# 1962 Schwinn Traveler...maybe?



## Siestabikes (Dec 21, 2017)

A buddy has a '62 Traveler that I'm thinking of buying for $90. My concerns are...i dont need/want another bike and the scratches on the top tube would bother me. the first concern can be overlooked but the scratches cannot. would a polishing compound help remove or diminish them?

overall the bike has decent patina, very original including the schwinn white walls, and came from the family of the original owner

what is the tire size? The chain guard doesn't have the "schwinn traveler" graphic but rather the elongated line with a single star graphic, is this an aftermarket piece?


----------



## island schwinn (Dec 21, 2017)

headbadge alone is worth 40 bucks.


----------



## GTs58 (Dec 21, 2017)

I would call that top bar scrapped up, not scratched. A polish will work on superficial scratches and scuffs but won't help if the  paint is missing. Touching up black paint is somewhat easy if one wants to go thru that process. You say the bike is a 62 with a non decaled guard so I'd say that the serial number is a November thru December 1962 serial but the bike is actually a 1963 model. The 62 model had the Traveler decal on the guard but the 63 models did not. The 63 seat mask decal was also new and matches the one on the bike you posted. Here's the 63 catalog image.


----------



## jimsbeercans (Dec 22, 2017)

I wouldn't wait..Black bikes are an easy sale. Worth that in parts.


----------



## Freqman1 (Dec 22, 2017)

Maybe I'm missing something but when you say "...i dont need/want another bike" that should be it--don't buy it. V/r Shawn


----------



## Jeff54 (Dec 22, 2017)

jimsbeercans said:


> I wouldn't wait..Black bikes are an easy sale. Worth that in parts.





Don't agree. Schwinn Lightweights are a tough sale. Black is a better color and that badge is worthy for quick sale;$25-50 buckaroos but, unless you sell at ebay b/c few here are interested in the rest, hardly any on Craig's list and have plenty time to wait on long-shot and package the rims, frame and leftover parts individually  U gonna be looking at them long time. It's a good too decent looking bike, a plus for badge, decals on bar and the front fender b/c that's last year, 63 for that fender. But, U buy that @ 90 b/c you like it  or, you've got plenty storage, tons of patience,  are walking distance to post office, fedex or UPS and love fabricating indestructible shipping boxes. .


----------



## Siestabikes (Dec 22, 2017)

Thanks for the clarification regarding the year. I find, fix and flip bikes, mostly 70's and up mid-level roadies and hybrids, so space is very limited for something i may use a couple times a year. i have my personal collection of mostly sport/touring road/mtb bikes but i would like ONE (1)..only ONE low cost older Schwinn but i'm not sure if this is the one. visually i like the style of the Corvettes but i do like the originality of the Traveler


----------



## stpeteschwinn (Dec 22, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> I would call that top bar scrapped up, not scratched. A polish will work on superficial scratches and scuffs but won't help if the  paint is missing. Touching up black paint is somewhat easy if one wants to go thru that process. You say the bike is a 62 with a non decaled guard so I'd say that the serial number is a November thru December 1962 serial but the bike is actually a 1963 model. The 62 model had the Traveler decal on the guard but the 63 models did not. The 63 seat mask decal was also new and matches the one on the bike you posted. Here's the 63 catalog image.
> 
> View attachment 727634





That's interesting GT. I've never seen that '63 black seat up until yesterday. Picked up a June of '62 Traveler with that seat on in. Efkade...made in Holland.


----------



## stpeteschwinn (Dec 22, 2017)

Jeff54 said:


> Don't agree. Schwinn Lightweights are a tough sale.




I respectfully disagree, at least for this model.  Travelers can be an easy sale. They are all about condition, and because they weren't kids bikes, like alot of old Schwinns, some beautiful examples are still out there and are very desireable.  I agree though about the rest of Schwinn's lightweight models. Those can be tough to move.


----------



## Schwinn499 (Dec 22, 2017)

Ive seen complete black early 60s travelers sell for $600 on eBay, granted it was a minty bike but these bikes have value, and not just in parts!


----------



## Oilit (Dec 22, 2017)

Siestabikes said:


> A buddy has a '62 Traveler that I'm thinking of buying for $90. My concerns are...i dont need/want another bike and the scratches on the top tube would bother me. the first concern can be overlooked but the scratches cannot. would a polishing compound help remove or diminish them?
> 
> overall the bike has decent patina, very original including the schwinn white walls, and came from the family of the original owner
> 
> ...



