now I gotta build a bike... (24" Speedster)

[ParkRNDL]

so I have always loved Schwinn camelback frames. Lately I've been on a strandie/BMX cruiser kick, where I built two 26" Speedsters into bombers:

The yellow bike is running castoff wheels from a cheap MTB; for the the black one, I spent a couple hundred bucks on a "real" BMX cruiser wheelset and some other odds and ends from Planet BMX. I have had it in my head for a while to build a 24" BMX cruiser version of one of these, and today at the bike swap in Westminster, MD I stumbled on a starting point:

The seller saw me looking and said he'd take 25 before I even opened my mouth. Couldn't argue with that. Now comes the tough part: finding a 24" Speedster frame...

 

[Oak Tree]

Let me know if you want to double your money on those! Ya know cuz ya don’t have a frame right now, and they will go flat if you leave em sitting.

 

[AndyA]

If you would also consider a non-Schwinn camelback, keep your eyes open for a Ross Compact. They were manufactured as 3-speeds (Shimano hub) and as 10-speeds.

 

[Grant]

I have wanted one of these for quite a while now. I've never even seen one in real life though.

 

[ParkRNDL]

If you would also consider a non-Schwinn camelback, keep your eyes open for a Ross Compact. They were manufactured as 3-speeds (Shimano hub) and as 10-speeds.

View attachment 151244

I actually have a 26" Ross Compact 10-speed. I like Ross bikes a lot. If I ever came across a 24" Compact, I'd go the BMX cruiser route with it.

I have wanted one of these for quite a while now. I've never even seen one in real life though.
View attachment 151245

Oooooh, is that a Varsity? Yeah, I have seen camelback Collegiates with 26" wheels and drop bars; I even bought one last year. But I have only ever seen a camelback Varsity with 27" wheels in pictures...

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Let me know if you want to double your money on those! Ya know cuz ya don’t have a frame right now, and they will go flat if you leave em sitting.

Even if they don't go flat, the air could get stale. Send em up to me in Canada. So cold in my shop, they're guaranteed to stay fresh.
And yeah, a Camelback is on my wish list too. 40s CCM for Matti, please!

 

[us56456712]

Pre Raleigh take over Hercules. I also have another Hercules camel back post Raleigh take over but the craftsmanship is not as good. My second one is closer to the Schwinn design with a straight down tube.

 

[AndyA]

If I ever came across a 24" Compact, I'd go the BMX cruiser route with it."

How about putting 24" wheels on a 26" frame? The frame is quite small for a 26-incher. If you kept caliper brakes, they would need to be longer.
View attachment 151246

 

[Grant]

I actually have a 26" Ross Compact 10-speed. I like Ross bikes a lot. If I ever came across a 24" Compact, I'd go the BMX cruiser route with it.
View attachment 151246



Oooooh, is that a Varsity? Yeah, I have seen camelback Collegiates with 26" wheels and drop bars; I even bought one last year. But I have only ever seen a camelback Varsity with 27" wheels in pictures...

I'm pretty sure the Schwinn ones had 26" wheels. The frame looks even smaller than my yellow bike which has 27" wheels and the yellow bike looks really disproportionate.

 

[RustyGold]

There are 27" Schwinn Camelback Varsitys. I've seen one in the wild, and there is someone else on the site that has one... @RustySprockets perhaps? I have a thread somewhere trying to find measurement differences between 26" and 27" versions that the person responded to.

I have 26", 24", and 20"... haven't found a 27" for sale yet.

 

[user 192]

I turned a camelback Racer into the an adult Fastback (the "Manta Racer"), and highly recommend it:

 

[ParkRNDL]

I turned a camelback Racer into the an adult Fastback (the "Manta Racer"), and highly recommend it:

View attachment 151639

View attachment 151640

hey, I had a project that started out as the Manta Racer! It ended up being the Manta Ray II...
https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-manta-racer-project-manta-ray-ii.108057/

 

[jamesdart]

I have a nice nos 24” bmx chrome fork if you are looking for one

 

[RustySprockets]

I stumbled upon a photo of my camelback Varsity today, in all its 10-speed glory.

 

[Wildcat]

I had a camelback Hercules, a 69, red with a 3 speed stick shift. All steel. It might be in Cuba from 91, when I had to go home on emergency leave while we were docked supporting the Haitian refugee ops. It wasn't on the ship when they returned back home a month later. My shipmates probably chucked it overboard because I wasn't there. It was dog eat dog on that ship. That was worst duty station of all the time I was in the military. But it was a great bike. Like this only stripped down.

 

[ParkRNDL]

I have a nice nos 24” bmx chrome fork if you are looking for one

haven't checked in for a while... just seeing this now. sending PM. thanks!

 

[user 26311]

There are 27" Schwinn Camelback Varsitys. I've seen one in the wild, and there is someone else on the site that has one... @RustySprockets perhaps? I have a thread somewhere trying to find measurement differences between 26" and 27" versions that the person responded to.

I have 26", 24", and 20"... haven't found a 27" for sale yet.

I found one of the 27” varsity camel backs on Craigslist a couple of years ago. I removed the front sprocket and replaced it with a mid 70’s mag sprocket. If you still need measurements I could take some and compare them to my 26” camelback.

 

[RustyGold]

Thanks...but we got the measurements . There is currently one in the for sale section.

 

[ingola]

Even if they don't go flat, the air could get stale. Send em up to me in Canada. So cold in my shop, they're guaranteed to stay fresh.
And yeah, a Camelback is on my wish list too. 40s CCM for Matti, please!
View attachment 151255

You still looking for one I can help you out

 

[ParkRNDL]

You still looking for one I can help you out

I'm actually chasing one at the moment. If it falls through (which is likely) I will let you know. Thanks!