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Schwinn 1985 (but maybe a 1986) Traveler...

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HARPO

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
OK, just picked this one up. Photos as purchased and brought home.
Had a dry spell for awhile, and I needed something to work on. And when this came up at $60 I jumped on it, of course. Do I need it? No, of course not! But... my size frame :tonguewink:

Head badge shows and end of year build in 1985, but the decals say 1986 (also this has downtube shifters). 1987 had downtube shifters, but made into the frame, not a clamp- on like this one. Transition, I guess...?? Overall, the bike appears to be 100% original, right down to the Schwinn Record tires that still hold air.

Rear rack should clean up, and it also has a Cateye Speedometer...side mirror (that's coming off!!) and a water bottle holder. So let the cleanup begin in the next few days!! :cool:

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Harpo, that will clean up nicely, can’t wait to see the finished product. Personally I am not a fan of those racks, I think the bikes look faster/ better without them but thats just me. Enjoy the process I know you will make it look great. Tim
 
@Tim s I don't like them either, and I don't use them for the same reasons. They are functional, but I'll clean it up anyway just to have it. :)
 
@HARPO, that will clean up nicely. I had one I picked up for $50 in 2016 from a CL ad, determined it to be an '86/87 based on SN and headbadge though the paint job was a close match for yours. After cleanup and refub it proved to be a very handsome ride and my airport bike for several years. I sold it last year during the Covid bike boom, I've gravitated to taller bikes over time.

As found (no idea why the last owner thought wheel covers would make this a hot rod)
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After refurb:
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@PfishB Beautiful job! And yours had the better brake levers, making the bike look less "cheap".

I pulled out the saddle stem...and it looks like a bear chewed on it. Last person went round and round with it without using WD-40 to get it out and gouged the heck out of it. I might see what I can do to make it better, or check my Stash for one the same size.
 
Thanks, really all I did was clean off the crud and switch out a few bits. I sympathize on the seat post - I've had quite a few show up with the tell-tale zig-zag scratches, some really deep. Sometimes some wet sanding with progressive grits followed by a bench buffing session can pretty them up, sometimes not.
 
All done...but not a crazy detailing. It's needing new tires. (I saw a few splits that I hadn't noticed earlier on). Took it for a quick spin anyway and was impressed on how nicely it rode and shifted. Worth the $60 for sure!

I removed the rack and changed out the water bottle holder to a black one. The blue will go to my "collection" of them. I left the Cateye unit on and will see about getting a battery for it. I have a few from other bikes in a container, but never used one before. I'll see. Also put the kickstand back on the way it was intended to be on. There was a plate made onto the frame to just place the bolt through and not have a top plate ruining the paint. Hope the Dealer didn't do this back then...

Anyway...on to the next"find"! :tonguewink:

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