1975 Yellow Schwinn Continental...TIME CAPSULE...!!

[Drosentreter]

Here is my brothers all original Mint 72 Varsity I just finished detailing and greasing all up for him for Xmas. Incredible that some of them make it this far without being left outside for too long.

 

[DrRumack80]

You would have to go back to '72 to find a cleaner example! Do the cables still have the plastic end caps?

A lot of Varsities and Continentals were sold during the bike boom years. Riding a "racing" bike was all the rage. The now-retired owner our local Schwinn dealership recalled that during the bike boom, bikes were sold before they were even unloaded off of the truck. After a few rides, many of these new cyclists found that riding a drop bar bike was uncomfortable and gave up after a season or two.

 

[Drosentreter]

You would have to go back to '72 to find a cleaner example! Do the cables still have the plastic end caps?

A lot of Varsities and Continentals were sold during the bike boom years. Riding a "racing" bike was all the rage. The now-retired owner our local Schwinn dealership recalled that during the bike boom, bikes were sold before they were even unloaded off of the truck. After a few rides, many of these new cyclists found that riding a drop bar bike was uncomfortable and gave up after a season or two.

No it doesn’t have the plastic cable end caps. Do you have any pictures of some? I’d like to find some.

 

[juvela]

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recall seeing them in both clear and in red

there are two designs:

one ends in a sphere/bulb and is designed to be slipped on, its opening funnel shaped

the other tapers to a point and resembles the cap on a presta tube valve
this design is intended to be twisted/"threaded" on

do not recall what colour or design employed by Arnie & Co.

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[Schwinn Sales West]

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recall seeing them in both clear and in red

there are two designs:

one ends in a sphere/bulb and is designed to be slipped on, its opening funnel shaped

the other tapers to a point and resembles the cap on a presta tube valve
this design is intended to be twisted/"threaded" on

do not recall what colour or design employed by Arnie & Co.

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Schwinn "Chicago" first used the plastic end caps. They were a "clear-whitest" color. Even back then when they were new and still pliable, they were very tight to put on. You quickly learned NOT to use your fingers, but to use a needle nose pliers. One experience of driving a brake cable up under your fingernail is usually all "the learning" it required for a new employee.

They were replaced by the aluminum "crimp-on" caps. These were a big improvement, easier to install and stayed in place. In Arizona, the plastic caps often dried out, cracked and fell off. For some reason, I remember the aluminum caps were considered expensive, like a nickel per cap or something crazy. We would always make sure to not lose the new caps in the parts bags and pick up any on the floor. Weird the things that stick in your head.

These were the only safety caps I remember Schwinn-Chicago using. They used Weinmann and Dia-Compe caliper brakes almost exclusively. Kelsey Hayes built the Krate disk brakes and Campagnolo was used on some of the Paramount's. Campy had a really cool metal cable cap with a set screw.

I think the other cap (with a ball) your thinking about likely came from other vendors (that built imported bikes for Schwinn).

John

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

No it doesn’t have the plastic cable end caps. Do you have any pictures of some? I’d like to find some.

this one owner 1970 Varsity had 3 out of 4 cable end caps.

 

[DrRumack80]

Those are identical to the 2 out of 3 caps remaining on my '72 Suburban 5-speed

 

[juvela]

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does anyone know any of the manufacturers for any of the european cable end caps with the set screw?

one used to encounter them occasionally on older euro machines but have never known a maker for any of them


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[DrRumack80]

Schwinn Sales West said above that Campy made end caps with a set screw.

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does anyone know any of the manufacturers for any of the european cable end caps with the set screw?

one used to encounter them occasionally on older euro machines but have never known a maker for any of them


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[Drosentreter]

Schwinn "Chicago" first used the plastic end caps. They were a "clear-whitest" color. Even back then when they were new and still pliable, they were very tight to put on. You quickly learned NOT to use your fingers, but to use a needle nose pliers. One experience of driving a brake cable up under your fingernail is usually all "the learning" it required for a new employee.

They were replaced by the aluminum "crimp-on" caps. These were a big improvement, easier to install and stayed in place. In Arizona, the plastic caps often dried out, cracked and fell off. For some reason, I remember the aluminum caps were considered expensive, like a nickel per cap or something crazy. We would always make sure to not lose the new caps in the parts bags and pick up any on the floor. Weird the things that stick in your head.

These were the only safety caps I remember Schwinn-Chicago using. They used Weinmann and Dia-Compe caliper brakes almost exclusively. Kelsey Hayes built the Krate disk brakes and Campagnolo was used on some of the Paramount's. Campy had a really cool metal cable cap with a set screw.

I think the other cap (with a ball) your thinking about likely came from other vendors (that built imported bikes for Schwinn).

John

Yes yes. Those caps. It does have those. My bad. I thought you were talking about some kind of caps that go on the housings. It does still have the plastic cable ends on the end of the actual cable.