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can you help me identify this schwinn continental?
- Thread starter dkrstic79
- Start date
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GTs58
I'm the Wiz, and nobody beats me!
Wow, very interesting! Did you have to wait a short time before you could pick the bike up after telling the shop you wanted a Conti? I'm thinking the shop built you a one off special. What is the number on the headbadge? Most all the 84 lightweights had a round head badge. Your seat stays have a bend about 5-6 inches down from the top of the seattube which is very unusual IMO. The Sidewinder frame is similar and it also has the oval badge and a one piece crank. Also the lightweight cable guides on most all the 84's were on top of the top tube. That sure was a stupid deal there and I can't see any big advantage for that build detail.
Post some detail shots of the components. And always take pics of the drive side when showing off a bike.
Post some detail shots of the components. And always take pics of the drive side when showing off a bike.
Metacortex
Wore out three sets of tires already!
That appears to be an '84 Continental, the last year they were made. A BVxxxxxx frame would have been made in Feb. '84 and if that is the case then both the frame and bike were built by Murray in Lawrenceburg TN, the Schwinn Chicago factory closed in mid-'83.
You can identify the Murray-built bikes by the bottom bracket. Chicago built frames have the slag rings on the chainstays near the bottom bracket plus the weld seam on the lower part of the bottom bracket shell, while the Murray built frames do not (they are smooth in those areas). Post some pics of the top and underside of the bottom bracket area and that should confirm.
Note that the Continental changed to side-pull brakes in '84, and the decals shown as well as the oval badge are also correct for the bike. The 4-digit number stamped on the headbadge will identify the actual day the bike was assembled.
This was not a one-off special, it was a production bike listed only in the "Familly Bicycles" and "Full Line" catalogs that year: http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...sale-schwinn-1984-what-heck.html#post12908722
You can identify the Murray-built bikes by the bottom bracket. Chicago built frames have the slag rings on the chainstays near the bottom bracket plus the weld seam on the lower part of the bottom bracket shell, while the Murray built frames do not (they are smooth in those areas). Post some pics of the top and underside of the bottom bracket area and that should confirm.
Note that the Continental changed to side-pull brakes in '84, and the decals shown as well as the oval badge are also correct for the bike. The 4-digit number stamped on the headbadge will identify the actual day the bike was assembled.
This was not a one-off special, it was a production bike listed only in the "Familly Bicycles" and "Full Line" catalogs that year: http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...sale-schwinn-1984-what-heck.html#post12908722
Last edited:
dergymy
On Training Wheels
more pics
The 4-digit number stamped on the headbadge is 1244
And there is no "weld seam on the lower part of the bottom bracket shell" so it seems this is a Murray-built bike.
I was just confused as at first in my searching I did not see that the Continental was produced after 1982.
I also did find the "manual" which is more like an advertising brochure. It seems to be for a few lines of bikes, mostly the Varsity but does mention the Continental. I'll scan it and post it just for completeness.
Thanks everybody for your interest.
The 4-digit number stamped on the headbadge is 1244
And there is no "weld seam on the lower part of the bottom bracket shell" so it seems this is a Murray-built bike.
I was just confused as at first in my searching I did not see that the Continental was produced after 1982.
I also did find the "manual" which is more like an advertising brochure. It seems to be for a few lines of bikes, mostly the Varsity but does mention the Continental. I'll scan it and post it just for completeness.
Thanks everybody for your interest.
Metacortex
Wore out three sets of tires already!
That means the bike was built on Thursday May 3rd, 1984.
Yep, by the date it would have to be but the bottom bracket shell construction positively confirms it.
That would be good to see! Thanks for posting those pics of the bike. I was wondering if you could please post some pics of that crankset? Does it have any Schwinn stamps or logos? I'm trying to research all of the Schwinn made cranksets and this is a design I haven't seen before, it appears to be unique to these last Continentals.
dergymy
On Training Wheels
Thanks! I'll try to take pictures tonight and also of the so called manual.
Metacortex
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Very true. In this case we know the frame was built in 2/84, the bike was built on 5/3/84, and finally it was sold on 6/21/84.
dergymy
On Training Wheels
OK, here
- is a scan of the front and back cover of the manual. I scanned the whole thing and can post it if you want
- 6 pictures of the crankshaft. Of not is that there IS a seam on it. Was so dirty before I didn't see it plus as you may have figured out by now my eyes and camera aren't all what they should be anymore.
- lastly is a little diagram of what I see if the pictures don't show it on the bottom of the bottom bracket.
The numbers
2
6
1
3
Then perpendicular to that column of numbers the letters
"R "
" O"
The "R" is stamped over (or under) the "2". I know in the picture it doesn't exactly look like a "2" but I looked at it long and hard and am pretty sure it is.
- is a scan of the front and back cover of the manual. I scanned the whole thing and can post it if you want
- 6 pictures of the crankshaft. Of not is that there IS a seam on it. Was so dirty before I didn't see it plus as you may have figured out by now my eyes and camera aren't all what they should be anymore.
- lastly is a little diagram of what I see if the pictures don't show it on the bottom of the bottom bracket.
The numbers
2
6
1
3
Then perpendicular to that column of numbers the letters
"R "
" O"
The "R" is stamped over (or under) the "2". I know in the picture it doesn't exactly look like a "2" but I looked at it long and hard and am pretty sure it is.
Metacortex
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Unfortunately I don't know what those numbers stamped on the BB shell mean, but thanks for posting them! For comparison here is a pic of the top of the BB shell on a Chicago-built Continental frame, note the two slag rings on the chainstays near where they attach to the BB shell:
Here is the underside, note the thick weld seam:
Another minor difference between Schwinn Chicago and Murray-built frames is that on the Chicago frames the chainstays are somewhat narrowed (flattened) at as they curve in to meet the BB shell:
I think when you read my last post you took "crankset" to mean the bottom bracket shell. Can you post any close-up pictures of the crankset and chainrings? The crankset and chainrings are what the pedals attach to, like this:
Are there any logos or stamps on the chainrings? If so please post any pics you can of logos or markings. I'm really curious because I've never seen that crankset before (and it doesn't look like any aftermarket replacement I've ever seen), it may be unique to the '84 Continental.
Thanks!
Here is the underside, note the thick weld seam:
Another minor difference between Schwinn Chicago and Murray-built frames is that on the Chicago frames the chainstays are somewhat narrowed (flattened) at as they curve in to meet the BB shell:
I think when you read my last post you took "crankset" to mean the bottom bracket shell. Can you post any close-up pictures of the crankset and chainrings? The crankset and chainrings are what the pedals attach to, like this:
Are there any logos or stamps on the chainrings? If so please post any pics you can of logos or markings. I'm really curious because I've never seen that crankset before (and it doesn't look like any aftermarket replacement I've ever seen), it may be unique to the '84 Continental.
Thanks!
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