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Minty 1980 Schwinn Cruiser 5 pick-up

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Nice pickup! That should clean up easy and look Cinderella! When I picked up a 1981 Cruiser the seller had installed some mountain bike tires so I changed them out new studded tires. Those were cool on the canal roads, but I really disliked them on the asphalt. I like your idea of the Brooks too. Have fun and enjoy it, they're great riders.
 
Lucky on accessories for sure as, that Schwinn 80/81, Springer was likely exchanged for a standard fork at dealer. The only factory models with that springer were the Deluxe single speed coaster. I don't believe a 5-speed Deluxe chain guard was printed/ silk screened or decal for one exists. And your Springer, the welding on fork crown, plus those rectangle breather holes on fork and rod, were only made in 80/81, Low production so, very hard to find. From 1955 until Schwinn stopped production, maybe 1975 or so, these fork crown tubes were solid cast, no welding. The later 1995 too around 2005 Tywain/China Schwinn has smooth electro forged crown tube connection. So, that's about, $200 used market value bonus on yours, right there too. They can be found on models that do not have a Deluxe guard, but like yours, were a dealer add on/exchange too.

Nice bike and that chrome is going to clean up excellent and I would not use any type of steel wool on em to do it. It's good Schwinn chrome but not as good as 1960's and below, yet better than 90's and above chrome springers. .
 
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Thanks for all the reply's and advice. I bet the tires will be the hardest to find. Would it be a whitewall or gum walls? The two NOS 24" cruiser I had in the boxes came with a whitewall that was not Schwinn, I can't remember the brand, they were MR codes. No front brake, probably was ditched when springer was installed. The rear brake lever is on the left, I think it should be on the right side. I also need an inner cable for the shifter, it is missing the ball end, I may have one.
 
Yours probably came with Schwinn studded WW but new Duro's or others ride much better and are pretty cheap.
 
Thanks for all the reply's and advice. I bet the tires will be the hardest to find. Would it be a whitewall or gum walls? The two NOS 24" cruiser I had in the boxes came with a whitewall that was not Schwinn, I can't remember the brand, they were MR codes. No front brake, probably was ditched when springer was installed. The rear brake lever is on the left, I think it should be on the right side. I also need an inner cable for the shifter, it is missing the ball end, I may have one.
Hey Jammer nice find !, I'm the one that bought the NOS 24 Cruiser's, Tires on them are Carlisle's which made the Schwinn Studded Balloon Tire.
Whitewalls would be the stock look, Gumwalls would look nice Too ! ... There is a Knobby Whitewall tire available that is 65psi, they ride nice !
26 x 2.125 Knobby Gumwall's are available on eBay ... Look up Wanda 1075A 26 x 2.125
 
Here’s the page from the 1980s Schwinn catalog showing the cruisers. Knobby gum wall tires and the correct seat should be easy finds. Nice the way it is though.
1737645
 
Thanks for all the reply's and advice. I bet the tires will be the hardest to find. Would it be a whitewall or gum walls? The two NOS 24" cruiser I had in the boxes came with a whitewall that was not Schwinn, I can't remember the brand, they were MR codes. No front brake, probably was ditched when springer was installed. The rear brake lever is on the left, I think it should be on the right side. I also need an inner cable for the shifter, it is missing the ball end, I may have one.
That's slightly confusing as you site New in boxes 24" Cruisers and lead to Springers. I do not believe Schwinn ever made 80 or 81 springers for 24" Cruisers. I've always wanted a Springer for my 24" Cruiser and don't want an aftermarket non-Schwinn Springer for it nor Springer from the repop 1999 or so 'Black Friday' (serious rust buckets) and or repoped Krates. Amazingly the repoped, like Apple and Orange Krates have a molded Crown pivot tube, just about like the originals in 60-70's. as for the Friday's I don't know but I only want an 80/81 Springer that matches my 24" Down Cruiser. Those others on repop Krates and such would solve my issue as they are perfect fit on my 24 (24 head post is same size as 20" head post) but, just not what may have been on an 1980/81. So that's kind of confusing and I'd guess you meant to indicate your MR frame is 26"?

As for your tire matching, Schwinn did make Schwinn brand knobby for them in both white and gum wall, yet I have heard that dealers may have gotten or installed Carslie's which, also heard were better than Schwinn's brand. Plus, IDK maybe there was a rubber supply issue in in 80/81 with who made them for Schwinn, and they used Carslie, maybe? So, maybe that's what you had but forgot.
IDK why or if my 24" Down Cruiser had Schwinn originally but that's what's on mine; Carslie's White wall Knobby and they're old but really tough. . I had a stock 81 Chesnut Cruiser 5 and it had original Knobby gum wall, but trash so, owner could only get, from Schwinn dealer, at the time, a set of Duro's, I think 'Duro's', but forgot which after-market tires, B/C I sold it long ago. Point being though, Schwinn Gum wall Knobby was original stock on my 81 Cruiser 5 then too.
 
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