
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## RustyHornet (Apr 23, 2021)

Any updates?


----------



## Schwinny (Apr 23, 2021)

YES !!
Kinda....
Sorting things out on the crank and front hubs right now. I could use some input and other angles of thought on current circumstances.
I'm going with a one piece crank. And with the above Varsity parts bike came Schwinn Sprint parts. The Sprint front, small chain ring is a 39 tooth. Couple that with an 18/17 tooth rear cog and that will give 60/85 +/- inch feet. Perfect for a traveling 2 speed. The sprocket is clean, chrome, and is marked Sprint. Kinda cool. I will be using a longer arm crank. 7" as opposed to the Schwinn standard 6.5.
But...
I want to use the Sprint high flange front hub also. The makings of a "groupo"  . It is in perfect condition and freshly maintained.
But...
I have this Sturmey Archer high flange phone dial hub. I bought it complete but found out the innerds were destroyed. Lucky it was real cheap. I have the parts from other hubs enough to put it back to working condition. Then I would have the front and rear hub From SA, considering I intend a Sturmey Archer S2C rear hub. The SA hub is also more of an older Eroica' look.
So I mulling this all over....

In other news...

I have an older Nervor Fork I may be using. Im limited by needing a 22mm steer tube id. for the track stem and I think Ive seen Nervor forks on 50's-60's high end Schwinns haven't I? 
I bought another parts bike that was a winner so I'll have plenty of moolah for a frame.

_*Calling the Universe*_..... A beat-up 1960's 21" Super Sport would fit the bill......


----------



## Andrew Gorman (Apr 23, 2021)

Gruppo, en Italiano.  I'm not sure what you are doing but i admire your resolve. Find a New World with a 3 piece crank- it will make things easier!


----------



## Schwinny (Apr 23, 2021)

Andrew Gorman said:


> Gruppo, en Italiano.  I'm not sure what you are doing but i admire your resolve. Find a New World with a 3 piece crank- it will make things easier!



Its going to be like a New World replica racer look and still be ridden across town regularly. My goal is to have it done by the bike gathering in November and ride it in the 57 mile "race." Im sure it will done well before then.
Its going to replace my current cross town and Tucson loop, long arm cruiser. I made it the same way but started with different bones. They will be basically the same bike. 2spd sparse.
Even with the Big BB, I could still go 3pc crank with an adapter. Its not really going to be a racing bike of any sort though. Just look like it and not be as fragile.
Only room for two bikes, so the nra MASI will have to find a new home soon. The one Im making has a high mark to meet. It has to be at least as good as this one, and this one, is one fine riding bike.


----------



## Schwinny (May 23, 2021)

Another update on the patient struggle... 

The acquired parts list has grown, a couple things have entered the maybe, but maybe not category, and a thing or two will be place holders until the last minute in hopes of finding the parts I want.

There were no Super Sports in the group of old bikes I recently purchased, but there were a few other parts that may enter the ring and several used as trade and monetary padding for the parts Ive bought.

Since I haven't been able to come up with a Super Sport 22" frame as of yet, I got to eyeing one of the Speedster frames Ive run into. I stripped one down to nothing, cleaned it and cut the un-needed bungs off. One of theses frames bare, only weighs 5 pounds. Thats hard to beat. I'll bet a stripped S/S 22" frame weighs more than that. So, for now, I'm going to move forward on the Speedster frame. I still want an S/S frame for the end result bike but this one will make a very unique racer "look alike" type. Thinking back, I've never seen anybody use one of these camelback frames in this way, yet actual racing bikes morphed into this style and shape over the years. Maybe when its all done I will poo-poo a SS frame. Maaaaybe.
From here, Im going to Sandblast the frame, add some very slight welds to a couple key areas, paint it white, and use the Red, White and Blue Racer decals with a top hat seat post decal and an "All American" headbadge.
Other parts standing bye are:

Brooks B-17S seat
Schwinn track stem
Continental seat post clamp
ChroMo 7" arm Bayonette crank shaft
19 tooth rear cog
Early Weinmann 999 front brake caliper w/ his/hers lever
Sturmey Archer front phone dial hub
27x1-1/8" Aluminum Weinmann wheels off an 85' Prelude with new Pasela's

Still back and forth on the sprocket and fork.
In the interest of a complete FrankenRacer I've been thinking about getting one of those old style cursive "Schwinn Superior" Down tube decals and slicing off the "ior" at the end. It _will_ be pretty "Super," at least to me. 

Upcoming are the handlebars, seat post, 2 speed hub, BB and pedals


----------



## Maytag (May 23, 2021)

Here is my what I call the "Varsity Super 12". Started out as 1965 Tourist model with many missing parts.
I stripped it even more down and raided my parts bins. Has now Shimano 600 Crank and brakes, Araya Aluminum Rims and a 12spd freewheel in the rear. I like piecing together bikes, especially if the end result is about 10lbs lighter than the actual Varsity.
The BB was converted with these common available adapters and are easy to install.


----------



## Schwinny (Jun 21, 2021)

Update.....
Put together a mock-up of what direction it is going.

These will be the temp wheels until I get the prelude rims polished and laced to their new 2 speed hub. Both are 27"s
The seat and bars wont be that high up, but this is the attitude it will have.
Right now Im thinking 72' Schwinn Opaque Green for the color.
When I find a suitable SS frame, this one will be re-arranged for sale and a lot of the parts will be swapped over.
I plan on that SS ChroMo frame being white with the racer RWB bands.
But... who knows? Its all a jumble till its not.
2 pics appropriately poised in front of my shops contemplation Love seat. (I love to contemplate)
I think it looks pretty good with a mix of modern road bike and vintage board racer
It weighs 16lbs as it sits. This may end up hovering around 25lbs... pretty good for a mild steel frame, 1pc crank


----------



## Schwinny (Jul 30, 2021)

Done except for two upgrades that are going to be on hold for a short while.
This bike has turned out to be a real looker, and it rides real well. I've put about 40 miles on it by now.
I've decided I need a bit softer ride in the seat so I'm going to swap the B17 with a Champion Flyer. And the intended wheels will be done soon. They are A pair of Weinmann 27x1"s that are pretty fancy of an 86' Prelude. The rear will be the same hub but the front will be a high flange Sturmey Archer. New Paselas on there for a while but these Schwalbe Marathon are pretty good tires. I think they'll squeeze on those prelude rims too.
I think its a pretty good weight at 27lbs just like it sits
The run-down is mostly-ish Schwinn and Approved stuff

67' Speedster single speed frame. Painted 72' Opaque green. Kickstand delete plate
Asuki CHro-Mo fork for 27" tire with a stock "lightweight" Headset.
Repaired and re-conditioned Schwinn Track Stem
Oxrford aluminum handlebars w/ early 60's black grips and a Weinman his/hers brake lever.
Weinman engraved front center pull front brake
Cageless waterproof BB on a GT 7.5 Chro-Mo Crank
63' Schwinn Sprint 39t steel sprocket, lightweight chain, 19t cog all 3/32"
Atom 440 pedals w/modern plastic strapless toe clips
71' Continental seat clamp on a 14" post and Brooks B17 seat
Right now the Wheels are steel Macari Torinos with the Schwalbe Marathons. They are actually pretty light.  The rear hub is The Sturmey-Archer SC2 2spd/ coaster brake. 60/

I think this is going to be a "Forever" Bike.






























.


----------



## palepainter (Jul 30, 2021)

I love it.  Very interesting blend of styling and components.


----------

