# 1936 Schwinn Tall straightbar rat racer



## tailhole (Jan 4, 2014)

Got this bike from a fellow caber last fall. I think it was a motorbike frame and the top tube was replaced with a curved straightbar top tube.  They did a pretty good job, but not sure why they replaced it (or if it was replaced, may have been a repair - the top bar had matching original black paint)






I stripped it and sand blasted it









And then clear powdercoated it





And assembled it with 700 Velocity Deep-V rims and upside down California bars (the big 28" ones) with paperboy hooks.  






I'm sure this bike will go through some more practical changes, but it's fun to document the evolution.  Gotta wear a helmet with this one.


----------



## rollfaster (Jan 4, 2014)

*I like this bike a lot*

I really like the bare metal with powder coat look.very cool.bare metal rats are great!


----------



## tailhole (Jan 4, 2014)

Love that double bar frame, great swooping lines.


----------



## frampton (Jan 4, 2014)

Please tell me how long the head tube is on your frame.


----------



## tailhole (Jan 4, 2014)

*Head Tube*

The head tube is 9 3/4" tall, including the cups.


----------



## TheSaint (Jan 4, 2014)

I like the way you distressed the pic to look period correct.  

Great job on the bike! How does it ride?


----------



## tailhole (Jan 4, 2014)

Actually, I just sat on it and pedaled it only a few yards to get a feel for the riding position. It hasn't been greased yet, and the tires were low. But it's a pretty good fit (I'm 5'11") considering the crazy drop of the bars. I have another, much more shallow set of bars for it. It's snowing now and I'm heading outta town Monday, so it will be a few weeks before I really get to run it. I'll post the results.


----------



## tailhole (Jan 23, 2014)

*commuting*

I've been riding this to work all week (8 miles).  It's so fun and fast.  The tall frames (this is my second tall Schwinn) ride extra smooth and feel very solid and tight.
I also rode it on a vintage ride last Sunday here in Denver in 60 degree weather.  Good times.




photo credit:  Christopher Perez


----------



## ChicagoFlash (Jan 23, 2014)

like the look cool bike & the wrench on the frame

i have a 1892 4-1/2"monkey wrench coming in the mail


----------



## tailhole (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks, I use 3/8" square rare earth magnets to keep it on the frame.  I have wrenches on all my riders and have never had one fall off, and I hop off curbs and go off road frequently.  Here's an ebay link to some of the ones I use (2 per wrench), for $10 you have enough here for 4 bikes!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/8pcs-Super-...407?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4170857bc7


----------



## Tin machine (Jan 23, 2014)

*wow great job*

great job truely love it !!!


----------



## HIGGINSFOREVER (Jan 23, 2014)

Looks great its amazing what a little imagination can do.


----------



## rcole45 (Jan 23, 2014)

*magnets*

Tailhole, thanks for the link to the magnets. The hanging wrench on your bikes had me looking for one, now I have two. Mine kept falling off at every sharp bump, was going to PM you, but saw this link. My wrench wants to turn side ways, do you flatten the back of the handle ?    Ron


----------



## tailhole (Jan 23, 2014)

No, but that might be a good idea (if you don't mind messing up an old wrench).   Mine pretty much stay put.  They wiggle a little, but settle back to position.  I usually only have to straighten the magnets before a photo, but the wrench is typically where is should be.  I'd like to see a photo of your wrench on your bike, if you have one.


----------



## rcole45 (Jan 23, 2014)

*wrench*

Just ordered the magnets today. I am hoping stronger magnets will solve the wrench trying to turn problem. Will get a photo up in a couple of weeks.    Ron


----------



## tailhole (Jan 24, 2014)

Cool about the magnets, you shouldn't have any trouble with a small bicycle wrench.  
Here's a couple more, then I'll cool it with the "baby photos"....


----------



## rcole45 (Jan 24, 2014)

*1927 schwinn*

Rather than waiting for the super magnets, I used the one I had to take a photo at the beach today. It was a overcast SOCAL winter day,70 degrees. My friend just picked up a 38 straight bar and we went for a shake down cruise.I am not very good at this, hope something shows up HA HA Ron


----------



## tailhole (Jan 25, 2014)

Cool man! That's a sweet bike, and I can appreciate the seat being up high. I can't ride these bike very far (or fast) with the saddle slammed down on the top bar. Wrench is looking boss too!


----------



## ChicagoFlash (Jan 25, 2014)

*wrench brand and year*



tailhole said:


> Thanks, I use 3/8" square rare earth magnets to keep it on the frame.  I have wrenches on all my riders and have never had one fall off, and I hop off curbs and go off road frequently.  Here's an ebay link to some of the ones I use (2 per wrench), for $10 you have enough here for 4 bikes!
> 
> http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=281060670407





What brand & year wrench is on your Schwinn? Iver Johnson or Frank Mossberg

Saw a bike wrench on a Cabe thread no mounts that i could see 
my thoughts were it was held on by magnets you conform it good to know

just got my June 7 1892 Patent Gendron wrench today from New Hampshire 4-3/4 long
it's in very nice shape now just to get one of my bikes ride able this year


----------



## tailhole (Jan 25, 2014)

*It's a Spingfield*

But I have several wrenches, an Iver, Barnes, Oak Leaf, F. Mossberg, etc.  Here are the three that are on bikes here at work.  The rest are on bikes in storage.  I think I have a dozen or so of various makes.  I like yours, how's the action?  These little ones slip open a bit, but are great for a quick fix on the road.  They open big enough to accommodate every nut on the bike, including the big bb nut and fork crown nut.


