# 1956 Phantom



## 75 Bronco (Sep 17, 2020)

Newb to Schwinns... Was the “cycle lock” an option on the 1956 Phantom? Is it possible to make a non locking phantom into a locking phantom? If so what is needed. Thank you!


----------



## barneyguey (Sep 17, 2020)

Yes indeed


----------



## Freqman1 (Sep 17, 2020)

You need a locking fork and headset. V/r Shawn


----------



## spoker (Sep 17, 2020)

and on the og locking fork frames there is a locating tab inside the front fork tube for the lower tab to locate on,there is a slot on the lower cup for this tab


----------



## GTs58 (Sep 17, 2020)

1955 was the last year for the locking fork option. Here's the January 1956 sheet. Bottom right.


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 17, 2020)

I have a 1956 dated cantilever frame and it is set to to take a licking fork...


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 17, 2020)

Here's a 1956 with a locking fork too.


----------



## 75 Bronco (Sep 17, 2020)

Great info. Anybody else out there with a 55 or newer with stock cycle lock?


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 17, 2020)

Non locker on the black one but early style and green in locking 56


----------



## WES PINCHOT (Sep 17, 2020)

SJ_BIKER said:


> I have a 1956 dated cantilever frame and it is set to to take a licking fork...
> 
> View attachment 1269074



YES, THAT IS THE LOCKING FORK BUTTON.  I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS THE LAST   YEAR.   BUT
YOU CANT ARGUE ABOUT YOUR FRAME.


----------



## WES PINCHOT (Sep 17, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> 1955 was the last year for the locking fork option. Here's the January 1956 sheet. Bottom right.
> 
> View attachment 1269048



THIS LIST MAY NOT INCLUDE ALL THE BALLOON FRAME OPTIONS,  SEE PICS FOLLOWING.


----------



## GTs58 (Sep 17, 2020)

What's weird is Schwinn must have changed their mind. Under accessories on the 57 and 58 list it says *Cycelock $3.95 *


----------



## spoker (Sep 18, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> What's weird is Schwinn must have changed their mind. Under accessories on the 57 and 58 list it says *Cycelock $3.95 *



frames were made b4 build date,the newer style,hew stylr fork works with the tab but it just doesn use it


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 18, 2020)

1957 Schwinn phantom with locking fork. But repo tank...doh!


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Sep 18, 2020)

As far as I know, ALL frames tell whenever  they stopped offering the lock have that tab! Any frame that you could upgrade with a locker has that dumb tab... You just need the locking tube and a cup and you are set.. easy freaking peaseeeey... find a roached locking springer that’s the same as yours, pull off the other junk, paint it black and bammmmn! You in business, then have Wes cut ya a key.. or sometimes he actually has the legit schwinn ones... (that’s a freebie Wes, no need to pay me for the plug!)


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 18, 2020)

SJ_BIKER said:


> 1957 Schwinn phantom with locking fork. But repo tank...doh!
> 
> View attachment 1269407
> 
> View attachment 1269408



Shoot this has a b6 fork....


----------



## phantom (Sep 18, 2020)

Always learning.....I thought on all 57 Phantoms the pivot bolt went through the fork and not behind it.


----------



## GTs58 (Sep 18, 2020)

phantom said:


> Always learning.....I thought on all 57 Phantoms the pivot bolt went through the fork and not behind it.




If it's a locking springer no matter the year, it'll have the rear pivot bolt. The Phantom came standard with the locking springer until 1955. Then it was an option at extra cost and the standard springer was the new bolt threw fork leg style.


----------



## phantom (Sep 18, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> If it's a locking springer no matter the year, it'll have the rear pivot bolt. The Phantom came standard with the locking springer until 1955. Then it was an option at extra cost and the standard springer was the new bolt threw fork leg style.



What was the last year Phantom you could get the locking fork as an option?


----------



## GTs58 (Sep 18, 2020)

phantom said:


> What was the last year Phantom you could get the locking fork as an option?




1955 for sure. After reading these lists saying the cycelock was not available and then available the next year, I'm dumbfounded. No mention of a locking fork option for 1959 that I have seen.


----------



## phantom (Sep 18, 2020)

I have never seen a 59 with a locking fork and maybe not a 58 either.


----------



## 75 Bronco (Sep 18, 2020)

so to summarize; we think that the locking fork was an option for 56’ (despite the accessory sheet that states it was not an option) and perhaps all tubes had the tab in case it was optioned into a Locking hub.  However, some have seen phantom frames that do not have the tab....Are we back to square one?  Schwinn did this to mess with us..


----------



## phantom (Sep 18, 2020)

75 Bronco said:


> so to summarize; we think that the locking fork was an option for 56’ (despite the accessory sheet that states it was not an option) and perhaps all tubes had the tab in case it was optioned into a Locking hub.  However, some have seen phantom frames that do not have the tab....Are we back to square one?  Schwinn did this to mess with us..



Yes, I am.....There is a 57 in this thread with a locking fork.


----------



## GTs58 (Sep 18, 2020)

phantom said:


> Yes, I am.....There is a 57 in this thread with a locking fork.




You do realize that 75% of the people can't figure out their serial number year cause Schwinn messed up good during a few years and these people use that POS serial look up that's wrong more than it's right. Some 57 numbers were also used in 1953 and 1952! So that piece could be a boy named Sue and she wasn't born in 57.


----------



## Mymando (Sep 19, 2020)

I have a factory 58’ stamped phantom and it doesn’t have that infamous tab inside the frame that my 48’ has? I guess it was as they said an extra that you could order and mine wasn’t ordered at the time of build?


----------



## phantom (Sep 19, 2020)

Mymando said:


> I have a factory 58’ stamped phantom and it doesn’t have that infamous tab inside the frame that my 48’ has? I guess it was as they said an extra that you could order and mine wasn’t ordered at the time of build?



Does your pivot bolt go through the fork or behind it ?


----------



## spoker (Sep 19, 2020)

the front fender is also different on the later style fork


----------



## Mymando (Sep 19, 2020)

phantom said:


> Does your pivot bolt go through the fork or behind it ?



Through


----------



## phantom (Sep 19, 2020)

Mymando said:


> Through



Whew.......was hoping that was your answer...believe I have now !


----------



## Freqman1 (Sep 19, 2020)

The green '56 shown above is my bike and is original so for sure a locker was offered in '56. V/r Shawn


----------

