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Frame decode help
- Thread starter vince72
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Arnold Ziffel
Finally riding a big boys bike
Somebody mentioned that the SPEEDSTER was once a Middleweight (CANTILEVER) in 1961.
IN 1962, IT SEEMS, THAT SCHWINN renamed this MIDDLEWEIGHT with SKIPPER & TIGER names instead of Speedster.
IN 1963, IT SEEMS THAT SCHWINN renamed this MIDDLEWEIGHT again with HORNET & TYPHOON.
IN 1963, Schwinn applies the SPEEDSTER name on a LIGHTWEIGHT with "curved bar" top bar
Now pardon me, if I am nearly totally wrong, about the following which I speculate is somewhat reasonably accurate, but I have not made or compiled measurements on the various year frames. I have repaired & helped friends and neighbors rebuild various fifties and early sixties Schwinn lightweights but that was done fifty years ago when they were still commonly found in parent's or neighbor, or older brother's or uncle's garage. Even during the very early seventies during the bike boom, these old Schwinn lightweights made reasonable project bikes as bicycles with gears were selling-out everywhere, and incredible demand had dealers pricing at what the market would bear.
So we often made a suitable size framed bicycle, using something from a bike that had a frame size that was either too small or too big. We generally made five speeds equipped with a SHIMANO rear derailleur from these former ancient lightweight 3 speed frames of the fifties & early sixties. Why? Rear derailleur technology by the Shimano LARK model of the late sixties was supremely reliable and simple to set-up and adjust, and assuming that you had a freewheel with at least a 28teeth largest rear cog (as seen on late 60's thru seventies Varsity/Continental or '64-'69 Collegiate) it would be okay, but the 32 teeth largest rear cog (seen on '70 onward Collegiate & 5 speed SUBURBAN) was best. Shimano sold an aftermarket freewheel by 1971 which had a 34 teeth (actually 17 skip tooth first gear..) and a derailleur called the Crane or something like that. I think you'll see a Shimano ad in the 1972 Popular Mechanics (may 72 issue I think ) which has a story on bicycles. Most folks that purchased such an aftmkt Shimano freewheel with the 34 t first gear were 10 speed owners that wanted to travel long distances as the added HILL CLIMBING capability is invaluable. Only the Japanese equipment was so capable, as nothing from Europe could reliably shift anything more than 28teeth. Maeda SUNTOUR later offered various freewheels with either 30T, 32T or 34T largest rear cogs.
Nothing is wrong with the typical old 3 speed, but a FIVE SPEED with 32 T largest cog on the freewheel and a Japanese rear derailleur capable of shifting a 32 T cog, is by far a better and more useful overall rider than any 3 speed. One can obtain a reasonably good hill climbing with a 28T largest cog freewheel by going with a 42T chainwheel up front INSTEAD OF 46T (typical Schwinn) and INSTEAD of 48T that I think some old Raleighs and ROSS bikes may have had. At the end of the day, it is what makes the gear ratio, and not necessarily what the Front or Rear number individually might be........it is the combined that produces your gear number in a particular combination.
THE 1953 TRAVELER (LIGHTWEIGHT) was available in ONLY one frame size, I think.
THE 1953 TOURIST (LIGHTWEIGHT)
My understanding is that SCHWINN copied COLUMBIA who had advertised their late Forties LIGHTWEIGHT bikes with a ONE PIECE bottom bracket for supreme durability and practicallity. (See 1948 Columbia ads)
Schwinn did away with the 3 piece crank on all electroforged common LIGHTWEIGHTS soon after Columbia did. By 1953 the Ashtabula one piece bottom bracket was there on perhaps everything other than the handbuilt PARAMOUNT.
These LIGHTWEIGHT TRAVELER, TOURIST, that would morph into later names like RACER, SPEEDSTER, and derailleur equipped Electroforged LIGHTWEIGHT with VARSITY, COLLEGIATE, SUBURBAN etc.
The SUBURBAN was new for 1970 and essentially replaced the VARSITY tourist which had 1969 as its last year. The 1970 SUBURBAN 10 speed does differ in that it is an upgrade of the VARSITY, having the tubular front fork of the Continental.
