Schwinn Racer Decals - Tricolor Bands

[SirMike1983]

On some of the older Schwinn Racers, there are three tricolor bands that go on the frame: two on the top tube and one on the down tube. Does anyone happen to have the measurements for where on the frame these should go? I can try to eyeball it, but I'm wondering if anyone has measurements for how far along the tubes to place the three tricolor decal bands.

 

[Schwinny]

Actually, I think all but the very first have these Red, White and Blue bands. I restored a 68' but had measured and took pics before hand. Finding a pic of one and eyeballing should be close enough.
These are exactly where the originals started, AND facing the right way. I started to think they were a specific distance from the seat and head tubes but the downtube one was further down originally as seen here.

....

 

[SirMike1983]

It looks like one goes just in front of the pulley boss, one just behind the stop for the brake cable, and then one just above the "Schwinn" logo. If anyone has any measurements from original frames and decals, I'd be glad to have them. But if not, eyeball it will be.

 

[SLM]

I can help but not until spring, there is a man in my nieghborhood with a Mint Schwinn Racer with the fancier fenders etc...orginial owner too. I will take a photo of his Racer and post it for you. It will not happen until Spring when he rides it to Country Club. When I told him what a nice bicycle he had... he is quite proud of it . It's mint ....not scratchs etc. ...looks like it just left the plant.

 

[davek]

I have a original paint campus green 68 Racer it does not have the decals

 

[dirtman]

I have a 65 in Flamboyant Red that does not have the decals, and a black 1966 that also does not. Both are 'Deluxe Racer" models with chrome fenders and single speed coaster brakes. A buddy has a near identical '65 to mine, but in a smaller frame, and his has the banded decals. His is also a Deluxe Racer.

Judging by the catalog pics, the bands seem to go with the chrome fenders but my examples here don't follow that idea.
I have a '62 3 speed in pieces in the basement that has the decals, in a 24" frame with chrome fenders that's not marked Deluxe.

When painting or painting various features on a bike or any vehicle, what I always do is to take a photo of a factory version, then use Paint to add some intersecting reference lines that will give you a point of comparison or measurement for the decals or paint work.

Something like this:



Using a string or straight edge, you can then find the correct location for the bike being worked on.

Use the axles, frame tube intersections, crank axle, caliper mounts etc. Braze ons work too but try and find a pic of a same or similar size bike.

A rough guess judging by your pic, the top tube decals are about 1" ahead of the rear braze on, and 1/2" behind the front one,
The down tube decal appears to be the same distance from the Schwinn decal as is the front of the chainguard where it passed in front of the DT.
The seat post decal has its lower red band at the point where an intersecting line between the TT forward braze on and the rear axle.
I would do the comparison to several bikes, its hard to tell if all were the same or which bikes pictured have already been redone in the past.



Of course, having measurements of off the bike being worked on is best but a good pic is all you need.

 

[SirMike1983]

Thanks - I held off on this project because the replacement decals I bought fell apart. The last set of waterslides I got from this seller were excellent - came right off the backing in one piece following the instructions. This most recent set, one just would not come off the backer intact, another the backer disintegrated before it would come off, and the third came off only with great difficulty and extended periods in the water. So for now no stripes on the bike. I guess I could buy another set, but I was really put off it by the most recent waterslides. The bike I'm working on has painted fenders and no chrome fork cap. It looks pretty good as-is, and maybe it's not worth fighting with bad waterslides to get three bands on there. I think the frame is a '66 or '67 (can't remember which), but retrofitted with early 1960s era parts to make a little nicer bike and have the sort of stuff I like on there.

 

[dirtman]

From what I recall, the original Schwinn water slide decals were always fragile. Some of the later one's are better but not by much. Over the years I found its a matter of getting them out of the water and on the frame just at the right time. Soak them too long and the adhesive gets weak, soak them too little and the brake when you try to position them. We used to use a spray bottle with water and make sure the frame was wet before putting the decal on the tube, it buys a bit of extra time to position the decal where you want it. The decals do get more brittle with age too, and the decals that are easier to install never blend in like the originals did.
I redid the bands on one bike I sold a few years ago with an air brush and some lettering paint. If you mask it off and take your time with some fine line tape, you can make them look factory.
Personally, I think the bikes look better without them, the bright colors are too much and not all models had them anyway.

 

[flyingtaco]

Girls Bike