The tires are a size proprietary to Schwinn (Chicago). Most 26' lightweight tires use a 590mm bead seat diameter, Schwinn used 597mm. Kenda makes new replacements that are the right size, but they're the only ones that I know of. You often find these bikes with the smaller tires wedged on, but they won't seat right and they're a pain to get back off. There's a sticky at the head of this section with more details.


----------



## bikemonkey (Dec 23, 2017)

Oilit said:


> The tires are a size proprietary to Schwinn (Chicago). Most 26' lightweight tires use a 590mm bead seat diameter, Schwinn used 597mm. Kenda makes new replacements that are the right size, but they're the only ones that I know of. You often find these bikes with the smaller tires wedged on, but they won't seat right and they're a pain to get back off. There's a sticky at the head of this section with more details.



Sunlite makes the 597 gumwalls if there is ever a need for that look. They also make other Schwinn size tires.


----------



## Schwinn499 (Dec 23, 2017)

Kenda makes them in gumwall and whitewall also.


----------



## GTs58 (Dec 23, 2017)

bikemonkey said:


> Sunlite makes the 597 gumwalls if there is ever a need for that look. They also make other Schwinn size tires.




JFYI, Sunlite is just a major distributor of bike parts and they don't make anything. Possibly a Taiwan based company. Seems that name is on everything these days and their tires are actually made by Kenda. I purchased a pair of headset bearings and found out later they were distributed by Sunlite. Couldn't find any manufacturer stampings on the retainers so I'm guessing they were also made in China.


----------



## bikemonkey (Dec 23, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> JFYI, Sunlite is just a major distributor of bike parts and they don't make anything. Possibly a Taiwan based company. Seems that name is on everything these days and their tires are actually made by Kenda. I purchased a pair of headset bearings and found out later they were distributed by Sunlite. Couldn't find any manufacturer stampings on the retainers so I'm guessing they were also made in China.



Thanks for the info - our shop deals with QBP and Hawleys and I cannot get a Kenda or Sunlite 597 gumwall from either distributor.


----------



## Eric Amlie (Dec 24, 2017)

Cody, I particularly like that black Racer.
I saw a photo of a Paramount done up in that paint/decal scheme that I just fell in love with.
Unfortunately, I didn't save the photo.


----------



## Siestabikes (Jan 7, 2018)

Well, I ended up acquiring the bike for about about 2 hours of labor working on dept. store Huffys and Magnas. It cleaned up much better than expected. I spent a few hours tweaking the crank, hubs and wheels and fixing the broken fender tab near the chainstays....by sliding down the fender and drilling a new mounting hole. In the end, I sold it to a friend who will sell or trade it for musical instruments. It was a brief 48 hour affair with little regret and a better understanding of what I want in a vintage Schwinn


----------



## GTs58 (Jan 7, 2018)

Looks very presentable. So all that shimming is needed to make the fender/tire reveal look better than factory?


----------



## bikemonkey (Jan 7, 2018)

Siestabikes said:


> Well, I ended up acquiring the bike for about about 2 hours of labor working on dept. store Huffys and Magnas. It cleaned up much better than expected. I spent a few hours tweaking the crank, hubs and wheels and fixing the broken fender tab near the chainstays....by sliding down the fender and drilling a new mounting hole. In the end, I sold it to a friend who will sell or trade it for musical instruments. It was a brief 48 hour affair with little regret and a better understanding of what I want in a vintage Schwinn
> 
> View attachment 734639
> 
> ...



I see it came loaded...


----------



## SirMike1983 (Jan 7, 2018)

That was a good buy. That Traveler 3-speed is a good bike and certainly worth $90. The earlier ones with the more ornate decals and different colors are worth a bit more, but that black bike is nice looking and will be a good rider.


----------



## rhenning (Jan 7, 2018)

This is my 1962 in blue. Seems like my down tube decals are a bit more fancy than yours are.  Nice riding bikes. Roger


----------



## Siestabikes (Jan 7, 2018)

I needed to shim the fender because the bottom 2 inches were broken off. i swapped a longer front brake through bolt for the original shorter rear bolt and added some spacers, the only way the center fender tab would attach to the brake


----------

