Cherry Bomb

[ponytailmike]

Hey All… Hope everyone is well…
Some of you may remember this Schwinn frame from the fresh finds…

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=16398&p=165394&hilit=ponytailmike#p165394

Well…
I can proudly say this 35 year old Schwinn frame…
Is now an actual Bicycle…
I dug out some of the parts that I had been saving for “just the right bike”…

Got the bike as just the frame and kickstand…
At the same swap meet I picked up a black Schwinn fork…
So I striped the fork to bare metal…
Used green etching primer…

Then a coat of red primer…

Now a coat of silver…

And last but certainly not least…
Red Metal Cast for chrome…

Not a perfect match but… Close enough…
I had picked up this Nexus 7 speed Coaster Brake up at a sale almost 2 years ago…
It was still wrapped in plastic and had all the hardware…
Just had not found the project till now…

I also used from my stash this 1995 phantom reproduction chain wheel…
With a crank and bearings from a 1974 Schwinn continental…

Lastly I traded out the white with black letters head badge…
With this black with red letters head badge from an old exerciser…

All right you all have waited long enough…
Here’s the rest of the photos…

The Cherry Bomb was assembled July 3 2009…
And ridden for the first time July 4 2009…
35 years and 3 months after the serial # build date…

ponytailmike
mike

 

[deorman]

Ridiculously nice! My all time favorite "someone else's" bicycle! 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[greg66]

glad to see it get to be a real bike on the street. :lol:

 

[loudboys]

Having seen it in person, and even been privileged to ride it, all I have to say is...get a good bike lock. :mrgreen:

 

[ratina]

Very simple and clean, I love it!

 

[user 135]

Nice paint on the fork.

 

[SimpleMan]

Really curious as to how you like the Nexus 7. I'm planning on spoking one into one of my bike builds. Great looking bike :mrgreen:

 

[RZ94]

That is one sweet Schwinn.

 

[The Heron]

That sprocket is like a mirror! How'd you do that?
Great color match!

 

[maddogrider]

Nice ride man, i think i like everything about it 8)

 

[Fireproof]

Nice work Mike!
And what a blessing . . . how many of us will ever be able to take a 35 year-old bike for its first ever ride?

 

[ponytailmike]

Thanks Everyone for the good reviews…
She’s been real fun to ride…
And a real head turner…
The chainring and nexus 7 were both new…
She’s geared 52/19…
But first is great for climbing hills…
And seventh is perfect for going down them really fast… 8)
Then there’s still five other gears… :shock:
The coaster brake works good…
And the shifts are nice and crisp…
This nexus 7 is incredible!!!(So far... "Expect the worst" and "Hope for the best")
I’m wishing I had another one or two...
Oh well…Gotta go…
Everyone!!! Keep Up the Good Work!!!

ponytailmike
mike

 

[user 135]

I bet that gearing is fast. Can you use "7" on the flat land? My nexus 7 is geared 44x 22. It works great for around town and the bigger hills

 

[ponytailmike]

cman...
For comparison here's Sheldon Browns gear inch chart...
Made some assumptions (like tire size and crank length)

Yours
Gear chart using Gear Inches
For 26 X 2.125 / 54-559 / MTB tire with 170 mm cranks and 22 tooth sprocket
44 / 22
7th 1.545 80.2
6th 1.335 69.3
5th 1.145 59.4
4th 0.989 51.3
3rd 0.843 43.7
2nd 0.741 38.4
1st 0.632 32.8
With Shimano Nexus 7-speed Hub

Mine
Gear chart using Gear Inches
For 26 X 2.125 / 54-559 / MTB tire with 170 mm cranks and 19 tooth sprocket
52 / 19
7th 1.545 109.7
6th 1.335 94.8
5th 1.145 81.3
4th 0.989 70.2
3rd 0.843 59.8
2nd 0.741 52.6
1st 0.632 44.9
With Shimano Nexus 7-speed Hub

Looks like my 1st thru 5th would equal your 3rd thru 7th
My 7th is doable on flat ground...
Once you’re moving...

ponytailmike
mike