# Which Schwinn models came with S-6 rims?



## Skip Montanaro (Oct 21, 2020)

I have a Schwinn Speedster which I converted to 650A (ISO 590) rims and a Sturmey-Archer XRD3 drum brake hub a few years ago. It's my errand bike and I like it quite well. In addition to the steel-to-alloy switch, the slightly smaller diameter rim allows me to run a bit plumper tires (more cush), there are a few more tire options (Panaracer Col de la Vie is my go-to tire in that size), and the overall diameter is about the same, so the tires tend to fill the fenders in a pleasing way.

I recently fell into a second 650A wheelset (came with a small flock of tires in that size). I'm starting to scan Chicago CL for another conversion candidate. As you might guess, we have plenty of electroforged Schwinns here in Chicagoland. I am under the impression that Speedster, Racer and Breeze models (and maybe Collegiate with its too wide-range five-speed?) from at least the late 50s through late 70s came with S-6 rims. Did other models sport S-6 rims?


----------



## GTs58 (Oct 21, 2020)

Many of the 26" bikes came with the S-5 rims, including the models you posted above.


----------



## Skip Montanaro (Oct 22, 2020)

Thanks. Perhaps I have my "S"s confused. I made the connection between S-6 and ISO 597 on Sheldon Brown's tire size page. He shows S-5 as a 24-inch wheel (ISO 547). Were Racers, Speedsters and such available as kids bikes as well as adult? If so, I'll have to be careful in my search.


----------



## Eric Amlie (Oct 22, 2020)

S-5 also came in 597 bsd.


----------



## davek (Oct 22, 2020)

It is pretty much the same rim and takes the same tire. I'm thinking the S5 may be the drop center version


----------



## Skip Montanaro (Oct 22, 2020)

Thanks again. Can someone take a look at this table and this table on Sheldon Brown's site and comment on his listed S-n sizes? Barring transcription errors on my part, I see the following:


Schwinn NomenclatureListed ISO Size (mm)Fractional or Decimal SizeS-255926 x 1.0 to 5.0S-457126 x 1S-554724 x 1-3/8S-659726 x 1-3/8S-757126 x 1-3/4

So, either S-5 rims are incorrectly categorized in Sheldon's table or it stood for different things at different times (or perhaps at the same time). It *is* the only S-n rim size shown as 24-inch. If S-5 wasn't 24-inch, what was?

This is a bit deeper into this topic than I expected to get, but I appreciate the discussion. Still, I am mostly interested in understanding which Schwinn adult bikes came with ISO 597 rims.


----------



## Gordon (Oct 22, 2020)

It is a boo-boo on Sheldon's part. The S5 and S6 are the same bsd and take the same tire, the difference is in the profile of the rim. Both the S5 and S6 were available in 24 inch as well.


----------



## Skip Montanaro (Oct 22, 2020)

Gordon said:


> It is a boo-boo on Sheldon's part. The S5 and S6 are the same bsd and take the same tire, the difference is in the profile of the rim. Both the S5 and S6 were available in 24 inch as well.



Ah, got it. I always thought the various S-n designations each specified one particular rim diameter.


----------



## Rivnut (Oct 22, 2020)




----------



## SoBayRon (Dec 20, 2020)

Thanks for posting this chart, Rivnut. A newby and needed some Schwinn rim info for my 79 Spitfire.


----------



## Arnold Ziffel (Dec 21, 2020)

This observation is by no means definitive or scientific but you'll find that say a JAN 1972 COLLEGIATE will have the S5 Westrick rim  (visible middle hump.......See Rivnut's chart above)  and  say a DEC 1972 COLLEGIATE will have the S6 Endrick rim (smooth middle section.....See Rivnut's chart above).

Just based on having owned  and collected  many  Collegiates that simply based on that  I believe that SCHWINN stopped using the S5 Westrick  at  somepoint in late calendar year 1972,   as  all the NOV 1972 and DEC 1972 COLLEGIATES that I have seen have  the S6 Endrick,   and  every Collegiate that I've seen from most of 1972  are the S5 with the hump-Westrick style.
So for at least the five speed Collegiates that I have seen,   I  think  the (Collegiate) sixties  models  to  well beyond mid-year 1972, near the end of 1972 perhaps all feature S5 Westrick style rim.      

I find no difference in ride quality or durability between the two styles.

It is much easier to clean up corrosion and get a SMOOTH  S6 Endrick style rim  cleaned up and spiffy clean than it is to clean up a S5 HUMP S5 Westrick.           My observation is the SMOOTH s6  is  better looking if it is spiffy clean and shined up assuming it has no dings or tiny dents that are visible.      The smooth s6  is better looking than the s5 assuming this.    The s5 with the hump  tends to camouflage  those dings/tiny dents/scars better ,   such that  on  wheels with scars etc,  the s5  looks better with scars than the s6 with scars.        They are both  very  good wheels but the SMOOTH S6  with perfect scar free/ding free  chrome shining like a mirror just cannot be beaten from a 'Looks' perspective.     This is just Arnold's opinion.   Your opinion is the only one that counts when you decide!


----------

