Anyone have an old 26-inch Schwinn "middleweight/cantilever" frame/fork or complete bike collecting dust? I have an idea for a project. I'd like one originally fitted with handbrakes and made in America, so we're talking '50s through early '80s.
Basically, I'm seeking one like this:
Thanks.
Those tend to boarder on ludicrous prices for what they really are. Good luck.
The bike shop where I used to work had racks in the basement full of 'em, we'd take them on trade for pennies or they would just be abandoned by people. Not sure if they'd still have them 20-odd years later, they jumped on the lowrider craze and cleared out a lot of old inventory. (They still had Krate tires in paper wrapping!)
Appleseed wrote: Those tend to boarder on ludicrous prices for what they really are. Good luck.
The original ones are a bit pricey in my area but I'll ask at the lbs next time I'm there
Appleseed wrote: Those tend to boarder on ludicrous prices for what they really are. Good luck.
Well, yes and no. I'm seeing big numbers for mint, complete, original bikes, but I'm not that picky. That particular frame and fork just sold on eBay for less than $100. Last night I missed a complete bike here in town for like $60. It had been repainted, but for that price I'm totally fine with that.
Knurled wrote: The bike shop where I used to work had racks in the basement full of 'em, we'd take them on trade for pennies or they would just be abandoned by people. Not sure if they'd still have them 20-odd years later, they jumped on the lowrider craze and cleared out a lot of old inventory. (They still had Krate tires in paper wrapping!)
By the way, when I was kid I had a perfect, mint, original Pea Picker--original down to the correct tires. We sold it a garage sale--probably for like $5--because it wasn't a BMX.
Are you sure that you'll fit on one? Last year, I drove a long way to buy a Klunker and when I got there I couldn't really ride it. My knees were too close to the handlebars, and I have a bunch of early StingRays that I can ride comfortably. In fact, I have a bare 1966 StingRay frame if you want to build something smaller.
Woody wrote: Are you sure that you'll fit on one?
No, to be honest. Call it a leap of faith. Plus I'm hoping that being not tall helps me out here.
Tempting on the StingRay. Hmmm.
I think my Stingray was a '66. Maybe a '67. It was the year that the Banana seat did not have sparkles. The next year, they had sparkles.
Damn.
I just went down to the dungeon to take some pictures of the '66 StingRay frame.
When I flipped it over to get a photo of the serial number, I noticed that the seat tube was cracked just above the bottom bracket. Looks like this one's a goner.
It's been hanging down there for about three years as a project in waiting. I guess I bought it this way. I'm surprised that I missed it before. Maybe it happened when the original fork got bent. It may even have been brazed. I hate to see an early frame go away.
Dr. Hess wrote: I think my Stingray was a '66. Maybe a '67. It was the year that the Banana seat did not have sparkles. The next year, they had sparkles.
That was probably a pretty early one, most likely before they stretched the frame and renamed the original size the StingRay Jr.
Wow, bummer on the frame crack. Ow.
Woody wrote: When I flipped it over to get a photo of the serial number, I noticed that the seat tube was cracked just above the bottom bracket. Looks like this one's a goner.
Someone took it over too many sweet jumps. 
Any decent welding shop should be able to repair that.
Woody, correct me if I'm wrong, but on that frame you can't mount a rear handbrake, right?
David S. Wallens wrote: Woody, correct me if I'm wrong, but on that frame you can't mount a rear handbrake, right?
Honestly, I'm not sure, but I think that you can. Right now, my only multi speed Schwinns are a two speed with a coaster brake and a Fastback that I converted to single speed. I had a three speed Speedster. That bike shared the same support for the rear brake and fender. Same deal with the Fastback. These are the best photos that I can find of the mounts. I know that the brake calipers come in several different lengths.
In reply to David S. Wallens:
It sounds like a Spitfire might be what you're looking for.
Or, if you can fit on one, "Camelbacks" are cool. Look for a small framed Varsity or Collegiate.
If I'm reading http://schwinncruisers.com correctly, looks like some had handbrakes, some didn't. The bikes that came with a rear handbrake did have a different rear brake/fender mount, though. Not sure if the others can accept a handbrake. (Compare a Corvette to an American, for example.)
I've found that it's really hard to sort through old Schwinn stuff. I remember reading an interview with Al Fritz and he said that they had as many as 300 different bikes each model year. Even within one model name, they often used a couple of very different frame styles from size to size.
I know, lots of variety. I have seen a few that I believe will work. Now to make one mine.
Cool redo on that Varsity. Schwinn had some pretty designs back then.
$125 or so should buy you just about anything other than a StingRay.
Woody wrote: $125 or so should buy you just about anything other than a StingRay.
Yeah, that seems to be about right. I let the red one go for about $90. If it was green, I would have gone higher.
And compare this frame to the one in my original post: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCHWINN-FRAME-CORVETTE-JAGUAR-AMERICAN-BIKE-CRUISER-BICYCLE-S7-RIM-OG-PAINT-NICE-/201391507658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ee3de88ca
To me, looks like the frame at the top of the thread will accept a rear handbrake. The one in this post looks like it will only accept a rear fender. I know things can be modified, but I'd rather not cut up an old frame. Looks like there's enough out there. I just need to find it.
In reply to David S. Wallens:
I can hook you up David. I think I have both 20" and 26" Schwinns - and I'm pretty sure I have a 26" from the 90's that looks completely retro except for the cantilever brake bosses and threadless forks. And parts, piles and piles of parts. I could fill a semi trailer with bikes and parts...
edit: And I'll be making a frequent trips to Biloxi, so there's a good chance I can at least get it that close to you.
Woody wrote: I've found that it's really hard to sort through old Schwinn stuff. I remember reading an interview with Al Fritz and he said that they had as many as 300 different bikes each model year. Even within one model name, they often used a couple of very different frame styles from size to size.
I have a rare old Schwinn track bike that I doubt I'll ever be able to confirm 100% what it was. I got them from a friend who's ex-roomate had left them behind when he moved. His pile of cast-offs included a wood-wheel Schwinn woman's bike from the teens, an import lugged 10-speed from the late-70's and this thing - the best I can tell, it's a pre-WWII chromoly Superior track bike.
But this is where it get's weird: They only made them for a couple years before discontinuing bike production to assist the war effort, and during that period they were hand-built at a separate shop a few blocks away from the factory. This frame has paint & decals from the 60's, but there's no old paint underneath. However, the bottom bracket looks like it was dragged behind a car! Seriously, my trials bikes don't have this much wear, yet it doesn't look intentional. There's no sign of a serial number either. Lastly, the brazing isn't top-quality - the top-tube is offset slightly to the side.
So I think it was either a bootleg frame that someone put together after production had shifted to the wartime effort, or others have suggested it was used to train a new frame builder, who either smuggled it out of the shop or somehow it was allowed to leave. It's a cool bike, and nice to ride, even if the mystery will never be solved.
Yea looks like that's a rear brake mount:
I don't have any cantilever frames in my stash. I have one Chinese reproduction Gray Ghost that I was planning to just steal the 5-speed and front drum from, and a rough Sting-Ray Fastback orange 5-speed frame. I think that Fastback is a '73 frame.
A while ago I was thinking about finding a small frame Collegiate to make a Manta-Ray clone. This thread has me thinking about it again.
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