Hey! I am new

[flhxri]

Hey everyone! I just bought a bike that I am going to most likely keep original except make it mechanically sound. I thought about just buying a vintage bike in decent shape but what would be the fun of that? So I decided to buy a junker and keep it like I found it except make it mechanically sound. The rims were Schwinn S-7's but were so rusted out I needed to find some newer ones. Same thing with the peddles and the seat post. Luckily I found a newer seat post, rims, block peddles at a flea market and an old schwinn seat at a thrift store. This is what it looked like when I bought it! So far I have dismantled it, got as much of the rust off of it as I could and am now putting it back together. One question I do have is the rims I found are just about 1 1/2 inches in diamater. Does this mean I should get 26x 1.5 tires? I am not sure which tires I will fit the rim. Thanks for your help and let me know if you guys think I should paint it. I am not so sure I want too. I kind of like the gray from under the candy apple color.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53829048@N05/4981073975/in/photostream/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/53829048@N05/4981680552/

 

[mesome]

Welcome! I certainly think you made the right decision going with a fix-er-upper.

As far as the wheels go there's a page on Sheldon Brown's site that can probably answer most of your questions better than I can. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire_sizing.html But to give you a quick and dirty summary, the most important thing to be concerned about is the rim's bead diameter. Some wheels take metric tire sizes (26 x 1.75), others take fractionally measured tires (26 x 1 3/4) and although you would think the two would be compatible they aren't and attempting to mix the two will just cause you a bunch of frustration. Once you have that figured out you should be able to fit on a decent range of tire widths as long as they have the proper rim diameter.

Hope that helps, and good luck with your new bike!

 

[flhxri]

Yeah I read through his stuff on a google search and it was all greek to me!

 

[deorman]

Stated as simply as possible, 26" tires with a decimal size, (1.75, 2.125, etc.) fit standard mtb/ballooner (ISO 559) rims. 26" tires with fractional sizes, (1 3/8, 1 3/4) fit rims which only take that size.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Welcome to the site, I'm kinda a newbie too, great people here. I've been working on bikes since I was 7 and I'm just now figuring out the whole tire size thing, I just got enough parts that if it doesn't fit one rim I grab another off the pile. If you need advice, inspiration, or just a good laugh just cruise the forums for 5 minutes and you're sure to find what you're looking for. If not feel free to ask anyone here.

 

[DonQui]

welcome! im also kind of new here. and ive found this site is great. i hope youll find it the same,remember as outskirtscustoms said it.

If you need advice, inspiration, or just a good laugh just cruise the forums for 5 minutes and you're sure to find what you're looking for. If not feel free to ask anyone here.

 

[X-RAY]

very true osc. ive had more than a few turned into from this site.

 

[Galtbacken]

Welcome! Sounds cool, what you're planning for your bike.

 

[flhxri]

Thanks everyone! I noticed that when I was perusing before I joined!

 

[flhxri]

Well I just got my bike put together and took it for a ride. It rides pretty nice but the old messenger seat broke. Anyone have any idea who makes a decent seat for a reasonable price that won't break? I am about 6'3" 250lbs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53829048@N05/5012729849/

 

[DonQui]

oh man. that came out real nice. sorry to hear about your seat braking :shock:
so you figured out the rims and tires... looks good man.

 

[JLarkin]

Depending on where you live, check craiglist for exercise bikes. Those have heavy duty seats. You can find them at yard sales too for cheap.

 

[flhxri]

Thanks Don I worked my butt off on it! I will check those out! I saw one at a thrift store it was an old Schwinn exercise bike. It was 35 buck's I wonder if thats to much for one?

 

[flhxri]

Added the handle bars, seat and seat post from the Schwinn exercise bike I bought! Still going to add the speedo and then I am going to strip the rest for my next build!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53829048@N05/5024123281/