1962 Traveler Tires

[marching_out]

Picked up this Traveler this week. Got a closer look at it today. I've never seen tires with this label. Any info?

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

They were just an optional Heavy Duty version of the standard Schwinn S5 S6 tire. They are really heavy and have a very stiff sidewall which you will notice when you break them down for your service. They were an option available for the dealer to order on the bike at the time of original order, but most were dealer installed as an aftermarket replacement tire. Usually, the dealer would also install Thorn Resistant inner tubes. In some parts of the country Thorns, or sometimes called Goat heads, was an out of control weed.

They work really well for that purpose. The "down side" is they kill the easy rolling ride.

John

 

[GTs58]

Any idea when those tires were introduced? Must’ve been sometime after I quit riding my 64 varsity and started driving a car. I’ve never seen those tires before. And I never had a flat tire on my varsity believe it or not.

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

Any idea when those tires were introduced? Must’ve been sometime after I quit riding my 64 varsity and started driving a car. I’ve never seen those tires before. And I never had a flat tire on my varsity believe it or not.

They would have only fit the early 8-speed 26" wheel size Varsity's with the Simplex "suicide shifters". The Southwest tires did not come in a 27" wheel size.

I'd have to look in a parts catalog to see when they came out.

John