Great paint 75 Continental

[momo608]

Bought this today. Bid the $75 dollars on a whim and hoped I was going to be outbid so I didn't have to drive so far to get it. No such luck for this unloved Great paint Continental. Glad I have it, it is a time capsule with its maybe original tires,1975 saddle bag and probably original bar tape. The pedals have no road rash if you can believe that and the paint is nearly scratch and chip free. Too bad someone swapped out the front derailleur. I bought it as a companion for my 74 original paint varsity which I also drove stupidly far to get. Must have been in damp storage for a loooong time, can't have everything.

 

[Metacortex]

Nice find! What is the frame serial on that one (for dating purposes)?

 

[momo608]

I'll get it later. Bike is so honest I didn't even bother to check yet. What do you think about those tires?

 

[Metacortex]

What do you think about those tires?

That 90psi version of the HP Sport tire was available from 1987 through 1990.

 

[GTs58]

I can't believe the flawless paint. And no nut scuffs on the top bar.

 

[momo608]

I can't believe the flawless paint. And no nut scuffs on the top bar.

Yes, even with crappy Ebay pics it got my attention.

 

[momo608]

MK503302

So we got a December 74 bike or the frame anyway. When I see a bike with these spoke reflectors I always think 75. I know at some point they were no longer used on 76 bikes. Catalogs are not much help so It's hard to know exactly when they started and stopped but pretty much a one year offering, wonder why they switched so fast. Personally I like the white better but being one year only is definitely cool.

The seller never claimed to know the year of this bike, I saw the color and spoke reflectors and made an educated guess.

 

[PCHiggin]

Nice,Thats a tall one,27" frame?

 

[Metacortex]

MK503302

So we got a December 74 bike or the frame anyway...

Thanks, that's definitely a '75 built bike as noted by the Sky Blue paint. I'd be interested to know the fork date (assuming you take it apart to service the headset) as well. Many other parts on that bike will also be date stamped. One thing I find curious are the skewers, which *should* have the plastic winged nuts. Are the skewer levers both curved "Schwinn Approved/Maillard"?

 

[momo608]

Thanks, that's definitely a '75 built bike as noted by the Sky Blue paint. I'd be interested to know the fork date (assuming you take it apart to service the headset) as well. Many other parts on that bike will also be date stamped. One thing I find curious are the skewers, which *should* have the plastic winged nuts. Are the skewer levers both curved "Schwinn Approved/Maillard"?

Only a matter of time before I give it the full service, I would never ride a bike I thought had dried out bearings. It's all I would think about. Its got the curved skewer handles and apparently this was the transition year for the plastic wing nuts, so maybe early bikes had the metal cone style? I'm keeping an eye out for a front derailleur, might even have one but probably not the 260. Seat clamp bolts are funky as well. Most of this stuff I got. I'll do a Schwinn499 on it and keep it as original as possible but that dented "pie plate" has got to go. I have a less than perfect nos extra one.