# 1954 24” Tiger



## Mister56 (Jul 13, 2022)

Hi I’m Ralph and this is my 1954 Tiger. My sister bought this for me over 30 years ago for two dollars. It’s been in storage till yesterday. The back tire still holds air. The brakes say made in Switzerland. The rear hub is totally covered in oil and dirt. I was able to wipe some of that gunk and it’s like brand new chrome underneath. I’m trying to decide what to do with it. Clean it, restore it, chop it, make a low rider out of it, I don’t know.


----------



## phantom (Jul 13, 2022)

Looks like a 26" but could be a 24"  F20    First year Tigers were 1955 even though it has 54 serial #..... I am always on the lookout for 24" MW's.  PM me you are interested in selling.


----------



## Mister56 (Jul 13, 2022)

phantom said:


> Looks like a 26" but could be a 24"  F20    First year Tigers were 1955 even though it has 54 serial #..... I am always on the lookout for 24" MW's.  PM me you are interested in selling.



It’s a 26”. I swear I read 24” last night in the dark.


----------



## GTs58 (Jul 13, 2022)

It's very possible that is actually a 1954. These were on the streets in June 1954 in very small quantities. What's the serial number? Could be one of the first middleweights that Schwinn produced.


----------



## Drosentreter (Jul 13, 2022)

Mister56 said:


> Hi I’m Ralph and this is my 1954 Tiger. My sister bought this for me over 30 years ago for two dollars. It’s been in storage till yesterday. The back tire still holds air. The brakes say made in Switzerland. The rear hub is totally covered in oil and dirt. I was able to wipe some of that gunk and it’s like brand new chrome underneath. I’m trying to decide what to do with it. Clean it, restore it, chop it, make a low rider out of it, I don’t know.View attachment 1661676



The worst thing you could do for value, and collectability would be to chop it and make it a lowrider. If you want to sell it PM me with a price and we may work something out. I’m in Carlinville Illinois.


----------



## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Jul 14, 2022)

Mister56 said:


> Hi I’m Ralph and this is my 1954 Tiger. My sister bought this for me over 30 years ago for two dollars. It’s been in storage till yesterday. The back tire still holds air. The brakes say made in Switzerland. The rear hub is totally covered in oil and dirt. I was able to wipe some of that gunk and it’s like brand new chrome underneath. I’m trying to decide what to do with it. Clean it, restore it, chop it, make a low rider out of it, I don’t know.View attachment 1661676



Boy that is an early one, if it was yours and has sentimental value just clean it up and start riding. It is your bike and in the end the decision is yours  what to do. You will get both sides of the coin when you ask. If you desire a lowrider chopped bike I would suggest another bike. There seems to be plenty of interest in it and bikes that have already altered are plentiful. Either way good luck


----------



## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Jul 14, 2022)

If you clean a little more off the rear hub there may be a manufacture date on it which could help date the bike.


----------



## Oilit (Jul 14, 2022)

The Weinmann "Made in Switzerland" brakes are probably correct for this bike. The "Schwinn Approved" versions (still made by Weinmann but marked for Schwinn) were later. The brake lever in your picture was introduced around 1955, the earlier bikes had the previous style (picture below), but yours may have been replaced at some point.


----------



## Maurice (Jul 15, 2022)

Gorgeous original bike there M56!


----------



## Mister56 (Jul 19, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> It's very possible that is actually a 1954. These were on the streets in June 1954 in very small quantities. What's the serial number? Could be one of the first middleweights that Schwinn produced.



The serial is LO7178. After I reached the last layer of grease mushrooms the hub is stamped 56.


----------



## GTs58 (Jul 19, 2022)

Mister56 said:


> The serial is LO7178. After I reached the last layer of grease mushrooms the hub is stamped 56




Well that takes care of the brake lever question. Lots of confusion here on a couple pieces during the last few days and that's all due to Schwinn reusing the serial numbers in multiple years. And not that many years apart! One has to wonder what the heck they were thinking. Or why weren't they thinking! LOL The early post war serial numbers are such a mess and everyone with an early 1948 bike or prior year's Schwinn say their bike is a 1946 model. The early post war C series numbers seem to have been used in the first 3 postwar years starting in 1945.


