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40"s Schwinn Superior

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schwinnbikebobb

I live for the CABE
This is out of my area of knowledge, anybody have any thoughts about it? Fenders do not seem original. Of course chainguard missing. Where should I look for a serial number? Thanks for any help!
 

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You don't often see Superior frame bicycles, let alone a ladies frame. This is direct from the handbuilt section of the Schwinn factory, part of their New World line which began in '38 and wouldn't have changed much for a while. The date identifiers I'm familiar with may not ring true for the Superior/Paramount line like they do for the New World, which I'm familiar with. The dropouts are indicative of the higher end Superior bicycles. Serial under BB?

Fenders and seat not original. The rear wheel looks original since it appears to be a stainless Superior rim. I'm surprised that it would be a coaster brake since it looks like a race equipped bicycle, but they offered numerous combinations for these bikes and they would have been tailored to the buyer's preference.
 
Thanks for the info! That is awesome!! Found the serial number, can you tell anything from it? Looks like this bike was originally a maroon color. Found remnants of decals on the top downtube and the seat mast but could not tell what they looked like originally. Do these rims just take normal tires 26 X 1 3/8 I think or are they Schwinn sized? Lastly what are the welded on frame tabs for? Anybody have a catalog pic or what it looked like new?

Thanks again!
 

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Tires would be standard 26x1 3/8.

The serial is as I suspected, in that it doesn't follow the typical Schwinn format of the time due to the special build properties of this frame. Dating it may prove difficult but it's around the war--just before or just after, likely.

I think the eyelets on the seat stays would be for the optional original fenders, which would have had a wire style brace.
 
Both tires are Goodyear and appear to have the same tread pattern with kind of diamonds stamped in the sidewall up by the tread going all the way around the tire. However the front says 26 X 1 3/8-1 1/4 and the rear says 26x 1 3.75. So I go back to will modern 26 x 1 3/8- 1 1/4 fit the back wheel?

One thing that struck me when I first saw it was this seems like a big frame for a ladies bike.

Yes that makes sense about the fenders since they are on the fork also.
 
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1.375 is a size that was only produced for lightweights for a very short time. The bead diameter is only 2mm larger than 1 3/8, so the Schwinn rims may be able to hold onto them, but not by much. If it's a 1.375 rim, then that's a different story but I'd need to see pictures of both rims to help any further.

Here is the stamping you should see on the original rims. Yours appear different so I'd guess one to be OG and one replacement. Both of my New Worlds have come with standard 1 1/4 or 1 3/8 tires.. all the catalogs I've seen call for this size. Schwinn in script then Superior.

DridEHg-1.jpg
 
I don't see stamping on either rim.

Front axle is Schwinn script.

Rear is definitely some type of alloy.
 
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It's a Superior Sports Tourist with some parts swapped. The original fenders would have been the low profile/flat front Superior types that bolted to those braze-ons on the frame. The braze-ons were the mark of European styling and would help set it apart from the New World, which would have its braces to the axles (and later to drop loops in the back after WWII). Despite the rear-facing back forks, it is not a track bike per se. It has the build of the Superior Sports Touring model with those fender braze-ons. Three piece AS cranks were also common the Sports Touring type. The period catalogs show rear-facing back forks even in the Superior Touring.

The frame is hand built via the fillet braze method. The New World and Superior shared that aspect, though the Paramount had lugs. All three were handbuilt in a separate part of the Schwinn factory from the heavy ballooners. The front forks on these tend to be somewhat fragile.

1.375 is the old 599 mm lightweight size. Tires for those are hard to find. The 1-3/8 by 1-1/4 is 597 mm and much easier. The saddle would probably have been the Mesinger Tourist slide rail type. I would find another 597 mm size and get some blackwall tires for it. I don't mess with 599 mm or 1.375 because it's a pain to get proper tires for them.
 
Thanks guys! Now just have to decide what to do with it. I enjoy making my bikes look as close to showroom fresh as possible and since this one is not all that original including repaint been thinking of a few ways to go. Smooth out the black paint on it and repaint over it (that way the original paint would still be under the now 2 coats of paint), smooth and paint the fenders and use a set of 60's lightweight wheels. I like green bikes, was green offered back then? Been looking over the catalogs but don't see color choices.

Another option is to part it and yet another is sell it as it sits at one of the spring bike shows. Mulling over what to do.
 
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