SCHWINN STRAIGHT BAR BUILD

[Rat Rod]

Saw a CL ad on Friday for a Schwinn straight bar ballooner with a bent fork. Worked out a deal with the seller and ran down and grabbed it before he headed out of town for the weekend.

Got it home and unbent the fork and starting thinking about what I could do with it. I had been collecting some parts and decided to mock it up to see how it would look.

Here's how it looked when I got it home...

I ended up giving it the Klunker treatment with some cool parts I had. I recently picked up the gold ARAYA wheel set from someone on the RRB FB group and thought they'd be perfect. Has a Schwinn high flanged hub up front and a Bendix 76 our back. I had an old Sidewinder fork which also was a perfect fit. Topped it off with a Matthews stem, Persons saddle, Sugino chainring, SR Tubular hollow one piece crank and a set of Suntour bear traps.

Haven't hardly had a chance to ride it because it was in the 20's here today....and I hate the cold.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Very much a bike I’d ride! Love it.
Those wheels are in really great shape! They look like Ukai tho?

 

[Rat Rod]

Very much a bike I’d ride! Love it.
Those wheels are in really great shape! They look like Ukai tho?

ARAYA 7C's

Wish they were 2.125's instead of 1.75's, but that's really splitting hairs.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

ARAYA 7C's

Wish they were 2.125's instead of 1.75's, but that's really splitting hairs.

Ah! That makes sense!! Didn’t see the ‘second’ line or what ever ya call it. Was expecting 7x. Even better. Don’t see those everyday!
I wonder if it was a stoke set or built up? Super cool

 

[Rat Rod]

I think these were what you could have as an upgrade on a Schwinn Cruiser in the late 70's from the factory.

They are using the same spokes and hubs as what would have come on a standard Schwinn Cruiser.

 

[rrtbike]

I notice you use those tires alot.
Do they ride good or mostly for nostalgia looks?
Great improvement over the original picture @Rat Rod !

 

[Rat Rod]

I notice you use those tires alot.
Do they ride good or mostly for nostalgia looks?
Great improvement over the original picture @Rat Rod !

They ride smooth and I like the way they look. It's also what they would have run on a cruiser back in the 70's and 80's.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

One of my favorite Schwinn frames.
Nice restyle.

Guitarl.

 

[Rat Rod]

I may or may not stick with this seat. I'd rather find a worn brown Brooks. I'd also like to find some 1/2" gold KKT Lightning pedals to swap out with the Suntours.

 

[Robertk]

Very nice!!!

 

[Chad T]

That gold looks killer with that faded green paint. Those tires were on the early Klunkers too since that's the only 26 inch knobby there was. Perfect wheel/tire combo for that.

 

[jerermy]

Another great bike here. This is what I'm after

 

[DeuceWheeler]

Looks tough, I wonder how a grungy set of gumwalls would look?