What Was The First Year That Schwinns Had Their Own Rim-pinch Brakes?

[Goldenrod1]

I'm writing a story for the Whizzer newsletter. I know that some of you think that these front brakes look clumpy-clumsy (and I agree) but when my bald dome is headed for a tree, (while I am trying to pick a bug out of my eye), that square inch of surface, rubbing on a wiggling antique rim, grows in importance. When I get an original Whizzer without a Schwinn front drum brake, I sneak on one of these (Schwinn approved) safety accessories with no apologies. Even if my motorcycle helmet saves me from a brain spill, my wife (Poor Mary) and I have grown fond of my working joints, especially the one located in my lower hemisphere.
I let out this little-girl scream, each time I go stupid. The one occasion, that my three brothers are most fond of, was preceded by a dare that I wouldn't let them push me over a cliff in our old baby buggy. Our parents had carelessly left it unguarded, in our garage. The cliff wasn't any less forgiving after the steel kid protector lost a wheel and we repeated the thrill until it was like going over Niagara Falls in a half open barrel.* Try that in one of today's cramped, throw away, plastic burp-mobiles.

* No Schwinns were damaged during the making of this historic event.

 

[cyclingday]

I don’t know, if it was Schwinn’s first use of a rim brake, but the Schwinn-Webb, Ten Spot Brake, was introduced for the 1938 model year.

 

[GTs58]

I'd say for sure in 1939.

 

[Oilit]

Those "Schwinn-Web" brakes were never used on anything except lightweights, as far as I know. The later rim brakes may have been intended as a replacement for the drum-style Fore Brake, but that's just a guess. The only model to have them as standard was the first generation American (middleweight 1955 - '58), so they may have introduced the balloon-tire version at the same time, but again, that's just a guess. And I share your interest in brakes, I've noticed in my advancing years that I don't heal as quickly as I used to.

 

[Superman1984]

Those "Schwinn-Web" brakes were never used on anything except lightweights, as far as I know. The later rim brakes may have been intended as a replacement for the drum-style Fore Brake, but that's just a guess. The only model to have them as standard was the first generation American (middleweight 1955 - '58), so they may have introduced the balloon-tire version at the same time, but again, that's just a guess. And I share your interest in brakes, I've noticed in my advancing years that I don't heal as quickly as I used to.

At 37 I am already noticing it takes a lot longer to heal & it's Only Getting Slower with each year passing. Maybe life's way of saying slow down & take it easier but work hard & play harder has been around longer than I have.

 

[GTs58]

I just went thru the 1948 parts catalog and no mention of the Schwinn rim brakes. Earliest mention of them that I've seen is in the 1951 accessories sheet.

 

[Oilit]

I just went thru the 1948 parts catalog and no mention of the Schwinn rim brakes. Earliest mention of them that I've seen is in the 1951 accessories sheet.

Interesting! So they were a factory option in 1951? That's earlier than I expected.

 

[SirMike1983]

The other thing with the lightweights is that in the 1930s-50s, buying "add-on" brakes was a fairly common practice. I've come across Westfields, Elgins, and even a Huffman that had "Philco" add-on brakes that clamped to the fork. I have no idea if those companies actually partnered with Phillips, but it could very well be a case of bike shop additions at the point of sale or aftermarket. In any event, these add-on brakes were a thing in that period. Today a nice set of Philco brakes or Schwinn-Webb brakes are pretty valuable. Add-on brakes are nice in that they let you add a hand brake to a bike fork that otherwise is not drilled for a standard caliper. They're kind of innovative in their own way. In a way, I wish they had made more of them and they would be easier to get today. I'd love to build-up a pre-1933 diamond frame American bike with metal rims and add-on handbrakes like a good set of Philcos. Have to dig deep into the wallet when you get into that project...

I don't know about the later, 1950s era add-on Schwinn brakes as much, mainly because I've not seen them on any lightweights I've come across. I suppose they could be added, but by the 1950s, the practice seems to have been much more a case of the lightweight bikes either coming with handbrakes or not from the factory. And then you eventually see those "conversion" brackets that allow you to add a brake caliper hole to a bike that does not otherwise have one. You see those on the middleweights a lot. I've had people contact me asking how the hell the mount caliper brakes on their bike, only to be told the fork and rear bridge are not actually drilled for it (90 degrees the wrong way!).

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

front brakes are a good thing to have on a bike. I have a few pairs of those and plan on using them on a bike or two.

 

[GTs58]