Just another 26" Schwinn Cruiser Build

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Brunson67

Brunson67

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Got this at a yard sale on my to work, $20.00. Didn't need it, thought I could pass onto someone who needed a cruiser for when all of our friends go camping. Thought tires, grips, a quick clean up, good to go. Had no takers, with exception, my wife and 13 year old son liked it. He currently rides a 20" FIT bmx when we go camping. So I know have a new project. Nothing special, not a Chicago Schwinn, I'm thinking maybe mid to late 80's? Pics below as found.
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That is a mid 80's schwinn cantilever cruiser... Japanese made... the forks are the biggest giveaway. .

Im riding one just like it .
All the bits are 80's BMX sized. So 7/8" seat post.. skinny quill stem, etc.. but yours is much more complete that mine was when i got it so you won't have to hunt for much.

It's a good solid bike..

I slapped a bigger rear sprocket on mine, added fenders, repop springer forks and ape hangers.

Mine came to me without a seat or seatpost, nor quill and handlebars.

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Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Serial number is on rear drop out, tried to look it up but couldn't find anything on line. This is suppose to be a simple basic build, we all know how that goes! Lol
 
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Stayed after work to get some stuff done on frame and fork. Cut fender tabs on forks off and brazen up s few blemishes, ran some Emory around the tubes to make they are dialed. Why do my pictures rotate when I upload them? They are fine in my library. Before I upload them I need to rotate them 360 degrees, to the original orientation, save them, then they load correctly, confusing!
 
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Do the newer Schwinn bikes use the same style odd rims as the old ones? I remember working on bikes when I was a kid and hated to have to deal with Schwinn rims and tires.
 
This bike has standard 26" rims, I believe ISO 459 sizing. The late 70' Schwinn Spitfire and the later Schwinn cruiser used S2 rims, which are standard sizing. You are probably referring to some of Schwinns oddball rims, S7, S6, S5's, which take fractional tires, like 26 x 1 3/4, versus standard decimal is 26 x 1.750.
 
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Bead blasted frame and started cleaning it up. I noticed on the rear drops there was one with a nice radiused edge, and the other had a sharp edge, which told me they used one stamping and then flopped the drop out to the other side, I've never seen this on CHICAGO dropouts, I think CHICAGO frames used separate stamping for left and right drop outs. Hope that makes sense! Anyways, I radiused or slightly rounded softened the sharp edge one to match the better looking one.
 
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Brunson67 said:
This bike has standard 26" rims, I believe ISO 459 sizing. The late 70' Schwinn Spitfire and the later Schwinn cruiser used S2 rims, which are standard sizing. You are probably referring to some of Schwinns oddball rims, S7, S6, S5's, which take fractional tires, like 26 x 1 3/4, versus standard decimal is 26 x 1.750.
Click to expand...

All I remember was the Schwinn rims were more square in profile than others and the sides of the rim was a different height than the other rims so Schwinn rims could only use Schwinn tires. I remember fighting to put a tire on a rim for an hour or so only to realize either the tire or the rim was a Schwinn and the other wasn't! lol
 
handyandy1100 said:
All I remember was the Schwinn rims were more square in profile than others and the sides of the rim was a different height than the other rims so Schwinn rims could only use Schwinn tires. I remember fighting to put a tire on a rim for an hour or so only to realize either the tire or the rim was a Schwinn and the other wasn't! lol
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Yup, probably trying to put a standard decimal tire on a fractional Schwinn rim. It won't work no matter how much soap and water you use! Lol
 

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