Springer fork options?

[Xlobsterman]

I was thinking about putting a springer fork on a middleweight bike to create my own spring fork, 3 speed bike. What are the options for springer forks that would work? I see one seller on e-bay has new, made in Taiwan ones listed, but no idea on the quality of those. All you get is the fork, so you have to use your bearings and other hardware. When I look at the picture at the bottom where the bearings would go for the bottom of the headset tube, it's a right angle joint and not a curve for the bearing race. Not sure how that is supposed to work. It's not clear an original bearing race cone will work on there. I've attached a screen shot of one of the ones for sale and pointed out the area with an arrow. Any suggestions?

View attachment 1212342

Putting a cheap, low quality imported spring fork on a vintage Chicago Schwinn is considered blasphemy in most Schwinn enthusiasts minds! But it is your bike, and you can do as you will..........!

So what year and model of middleweight do you have?

 

[GTs58]

So paying 250 bucks for a Schwinn springer wouldn't be blasphemy, just utterly insane. IMO, the springer forks are the bicycles version of the Twin I Beam suspension on the old F word trucks, the worse driving/handling vehicle ever produced. But the Farmers loved them!

Schwinnlax, here's a shot of a Schwinn springer that shows the step off for the fork bearing race. Looks like you'll need to supply the fork race on that eBay piece since his head set kit doesn't include one. You will most likely also have to cut the steer tube down to the length needed.


This one is for sale on eBay. :eek:

 

[Xlobsterman]

So paying 250 bucks for a Schwinn springer wouldn't be blasphemy, just utterly insane. IMO, the springer forks are the bicycles version of the Twin I Beam suspension on the old F word trucks, the worse driving/handling vehicle ever produced. But the Farmers loved them!

Schwinnlax, here's a shot of a Schwinn springer that shows the step off for the fork bearing race. Looks like you'll need to supply the fork race on that eBay piece since his head set kit doesn't include one. You will most likely also have to cut the steer tube down to the length needed.


This one is for sale on eBay. :eek:
View attachment 1212449

INSANE is actually paying $645 bucks for a used one with a broken lock that recently sold on EBAY

BEAUTIFUL ORIG SCHWINN ANNIVERSARY 95' BLACK PHANTOM BICYCLE LOCKING SPRING FORK | eBay

Beautiful Schwinn anniversary 95 painted and pinstriped original Phantom. Locking Springer even has the Arnold Schwinn key on board and a complete. Genuine reproduction authorized Schwinn 95' anniversary fork removed from a.

rover.ebay.com

So using this sold listing as a guide, I guess my NOS Phantom fork would be worth a cool grand if I was to put it on the market?

 

[the tinker]

In 1963 my buddy got a new Schwinn,[black Corvette] from the local Schwinn dealer for his birthday. It had an all chrome factory springer on it. His father ordered it special. We lived close to the Schwinn factory. That bike had hand brakes on it, but for the life of me, I can't recall if it had one on the front. I think it did. Back in the mid70's he sold the bike to my brother. My brother sold it to another friend of mine for 75 bucks in the late 80's. The only defect on it was a dent on the rear fender. The bike was still in excellent shape. I could have had it for free, but I never liked middle weights. I am not now, and never have been a middle-weight bike enthusiast. I've had many springers and have never bothered with the later 50's issued ones. If I wanted one, I would post a for wanted advertisement here on the Cabe. If it's out there, it'll show up here. Once, in a weak moment, I actually bought one of the after-market springers. No comparison [my opinion] to the original Schwinn. As far as the inflated prices on Ebay, even with the high unemployment rate, there are still guys with money that are impatient, and willing to pay the "gotta have it now" price. What's wrong with putting an aftermarket made springer, that is a poor imitation of the original on your Chicago made Schwinn? Ask this question in another forum, [Rat rod- custom bike] not the Schwinn Forum, and you'll get the answer you seek.

 

[fattyre]

Regarding lower bearing races. Sizing can be finicky. I’ve seen on new forks where old original lower bearing races are a larger diameter and will not snuggly fit on the steerer tube due wear or whatever else or it may be. Big deal? Probably not for bikes like this. Just beware that there are a few different sizes and not always the most accurate manufacturing tolerances.


As to installation, pound it on with some type of tube that won’t damage the race and removal is basically a hammer and careful use of a screw driver. You’ll find all kinds of fancy tools that do the job incredibly well, but not worth it at all for these old bikes.

Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Headset Dimension Crib Sheet

Useful headset (steering bearing) dimensions and conversions for the cyclist/mechanic

www.sheldonbrown.com

 

[rustjunkie]

I was thinking about putting a springer fork on a middleweight bike to create my own spring fork, 3 speed bike. What are the options for springer forks that would work? I see one seller on e-bay has new, made in Taiwan ones listed, but no idea on the quality of those. All you get is the fork, so you have to use your bearings and other hardware. When I look at the picture at the bottom where the bearings would go for the bottom of the headset tube, it's a right angle joint and not a curve for the bearing race. Not sure how that is supposed to work. It's not clear an original bearing race cone will work on there. I've attached a screen shot of one of the ones for sale and pointed out the area with an arrow. Any suggestions?