1970 was the introduction of the SUBURBAN which came in 10 SPEED(essentially an upgraded former VARSITY TOURIST), and a 5 SPEED(that was along with the '70 Collegiate, the first Schwinn to feature Shimano.) The 5 speed SUBURBAN was the 27" wheel (630mm bead seat diameter) 27 x 1 1/4 wheeled "collegiate like" bike which unlike the Collegiate, came with painted fenders, a padded mattress saddle, bow pedals, 27"(630mm) wheels and subdued, more conservative paint colors than the Collegiate. FOR 1970 & 1971 ONLY, there was a 3 SPEED SUBURBAN in the line-up also. IT WAS NOT IN THE LINE-UP FROM 1972 - 1977. All the Suburbans, I think have the tubular front fork, except as noted by Schwinn expert Metacortex who has noted previously that there was a week or so in Apr 1974 where the Schwinn factory was out of tubular forks and they substituted VARSITY front forks, capped with a dress up chrome cap and the factory modified the fender mounts on the Suburban fenders to mount precisely on those Varsity front forks. (this info came from Metacortex, the recognized World's leading expert on Schwinn).
If anyone knows the definitive answer on if and how ordinary Schwinn LIGHTWEIGHT frames differ in wheelbase and frame geometry from the early fifties through the Seventies, it would be Metacortex.
You may be able to go through each annual Schwinn catalog year by year as well as any supplemental publications to see what Schwinn gives as to the improvements & changes from the prior year(s).
Unlike with the Schwinn Sting Ray which was probably more unsafe at any speed than the early Chevrolet Corvair, Schwinn engineering mostly focused on making bicycles that were more stable, controlled, and comfortable to ride. That Sting-Ray was simply capturing a craze/fad that proved to be a bicycle which led to much more youth being badly injured. While the bike was not defective, the crazy handlebars contributed to plenty of impalement/internal injuries as riders were able to ride that bike in ways that no one had ridden a bicycle before about '64 or '65. If I recall legistation or at least severe govermental agency pressure was the sole reason that the bars were severely limited in overall size about six or seven years after introduction.
My guess is that SCHWINN engineering probably figured out what provided the BEST OVERALL wheelbase and seat-tube/headtube Lengths & respective frame angles to obtain the most predictable mannered, comfortable, and stable best riding by the Mid SIXTIES. My guess is that the older bikes from say 1953, probably are perhaps slightly different, but perhaps not too much to matter. Certainly, one does expect a 1966 and up SCHWINN to be slightly better. You also have more options in frame sizes as the SEVENTIES begins. Schwinn made quality bikes, so that even something from before the early sixties will be excellent. Exterior paint quality won't be nearly as good on an early fifties Schwinn compared to something from 1966 - 1980.
The above link (1957) might be when the RACER name appears. I seem to remember that it gets retired after around 1971 or so as the SPEEDSTER & the RACER are essentially identical around 1971, and Schwinn marketing obviously realized that SPEEDSTER was the better looking decal by the seventies, and the name racer had become a generic name more synonymous with a drop bar ten speed by the beginning of the bike boom.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE (or whatever city you live in) WITH THE CANNOT RIDE TODAY BLUES because of Rain, Extreme weather, Snow, or sub freezing temperatures, and you have free time to wander through the old Schwinn catalogs that are up on the web courtesy of the waterford site. Waterford, led by a Schwinn who retained the prestigious PARAMOUNT line, and continues that handbuilt supreme quality and technical excellence.
Just GOOGLE: 1951-1960 Schwinn Catalogs for FIFTIES ERA
GOOGLE: 1961-1970 Schwinn Catalogs for SIXTIES ERA
GOOGLE: 1971-1980 Schwinn Catalogs for SEVENTIES ERA
Just look for the waterfordbikes LINKS for those decades, etc.
IN 1962, IT SEEMS, THAT SCHWINN renamed this MIDDLEWEIGHT with SKIPPER & TIGER names instead of Speedster.
IN 1963, IT SEEMS THAT SCHWINN renamed this MIDDLEWEIGHT again with HORNET & TYPHOON.
