# Question regarding Phantom tires



## OldHarley (Aug 21, 2015)

OK, so I have a nicely conserved 1951 B-17 w/S 2 rims that has been outfitted with Chinese-made diamond tread blackwall tires that are 26 x 2.125.  When the bike was found in a barn after sitting for 40 years, it had blackwalls, so the previous owner duly matched the tires that had been on it (BTW, he gave me the USA 'originals' as well - BFG chain pattern treads).

Now, my question is this: I have a new set of Schwinn Classic whitewalls with a square (brick?) pattern that are the same size off a virtually new 1999 Cruiser SS made in Taiwan.  However, the newer Taiwanese Schwinn has aluminum rims that measure 1 1/4" wide, while the older steel rims are at least 1/2" wider.

While I think the whitewalls should fit, the whitewall itself is smaller and the tire itself is measurably smaller than the blackwalls, even though it is labeled 26 x 2.125.  

So, will the Schwinn Classic's work OK with the wider rims or do I need to just order a set of Typhoons made for the S 2 rims(I really have too many tires laying around and want to avoid that unless necessary)?

Thanks guys

OH


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## Freqman1 (Aug 21, 2015)

The Phantom didn't have Typhoons in '51. You might be able to find a nice set of white wall Goodyears which, I believe, would be factory correct but you best option is a pair of John's chain tread tires. You can inflate them to 45lbs no problem and not worry about old rubber. V/r Shawn


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## rustjunkie (Aug 21, 2015)

The important # we're looking at here is "bead diameter". For all USA 26" x X.XXX tires that # is 559, with a few oddball exceptions. That's the same tire as a modern mountain bike, "cruiser", etc.
The Schwinn S-2 takes a 559 tire, same as other balloon-tire bikes.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html


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## Nickinator (Aug 21, 2015)

Freqman1 said:


> The Phantom didn't have Typhoons in '51....  V/r Shawn




We took og Typhoons off our '50 Phantom, OOH badged bike, make any difference?

Darcie


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## rustjunkie (Aug 21, 2015)

https://www.google.com/search?q=195...ChMIkcjR8PO6xwIVB3-SCh1SCw15&biw=1152&bih=550

Something I never thought about, but looks to be true: no Typhoon Cords! 
neat


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## Nickinator (Aug 21, 2015)

Which image is it that you are referring to?
It's possible that ours weren't og tires, but thought they were as everything else on the bike is, and they are super worn.

Darcie


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## bobcycles (Aug 21, 2015)

*


Tires were a luck of the draw for Schwinn bicycles.  Phantoms came equipped with whatever mfgs Schwinn had an allegiance with.
I've seen Goodyear Allweather and US Royal most commonly along with the Typhoon*






Nickinator said:


> Which image is it that you are referring to?
> It's possible that ours weren't og tires, but thought they were as everything else on the bike is, and they are super worn.
> 
> Darcie


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## Nickinator (Aug 21, 2015)

Thanks Bob. Was wondering if the Our Own Hardware badged bikes had different stuff, as the DX we just got with the reverse paint guard and rack is also a OOH badged bike. 

Darcie


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## OldHarley (Aug 21, 2015)

Freqman1 said:


> The Phantom didn't have Typhoons in '51. You might be able to find a nice set of white wall Goodyears which, I believe, would be factory correct but you best option is a pair of John's chain tread tires. You can inflate them to 45lbs no problem and not worry about old rubber. V/r Shawn




Freqman1, Thanks for the heads-up.  I just bought the last set John had listed on eBay.  I mis-stated that the 'originals' were BFG blackwall chain treads.  They were US Royals.  

Maybe they _*were*_ original to the bike?  Hard to say after 65 years.  PO gave me a whole box of stuff that was found on the bike including these tires.  Not sure the tires have any value other than as a 'go-by' though.


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## GTs58 (Aug 21, 2015)

Whitewall tires were factory issue on the Phantoms so the blackwalls were probably not original. But you never know for sure.