View attachment 1212342

for the riding most of us do that fork would likely be just fine.
sometimes the pivots need adjusting and a bit of lube for the fork to work as it should.
do what you like and don't let other people's baggage drag you down.

the race is press-fit just above and sits against the area of your yellow arrow, you'll need to know the diameter of the area noted with green arrow:

 

[Jeff54]

Yeah, You'd need a post 1955 Schwinn springer but more to your point is: Did Schwinn build em to host front caliper brakes? No.

Some time mid too late 70's Schwinn discontinued the springer but in 1980 created another. The earlier post 1955 has a solid pivot tube and 1980 welded which is very similar to the imported. In 1990's Schwinn issued a new version and for the most part it's only different from the 1980 B/C the weld is very clean and smooth while the 80 weld is a bit rough or poorly ground. the 1980 has curdling at bottom of post where connected to pivot tube. I have the latest post 1990's but never disassembled it but other than S capped bolts and Yoke do not think you can tell difference between them and imports.

It's mainly the chrome BC post 55 is better than 1980 and post 1990 too 2004-ish is crap. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/help-educate-me-about-springer-forks.113880/

Yet back to your topic, I don't know if Schwinn , ,, even built a springer or at any time at all, that you have a mount for front caliper brake.

And, to mine, if so then, you should be looking for a springer made from 1955 too mid 70's. I mean I guess you'd mount on the fender hanger but then it would pivot and give crap for stopping power. Moreover it's why The Krates and later had Adam drum brake.

I mean, you might get long bolt to fit fender bracket and hanger on pivot bolt but for looks only B/C using the brake is gonna break fender bracket as it wobbles back and forth. Without fender braket to help stabilize the brake, somewhat, U prob just tear it off the pivot bolt hanger.

 

[schwinnlax]

Thanks for all the comments. With a 3 speed bike, I would either need a springer fork with a drilled hole for caliper brakes, or an upgrade to a front drum brake. Or possibly a coaster brake three speed rear hub. None of those sound like options I want to pursue. I suspected Schwinn never made a spring fork drilled for front caliper brakes.

Not saying I am going to do this project. Target bike would be my '63 Tiger 3 speed. I was just wondering how difficult it would be to do, and what the source of a good spring fork would be, etc. It does appear there was a clear break in the spring fork production, maybe a couple? I see from catalogs and price lists you could get an all chrome spring fork as an "accessory" from at least the mid 50s into the 1964, the last year of the spring fork Jaguar. I assume 26 inch wheel spring fork production ended with the Jaguar. Then the Krate spring forks were made for those, but again dropped when those were ended. Last would be the 1980/81 spring forks for the Deluxe Cruiser for those years before the Chicago factory was closed thus ending Schwinn spring fork production. Does that roughly sound right? Interesting about the noted differences between 1950s/60s spring fork production and 1980/81. I guess I'd have to compare those close up. Pictures of the 80/81 cruisers don't look different from middle weight spring forks of the 50s/60s, at least in terms of construction. Maybe the chrome plating wasn't as good in 80/81? Will read the thread Jeff posted on spring forks. Great to learn new stuff!

 

[bricycle]

Get a 7 spd nexus rear wheel with coaster brake... you'll be glad you did.

 

[Jeff54]

Thanks for all the comments. With a 3 speed bike, I would either need a springer fork with a drilled hole for caliper brakes, or an upgrade to a front drum brake. Or possibly a coaster brake three speed rear hub. None of those sound like options I want to pursue. I suspected Schwinn never made a spring fork drilled for front caliper brakes.

Not saying I am going to do this project. Target bike would be my '63 Tiger 3 speed. I was just wondering how difficult it would be to do, and what the source of a good spring fork would be, etc. It does appear there was a clear break in the spring fork production, maybe a couple? I see from catalogs and price lists you could get an all chrome spring fork as an "accessory" from at least the mid 50s into the 1964, the last year of the spring fork Jaguar. I assume 26 inch wheel spring fork production ended with the Jaguar. Then the Krate spring forks were made for those, but again dropped when those were ended. Last would be the 1980/81 spring forks for the Deluxe Cruiser for those years before the Chicago factory was closed thus ending Schwinn spring fork production. Does that roughly sound right? Interesting about the noted differences between 1950s/60s spring fork production and 1980/81. I guess I'd have to compare those close up. Pictures of the 80/81 cruisers don't look different from middle weight spring forks of the 50s/60s, at least in terms of construction. Maybe the chrome plating wasn't as good in 80/81? Will read the thread Jeff posted on spring forks. Great to learn new stuff!

Not completely lost idear. Forgot to mention; Schwinn did make side,-clamped rim brakes for front. Possibly to fit pre-1955 and post springer but, for tubes or solid fork?. Yet, surely this type would have been enabled for Murray , Huffy and the like with tubed fork. Maybe some type of clamp-on-fork rim brakes will work.