IN 1963, Schwinn applies the SPEEDSTER name on a LIGHTWEIGHT with "curved bar" top bar
Now pardon me, if I am nearly totally wrong, about the following which I speculate is somewhat reasonably accurate, but I have not made or compiled measurements on the various year frames. I have repaired & helped friends and neighbors rebuild various fifties and early sixties Schwinn lightweights but that was done fifty years ago when they were still commonly found in parent's or neighbor, or older brother's or uncle's garage. Even during the very early seventies during the bike boom, these old Schwinn lightweights made reasonable project bikes as bicycles with gears were selling-out everywhere, and incredible demand had dealers pricing at what the market would bear.
So we often made a suitable size framed bicycle, using something from a bike that had a frame size that was either too small or too big. We generally made five speeds equipped with a SHIMANO rear derailleur from these former ancient lightweight 3 speed frames of the fifties & early sixties. Why? Rear derailleur technology by the Shimano LARK model of the late sixties was supremely reliable and simple to set-up and adjust, and assuming that you had a freewheel with at least a 28teeth largest rear cog (as seen on late 60's thru seventies Varsity/Continental or '64-'69 Collegiate) it would be okay, but the 32 teeth largest rear cog (seen on '70 onward Collegiate & 5 speed SUBURBAN) was best. Shimano sold an aftermarket freewheel by 1971 which had a 34 teeth (actually 17 skip tooth first gear..) and a derailleur called the Crane or something like that. I think you'll see a Shimano ad in the 1972 Popular Mechanics (may 72 issue I think ) which has a story on bicycles. Most folks that purchased such an aftmkt Shimano freewheel with the 34 t first gear were 10 speed owners that wanted to travel long distances as the added HILL CLIMBING capability is invaluable. Only the Japanese equipment was so capable, as nothing from Europe could reliably shift anything more than 28teeth. Maeda SUNTOUR later offered various freewheels with either 30T, 32T or 34T largest rear cogs.
Nothing is wrong with the typical old 3 speed, but a FIVE SPEED with 32 T largest cog on the freewheel and a Japanese rear derailleur capable of shifting a 32 T cog, is by far a better and more useful overall rider than any 3 speed. One can obtain a reasonably good hill climbing with a 28T largest cog freewheel by going with a 42T chainwheel up front INSTEAD OF 46T (typical Schwinn) and INSTEAD of 48T that I think some old Raleighs and ROSS bikes may have had. At the end of the day, it is what makes the gear ratio, and not necessarily what the Front or Rear number individually might be........it is the combined that produces your gear number in a particular combination.
THE 1953 TRAVELER (LIGHTWEIGHT) was available in ONLY one frame size, I think.
THE 1953 TOURIST (LIGHTWEIGHT)
My understanding is that SCHWINN copied COLUMBIA who had advertised their late Forties LIGHTWEIGHT bikes with a ONE PIECE bottom bracket for supreme durability and practicallity. (See 1948 Columbia ads)
Schwinn did away with the 3 piece crank on all electroforged common LIGHTWEIGHTS soon after Columbia did. By 1953 the Ashtabula one piece bottom bracket was there on perhaps everything other than the handbuilt PARAMOUNT.
These LIGHTWEIGHT TRAVELER, TOURIST, that would morph into later names like RACER, SPEEDSTER, and derailleur equipped Electroforged LIGHTWEIGHT with VARSITY, COLLEGIATE, SUBURBAN etc.
The SUBURBAN was new for 1970 and essentially replaced the VARSITY tourist which had 1969 as its last year. The 1970 SUBURBAN 10 speed does differ in that it is an upgrade of the VARSITY, having the tubular front fork of the Continental.
1970 was the introduction of the SUBURBAN which came in 10 SPEED(essentially an upgraded former VARSITY TOURIST), and a 5 SPEED(that was along with the '70 Collegiate, the first Schwinn to feature Shimano.) The 5 speed SUBURBAN was the 27" wheel (630mm bead seat diameter) 27 x 1 1/4 wheeled "collegiate like" bike which unlike the Collegiate, came with painted fenders, a padded mattress saddle, bow pedals, 27"(630mm) wheels and subdued, more conservative paint colors than the Collegiate. FOR 1970 & 1971 ONLY, there was a 3 SPEED SUBURBAN in the line-up also. IT WAS NOT IN THE LINE-UP FROM 1972 - 1977. All the Suburbans, I think have the tubular front fork, except as noted by Schwinn expert Metacortex who has noted previously that there was a week or so in Apr 1974 where the Schwinn factory was out of tubular forks and they substituted VARSITY front forks, capped with a dress up chrome cap and the factory modified the fender mounts on the Suburban fenders to mount precisely on those Varsity front forks. (this info came from Metacortex, the recognized World's leading expert on Schwinn).
