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Wartime Schwinn New World Bikes - We Know You Have Them - Tell Us About Them!!

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bought a ladies prewar over the weekend at the Stockton Bike Swap. has a Japanese freewheel hub on the back, and a Schwinn hub up front. not sure about the hoops. it also came with what are probably the original wheels as well. has the wrong brake levers it came with no crank or gear, and I put this one on to ride it last night. the bike had no seat, and I found this seat in a box of seats the seller had. I should have been looking for the crank!!

looks like a 41 on the chart. no EF bottom bracket. lots of pinstripes. Henderson badge and a very faint Henderson on the downtube. locking fork. the old wheels are chrome under the rust.


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The wartime specifications are pretty orthodox. Diamond frame, 20 inch minimum frame size, 1-3/8 tires basically describes a "light roadster" type utility bicycle. A 21-22 inch frame is a little more practical and is the more common size. I've seen taller frame Westfield wartime bikes as well, in the 23-24 inch size. One is hard-pressed to think of a better commuter type platform than a medium-sized diamond frame bike with basic fenders, perhaps a chain guard, and maybe a light set. It's an austere change from the heavily-equipped balloon tire bikes offered to younger people before and after the war. I had an opportunity to buy a tall frame wartime Westfield commuter bike a few years ago, but foolishly turned it down. You can get by with surprisingly little in the way of extras on a bike if you have a solid, diamond frame that fits, decent wheelset, and working brakes.
 
One is hard-pressed to think of a better commuter type platform than a medium-sized diamond frame bike with basic fenders, perhaps a chain guard, and maybe a light set. ... You can get by with surprisingly little in the way of extras on a bike if you have a solid, diamond frame that fits, decent wheelset, and working brakes.
Well put @SirMike1983. When I first got my gramp's 1941 rolling again, I was struck by how solid and "real" (word I used in my head) the bike is. It didn't feel like an antiquated 80 year old contraption I could ride for nostalgia's sake. It continues to be a solid bike after the thousands of miles I've put on it.

@49autocycledeluxe I am no longer the youngest Pre-war New World on the list. 😀 Amazing how fast you got the bike functional again. The chrome on the bars is in good shape too.
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