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## rustjunkie (Aug 21, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> Whitewall tires were factory issue on the Phantoms so the blackwalls are not original




So I thought too:


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## GTs58 (Aug 21, 2015)

rustjunkie said:


> So I thought too:




I saw that some of the ads had blackwalls and wondered if there was an option to change out to a specific brand tire that was black. View bottom of list.


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## Freqman1 (Aug 21, 2015)

Not that I'm a Schwinn guru by any stretch I just didn't think the Typhoons were introduced until somewhere around 1952? V/r Shawn


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## GTs58 (Aug 21, 2015)

Freqman1 said:


> Not that I'm a Schwinn guru by any stretch I just didn't think the Typhoons were introduced until somewhere around 1952? V/r Shawn




1954 is the first year that I've seen any lit mentioning the typhoon tires.

edit:  After a new search on the Typhoons I found they were available by at least Sept. 1953. The intro for the new 54 Jag has the Royal Rider in black or white specified.


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## Nickinator (Aug 21, 2015)

Nevermind you guys beat me to it!!


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## OldHarley (Aug 21, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> Whitewall tires were factory issue on the Phantoms so the blackwalls were probably not original. But you never know for sure.




Hmmm...How about this 1951 ad?

OH


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## OldHarley (Aug 21, 2015)

Nevermind. Had this setting on my computer and posted BEFORE I realized all of you were on that statement about blackwalls.

BTW, never been on a forum that would not let you edit your own posts.  Pm'd CABE admin. (maybe 'cause I'm new).

OH


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## GTs58 (Aug 21, 2015)

The 52 Schwinn catalog shows a red Phantom with blackwalls also. And I'm surprised even Schwinn does the shots on the non drive side. On the 51 options and accessory sheet I posted above, it shows the B models had the option of the blackwall, not WW, Goodyear Eagle for a $1.35 extra at the time of the order. The 53 price sheet shows the Typhoon cord WW as an option on the B models for $1.99 extra, but from what I can tell the Phantom was not advertised with the Typhoon cord WW until 1955, but it was specified on the Phantom in the 54 price sheet. The 54 Jag Ballooner had the order option of either black or whitewall so it seems it more or less the dealers who decided what alternative options, if any, their bikes came with unless it was a specific order by a customer when the dealer did not have what they wanted in stock. Since the vast majority of the pre built Schwinns went to a distribution center, then to the dealers, I would have to assume there was a standard build spec on the bikes that were not pre ordered by a dealer. It's my understanding that a dealer could have a direct ship from the factory but a certain volume requirement of that model had to be met. I haven't come across a 51 Phantom spec sheet yet but I'll post it if I find one.


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## GTs58 (Aug 21, 2015)

OldHarley said:


> Nevermind. Had this setting on my computer and posted BEFORE I realized all of you were on that statement about blackwalls.
> 
> BTW, never been on a forum that would not let you edit your own posts.  Pm'd CABE admin. (maybe 'cause I'm new).
> 
> OH




Not to hijack the thread, but we can edit a post, so it might have something to do with you being new and not having the minimum post count or something of that nature. Also the personal message feature will not be activated until you have 15 posts. Unless that was changed again.


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## Duck (Aug 23, 2015)

bobcycles said:


> *
> 
> 
> Tires were a luck of the draw for Schwinn bicycles.  Phantoms came equipped with whatever mfgs Schwinn had an allegiance with.
> I've seen Goodyear Allweather and US Royal most commonly along with the Typhoon*



Provided they were all ww's...


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## bikinjack (Aug 23, 2015)

Make sure the tires that came off the aluminum rimmed bike from 1999 don't say "USE ON HOOK BEAD RIMS ONLY" or some such thing, otherwise they should work great. Like rustjunkie said the 559 part is the part that matters about fit, other than the fact the S-2 rims were not hook bead rims, and many modern tires only work on hook bead rims.


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