jwm
Wore out three sets of tires already!
All these Americans, and Typhoons, are just too sweet. I was right at the point where the fleet of bikes was complete to my satisfaction. I have the B6 and Starlet, for a pair of 50's bikes, the Jaguar MKIV, and Starlet II for 60's bikes, a pair of comfort bikes to collect the dust, and of course- my pampered brat, The Stingray Spoiler. I love to ride them all. But the chopper, and the full dress Schwinns attract a lot of attention. And you're always extra careful with a Classic. You don't want dings, scratches, or goofballs wanting to sit on your bike to 'try it out'. Sometimes you don't want to answer all the 'how old/how much' questions from admiring strangers. Sometimes you just want to ride.
And I had that thirty year nostalgia thang going too. I've been thinking about the Spitfire that I bought back in '78. I just rode the wheels off that thing. The Spitfire was the distilled essence of the basic Schwinn cantilever frame boy's bike. It is industrial folk art, organic in design, and as singular in its purpose as a musical instrument. Sitting on the bike, the position of your hands, feet, and butt is as natural as the fit of a tennis shoe. You steer with your eyes, and you can ride all day with your hands off the bars. I could take that bike on all day cruises that covered 60 miles or more, or take it out to the hills, and dive down those fire roads like riding a two wheeled surfboard.
But Spitfires are going in the $400. range around here. I was also thinking of a Typhoon, a Tiger, or any of the 60's middleweights, but...
I didn't want to end up with another "Hey-check out this guys bike!" either. And I know myself- I'm too much of a purist to rat down a restorable bike. So I kept thinking on it.
And then one of the guys at a Cyclone Coasters ride showed up with a super clean 70's Heavy Duti. I hadn't seen one for decades, but as soon as I saw the HD, I knew that was it. That's what I wanted for a rider- all the heavy weight hardware from the Spitfire, and middleweight tires to boot. Besides, it was yellow. I just like yellow machines.
Shortly afterward, no fewer than three Heavy Duti's showed up on auction at the same time. I scored this one for $251. It's from December of 1980. Schwinn fans will spot the extra goodies that sweetened the deal.
1980 Heavy Duti
The carrier that I had on my '61 Jaguar MK IV was a replacement- one of the later models with squared ends. That curved bar carrier on the HD was in the exact state of wear to fit the Jag. Not only did I get my rider, I got my MK IV to 100% right stuff. The truss bars were too dingy to polish up, so I broke out the Rustoleum. I hung the fenders in the garage. Whitewall tires weren't my first choice, but I already had this set of new ones.
I took it out the other day for an all day cruise. It rides just like the Spitfire, only a shade lighter and quicker with the S7's. The feeling was sweet, and true as an old song on the radio. And, as much as I love the style and grace of the full dress bikes, the true magic is in the ride itself. I covered maybe thirty miles, and that was enough.
JWM
And I had that thirty year nostalgia thang going too. I've been thinking about the Spitfire that I bought back in '78. I just rode the wheels off that thing. The Spitfire was the distilled essence of the basic Schwinn cantilever frame boy's bike. It is industrial folk art, organic in design, and as singular in its purpose as a musical instrument. Sitting on the bike, the position of your hands, feet, and butt is as natural as the fit of a tennis shoe. You steer with your eyes, and you can ride all day with your hands off the bars. I could take that bike on all day cruises that covered 60 miles or more, or take it out to the hills, and dive down those fire roads like riding a two wheeled surfboard.
But Spitfires are going in the $400. range around here. I was also thinking of a Typhoon, a Tiger, or any of the 60's middleweights, but...
I didn't want to end up with another "Hey-check out this guys bike!" either. And I know myself- I'm too much of a purist to rat down a restorable bike. So I kept thinking on it.
And then one of the guys at a Cyclone Coasters ride showed up with a super clean 70's Heavy Duti. I hadn't seen one for decades, but as soon as I saw the HD, I knew that was it. That's what I wanted for a rider- all the heavy weight hardware from the Spitfire, and middleweight tires to boot. Besides, it was yellow. I just like yellow machines.
Shortly afterward, no fewer than three Heavy Duti's showed up on auction at the same time. I scored this one for $251. It's from December of 1980. Schwinn fans will spot the extra goodies that sweetened the deal.
1980 Heavy Duti
The carrier that I had on my '61 Jaguar MK IV was a replacement- one of the later models with squared ends. That curved bar carrier on the HD was in the exact state of wear to fit the Jag. Not only did I get my rider, I got my MK IV to 100% right stuff. The truss bars were too dingy to polish up, so I broke out the Rustoleum. I hung the fenders in the garage. Whitewall tires weren't my first choice, but I already had this set of new ones.
I took it out the other day for an all day cruise. It rides just like the Spitfire, only a shade lighter and quicker with the S7's. The feeling was sweet, and true as an old song on the radio. And, as much as I love the style and grace of the full dress bikes, the true magic is in the ride itself. I covered maybe thirty miles, and that was enough.
JWM
