# My 1946 Continental...



## HARPO (Jul 26, 2022)

This hasn't seen the light of day in years. It's the one I bought back in 2018 and did a Post on it. Anyway, I figured it might be nice to take it for a quick spin. Still rides nice...but don't go to far on the saddle!  😬

First photo is as I bought it...


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## juvela (Jul 26, 2022)

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🤩 

hast thee been able to make out any writing on the roundish transfer at the base of the down tube?


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sprechening o' tings wheech ha' been a-snoozin'...

has thee yet touched the Alvah Roebuck Riva-Sport?


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## HARPO (Jul 26, 2022)

juvela said:


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> 🤩
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Transfer is basically blank at this point.

Which other bike are you referring to?


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## HARPO (Jul 26, 2022)

@Goldenrod  Do you still have yours?


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## GTs58 (Jul 26, 2022)

You could just cut a piece of Shag carpet and wrap that seat with it for riding. Multi-color Blue and Light Gray would look awesome!   😜


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## HARPO (Jul 27, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> You could just cut a piece of Shag carpet and wrap that seat with it for riding. Multi-color Blue and Light Gray would look awesome!   😜




I'll hold out until I can either find a decent correct saddle or a "non-shag" alternative, lol!


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 27, 2022)

Keep an eye on the brazed joint where the seat stays join the seat tube. On some of these frames, the brazing there will start to crack and separate if a taller rider with a high seat post is riding the bike. I've seen about a half-dozen post-war Continental frames where that happened. I've seen it only once on a New World frame. I think, for whatever reason, the post-war Continental frames can be prone to that joint cracking with a taller or heavier rider on a high seat post. It not something that's unfixable, but you don't want a crack starting in and going unnoticed.


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## juvela (Jul 27, 2022)

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HARPO said:


> Transfer is basically blank at this point.
> 
> Which other bike are you referring to?





Post War(?) Sears "Made In France"...Well, Sold Through Sears...



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## Oilit (Jul 27, 2022)

HARPO said:


> I'll hold out until I can either find a decent correct saddle or a "non-shag" alternative, lol!



I'm guessing somebody who works in upholstery could recover it, if there's anybody local. I like the dealer decal on that one!


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## juvela (Jul 27, 2022)

Oilit said:


> I'm guessing somebody who works in upholstery could recover it, if there's anybody local. I like the dealer decal on that one!




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yes, t'is been a good fortnight or three since cycle purveyors included perambulators in their business names...







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## HARPO (Jul 28, 2022)

juvela said:


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 Oh that one...it's gone. Couldn't do really anything with it, so good parts were stripped  for perchance locating another at some point.


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## HARPO (Jul 28, 2022)

SirMike1983 said:


> Keep an eye on the brazed joint where the seat stays join the seat tube. On some of these frames, the brazing there will start to crack and separate if a taller rider with a high seat post is riding the bike. I've seen about a half-dozen post-war Continental frames where that happened. I've seen it only once on a New World frame. I think, for whatever reason, the post-war Continental frames can be prone to that joint cracking with a taller or heavier rider on a high seat post. It not something that's unfixable, but you don't want a crack starting in and going unnoticed.



Thanks for the warning! I'm 6', but the bike won't be ridden much anyway. Once in a while will be it. 🙂


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Jul 28, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> You could just cut a piece of Shag carpet and wrap that seat with it for riding. Multi-color Blue and Light Gray would look awesome!   😜



The problem with shag it that it gets that wet dog smell when it gets wet. My Dad always said a bike should never smell like a german shepard, he was always good for pithy bits of wisdom like that.


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## MrMonark13 (Jul 28, 2022)

HARPO said:


> @Goldenrod  Do you still have yours?



I believe he still does. I think I saw it last time I was at his house. That was about 2 weeks ago.


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## DKB (Jul 31, 2022)

I briefly had an early 50s Varsity that resembled this Continental very closely. I don't think it had the BB grease nipple and many of this bike's chrome parts were painted on the Varsity. Any "real" difference between the models besides cosmetics?


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## GTs58 (Jul 31, 2022)

DKB said:


> I briefly had an early 50s Varsity that resembled this Continental very closely. I don't think it had the BB grease nipple and many of this bike's chrome parts were painted on the Varsity. Any "real" difference between the models besides cosmetics?




The Continental has a chrome molybdenum frame and fork, stainless fenders, upgraded bottom bracket with a three-piece crank set, upgraded pedals and a few other parts. Schwinn had countless diamond frame lightweights over the years and they might all look very similar, and the components and markings are what sets them apart.


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## Eric Amlie (Jul 31, 2022)

Here is a '55 Varsity that I own.
As GTs58 said above, there is a pretty big difference between this and an early Continental, though they may look outwardly similar.


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 31, 2022)

Eric Amlie said:


> Here is a '55 Varsity that I own.
> As GTs58 said above, there is a pretty big difference between this and an early Continental, though they may look outwardly similar.
> 
> View attachment 1672791




Different but equally sharp looking in that color. Schwinn really put the effort into making these bikes attractive.


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## GTs58 (Jul 31, 2022)

SirMike1983 said:


> Different but equally sharp looking in that color. Schwinn really put the effort into making these bikes attractive.




That opal blue Varsity is definitely sharp looking. Was 1955 the only year they were offered in Opal colors? The Traveler had a great color selection in earlier years.


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## DKB (Aug 1, 2022)

I forgot about the Ashtabula crank. Duh! The three-piece crank was probably the specific "continental" feature.


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