The "HOLY GRAIL" of Schwinn MTB frames!

[Xlobsterman]

@Xlobsterman
Here's the bike, its filthy clean, lol.
I bought it from the original owner, he said 85? Updated derailleurs at some point everything else looks stock 2 me.
I think fork & main frame as yours? I'll be into it soon and can check fork tube stampings if you're interested.
View attachment 1719468

View attachment 1719469

View attachment 1719470

Very interesting. The frame is a very similar design, and has the same serial number format.

 

[Xlobsterman]

So in browsing Facebook this morning while drinking my coffee, I found this statement by Charlie Kelly about their "Mountain Bike" trademark being denied by the powers that be! You can download the PDF file from that FB group.

 

[DrRumack80]

Charlie Kelly is a wealth of information, and unlike many other legends, he is accessible. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of his book "Fat Tire Flyer". It is the definitive early history of the sport. A couple of quick (bad) pics of my '81 Everest. Charlie likely built the wheels on this bike (gold Ukais with nutted Bullseye hubs) Will take better photos this weekend in daylight!

 

[Xlobsterman]

Charlie Kelly is a wealth of information, and unlike many other legends, he is accessible. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of his book "Fat Tire Flyer". It is the definitive early history of the sport. A couple of quick (bad) pics of my '81 Everest. Charlie likely built the wheels on this bike (gold Ukais with nutted Bullseye hubs) Will take better photos this weekend in daylight!

View attachment 1720534

View attachment 1720535

Another good reference of the early industry days is this video DVD. It's a good watch.

 

[DrRumack80]

Another good reference of the early industry days is this video DVD. It's a good watch.

Excellent film! When it first came out, I purchased a signed copy from the Marin Museum, along with a signed copy of Fat Tire Flyer.

 

[Xlobsterman]

Excellent film! When it first came out, I purchased a signed copy from the Marin Museum, along with a signed copy of Fat Tire Flyer.

View attachment 1720549

I have the DVD also. It brings back lots of good memories for me when I was working at a shop during that era!

 

[DrRumack80]

Nice! You were at the forefront during the sport's infancy. When the Stumpjumper was introduced, I was in 3rd grade. I came to appreciate these bikes later, after going from middleweights to ballooners/TOC bikes and finally to vintage mountain bikes. I'll be posting more of my collection in the Vintage MTB forum.

 

[Greg47]

Nice! You were at the forefront during the sport's infancy. When the Stumpjumper was introduced, I was in 3rd grade. I came to appreciate these bikes later, after going from middleweights to ballooners/TOC bikes and finally to vintage mountain bikes. I'll be posting more of my collection in the Vintage MTB forum.

Schwinn was late to the mountain bike design as they were to the BMX design. The book "No Hands: The Rise and Fall of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, an American Institution" covers this topic. The 1980 King Sting and 1982 Sidewinder were two examples of Schwinn trying to offer a bicycle with mountain bike characteristics

. I ride a 1982 Sidewinder frequently.

 

[DrRumack80]

Schwinn was late to the mountain bike design as they were to the BMX design. The book "No Hands: The Rise and Fall of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, an American Institution" covers this topic. The 1980 King Sting and 1982 Sidewinder were two examples of Schwinn trying to offer a bicycle with mountain bike characteristics. I ride a 1982 Sidewinder frequently.

Nice! That is a twin of my Sidewinder. Mine is a 21" frame (22" c-t). The original Schwinn Studded Balloon tires are falling apart, at least at the sidewalls. The Sidewinder was just a Varsity frame with fat tires. A logical solution, but a low tech one. They are great riding bikes, though.

Is "No Hands" still in print? Sounds like an interesting read.

 

[Xlobsterman]

Schwinn was late to the mountain bike design as they were to the BMX design. The book "No Hands: The Rise and Fall of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, an American Institution" covers this topic. The 1980 King Sting and 1982 Sidewinder were two examples of Schwinn trying to offer a bicycle with mountain bike characteristicsView attachment 1720687. I ride a 1982 Sidewinder frequently.

That is correct. I was building custom MTB long before Schwinn came out with the KS, and Sidewinder. The pic I posted previously was taken in 79 sometime at a street race in Manhattan Beach, Calif. I also remember when the Stumpjumper hit the market during that time in about 81?