If anyone knows the definitive answer on if and how ordinary Schwinn LIGHTWEIGHT frames differ in wheelbase and frame geometry from the early fifties through the Seventies, it would be Metacortex.
You may be able to go through each annual Schwinn catalog year by year as well as any supplemental publications to see what Schwinn gives as to the improvements & changes from the prior year(s).
Unlike with the Schwinn Sting Ray which was probably more unsafe at any speed than the early Chevrolet Corvair, Schwinn engineering mostly focused on making bicycles that were more stable, controlled, and comfortable to ride. That Sting-Ray was simply capturing a craze/fad that proved to be a bicycle which led to much more youth being badly injured. While the bike was not defective, the crazy handlebars contributed to plenty of impalement/internal injuries as riders were able to ride that bike in ways that no one had ridden a bicycle before about '64 or '65. If I recall legistation or at least severe govermental agency pressure was the sole reason that the bars were severely limited in overall size about six or seven years after introduction.
My guess is that SCHWINN engineering probably figured out what provided the BEST OVERALL wheelbase and seat-tube/headtube Lengths & respective frame angles to obtain the most predictable mannered, comfortable, and stable best riding by the Mid SIXTIES. My guess is that the older bikes from say 1953, probably are perhaps slightly different, but perhaps not too much to matter. Certainly, one does expect a 1966 and up SCHWINN to be slightly better. You also have more options in frame sizes as the SEVENTIES begins. Schwinn made quality bikes, so that even something from before the early sixties will be excellent. Exterior paint quality won't be nearly as good on an early fifties Schwinn compared to something from 1966 - 1980.
The above link (1957) might be when the RACER name appears. I seem to remember that it gets retired after around 1971 or so as the SPEEDSTER & the RACER are essentially identical around 1971, and Schwinn marketing obviously realized that SPEEDSTER was the better looking decal by the seventies, and the name racer had become a generic name more synonymous with a drop bar ten speed by the beginning of the bike boom.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE (or whatever city you live in) WITH THE CANNOT RIDE TODAY BLUES because of Rain, Extreme weather, Snow, or sub freezing temperatures, and you have free time to wander through the old Schwinn catalogs that are up on the web courtesy of the waterford site. Waterford, led by a Schwinn who retained the prestigious PARAMOUNT line, and continues that handbuilt supreme quality and technical excellence.
Just GOOGLE: 1951-1960 Schwinn Catalogs for FIFTIES ERA
GOOGLE: 1961-1970 Schwinn Catalogs for SIXTIES ERA
GOOGLE: 1971-1980 Schwinn Catalogs for SEVENTIES ERA
Just look for the waterfordbikes LINKS for those decades, etc.
GTs58
I'm the Wiz, and nobody beats me!
The Speedster replaced the American when it was discontinued after the 1958 production. The Speedster middleweight was a two and a half year only model name, 1959-1960 and early 1961. In July 1961 the American was reintroduced taking it's place back from the Speedster.
Porkchop & Applesauce
I live for the CABE
This 1958 speedster just found it’s way to me. Last year of this style speedster? First light weight for me.
GTs58
I'm the Wiz, and nobody beats me!
May of 1968 stamping.
Porkchop & Applesauce
I live for the CABE
Will ya school me on this one?
Porkchop & Applesauce
I live for the CABE
That’s what I get for using that quickie vin number decoder! Lmao!!
GTs58
I'm the Wiz, and nobody beats me!
Starting in 1965 Schwinn's new serial number system began. First letter is the month, second letter is the year. So AA starts it off as January 1965. The letter i was not used.
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Porkchop & Applesauce
I live for the CABE
Ah! I see where I blew it! It starts with ED not E0! Oops! Liked it a lot more when I thought it was a 58! 
Thank you!!
Thank you!!Similar threads
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