This week at the Co-op - Schwinn lightweights

[Schwinny]

Another his hers donation. These are 10 footers. Closer than that they are pretty worn down.
Upgraded to Suntour mighty shifters and apparently rode the tires off em'. 73' Suburbans.
Funny, it wasn't long ago there was a thread were someone was looking for the rear fender reflector where the reflector was bigger than the bezel. I hadn't seen one like that before but it was agreed it was a one year or perhaps even A few months anomaly. Since then, I've seen several. Prolly cuz I've been paying attention now. These are some of those.

 

[GTs58]

Are the serial #'s the same year? Spoke protectors look different. 1973 and 74 seems to be the time for the large reflectors on the bezels and 75 for the goofy black plastic pos.

 

[Schwinny]

Are the serial #'s the same year? Spoke protectors look different. 1973 and 74 seems to be the time for the large reflectors on the bezels and 75 for the goofy black plastic pos.

I just assumed they were the same year, I only looked at the ladies frame serial. The mens has been processed and is on the bottom of a pile in the box truck by now. Could be....
I did notice the mens had dbl butted spokes on the front but straight on the rear. Girls was straight gauge on both. That that was strange.

 

[Eric Amlie]

Interesting that the shifters have been rotated to the front of the head tube.
That would take some getting used to.

Just looked at some bikes with these on Ebay and realized that this is the way they all were.
Contrary to what I thought, these have not been rotated.

 

[schwinnlax]

Nice 5 speeds. You don’t see too many of them. I suspect the small price difference with a 10 speed convinced most to buy 10 speeds instead.

 

[Schwinny]

Nice 5 speeds. You don’t see too many of them. I suspect the small price difference with a 10 speed convinced most to buy 10 speeds instead.

Trivial pursuit...
First year for the Suburban (70) there were 3spd Surburbans. One year for those I think

 

[schwinnlax]

Trivial pursuit...
First year for the Suburban (70) there were 3spd Surburbans. One year for those

Three speed Suburbans were offered in three years: 1970, 1971, and then again in 1979 as a three speed with coaster brake. I created a this thread about the '71 Suburban three speed I picked up last summer.

 

[Schwinny]

Three speed Suburbans were offered in three years: 1970, 1971, and then again in 1979 as a three speed with coaster brake. I created a this thread about the '71 Suburban three speed I picked up last summer.

I looked through all the catalogs a while back and didn't see 3 spd offered in 71. Perhaps carry overs.. I'll look through the 79 catalog again.

Just revisited those. Revised my mental database. Thanks for that.
Hmmm. Never seen any of those.
Those FFS bikes are.... Strange. Saw one the other day with solid shifter wire. Still shifted very snappy.

 

[schwinnlax]

'71 Catalog, page 15. Here you can see the price difference between the different speed options is pretty small. Still thinking that is the major reason most Suburbans you see today are 10 speeds. Only $2 more to go from a 3 speed to a 5 speed, and $8 more (less than 10%) to get a 10 speed. I suspect that is why very few 3-speeds sold and were dropped after only two years. Bigger mystery is why they brought it back for one year in '79?

 

[Schwinny]

85' Voyager SP - His n' Hers

These came in last Tuesday. Brought in by the son of the original owners. I looked these up and they are quite impressive for 80s bikes. I think they are Giant built. 19 and 24" frames. The small one's rear wheel was hit in the garage and is bent. Otherwise these are completely savable. At least one will be kept for refurbish. Or if anyone close wants them cheap....

TOTL touring machines.

• Columbus tubing
• Wolber Super Champ rims, 40 spoke rear
• DiaComp 981 cantilevers
• Rack bungs on the forks and may have originally come with Blackburn Racks stock.

Etc, etc.