# Did Schwinn middleweight bikes ever come with a rocket Ray?



## 4scuda (Sep 23, 2019)

I picked up this bike yesterday, mainly because of the headlight, which I planned to remove. I have not followed middleweight bikes but I am familiar with jaguars and corvettes with chrome genders. This bike is in pretty decent original condition with painted fenders and bendix 3 speed. Was the headlight an add on and what is this? Chain guard is missing.


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## phantom (Sep 23, 2019)

I think that's a bendix 2 speed and not a 3 speed.....Rocket Rays were on a few MW's. I had a 57 DeLuxe Hornet with one.


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## schwinnbikebobb (Sep 23, 2019)

Here is my 60 Dlx Hornet middleweight with one.


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## 4scuda (Sep 23, 2019)

I remember seeing the deluxe hornet with a rocket Ray  now.  Anybody seen one on a plain bike like this one?


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## farkasthegoalie (Sep 23, 2019)

like everyone else's answer, yes- my DeLuxe Hornet


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## GTs58 (Sep 23, 2019)

4scuda said:


> I remember seeing the deluxe hornet with a rocket Ray  now.  Anybody seen one on a plain bike like this one?





From memory I believe the Deluxe Hornet was the only middleweight with the Ray and probably the last Schwinn produced that had one.


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## phantom (Sep 23, 2019)

GTs58 said:


> From memory I believe the Deluxe Hornet was the only middleweight with the Ray and probably the last Schwinn produced that had one.



Much more rare than the DeLuxe Hornet was the 57 MW Streamliner. stpeteschwinn ( Rich ) in FL has a black one. I saw a green one a few months ago. Here is a pick from Shadow27 from e bay.


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## GTs58 (Sep 23, 2019)

phantom said:


> Much more rare than the DeLuxe Hornet was the 57 MW Streamliner. stpeteschwinn ( Rich ) in FL has a black one. I saw a green one a few months ago. Here is a pick from Shadow27 from e bay. View attachment 1068585





Yep, I forgot about that one. 

Last year for the Rocket Ray? 

1959


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## BLWNMNY (Sep 25, 2019)

My original 59 deluxe hornet.


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## GTs58 (Sep 25, 2019)

BLWNMNY said:


> My original 59 deluxe hornet.View attachment 1069518
> View attachment 1069519




Very very nice! I see from the chain guard that's an early built 59 model. Does it have a 58 serial number?


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## BLWNMNY (Sep 25, 2019)

GTs58 said:


> Very very nice! I see from the chain guard that's an early built 59 model. Does it have a 58 serial number?



Honestly........ I’ll have to look. It’s been put away in the garage so long, I can’t remember that far back. What’s different about the chain guard? I’m eager to know......


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## BLWNMNY (Sep 25, 2019)

And thank you for the compliment.


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## Saving Tempest (Sep 25, 2019)

I have all the Rays I wanted for my fleet, it remains to finish getting Rocket horns together and running.


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## GTs58 (Sep 25, 2019)

BLWNMNY said:


> Honestly........ I’ll have to look. It’s been put away in the garage so long, I can’t remember that far back. What’s different about the chain guard? I’m eager to know......





That style chain guard was new for the 59 models and the first ones had a wire support welded on that kicked against the chain stay. It's pretty visible in your last pic. There was some R&D and then modifications on the guard during 59.


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## BLWNMNY (Sep 26, 2019)

I never noticed that......... very interesting info. Always discovering something new on here!


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## BLWNMNY (Sep 26, 2019)

GTs58 said:


> Very very nice! I see from the chain guard that's an early built 59 model. Does it have a 58 serial number?



I checked....... Feb, 1959


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## GTs58 (Sep 27, 2019)

BLWNMNY said:


> I checked....... Feb, 1959




Thanks for serial date! So they used the wire support for at least a few months before the change. 

Here's the final example after going thru a few changes. After that wire support they bent a tab similar to this later style but it was considerably shorter and not as wide/deep. The pictured guard is the forth and final version of this style guard.


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## KingSized HD (Sep 27, 2019)

GTs58 said:


> Here's the final example after going thru a few changes. After that wire support they bent a tab similar to this later style but it was considerably shorter and not as wide/deep. The pictured guard is the forth and final version of this style guard.



You continually amaze me with your Schwinn MW knowledge. Thanks for sharing; now I can amaze my friends knowing a bike year at a glance!(like the ‘61 only stem you pointed out oncewink:


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