Stretched 53

[Wildcat]

I saw a bike in the build off that lengthened the springer on a schwinn, so I tried it on mine, and added a brooks saddle because the schwinn was still too hard to ride, and I had a set of hi rise bars I wanted to try. It rides nice and comfortable, and it's lowered also, I can sit with my feet on the ground now. Tomorrow morning I'm going out for a 10 mile ride.
Then

Now

 

[mastronaut]

Looks good, where's the Brooks?

 

[thesuicideride]

nice ride! did u flip the crown thing?

 

[Wildcat]

Yep, turned the crown backwards. The previous owner did the same thing and liked it, but the forks didn't have struts, so the forks bent. It took a lot of work to get them back where they should be, and they aren't perfect, but as good as they'll get.

Then I rode it for years until I made struts from copper tubing.

That's the Brooks saddle on it, from what was left of a 1967 Robin Hood bike I picked up in ND. Comfortable.

 

[Wildcat]

After a long ride, the good brooks goes on. Now it rides right!

 

[Unchained]

Nice looking ride! I love the flipped springer idea. That is a really simple and sharp looking change.

 

[aka_locojoe]

The Brooks and the apes look great.

 

[Wildcat]

Thanks.

I can't leave anything alone. I think 18" bars will look better than those generic bars, and since I can't find a wider rear tire for the S7 rim, I might have a 24" wheel laced up to to the 2 speed hub and add a 3" tire.

 

[deorman]

A standard 26x1.5 rim will lace up w/your existing spokes, and take some pretty big tires.

 

[Unchained]

Rats are ever-changing. You can always change it back if you don't like it... but those sound like very nice changes. It would be killer with a 24x3 in back. It's just begging for it, really. Mean looking bike.

 

[schwinnmesa]

That bike is too cool. 8)

 

[Wildcat]

A standard 26x1.5 rim will lace up w/your existing spokes, and take some pretty big tires.

That would look good, 26x3 on there, but the spoke ends are rusty and I like being able to sit while stopped. I could mount a curved seat stem to get the same height, but the original stem is rusted in place, so it would be a job cutting it out and then bending one of the other stems I have.

So it looks like it will get laced up as a 24" rim. I'll probably have to take the hub and rim to the bike shop to get the right size spokes, and I'll try to lace it up myself.

 

[deorman]

Yeah, rusted spoke ends should be in the "ticks you off" thread, nice looking job on the struts. :wink:

 

[Wildcat]

Thanks.

I could also just get a 24" wheel, one speed w coaster and leave the 2 speed S-7 alone.

The struts are just copper tubing, with the ends crushed with a bench vise, then painted silver.

 

[Wildcat]

Well, now it's unstretched and heavier. I added gel to the seat, which helped it 100%. Then I added a rear rack from Uncle Stretch,a repop WF, but I couldn't save the little reflector housings along the sides. I removed the silver paint from my homemade struts, leaving them bare copper. The tank is repop from years ago, so keeping it Schwinn isn't a big deal. The shifter is from a JC Penney 70's bike, and the hub is a shimano. I went ahead and got one of those 5 dollar headlights from Memory Lane Classics and mounted it to the front fender. Also got the horn unit from them. Wald Fenders from an Emory and newer replacement in the front. The hub shiners are from a Raleigh, as is the rear reflector. Last was the tag off Ebay for 2 bucks. So it weighs 56 lbs now and I'll probably leave it this way.

 

[user 135]

Looks great to me. Something about deluxe outfitted bikes.

 

[Rooski]

Ok......NOW it looks good!

Though, I must admit, I'm somewhat partial to that look....

 

[Wildcat]

I'll race ya to the local watering hole!

 

[Rooski]

I'll race ya to the local watering hole!

Ok, but I'll have to give you a head start, cause I got a Nexus 7 under the hood, and mine ONLY weighs 54 pounds, including batteries! :wink: