# 1980 schwinn cruiser 5



## blue6218

Hello there,  I just bought a 1980 Schwinn cruiser 5 and have a couple of questions.  Where was the bike made?  What years were the cruiser 5 produced?  Does the bike have heavy duty wheels or middleweight wheels?  Any info passed along is much appreciated.  Have a great day.


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## TheSaint

*Some Cantilever History*

Mr. Blue,

Use this useful link to browse a useful list of Schwinn Catalogs that Tom Findley graciously spent time to scan and put on the Internet. You should be able to find the answers to your questions?

http://www.trfindley.com/pg_schwinn_cats.htm

Schwinn built 26" cantilever bicycles starting in 1938, evolving into different models thru the 40-50's, then thru the 60-70's had the Heavy "Duti" (with a I) and the Typhoon.




In 1977 Schwinn reintroduced this ubiquituous design as the Schwinn Spitfire in 1977, made it for 77-79, with the Spitfire 5 only for 1979, and then in 1980 changed the name or introduced the Schwinn Cruiser and Schwinn Cruiser 5. 
Also in 79 for a short period the first 5 speed Spitfires were called the "Klunker 5." These are pretty rare birds. 
My understanding the name change was due to "Klunker" being a trademarked or copyrighted name coming from the new emerging Mountain Bike Trend starting from the Downhill Mountain Bikers from Marin County who were using 30"s Schwinn "StraightBar"

 frames with heavy duty components to blast down Mt. Tamalpais, Marin County, California. They called their pursuits, "Klunking" and their bikes "Klunkers." It was awesome to know these old 30's Schwinns were the choice of early mountain bike history!

regards,
theSaint


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## blue6218

Hey Saintly, Thanks for taking the time to answer my thread, I will enjoy learning more about my bike.  I can tell you it is a great riding bike and the 5 gears are nice....


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## Ozark Flyer

I currently have a 80 Cruiser 5 in Spicy Chestnut.  That year model balloon tire cruiser is my favorite and was made in Chicago. 
A pic of mine is below. I've had several of them. Let me know if I can help.


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## blue6218

thanks for the info, can anybody tell me what colors were offered in 1980 for the cruiser 5?


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## Ozark Flyer

I have only seen black, blue, red, and chestnut.


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## PCHiggin

Hi,The Schwinn "Cruisers" and the others made like them used middleweight frames. They are narrower from the seat tube rearward.

Pat


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## axsepul

blue6218 said:


> Hello there,  I just bought a 1980 Schwinn cruiser 5 and have a couple of questions.  Where was the bike made?  What years were the cruiser 5 produced?  Does the bike have heavy duty wheels or middleweight wheels?  Any info passed along is much appreciated.  Have a great day.




here you go buddy

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43581


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## Bonsaimtb

*Maroon Schwinn Crusier 5?*



blue6218 said:


> Hello there,  I just bought a 1980 Schwinn cruiser 5 and have a couple of questions.  Where was the bike made?  What years were the cruiser 5 produced?  Does the bike have heavy duty wheels or middleweight wheels?  Any info passed along is much appreciated.  Have a great day.




I need the same information you are asking? I just recovered a Maroon Schwinn Crusier 5 in decent shape...its has all the orignial parts..I think? The handle bars are iike old school bmx handle bars..not completly sure they are original..but I believe they are becauseitI has schwinn grips on them. Anyway..what should I do with this thing? It needs a chain and some light sanding to get the rust of the rims and a good cleaning and a complete tune up. What are these things going for in this condition? Should I sell it? Should I fix it up first? Thanks for any and all advice...Bye the way...i'm a bike enthusist..but not much on bikes older then 1994 when I got into MTN. Biking


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## GTs58

No Cruiser 5's came with BMX bars. The mid 80's models did have foam bar wrap and BMX style grips.


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## Bonsaimtb

they are more like moto x bars then bmx bars. It looks original.....you know what you can get for one of these in good shape?  thanks.


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## cyclebuster

79 Klunker 5 all original except chainguard, and  shifter moved to handlebars. I ride it a lot, I love it. Real S2 wheels, balloon frame, rear drum brake with 5 speed, the bags are Schwinn Folders, the basket  Wald. kickstand was welded on with bird poop. came right off, you can hardly see any signs of welds. Its got an aluminum stand on it now, so I don't have to repaint it


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## GTs58

I sold this minty 81 model with an 80 serial number for $375 about 4 or 5 years ago. Should have held out for $500 or more.


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## Andrew Gorman

How can you tell it's a Clunker without the chainguard?


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## GTs58

Andrew Gorman said:


> How can you tell it's a Clunker without the chainguard?




Impossible to tell without the guard.


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## cyberpaull

*Klunkers were only built for 6 months in 1978*

I have one. 

 



 The company briefly (1978–1979) produced a bicycle styled after the California mountain bikes, the Klunker 5. Using the standard electro-forged cantilever frame, and fitted with five-speed derailleur gears and knobby tires, the Klunker 5 was never heavily marketed, and was not even listed in the Schwinn product catalog. Unlike its progenitors, the Klunker proved incapable of withstanding hard off-road use, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reintroduce the model as the Spitfire 5, it was dropped from production.


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## cyclebuster

last guy kept it. I have a nice chrome chainguard on it now I am gonna buy the stickers still have the diamond studs here somewhere


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## GTs58

cyberpaull said:


> I have one. View attachment 90997 View attachment 90998
> 
> The company briefly (1978–1979) produced a bicycle styled after the California mountain bikes, the Klunker 5. Using the standard electro-forged cantilever frame, and fitted with five-speed derailleur gears and knobby tires, the Klunker 5 was never heavily marketed, and was not even listed in the Schwinn product catalog. Unlike its progenitors, the Klunker proved incapable of withstanding hard off-road use, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reintroduce the model as the Spitfire 5, it was dropped from production.




Where did that info come from? First came the Cali Cruiser and the Cruiser 5 speed models were produced well into the 80's with plenty of downgrades. The Cali and Klunker names were dropped due to trademark infringement but the bike continued to be produced.


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## Larmo63

Those are Rad!!!!  They almost look like the old classic Schwinns. Wow.


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## how

I have a blue mint one, then I have a black one I bought for 15 bucks from a thrift shop,,the black one I have been riding for 2 years and I ride it all winter here in Michigan.


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