# 1960 Radiant Red Continental



## hzqw2l (Apr 15, 2020)

Original two owner bike.  Owner said he had the touring saddle installed when he picked it up from Valley Schwinn. 
Tires are Breeze Sport Touring tires wit a UV date stamp.


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## HARPO (Apr 15, 2020)

Love the "suicide" shifter!! That's a rare bird, indeed. 

Seems like Continentals overall are now coming out of the woodwork.


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## bikecrazy (Apr 15, 2020)

Someone really took great care of that beauty! Thanks for posting.


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## Oilit (Apr 15, 2020)

Can we get a close-up of the rims and the stem? That's the nicest one I've seen in a long time!


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## rennfaron (Apr 15, 2020)

Nice bike!


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## rollfaster (Apr 15, 2020)

Sweet!!


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## hzqw2l (Apr 15, 2020)

Oilit said:


> Can we get a close-up of the rims and the stem? That's the nicest one I've seen in a long time!



Here's what I have.


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## Oilit (Apr 15, 2020)

Thank you! I've read that the first year Continental used non-Schwinn rims, but there's nothing like pictures!


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## GTs58 (Apr 15, 2020)

That's magnificent! Looks to be 100%. 

Eric Amliee's write up on the 60 Conti

First year for the derailleur Continental. 10 speed. Stronglight 47/50 chainset. 15"-1"7"-1"9-22-25 Atom freewheel cluster. Simplex Competition front derailleur and Simplex Tour de France rear derailleur. Weinmann side pull brakes. Tubular painted fork with chromed tips. Forged alloy stem with double clamp bolts. Steel? drop bars. Tire size is listed as 27 x 1¼ (correct) in the consumer brochure, but as 26" (incorrect) in the model and price sheet. *Rims were Rigida steel with knurls on the sides. *Hubs were alloy high flange (Normandy?). Yellorex chain. Ideale saddle (#43). colors were Radiant Red, Radiant Blue, Radiant Green, Radiant Coppertone, and Black. Options included thorn-resistant tubes at $2.00 extra cost and southwest tires and heavy duty tubes for $4.50 extra cost. Frame sizes were 19", 21" and 23". $86.95


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## hzqw2l (Apr 15, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> That's magnificent! Looks to be 100%.



Plus it's a 23 inch frame.
Thanks


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## GTs58 (Apr 15, 2020)

I have the original saddle on my late 61 Tourist and the tag just says "Made in Holland" if I remember correctly. It also baffles me that these early Sport models were not equipped with a reflector.


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## Eric Amlie (Apr 16, 2020)

Wonderful find!
Looks like someone set the rear derailleur up incorrectly.


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## Roger Henning (Apr 16, 2020)

I also have a 1960 Continental.  Mine is Black and not as nice as yours.  The interesting thing is it was also sold at Valley Cycle.  Roger


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## hzqw2l (Apr 16, 2020)

Roger Henning said:


> I also have a 1960 Continental.  Mine is Black and not as nice as yours.  The interesting thing is it was also sold at Valley Cycle.  Roger
> 
> View attachment 1175431
> 
> View attachment 1175432



That's so


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## hzqw2l (Apr 16, 2020)

cool


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## cyclingday (Apr 16, 2020)

That’s a neat bike!
Valley Cyclery was a legendary Schwinn store.
The first full concept store of its kind.
The George Garner story is an interesting one, and his idea of the full concept Schwinn store would be the model that all others would follow.


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## hzqw2l (Apr 16, 2020)

Very cool story.  Thanks


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## juvela (Apr 17, 2020)

Oilit said:


> Can we get a close-up of the rims and the stem? That's the nicest one I've seen in a long time!




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...some 1960 Connies came through wearing a distinctive double binder stem from Centrix of France.  it is the stem shown on the bike in the catalogue illustration.  Centrix ceased play in 1962.













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The AVA on our subject machine appears to be model nr. 35.

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## Oilit (Apr 17, 2020)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> ...some 1960 Connies came through wearing a distinctive double binder stem from Centrix of France.  it is the stem shown on the bike in the catalogue illustration.  Centrix ceased play in 1962.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the information! I'd heard references to this, but never saw one that I know of. Now at least I'll know one if I see it!


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## juvela (Apr 17, 2020)

Oilit said:


> Thanks for the information! I'd heard references to this, but never saw one that I know of. Now at least I'll know one if I see it!




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dual binder I-beam/girder stems can be a bit confusing

Reynolds of Britain did one model which at first glance appears nearly identical to the Centrix employed by Schwinn for the Continental of 1960

it seems to have been current at least from roughly the late 1940's through the mid-1950's (estimate)

the first three images below are of a Higgins (not J.C. - this is a marque from Britain)

the fourth image is from a C. Bertrand cycle, also of Britain

experts think both cycles hail from the immediate postwar period

the C. Bertrand bicycle is discussed in this forum thread -









						How old is it? | Vintage Lightweight Bicycles
					

This beautiful bike just fell into my hands last weekend and I am trying to find out more about it. The previous owner said it was from the 20s. I can not find much out about this Marque, but I can tell it is a quality bike by the light weight and beautiful workmanship. It also has many alloy...




					thecabe.com
				




















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## Gavin (Jun 12, 2020)

I've got an original ideal saddle on my 60 varsity that I'm considering parting with if you're interested. I'm thinking about putting a Brooks on mine so i dont have to feel guilty about riding it.


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## hzqw2l (Jun 4, 2022)

Finally found an Ideale 43 saddle for my bike.
NOS from England.  Kinda pricey but completes the bike.


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