# S-5 Wheels



## Bikerider007 (Apr 13, 2016)

Anyone know when these began? I have an older Superior project and trying to determine if these are original to it. I see the ads showing S-6 available in 1948 or so and I think that is the Superior age.

They are stamped Schwinn S 5 and have raised center, Schwinn script hubs, rear has expander brake. Low flange.


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## GTs58 (Apr 13, 2016)

I'll take a carefully aimed stab at the year the S-5 appeared. 1965

Maybe that's a year off. I'll say 1964 when Schwinn started offering all kinds of new lightweights.


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## GTs58 (Apr 13, 2016)

Okay, I'm still stabbing at it and we're getting it down closer to Pre War.  

61 ad states S-5's. But they sure are not depicted as raised center.


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## Schwinn499 (Apr 14, 2016)

GTs58 said:


> Okay, I'm still stabbing at it and we're getting it down closer to Pre War.
> 
> 61 ad states S-5's. But they sure are not depicted as raised center.



Off the top of my head, I think your close on the '64 stab...at least as far as the raised center S-5 goes. I wanna say the first year Collegiate (with the one year only hat-ring decals and the painted fenders) sported them. I think its possible the "S-5" was a rim similar in profile to the S-6 prior '64.


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## Schwinn499 (Apr 14, 2016)




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## Gordon (Apr 14, 2016)

I have a 1955 Racer that to the best of my knowledge is all original and it has S-5 rims. Rear has a 2 speed lever shift Bendix.


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 14, 2016)

Gordon said:


> I have a 1955 Racer that to the best of my knowledge is all original and it has S-5 rims. Rear has a 2 speed lever shift Bendix.




Do they have raised center?

Thanks guys for digging in. I wondered as the frame is not drilled on rear bridge so it came with expander, guess they could have updated. And why S6 would be released before S5. I am assuming they went in chronological order. And wishful thinking 

I have most parts, had to get a few off a ladies Superior and am trying to ID everything, going to put together soon.


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## Schwinn499 (Apr 14, 2016)

Can we see some pics of the rims in question. Are you sure its an expander brake and not a three speed hub?


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 14, 2016)

Schwinn499 said:


> Can we see some pics of the rims in question. Are you sure its an expander brake and not a three speed hub?




Yes sir. Also throwing in a pic of the project with some cleanup. The rear brake was off the donor too since he did not need. Figured it cant hurt to have. Rear fender and guard are off the Superior, front was a 60s lightweight but appears the same. Will probably just sand those and make dull black for now.  Not real sure how much to put into it. Serial is B949.


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## Gordon (Apr 14, 2016)

Well, my memory obviously is not what it used to be. My 55 Racer has S-6 rims, not the raised center S-5's. It is another later Racer I have with the S-5's as well as my 71 Manta Ray. Sorry for any confusion I might have caused.


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## GTs58 (Apr 14, 2016)

From that serial number I'm guessing the frame was #49 built in Feb 1949. Pretty dang sure there were no S-5's used during that time.

Did more digging so I'll take yet another stab at the year the raised S-5 came about. In 1959 the Racer and Traveler used the rim PN. 3924 which I believe is the flat S-5. The part number for the rims on bikes starting in 64, or maybe a bit earlier was PN. 3990. Here is the 1962 parts catalog and the 3990 rim is stated as the new style. Raised center?


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 14, 2016)

Great work, thank you guys for the info.


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## Schwinn499 (Apr 14, 2016)

GTs58 said:


> From that serial number I'm guessing the frame was #49 built in Feb 1949. Pretty dang sure there were no S-5's used during that time.
> 
> Did more digging so I'll take yet another stab at the year the raised S-5 came about. In 1959 the Racer and Traveler used the rim PN. 3924 which I believe is the flat S-5. The part number for the rims on bikes starting in 64, or maybe a bit earlier was PN. 3990. Here is the 1962 parts catalog and the 3990 rim is stated as the new style. Raised center?



Nice dig! Looks like 62 it is.


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## Jeff54 (Apr 15, 2016)

I have  56 and 63 racers, the 56 is flat  S-6 and 63 raised and  knurled S-5.


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## SirMike1983 (Apr 15, 2016)

Is there any factory literature to say whether the S5 serves any other purpose than to copy Raleigh style rims? The original intent of that shape is so you can produce the same rim for both caliper and rod/stirrup brakes. I do not believe Schwinn ever made a rod/stirrup brake bike in the English style. So was the S5 to copy Raleigh only, or is there another purpose?


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## Schwinn499 (Apr 15, 2016)

Bikerider007 said:


> Yes sir. Also throwing in a pic of the project with some cleanup. The rear brake was off the donor too since he did not need. Figured it cant hurt to have. Rear fender and guard are off the Superior, front was a 60s lightweight but appears the same. Will probably just sand those and make dull black for now.  Not real sure how much to put into it. Serial is B949. View attachment 305214 View attachment 305215



I want to say those rims were laced into the OG hubset, obviously some time after '62.


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 15, 2016)

I guess that would bring to light when script hubs and expander stopped being produced, if anyone has an idea.


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## Jeff54 (Apr 15, 2016)

Bikerider007 said:


> I guess that would bring to light when script hubs and expander stopped being produced, if anyone has an idea.



Prob not and something I hadn't cleaned nor checked on the 56 racer s-6 has front hub that's made in Germany. Come to think on that, in 56? that's odd Germany, I'd thought Germany happened about a decade later. . Albeit I guess you could have ordered expander brakes for front hub, but wouldn't expect to see them on s-5's and the 63 Racer   s-5 raised has the same stylized script as my 1955 hornet deluxe. which I found the same on net in this photo;


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 19, 2016)

Pretty much same hub, I got to breaking down and packing the wheels today. Schwinn stamps everything so I took a few pics.

Weird little icons by the word Schwinn



 

Looks stamped 7 71, year?



 

3201 Schwinn N



 

Just because


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## Schwinn499 (Apr 20, 2016)

Bikerider007 said:


> Pretty much same hub, I got to breaking down and packing the wheels today. Schwinn stamps everything so I took a few pics.
> 
> Weird little icons by the word Schwinn
> 
> ...



Cool stuff...i know those little icons are on the bottom bracket cones, but never noticed then on axle cones. They are date stamps. @Metacortex has some of those icons decoded.


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 20, 2016)

That's interesting, would be cool to know. There were two on the left side and I think one on the right side of text. May need to look again tonight.


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## Bikerider007 (Apr 22, 2016)

So I found the thread, the little Tomahawk is a 71' so those are much newer wheels. And that matches the date on the axle as well.


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