ebasnett
Look Ma, No Hands!
I drive about 80 miles each way to work every day- which I hate because I used to live close enough I could jump on my Schwinn Racer 3 speed and get to work in 12 minutes. I decided I would buy a beater to leave at the office so I can, at least, ride at lunchtime.
I spotted this 1960 Schwinn Tornado sitting outside a junk shop. The price was $40. This old bike tells an interesting story. There’s a crispy 1960 Beatrice, Nebraska registration sticker on the head tube. In 1961 the bike is registered in Austin, TX. There’s a “In ‘64 Lyndon Johnson for President” sticker on the fender and an “R.F.K. in ‘68” sticker on the seat tube.
I tried to save the original Westwind blackwall tires but the bead started separating on the front tire almost immediately so I swapped in some plain blackwall 26x2x1-3/4. They’re bigger than the original tires, but they tucked under the fenders nicely. All the bike needed was grease and cleaning. I’m going to replace the missing headbadge as the original appears to have been ripped off, leaving just the screws behind. I need to finish cleaning and go through the Komet coaster hub and I should be ready to ride to the sandwich shop at lunch.
I think this is the perfect lunchtime beater.
I spotted this 1960 Schwinn Tornado sitting outside a junk shop. The price was $40. This old bike tells an interesting story. There’s a crispy 1960 Beatrice, Nebraska registration sticker on the head tube. In 1961 the bike is registered in Austin, TX. There’s a “In ‘64 Lyndon Johnson for President” sticker on the fender and an “R.F.K. in ‘68” sticker on the seat tube.
I tried to save the original Westwind blackwall tires but the bead started separating on the front tire almost immediately so I swapped in some plain blackwall 26x2x1-3/4. They’re bigger than the original tires, but they tucked under the fenders nicely. All the bike needed was grease and cleaning. I’m going to replace the missing headbadge as the original appears to have been ripped off, leaving just the screws behind. I need to finish cleaning and go through the Komet coaster hub and I should be ready to ride to the sandwich shop at lunch.
I think this is the perfect lunchtime beater.
Those kids seats are terrible. And squeaky!
