The "Shoulda Been" Schwinn Lightweight Project Shakedown Ride

[Schwinny]

I found this bike in 2017 with a crushed front wheel, fork, fender and handlebars. The lady I got it from at the Estate sale said the family Station Wagon backed over it in the late 1980's. By the looks of the whole bike, it had been well ridden up till that point.
I put it back together semi-correctly and rode it like that for awhile

It rode well, I got it to stop rattling pretty easy, but as a bicycle it was a little small for me, a little stodgy and was officially a 10 footer. (looks pretty good from 10ft away)
But I cant leave well enough alone... So I stripped it down, rubbed it real well and came up with a cooler version for awhile...

I really liked this version, with a gear change it was pretty fast, but I cant leave well enough alone. So I disassembled it again and rubbed it some more. This time I thought I would mix all the Schwinn bike types I had parts for that would fit, just to see if anything cool showed up with the idea that maybe they should have made one of these.
Now there are parts on it from the 40's through the late 70's and it looks like it popped out of the early 50's
There are still several kinks to work out, and the correct length and angle kickstand has eluded me so-far but it is basically finished.
Here it is on its maiden cruise on a perfect Sunday morning.

Here's a list of the parts:

• 1964 November frame with all braze ons removed except for chain guard.
• NOS Tange fork 3/4 chrome
• Weinmann model 2120 rims 622-19
• Michelin World Tour gumwall tires 622x35
• Front high flange hub from a 73' Suburban
• 3 speed hub is a 67' Coaster model (TCW 3) from a 67' Breeze
• Front fender is original Shark fin stainless style
• Rear fender is from a 79 Collegiate (thanks coaster brake junkie)
• Seat is a Brooks 66S with chrome rails and springs using a Continental clamp and AS bolt
• Crank is a rebop "lightweight" 7" stroke version with Continental Atom 440 pedals
• Front sprocket is a 48t rebop sweetheart and rear is 22t
• driveline has been switched to 3/32"
• Headbadge is a early brass version.
• handlebars are Soma "City" aluminum (very close to the originals but 1/2" higher rise.
• Front brake is an NOS Weinmann 999 center pull
• And of course the 40's Feather chain guard.

And a big thanks to CABE members; Coaster brake Junky, ABC Services and Cathula for their help selling me parts !!

 

[BOB LOBLAW]

It would look better with matching fenders. Love the blue.

 

[Frank and Pam Skid Kings]

George Washington's original axe. Axe head been replaced once and the original handle twice Lol. Nice job, looks amazing.

 

[juvela]

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Lots of good fun there; thanks for posting!

The Sakae Ringyo - Schwinn stem appears a bit too high for safety; its markings are visible on the back side

The Atom model 440 pedals are definite heirloom items: the Establissements Maurice Maillard factory which produced them in Incheville France closed in 1991

Keep an eye out for a Weinmann brake caliper with the orangish "Schwinn Approved" label

Lots of fine work there!

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[SirMike1983]

I see the Tange fork as an improvement over the original. The Schwinn flat blade forks have quite a bit of side-to-side give. The production convenience of the time allowed them to be produced in huge quantities, and they were just adequate, at best, for the purpose of a front fork on a utility bike. When you bank in a hard turn or check for flex, you'll actually see the gap between the rim and fork sides change because of the flex. On the 10-speeds, you could pay a little more and get a regular fork on the Continental over the Varsity. The bike probably rides a lot better now with the modified seat post and the new front fork. The paint looks great.

 

[Schwinny]

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Lots of good fun there; thanks for posting!

The Sakae Ringyo - Schwinn stem appears a bit too high for safety; its markings are visible on the back side

The Atom model 440 pedals are definite heirloom items: the Establissements Maurice Maillard factory which produced them in Incheville France closed in 1991

Keep an eye out for a Weinmann brake caliper with the orangish "Schwinn Approved" label

Lots of fine work there!

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Yes, that stem is right on the edge of disaster.. Just below the lip and above the bearing. Exactly how it shouldn't be. Thats one of the kinks to work out. I'll be careful until I can work out a longer stem.
Thx!

 

[Schwinny]

I see the Tange fork as an improvement over the original. The Schwinn flat blade forks have quite a bit of side-to-side give. The production convenience of the time allowed them to be produced in huge quantities, and they were just adequate, at best, for the purpose of a front fork on a utility bike. When you bank in a hard turn or check for flex, you'll actually see the gap between the rim and fork sides change because of the flex. On the 10-speeds, you could pay a little more and get a regular fork on the Continental over the Varsity. The bike probably rides a lot better now with the modified seat post and the new front fork. The paint looks great.

The fork has been on it since last spring and you are exactly right. It was like a completely different bike. It rides a lot smoother. Amazing difference and it weighs less than Half of the cast iron OE.

 

[juvela]

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if you don't mind a stem which lacks an Ignaz marque there is the Nitto Technomic; quite handsome as well...

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[Arnold Ziffel]

It is a great looking bicycle. You do outstanding work! A+ for creativity too!!!

You should consider installing an extra-long stem. You have to be safe! Because your Schwinn frame is 1964, it should be very easy to find an aftermarket 22.2mm diameter stem that you like. That stem diameter was very common to most all American bike makes.
The later 1966 onward Schwinns with the stronger, thicker walled head tubes required a smaller 21.1 stem diameter that was unique mostly to Schwinn and some Japanese made bikes, mostly produced for Schwinn during the 1970's. You probably do not have as many aftmkt stem choices for the later 1966 onward Schwinns as you have for the 1965 and earlier Schwinns.

Creativity and customization & personalization is something that a large segment of CABERS seem to miss out on.
Sure, there are some dynamite bone-stock factory designs, but I think that many of the custom-personalized examples exceed what the factory did so long ago.

 

[Superman1984]

It is a great looking bicycle. You do outstanding work! A+ for creativity too!!!

You should consider installing an extra-long stem. You have to be safe! Because your Schwinn frame is 1964, it should be very easy to find an aftermarket 22.2mm diameter stem that you like. That stem diameter was very common to most all American bike makes.
The later 1966 onward Schwinns with the stronger, thicker walled head tubes required a smaller 21.1 stem diameter that was unique mostly to Schwinn and some Japanese made bikes, mostly produced for Schwinn during the 1970's. You probably do not have as many aftmkt stem choices for the later 1966 onward Schwinns as you have for the 1965 and earlier Schwinns.

Creativity and customization & personalization is something that a large segment of CABERS seem to miss out on.
Sure, there are some dynamite bone-stock factory designs, but I think that many of the custom-personalized examples exceed what the factory did so long ago.

Agreed 100% on the custom side being so much fun, personal, & there's No Right or Wrong. I love my middle weight wearing balloon tires & having the freedom to do it the way I'd like without worries of "ruining" a vintage or stressing correct parts etc