# When was disc brake put on Krate?



## Bmoc101m1

Ok, I know there are a few different opinions out there but I saw a disc brake bike with the brake dated 1971.  The frame on the bike was very early, March or April I believe.  I have seen a few late 71s in person but never one with a disc.  The 71 date on the actual brake I have never seen though.  

Thanks


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## sfhschwinn

They were only 72-73. If you see one on another year it was out on after to make the bike cooler and more expensive


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## mcmfw2

There have been documented original December frame dated Disc Krates...  I have also personally had 1971 dated disc calipers and hubs. 
Mark


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## how

The Schwinn Manta Ray made only for 2 years 71 and 72 had a disc brake option only in 72.


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## Bmoc101m1

mcmfw2 said:


> There have been documented original December frame dated Disc Krates...  I have also personally had 1971 dated disc calipers and hubs.
> Mark





Both my original 73s have discs dated 72.  I had no idea the Mantas had optional disc brakes.


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## vastingray

It wasn't an option on 72 manta rays it was  standard and Dec 71 KRATES were the earliest I've ever seen as well


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## GTs58

vastingray said:


> It wasn't an option on 72 manta rays it was  standard and Dec 71 KRATES were the earliest I've ever seen as well




Any mid November thru December serial number was on a bike that was the next year's model and more than likely had a final build date at the first of the year. Schwinn like most other manufactures ordered any parts from suppliers well in advance so having a January 72 "built" bike with a 71 dated part would not be abnormal.


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## Bmoc101m1

There's actually a dec 71 Orange Krate on EBay now.  For a Ca bike that's supposedly never been outside its very very hammered. He wants 2k. Good luck


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## Krateness

This is my December 1971 Disc Pea Picker. Pictures are from the day I got it and before I cleaned it up.


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## krateman

I am in agreement with those that sayeth the disc was really only on the Dec. '71's and later, until Oct. '73, which is the latest Krate I've personally seen. I seriously doubt that there are any Nov. '73's with a factory disc brake, although those were not '74 models, so maybe there were. I've just never seen a Nov. '73 Krate. Yes, Mantas were standard with disc brakes in '72.


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## That 70's Schwinn

The 1972 Schwinn Catalog introduced and featured the Krate with Disc break as "New for '72" but as others have mentioned the first Krates with Disc rear break were released in Dec of 1971, just in time for Christmas, the Serial numbers start with "MG" and I have currently seen the Orange Krate and Lemon Peeler on eBay  selling for $2,999 to$3,500 with mostly original parts and paint,  they sold for $113.95 in 1972


 



*
C30-9 5-Speed Stik-shift Krate .... $113.95
*


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## GTs58

If a bike has a December serial number there no way in hell that it was built, boxed up, shipped and then sold just in time for Christmas. There are so many made up unbelievable stories going around and the BS has spread world wide.

1st. A drop out component or head tube is stamped out of a piece of steel.
2nd. The drop out component is then stamped with a serial number and the head tube is stamped, rolled, welded, cleaned up and then stamped with a serial number. The day that the serial number was stamped is the date that you see on the list.
3rd. Then the drop out or head tube was used to build a frame. And that was sometime after the recorded date of the SN stamping.
4th. The frame was then prepped for paint, then acid washed, primed, base coat if used and then finally painted the finished color.
5th. The finished frame was then built up to what ever model.
6th, The finished bike was rolled off the line, boxed up and later shipped to a dealer or one of Schwinn's distribution centers.

A bike was not built in a day. From the many 1976 and later examples that I have noted the shortest time span between the serial number date and the final build date stamped on the head badge was just under a month. Many, the majority, have had a two or three month span from the SN date to the build date. Saying a bike was built on the date that the serial number was stamped is totally false. There is no possible way to know when a bike was built until Schwinn started stamping the final build dates on the head badges. If your frame has an October, November or December 71 serial number it very well could have been built up in 1972 with the M code most definitely.




That 70's Schwinn said:


> The 1972 Schwinn Catalog introduced and featured the Krate with Disc break as *"New for '72" but as others have mentioned the first Krates with Disc rear break were released in Dec of 1971, just in time for Christmas,* the Serial numbers start with "MG" and I have currently seen the Orange Krate and Lemon Peeler on eBay  selling for $2,999 to$3,500 with mostly original parts and paint,  they sold for $113.95 in 1972View attachment 375664 View attachment 375665
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> C30-9 5-Speed Stik-shift Krate .... $113.95
> *


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## mcmfw2

The earliest I've had was an original Dec 71 Lemon Peeler and the latest was this Oct 73 Sunset Orange Krate


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## sfhschwinn

To make a correction to my earlier statement the grey ghost of 71 had the disc brake. I bought a disc brake wheel stamped 71 that came off a grey ghost part out


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## krateman

mbjlkn


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## krateman

sfhschwinn said:


> To make a correction to my earlier statement the grey ghost of 71 had the disc brake. I bought a disc brake wheel stamped 71 that came off a grey ghost part out



No, the '71 Grey Ghost was not made. That would've been a '72 model. There are no real Grey Ghost disc brakes, unless Schwinn just decided one day to change around all their production practices to make a special Grey Ghost for those future collectors to ooh and ahh over. Dec. of each year was always next years models. They should be found with Dec. '70 to Nov. '71-dated serial numbers on them. No disc brakes were on any Nov. '71 bikes. The '71-dated brakes, of which I have one hub, were dated WAY before they were used. I think there may be 2 different dated '71's? I'll have to check the hub. I have seen at least 2-3 '73-dated hubs.


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## kingsting

So here's something I just noticed a few weeks ago. I know that the bikes in the catalogs are usually pre-production and have some things airbrushed out but the Grey Ghost in the 1971 catalog has no rear caliper and sure looks like it has a disc brake on it...


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## indycycling

I know the Ghost pic from the '71 catalog is an old post, but sure cracks the code - no doubt that is a disc and no rear brake


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## prewarbikes4sale

I own a complete original Grey Ghost Disc Brake with M serial #


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