The Schwinn Dixie Dreamcycle

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Completely agree.

I actually want to use an old layback seat post I've got, but I need an adapter to make it fit. The seat post I want to use is a 5/8" diameter, while the inside of the seat tube, at least up top, is about 13/16" wide. So... how do I know which adapter to get? Are the ones you shared metal, or plastic?
Why can,t we just all use the decimal system like normal people :rolleyes:
(just kidding). Compare the one you want to use with the one you can,t get in. Usually the size is engraved on the seatpost somewhere under the ¨minimal insert¨ line. The ones i shared are just a download from the net, but i would advise an aluminium adapter and plenty of grease.
You can order them online, or take both seatpost,s to a bikeshop.
 
Why can,t we just all use the decimal system like normal people :rolleyes:
(just kidding). Compare the one you want to use with the one you can,t get in. Usually the size is engraved on the seatpost somewhere under the ¨minimal insert¨ line. The ones i shared are just a download from the net, but i would advise an aluminium adapter and plenty of grease.
You can order them online, or take both seatpost,s to a bikeshop.
None of my seat posts have an engraved size or a "minimal insert" line on them. Might be because of how old they all are.

I'll try taking both seat posts to my local bike shop. That might be easiest for me. Thanks!
 
Haha sounds like you shouldn't have showed us the pink
Yeah, I'm genuinely surprised how many people like that matte violet paint. I didn't have a can of orange spray paint, so I just used what was laying around. Still, maybe someday I'll rebuild this bike into something weirder and wilder, and that matte violet paint might just be what I need to take it up to 11!
 
I'm genuinely surprised how many people like that matte violet paint.
I'm not one of them. Here, I fixed it for you. :21:

BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_.jpg


It's still not your desired color but at least it's not violet!:p
 
The color's growing on me a bit too, but it honestly just looks like something I saw at Walmart. I may tinker with this color on something else down the line, but I really want a metallic orange bike right now.
Yes, metallic orange is going to be good, and it always reminds me of the motorbikes we rode back in the 1970s...
 
Big news: I can start sandblasting again! Dad and I got the new sandblasting parts installed into his sandblaster, and after testing it out on my Schwinn frame, it proves to be fully-functional!

For comparison, here's the old sandblasting tip and nozzle on the left, and the new tip and nozzle on the right.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_1.jpg


Here's the sandblaster in question. 1950 26" Schwinn DX bike frame for scale, because there are no bananas at my dad's shop.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_2.jpg


I didn't completely sandblast the frame, as this was just a test for now. I'll sandblast everything when I've fixed a few parts, and when Dad is ready to powder coat everything. I did however make a point to sandblast the inside of the seat tube, though.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_3.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_4.jpg


Okay, I need some help from the more experienced bike builders here. The layback seat post on the left is what I plan to use to mount my seat. It will need some shims in order to sit properly inside the frame, as it's narrower than the original seat post, pictured in the middle. The gold line on the middle seat pole marks the top of the seat tube, after inserting the seat post as far down as the frame would allow, which is about 3 or 4 inches (I didn't measure, but the other pictures will show how far down inside the frame that is. It actually bottoms out right at the... is it called a "mid tube?") The seat post on the right is a stock seat post, shown because the original seat post that came with this bike was trimmed, no doubt because of whatever blockage is inside the seat tube.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_5.jpg


Here's what I need help with: I want to put my layback seat post as low as it can go, which isn't a problem with it being narrower than the original seat post. I remember the shims that I used to put an identical seat post in last year's RRBBO bike were even shorter than the distance the original seat post can go into the frame, and I feel like I should be able to make everything work despite whatever blockage is in the seat tube. However, I am concerned about the frame bending under my weight pushing down at a point just behind the seat tube, and I want to be sure that this will all work. So, will this all work, or do I have a serious problem on my hands?
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_6.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_7.jpg


One other detail that I took care of today: I freed the pedals I want to use from the crank that the Monark sprocket I'm using on the bike came from. They're not perfect, but they're usable. The side plates have some peeling chrome, so my plan is to sandblast those pieces and powder coat them.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_8.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_sandblaster_and_seat_post_9.jpg


Oh yeah! I almost forgot; I revisited my digital mockup of Schwinn Dixie yesterday, and I think I've decided on a near final design. There are a few variables left to figure out, like what color the fender braces and pedal parts will be, and whether the tank will be metallic white or gloss white, but the rest has pretty much been figured out. This is pretty much what the final bike will look like. I've also decided to rename this build "The Schwinn Dixie Dreamcycle," because the whole "Project Quick Change" moniker hasn't really worked out like I thought it would.
Dreamcycle_2_RRBBO_2021.jpg


So what's next? Well, depending on what everybody says about the seat tube/post issue mentioned earlier, I'll either try fixing the seat tube, or I'll reach out to my local welder to see about fixing the fork, fenders, and a bad spot at the back of the seat tube. I still believe I should be able to have everything finished by September 6th, but I'm going to try getting as much done as possible before August 11th, as I have another pet/house-sitting job coming up that will go until the 22nd. I should still be able to work on the bike during that time, but knocking out as much as I can right now will just make everything easier to manage.

That's all for now! Stay tuned for more!
 
Made a little more progress on the bike today. I decided to try using Evaporust on some of the parts I want to use, namely the chainring, crank arms and seat post. I've let them all set for a few hours now, and I'm already seeing results! I want to let them soak overnight though, as there are a few spots with deeper rust I want to tackle.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_1.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_2.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_7.jpg


Also, fun fact: in the few days that have past since I tested out the sandblaster, the bike frame has developed some incredible flash rust. Oklahoma humidity doing what it does best.
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_3.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_4.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_5.jpg
BftD_Schwinn_Dixie_RRBBO_evaporust_6.jpg


I'll let the few chrome bits soak in Evaporust overnight, but I still haven't figured out the seat post issue. I really need help solving the problem mentioned in my last post, and I can't really go any further until that issue is solved. So, if anyone here can give me some advice or input on what I should do, I would greatly appreciate it. Until then, that's all for now!
 
Can you take a picture down the seat tube?

Is that rust in the shape of a handprint with an actual fingerprint? :13:
I can try shooting a picture on my phone later today.

You know, I didn't even realize it until I was editing the photos last night, but those are handprints where I grabbed the frame! That's pretty crazy!
 

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