Build for my father : Schwinn cruiser custom COMPLETE

[Indyjps]

Hey guys, let me know your thoughts on part selection. Was talking with my Dad, who rides a cruiser occasionally and he said he wanted a similar rider to what he had long ago. We went thru some pics and narrowed it down to a Schwinn corvette/tyhoon/american. Im guessing early to mid 60's. He bought it used.

Key features:
Dark blue, stickered as schwinn
Kickback hub
Chrome rims
Chrome or stainless fenders
Bars wider than stock (cruiser)
Knobby tires

Things Im considering adding:
26x1.75 rims, no schwinn sizing.
3 pc crank
Sturmey 2 spd kickback -new
Leather springer seat, grips.
Tried to talk him into polished aluminum hoops- no go.


Im just learning about Schwinns.
Looked thru the catalogs. Is there differences in the 26" wheel cantilever frames between the models, or was it mostly how they were dressed out. He's about 5'9", want a good fit.

Anyone used the Sturmey 2 speed kickback, is this the best option, really want a new hub that will be trouble free. 32h to go with chrome rims I have. Best place to buy?

Looking for brick tread, or light knobby with skinwall or blue wall. How do the duro bricktread ride, what are good option.

Best place for schwinn decals, most of what I see are waterslide.

Appreciate advice, I dont have a bike yet and looking to get the right one. It will be a custom build not a Schwinn catalog resto.

 

[Brunson67]

Sounds like a fun project! I'm not an authority on any of this, but I'll say what I know, and anyone please correct me if I'm wrong. Schwinn 26" cantilever frames were all the same regarding geometry. Depending on how fat of a tire you plan on running might determine what frame. Middle weights all came with the Schwinn S7's I believe up until 1977 when they re-released the Spitfire which they squizzed in S2's and 26x2.125" tires. Remember, Schwinn S2's require standard ISO 459 tires, so all 1.75 to 2.5's will fit S2's-unlimited tires. S7's only take the 1 3/4" tires, very limited tire house. So middle weights can safely accept a 2.125" tire, some have squeezed in wider tires though. The cantilever balloon tire frames have more width/room in between the seat and chain stays, allowing for cool fat cruiser tires. Forks also apply regarding middle weight and balloon tire, balloon tire forks are wider.
Decals- rule of thump, if you powder coat you need to do peel and apply only, water slides don't adhere, if you paint it you can use either decals. (eBay for decals)
Tires- so many good tires to choose from, pretty much personal preference in my opinion. Check out
BMX Guru https://www.bmxguru.com/
Planet BMX https://www.planetbmx.com/shop/
J&B Importers http://www.jbi.bike/site/
Dans Comp
https://www.danscomp.com/
to name a few. A lot of the newer style tires have higher PSI ratings, make for a nicer ride in my opinion.
Rims- Bicycle Wheel Warehouse-great deal on wheel sets, you can upgrade to different hubs in the drop downs.
http://bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/Cruising/Cruising-26/
Hope this helps!

 

[scrumblero]

I have a couple S2C's, they are fun for road bikes but seem to have more pedaling resistance than the Bendix kickbacks. I prefer a three band with bigger chainwheel to an SA with a smaller one unless I wanna go fast.

 

[Indyjps]

Im definitely getting away from Schwinn rims on this build, bike shown below will donate the chrome hoops and Ill relace. My best guess is 1970's dept store bike. Unfortunately the frame is no longer available - it got chopped.

Info Im finding on line for ISO size. If this is correct, the 26x1.75 rims should clear any Schwinn cantilever frame.

Schwinn S7 ISO 571
26 x 1.75 / 2.1.25 ISO 559

 

[Indyjps]

I have a couple S2C's, they are fun for road bikes but seem to have more pedaling resistance than the Bendix kickbacks. I prefer a three band with bigger chainwheel to an SA with a smaller one unless I wanna go fast.

Great feedback, if bendix kickbacks are available new ill go with one, I want this to be basically maintenance free for the old man. He liked the kickback he had (schwinn) but remembers it requiring a lot of teardown and repair.

Ive never ridden one personally, Im so used to freewheels and long crank arms from BMX, I backpedal on every turn. Coaster brakes seriously mess me up.

 

[Brunson67]

Sorry, gave bad info on the ISO! You are correct with 559.

 

[Wildcat]

So if your Dad likes kickback hubs, a new one should work great, the SA kickback gear ratios are the same or very close to the old ones.
The old S-7's he had on his old bike (middleweight) had slightly more diameter than the standard 1.75 rims so they won't be a problem.
Are you sure they are 32 hole? The SA kickback comes in 32 or 36 so that's not a problem.

I agree, all the 26" Schwinn frames from the early 60's were the same size, 18" frame size middleweight. The 18" is the seat tube length from middle of the BB to the top of the tube. I'm also 5'9", and always needed the seat post pretty high to ride comfortably on those frames.

Schwinn did have a larger frame only for a couple years in the 60's, a king-size frame, it was 20". Either an American or Heavy Duty model. Good luck finding one, but if you do, it will be perfect.

