# Question about Schwinn forks



## Flat Tire (Dec 8, 2010)

Picked up this 60's Schwinn Skipper a few weeks ago, 2 speed kickback. This one has a chrome fork and I was wondering if some of the Schwinn middleweights came with chrome forks or what? I cant see someone chrome plating the thing. Let me know what ya think..


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## Gordon (Dec 8, 2010)

My guess is that isn't the original fork. I had a Skipper and the fork was the same color as the frame - orange/red. Also, the Skipper is a low end model, bolt on kick stand, painted rims, no frills, so I doubt the fork would be chrome. I could be wrong - wouldn't be the first time.


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 8, 2010)

That bike is a first. The Schwinn Skipper was a mid sixties low line middleweight bike, with no extras, painted rims, and little chrome. Schwinn would have never chrome plated an ashtabula blade fork, as the cost would have defeated the purpose of this bike. To put a kid on a new Schwinn at the cheapest possible price. Someone took the fork on this bike and had a plater do this after the fact.

Jim.


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## Flat Tire (Dec 8, 2010)

Thanks guys...I dont know much about Schwinn middleweights, but I figured it was a low end model. Just wondered why the fork was chrome, seems like a waste of money if someone paid to plate it...oh well..no biggie, as it rides pretty nice with the kickback 2 speed!


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## gregv (Dec 10, 2010)

hey Don

my brother had the fork on his black '64 typhoon chromed about 15 years ago when he first restored it, so I'm sure there's more guys out there who have done it. Could be a style queue from foreign road bikes that have the forks and rear dropouts chromed maybe?

Anyways, quite certain it was not a standard factory procedure or even an option, but it looks cool on your bike!

greg v


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## Rear Facing Drop Out (Jan 9, 2011)

Schwinn had crome replacement forks. Ashtabula made those those forks. I have pulled a few from old shop through the years.
I have also seen MANY bent Schwinn forks so if this bike hit into a wall or ???? maybe the only option was a cromed replacement!


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## Adamtinkerer (Jan 9, 2011)

I agree with all above. Also, this has to be a 1963 Skipper, final year for this model. It has the same cantilever frame as a Corvette, Jaguar, Tiger, etc. Earlier models had twin straight bars, like this 61 Tornado.


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## ratdaddy (Jan 9, 2011)

around here it was the coolest thing to get your fork chromed like a chopper.and then we would put on a steering wheel.


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