# Rack / carrier question



## Sven (Jan 12, 2020)

Was there a schwinn (approved) rear rack / carrier available for lightweight 27" models  in 1964?
Found this in the Schwinn catalog / bike history  website.  1966 Says it's for lightweight.  But is it for 26 or 27 inch lightweights?




Or did riders use Pletscher carriers for 27 inch lightweights in 1964?
Thanks


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## juvela (Jan 12, 2020)

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Carrier rack nr. 01505 certainly looks to be an ESGE product.

Yes, to Pletscher racks in 1964.

Perhaps we could have some input from @Metacortex...

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## GTs58 (Jan 12, 2020)

I bought a new 1964 Varsity and at that time Schwinn used the Pletscher rat trap. These early Pletschers did not have the later added flip up stop at the front as seen on this recreation of my childhood bike. I gave up looking for the 64 style when building this up and I still haven't come across one 8 years later.


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## GTs58 (Jan 12, 2020)

Did a search on eBay and found one. Pricey and $42.50 shipped and no mounting hardware.


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## Sven (Jan 12, 2020)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> Carrier rack nr. 01505 certainly looks to be an ESGE product.
> 
> ...





GTs58 said:


> Did a search on eBay and found one. Pricey and $42.50 shipped and no mounting hardware.
> 
> View attachment 1122963



Thank you gentlemen. BTW, @GTs58 , love that  Flamboyant Lime color.


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## juvela (Jan 12, 2020)

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@Sven -

spent a few minutes attempting to locate any vintage ESGE print materials without success.  have searched in the past also.  might help if one spoke the language!    

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@GTs58 -

what year did the 40U's begin coming through with reflectors?  am thinking it was prior to CPSC.

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## GTs58 (Jan 12, 2020)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> @Sven -
> 
> ...




For Schwinn it was 1971.


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## mr.cycleplane (Jan 13, 2020)

Vintage bicycle   Pletscher of Switzerland  rear Wheel alloy rack with springs   | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage bicycle   Pletscher of Switzerland  rear Wheel alloy rack with springs  at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!



					rover.ebay.com
				



the search is over!


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## mr.cycleplane (Jan 13, 2020)

Original Pletscher / Raleigh Alloy Pannier Rack with Cat Eye Reflector-Fittings  | eBay
					

From a 1970's  Raleigh Record. Cat Eye Reflector + Fittings. Minor Rust spots and scuff marks from age.



					rover.ebay.com
				



and another!


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## mr.cycleplane (Jan 13, 2020)

Vintage Swiss Pletscher Aluminium Bicycle Bike Rear Spring Loaded Rack Pannier   | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage Swiss Pletscher Aluminium Bicycle Bike Rear Spring Loaded Rack Pannier  at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!



					rover.ebay.com
				



without pop-up piece?


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jan 13, 2020)

I'm thinking they used the same frames for both. I could probably fit 28" wheels on my 26" Schwinn _Racer.  _so racks would not be any different


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## Sven (Jan 13, 2020)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I'm thinking they used the same frames for both.




Looking at my MODELL C it appears that if you remove these tabs that hold the flip up piece , file it down  smooth,  and  Viola!!





If you look at the one that's on ebay  It appears to have tabs


And it appears the price now is $49:99.


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## GTs58 (Jan 13, 2020)

Sven said:


> Looking at my MODELL C it appears that if you remove these tabs that hold the flip up piece , file it down  smooth,  and  Viola!!View attachment 1123551View attachment 1123553
> If you look at the one that's on ebay  It appears to have tabsView attachment 1123557
> And it appears the price now is $49:99.




Yours is the same piece that's on my Varsity. These early ones have Patent Pending on the middle cross support and the ones with a cast in pivot tab are obviously later. So there are three variants I've seen so far.


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## fat tire trader (Jan 17, 2020)

Sven said:


> Was there a schwinn (approved) rear rack / carrier available for lightweight 27" models  in 1964?
> Found this in the Schwinn catalog / bike history  website.  1966 Says it's for lightweight.  But is it for 26 or 27 inch lightweights?
> View attachment 1122680
> Or did riders use Pletscher carriers for 27 inch lightweights in 1964?
> Thanks




I have one of the Q1505 racks. If I remember correctly, I took it off of a Varsity. I put it on my Heavy Duti.


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## AndyA (Jan 17, 2020)

GTs58:
I notice that the Pletscher on your Varsity is raked. If that's the look you're going for, cool. But if you want to level it or you run into mounting problems on another bike, you need a spacer between the rack clamp bolts and the rear brake bolt or fender bolt hole.  That keeps the front end of the rack where you want. Pletschers usually came with one of these, but you can also easily fabricate custom spacers out of aluminum. See pics for examples. Also, I usually wrap the frame with vinyl tape at the rack clamp to avoid unnecessary dings.


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## GTs58 (Jan 18, 2020)

@AndyA  thanks for the pics of the T brackets. I believe those came about later and my original 64 just had a thick back plate that had teeth that dug into the frame and that kept the rack in place. :eek: The local Schwinn dealer installed it when purchased. That project building up my childhood bike was a lot of fun but it was definitely a PITA starting from the day I won it on eBay from a seller in Black Mountain, NC. It took a month for it to arrive at my doorstep after dealing with the seller getting it packed up. Lots of parts were changed out including the saddle and bars so it took some time to round up the correct parts to get it finished. Finding a small frame with great F. Lime paint also took longer than I hoped for. That carrier was the last thing sourced, they were scarce at that time and if you look at my picture you'll see that the mounting hardware is not conducive to a small frame. That's what came with it and it was used just to get the carrier installed so the project could be more or less finished. There are rubber pieces between the mounting hardware and frame.

This is the same mounting hardware that came with carrier. You can see why I couldn't mount the carrier level.


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