----------



## Mister56 (Jul 19, 2022)

Oilit said:


> The Weinmann "Made in Switzerland" brakes are probably correct for this bike. The "Schwinn Approved" versions (still made by Weinmann but marked for Schwinn) were later. The brake lever in your picture was introduced around 1955, the earlier bikes had the previous style (picture below), but yours may have been replaced at some point.
> 
> View attachment 1662128





GTs58 said:


> It's very possible that is actually a 1954. These were on the streets in June 1954 in very small quantities. What's the serial number? Could be one of the first middleweights that Schwinn produced.


----------



## Mister56 (Jul 19, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Well that takes care of the brake lever question. Lots of confusion here on a couple pieces during the last few days and that's all due to Schwinn reusing the serial numbers in multiple years. And not that many years apart! One has to wonder what the heck they were thinking. Or why weren't they thinking! LOL The early post war serial numbers are such a mess and everyone with an early 1948 bike or prior year's Schwinn say their bike is a 1946 model. The early post war C series numbers seem to have been used in the first 3 postwar years starting in 1945.



Yeah I was confused by quite a few things that being the maiden Switzerland on the brake caliper. The lever lever is the newer model. It’s 26” inch not a 24” and the hub says 56 so I’m guessing it’s 56 with The remainder of earlier parts used during manufacturing For this Example. 
The front axle was a bit bent which is kind of peculiar.  I guess maybe the original owner jumped it one too many times. I Straightened that axle. But some of the bearings have a unusual circular wear spot.  One Pedal is bent a little bit. I’m having a hard time getting a skinny wrench for that removal and straightening.


----------



## GTs58 (Jul 19, 2022)

Looks like a legit 1956, other than the seat. The pedals are debatable.


----------



## Mister56 (Jul 19, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> Boy that is an early one, if it was yours and has sentimental value just clean it up and start riding. It is your bike and in the end the decision is yours  what to do. You will get both sides of the coin when you ask. If you desire a lowrider chopped bike I would suggest another bike. There seems to be plenty of interest in it and bikes that have already altered are plentiful. Either way good luck



That’s advise l’ll take, thanks. No chop. I’ve been riding it the last three days. Needs new front bearings. Anyplace you can recommend for parts?


----------



## Rivnut (Jul 19, 2022)

I imagine that you've been around bikes before, but if it's been a while, remember that left side pedal has left hand treads. No Righty-tighty on the left side.


----------



## Mister56 (Jul 19, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Looks like a legit 1956, other than the seat. The pedals are debatable.



They 


Rivnut said:


> I imagine that you've been around bikes before, but if it's been a while, remember that left side pedal has left hand treads. No Righty-tighty on the left side.



that’s a good reminder. As many times I removed peddles I still have a fifty fifty chance of getting it right, or the correct direction the first time.


----------



## Maurice (Jul 19, 2022)

Me too I've taken a couple bikes apart recently and get it wrong every time! 
Good luck. Beautiful bike. I'd keep it original too, like it rolled of the Schwinn assembly line!


----------



## phantom (Aug 9, 2022)

Mister56 said:


> It’s a 26”. I swear I read 24” last night in the dark.



Well, I still like it. How much is it?


----------



## Mister56 (Aug 14, 2022)

phantom said:


> Well, I still like it. How much is it?



It’s 100%! Lol. It’s the least I could do. I’m currently restoring/repairing/derusting. I saved all the cables and cable housing. I had rust on some front bearings Em is causing the painful sounds from the front hub. I popped out the bearings and sanded down the rust areas by hand. I’m very pleased with the results. The Smooth quiet satisfying tone only attainable from a passing train or a early schwinn. I posted a photo of a 24” pizza for size reference.


----------

