# Locking springer fork issue (2nd Attempt)



## cbbond (Aug 8, 2006)

Dear Cabe Members:

The lock is not working on my schwinn springer fork. The key is not pushing the lock mechanism into place (steering tube).

**I have taken the whole unit apart and see the push 'rod' moving in and out
of the fork stem when I turn the key. But the rod does not prevent the fork from spinning in the steering tube on my '67 schwinn middleweight.

Perhaps, I need to mount this fork in a special way and I missing a step.

Does anyone know how to fine tune and repair the lock feature?

BTW, the locking fork is NOS Schwinn (1990s).

Please help!

Thanks,
Casey


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## sm2501 (Aug 10, 2006)

Here is an article on repairing Cycelocks. Contact the author Wes Pinchot at wespinchot@yahoo.com.


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## aasmitty757 (Aug 19, 2006)

This may be a dumb question, but does your middle weight head tube have a hole or slot for the locking arm to slide into when try to lock it?
Smitty


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 19, 2006)

Hi, I believe the bottom bearing race should have a slot for the pin to go into. it takes a special bearing race.


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## hbbeachbummin (Aug 20, 2006)

It sounds like you don't have the correct head tube, there's a lock bolt pin that the lock lever drops into to lock it.


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 21, 2006)

I'm pretty sure it is just the lower bearing cup that is different. I was looking for a photo but haven't come across one yet. I'll keep trying.


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 21, 2006)

Hi again, I found this in "The Workbench" section of this site. if your bike is a '67 then it would use the type with the special lower bearing cup like I thought, not the hole in the head tube. you should contact Wes, he's a really nice guy and has tons of cycelock stuff. :

The Schwinn Cycelock

By Wes Pinchot.

The Arnold, Schwinn & Company patented a new innovation in 1935. The Schwinn bicycle Cycelock, which is a cylinder lock incorporated into the bicycle fork. The purpose was to provide a way to prevent someone from riding or tampering with your bicycle when you were not using it. It also provided protection from theft. In case you think the word "Cycelock" is incorrectly spelled, it is just exactly the way the name was patented. 

The first year the Cycelock was used on Schwinn bicycles was 1936, and it was installed so that the front wheel and fork of the bicycle were turned at an angle of 90 degrees when in the locked position. 

The locked position prevented someone from stealing or riding the bicycle away. In the following and subsequent years, the wheel and lock angle was then changed to 45 degrees to stabilize the standing bike in the locked position. The Cycelock included a Yale cylinder manufactured with 500 different key combinations. The key activated a bolt, which projected into a hole in the steering head at the down tube thus locking the fork at an angle. The only time the key could be removed was when the fork was in the locked position, so it would not be lost when riding the bicycle. Arnold, Schwinn & Company issued a one year guarantee against loss to the new bicycle owner, if the bicycle was locked and stolen in the first year. The bicycle owner was required to send the key to Schwinn. They then sent the owner a certificate to be redeemed for replacement with a new bicycle from the dealer. 

The Cycelock was also used on Ranger bicycles, that were built by Arnold, Schwinn & Company. Another cylinder was also used by Schwinn and manufactured by Automatic Lock with an unusual double cut key with a "W" shaped keyway on both Schwinn and Ranger bicycles. After the War a new locking bearing cup, which engaged a button in the steering head and has a hole for receiving the locking bolt, which eliminated the need for the locking bolt hole in the steering head at the down tube. 

If you are lucky enough to have a Cycelock on one of your bicycles, but it needs a key or repair, The Fender Doctor, also known as Wes Pinchot can help you having repaired over fifty of the locking forks. He also removes broken keys, repairs or replaces damaged cylinders with original cylinders and the other parts, as well as cutting new keys for the original Yale cylinders from the lock codes for numbers AN 1 to 500. You can call evenings or weekends at 847 259 0484 for more information.


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 31, 2006)

there is some cycelock parts on ebay right now. look at the rest of his stuff also.
270023427830
http://cgi.ebay.com/1951-SCHWINN-PH...0QQihZ017QQcategoryZ95154QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Scott


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