----------



## ChicagoFlash (Jan 25, 2014)

tailhole said:


> But I have several wrenches, an Iver, Barnes, Oak Leaf, Iver Johnson, etc.  Here are the three that are on bikes here at work.  The rest are on bikes in storage.  I think I have a dozen or so of various makes.  I like yours, how's the action?  These little ones slip open a bit, but are great for a quick fix on the road.  They open big enough to accommodate every nut on the bike, including the big bb nut and fork crown nut.




I like the wrenches you posted 


I read up on my Gendron wrench found that the threads were done by hand 
just tightened the wrench all the way up when you go to loosen it - it take effort it's very tight in fact
i have not tried it on a nut as of yet - Update had a 1/2" brass cap nut tightened it down 
could not budge the nut in the jaws wow looks like i got a good one 

did look at some Iver Johnson, Mossberg & Billings wrenches 
what attracted me the the Gendron is the 1892 which was the 
start of the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago 

one of my passions being from Chicago i love the history
although the Fair opened May 1893 the dedication was October 1892
celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Columbus discovering America


----------



## rcole45 (Jan 25, 2014)

*Wrench*

Tailhole, thanks for the remarks on my bike, it is a work in progress. I like the way it rides now, will probably stay this way till the next bright idea comes along.  You can post all the " baby photos" you want, I love looking at other peoples ideas, and the areas they ride in.The wrenches I have are both wakefield brand. They both have the same size head, the shorter one is 5 inches long, B 1 model. the longer one is 6 inches long, no model number, but the end of the handle is shaped like a tire tool. No pat dates .I would post photos, but my camera has a 3 foot min focus.Keep those photos coming.     ron


----------



## tailhole (Jan 26, 2014)

1927 Schwinn is rare.  Any 20s Schwinn seems to be hard to find.  I also have a Wakefield wrench or two.  I like em.  
It's supposed to snow tomorrow, so I went for a ride around the near by park.  The hard pack trails here are the stuff these bikes were made to ride on.


----------



## Iverider (Jan 26, 2014)

tailhole said:


> 1927 Schwinn is rare.  Any 20s Schwinn seems to be hard to find.  I also have a Wakefield wrench or two.  I like em.
> It's supposed to snow tomorrow, so I went for a ride around the near by park.  The hard pack trails here are the stuff these bikes were made to ride on.




LANKY! Nice lake!


----------



## tailhole (Jan 27, 2014)

Yes, Brian it is lanky.  It's a nice open cockpit for sure with plenty of room for getting your legs spinning fast.  It's my favorite rider right now.  Next I'm going to work on my Iver.  I got a tall Iver lucky 7 post for it a Major Taylor stem in hopes of opening up that cockpit too.  I'll post those results in the Iver thread.


----------



## Iverider (Jan 27, 2014)

Nice! good luck. Curious, but does a normal straightbar schwinn tank fit in that frame? That could be cool!


----------



## tailhole (Jan 27, 2014)

No.  Although I've measured the curved top bar and it's the same as on my '53 straight bar, the top bars on this bike are too close together.  They have motorbike spacing.  I'm sure this top bar was a replacement for a motorbike style top bar (that's what the seller suggested).  Might be fun to build a tank for it, but I do like the stripped down look.
I have fallen in love with many of my bikes, but this one is extra special.  It feels like it's MAN sized.  The post 28" bikes (ballooners) I have feel more like toys, this feels more like an adult machine.  
There is a ride here in September called Pedal the Plains.  A couple friends and I are planning on doing it this year on our vintage steeds.  This bike is perfect for it.  
http://www.pedaltheplains.com/


----------



## rcole45 (Jan 27, 2014)

*wrench*

Found that my



 camera will do close ups. my two wakefields and a bottom view of the one with a tire iron handle


----------



## tailhole (Jan 27, 2014)

Cool.  Nice tools.  I really like the Wakefield.  These little wrenches are so handy on the road.  When I'm home, I always use proper box wrenches or sockets so I don't screw up the heads of bolts, but when you're in a bind, they are lifesavers.  I've used mine countless times for myself and friends when we're out riding (flats, adjustments, tighten up stuff and even taking things apart in alleys from time to time when dumpster diving).


----------



## mike j (Jan 29, 2014)

Really liked the hanging wrench idea when I first saw Tailhole post photo's of it. Here is a version I used with brass, as the bike has a fair amount of it. Starting to actively look for more of these little wrenches & will try the magnets on my next project. Thanks Tailhole for a really great functional & cool looking addition to these rolling pieces of sculpture.


----------



## tailhole (Jan 29, 2014)

Wow, you certainly took it to the next level.  I'd like to see a picture of that whole bike.  And, you can call me Scott (or tailhole).  That tank looks mighty interesting too.


----------



## tailhole (Feb 14, 2014)

From my ride home tonight.


----------