If your Dad's old bike was good, then you should be able to find that same frame easy enough, most of the models used the same frame. There was also a twin bar frame in the early 60's, same size but less common and same geometry.

For tires, high pressure smooth tread will make a world of difference. Alloy rims help, but he prefers chrome steel which will still be good with tires that have low rolling resistance. I'm 60 years old, any help rolling is much appreciated. I had wider typhoon cord tires on my old cruiser, pumped up to 55 psi, it would fly on the bike path. With the newer stuff they have now, a set of 26 x 1.75 high pressure would be my choice. I've used Michelin tires that still looked knobby but rolled very smooth.

 

[Indyjps]

Great advice guys, appreciate it. Ill comfirm 36 or 32 spoke before ordering parts, the wheels are down at my shop and I had someone else do a spoke count.

Agree on high pressure tires, I ride 70 psi tires mostly, the 35psi feel pretty bad in comparison.

Im going with a saddle brown springer seat, brown grips, tan/gumwall tires would tie it together, but I dont want to sacrifice performance to get the look.

Good deal, this gets me a start. Time to decide on what to buy and start gathering parts. Ill give an update as the parts pile grows.

 

[Bicycle808]

The gaps in gears are very similar in regards to the S2C and the Yellow & Red Bendix kickback hubs. The main difference is that the red & yellow Bendix have a direct drive high and an underdrive whereas the S2C has a direct drive low and an overdrive (like the Bendix Blue Band hubs...). So you could achieve the same ratios but you'd need to use different sprocket combos to achieve them.

 

[Wildcat]

I see you're in Chicago, there should be thousands of those frames available if you don't have one already.

I took a quick look and this popped up, has a nice old Schwinn chain guard, wrong chain wheel (Monark). The right frame and forks.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bop/d/tall-medium-small-bike-frames/6260049725.html

 

[Wildcat]

Here's a dark blue American. The decal on the seat tube shows it to be from the 60's.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/bik/d/schwinn-american-bicycle/6290367159.html

 

[Indyjps]

1955 schwinn corvette, brought it home. Came with a sears something 26" cruiser with double top tube. The front rack on the sears is wald, pretty pitted vut the spring is good and its not bent. Fenders on the schwinn are salvageable but will never be great. I didnt get the later corvette chainguard I was looking for.

If theres anything on the sears that looks good to you, let me know, I think frame fork rack maybe bars are the only thing ill be keeping. Schwinn wheels wont be saved either.

Agree, there are a lot of schwinns around Chicago, theres also some strong ties to schwinn so theyre priced healthy on a lot of marginal bikes.

 

[scrumblero]

1955 schwinn corvette, brought it home. Came with a sears something 26" cruiser with double top tube.

Pic's please..

 

[Indyjps]

Oxalic acid - wood bleach is amazing, this rack was crusty.

Dad decided on continental traffic 2.1 for the build. Should fit the frame on the smaller 26x1.75 rims instead of the schwinn rims. INPUT APPRECIATED ON FIT. 1.9 may be safer, hes looking for a fat knobbed tire. I think any modern higher pressure tire work well.

 

[Wildcat]

Should fit, even under the fenders. Some members here have gotten 2.125 tires on their Schwinn middleweight bikes with no fender rub.

 

[Indyjps]

Might as well keep this going as the build thread.

Bought a complete new wheel on ebay with a new sturmey archer S2C. Has 12g spokes, not sure if ill use them or not. Good deal.

Chrome wheels I had from 70's cruiser had a little tarnish but cleaned up well. Still couldnt convince the merits of aluminum rims, oh well.
Quick oxalic acid bath, neutralized, johnsons paste wax inside and out.

NOS unbranded high flange front hub, converted to bolted axle.

Need to order spokes. Really wanted to go with blue nipples, but if I keep the 12g spokes on the rear, Ill do 14g and matching silver nipples on the front.

Both sets of bars cleaned up well and have different sweeps, have a third set to try also.

Schwinn stem got oxalic acid dip. Has a large area with missing chrome. Have 4 others to choose from.

Fenders cleaned up well in oxalic acid.

Ordered a wald 940-10 seat post. Using this seat from parts stash

Considering these grips, some other brown /tan that are nice too.

 

[Brunson67]

Awesome, can't wait for finished product!

 

[dropstep]

the sears 26 looks alot like my murray built J.C Higgins, any chance you can tell me what hub is on the rear of it?

 

[Indyjps]

the sears 26 looks alot like my murray built J.C Higgins, any chance you can tell me what hub is on the rear of it?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/26-inch-wheels-sears-spaceliner-murray-jc-higgins-/202055760173
Bendix red band rear hub, parts were a mix of years. Tank was missing so Im parting most of it out, let me know what you need.

 

[scrumblero]

That front hub looks like a Shimano without a sticker.. What rim came on the S2c? I would go alloy rims.. chrome steel looks nice but polished Alu does too and is a lot less rolling resistance. you can definitely feel the difference on high pressure tires..