looking for any info on this weird brake arm “clamp “ on this old American flyer
. Don’t know what purpose it could possibly serve. At first I thought it was home made but looks like it’s factory built. Looks to be a Schwinn built bicycle other than the poor welds.
Has Arnold Schwinn springer and front hub brake. Any info appreciated
I don't know everything, I always say that everyone knows something I don't, and I might know something no one else does, so it's always right to listen to whoever has something to say. Even the old guy living in the woods might have something worth hearing about. I always listen.
The bike seems to be a 52 model, as it's a Schwinn with forward facing dropouts, letter and 5 digits serial on the BB, G makes it 1952.
I haven't seen the brace like that on any bike, but it works on there, along with the great patina. Looks like the rear hub was just rebuilt so I would guess the whole bike is in shape to ride. It's good just as it sits.
Yes it’s a very cool old bike, including the bad welds. Yes the bikes been rebuilt.
Front brake works but requires a little planning ahead! Rides okay but has a crunching sort of noise upon hard pedal ing. Might be the chain.
Wanting to get some idea of the bike before selling.. brake arm remains a mystery. I’m certain it’s factory built.
the brake arm Looks like an after market part off a newer bike! the bend through the middle is a clearance for something! by saying newer bike I could be referring to a 1961 model or similar! theres no bend in the chain stay so to have one on that arm is totally out of whack!.... hang on it was 1952 LOL
the brake arm Looks like an after market part off a newer bike! the bend through the middle is a clearance for something! by saying newer bike I could be referring to a 1961 model or similar! theres no bend in the chain stay so to have one on that arm is totally out of whack!.... hang on it was 1952 LOL
Nothing curious about it, hub and rest of bike have been rebuilt. Crusty spokes and rims were left alone as they are solid. Didn’t want to harm patina.Heavy duty spokes measures 7/64 or 12 gauge. Frame very poorly welded but… nothing broken.
I have seen all sorts of objects used to hold the brake arms, the most popular being spoons. Sell it with the bike or keep it, your choice.
My eyes are pretty bad but is that a rust hole between the weld and the headtube? If it is that could be a breaking point that should be fixed.
I took a very close look at it. The seat stays weren't widened and I don't see any marks from brackets in the frame from motor mounts.
I believe it ran into something and bent the frame. The truss rods kept the springer from bending as the frame took the brunt of it. The front wheel was probably wrecked and the wheel set replaced. Looking at frame geometry, Schwinn cantilever frames had the angles the same, so any changes are easily noticeable.
The head tube is too vertical, it should be just about the same angle as the seat tube. When it took a hit, the top went forward, taking some of the curve out of the top tube. It's still flatter than it should be, with the correct bend would pull the top of the headtube back and get the correct angle. The cantilevers show signs of being bent also. About midway up you can see a kink in them. Where the downtube took the hit it increased the bend. That needs to come out slightly.
When the frame was fixed, they heated it up and tried to bend it back but only got it rideable, The angle of the fork is too steep and the top tube is too flat. The top tube may have had a crack that needed welded up. The down tube shows where the paint was burnt off heating up the frame.
Those frames are made from heavy tubing so if I had it it would be redone and all the angles set just right. Bending and welding and probably some hammering.
I had a factory made Monark motor bike back in the 50's, the motor mount was clamped on the frame and had rubber in-between. It had a drive pulley like a Whizzer with no changes to the frame. I blew the motor in it and put it back to a normal bike after that, not sure what Whizzer had for mounts...........Curt
looking for any info on this weird brake arm “clamp “ on this old American flyer 
