# 1957 Schwinn Phantom skiptooth?



## matt9812 (Jul 8, 2012)

Should the 1957 Schwinn Phantom be set up for skip tooth or "regular". When did Schwinn stop using the skiptooth setup?


----------



## bikecrazy (Jul 8, 2012)

1957 Phantom would have a "regular' 1/2 inch pitch chain. The skip-tooth chains were used on some post war models into the early fiftys. There was no set date when they went away.


----------



## schwinnderella (Jul 8, 2012)

All phantoms from start to finish used 1/2" pitch chain.


----------



## matt9812 (Jul 8, 2012)

Right now, I have a Bendix rear hub with 1/2" pitch chain. Should the rear hub be a New departure rear hub?


----------



## rhenning (Jul 8, 2012)

See my other answer but a 1/2 inch pitch Bendix is the right hub for a 1957 Phantom.  It should also have the smaller 46 tooth middle weight style chain ring.  Roger


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Jul 8, 2012)

rhenning said:


> See my other answer but a 1/2 inch pitch Bendix is the right hub for a 1957 Phantom.  It should also have the smaller 46 tooth middle weight style chain ring.  Roger




i have seen most 57-59 even a 54 with the regular 4 hole clover type...not sure is skip tooth was a factory option....hmm it is schwinn were talking about...they did weird things


----------



## matt9812 (Jul 8, 2012)

Got the 46 tooth chain ring. The sprocket on the Bendix hub has 20 teeth. Is that right?


----------



## snickle (Jul 8, 2012)

Skiptooth was last used in 1954 and Phantoms never came with a skiptooth, although the Panther did (which was discontinued in 54 along with the skiptooth). Phantoms always had the 52 tooth "big boy" sprocket and used New departure rear brakes until 1954. in 1955 alot of things changed on the phantom and many other Schwinn bikes. The paint was now offered in metallic, the sprocket turned to 46 tooth clover leaf style, the rear brake turned to Bendix. So to answer your question, Yes, the sprocket you have is certainly correct for a 57, as well as your Bendix rear coaster.


----------



## 1973rx3 (Jul 8, 2012)

Well not the 26" Phantoms but the 24" phantoms did have skip tooth.


----------



## MagicRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Mr.Schwinn was a marketing genious...he made you buy his replacement parts by making them brand specific.


----------



## Rambler (Jul 9, 2012)

Before exclaiming that no Schwinn Black Phantom ever had 1" pitch you might want to take a look at the Black Phantom in the Henry Ford Museum. I understand that a few of the earliest production Black Phantoms for the Christmas of 1949 introduction did have 1" pitch chain. I was told this by Jim Hurd who was the curator for the Schwinn Company museum in Chicago back before the Schwinn collection was sold. If there is one thing I have learned in this hobby over the years it is keep an open mind, just about the time you think you know the facts you learn that there were some exceptions to the rule. As SJ_BIKER said, “Schwinn did weird things”.


----------



## greenephantom (Jul 9, 2012)

If you're running a 46 tooth sprocket up front a 20 tooth rear cog will be okay.  22 would give you a slightly lower ratio and would be easier to pedal.
Cheers, Geoff


----------



## snickle (Jul 9, 2012)

Hey i just wanted to sound like I knew something after reading Geoff's book


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Jul 9, 2012)

*Yeah i have seen skippy sweety chainrings on old photographs...*

but i have never seen 4 clover skiptoothchainrings on any phantoms.....in the evolution of the bicycle books if you refer to the red phantom that gleams like a prom queen you will see that the bike belonging to steve castelli has a regular sweet heart sprocket but its not skiptooth....i didnt even know those existed.....schwinn was a strange bird...thats why i like them....  here is a pc of a phantom i put together a few years ago...i decided to mount a skip tooth chainring on it....i never had any regrets...she was a pearl


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Jul 9, 2012)

snickle said:


> Hey i just wanted to sound like I knew something after reading Geoff's book




hey snickle...if you study the museum phantom that was posted here...check out the seat post, the seat springs, and the chainring...they all look chalky...possibly cad plated??  good ol schwinn...they always amaze me...


----------



## snickle (Jul 9, 2012)

SJ_BIKER said:


> hey snickle...if you study the museum phantom that was posted here...check out the seat post, the seat springs, and the chainring...they all look chalky...possibly cad plated??  good ol schwinn...they always amaze me...




Yup, thats the ol cad plated chain ring I was talking abut in another thread.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-VINTAGE...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c28adbe68


----------

