Old Schwinn parts...proprietary?
10-28-13, 01:01 AM
#1
Abuse Magnet
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
90 Posts
Old Schwinn parts...proprietary?
I'm looking to get an old Schwinn frame (pre-1965, hopefully) to build into a cruiser. I do have some questions about the old Schwinns that may affect my plans.
Do the old Schwinns have a lot of proprietary parts on them that I'd have to track down sources for, or do they use fairly standard dimensions on the frames and parts (headset and bottom bracket are what I'm most concerned about). I'm not looking to do a faithful restoration or anything, but I don't plan on a bunch of custom work, either.
Do the old Schwinns have a lot of proprietary parts on them that I'd have to track down sources for, or do they use fairly standard dimensions on the frames and parts (headset and bottom bracket are what I'm most concerned about). I'm not looking to do a faithful restoration or anything, but I don't plan on a bunch of custom work, either.
10-28-13, 07:49 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: NJ
Posts: 3,084
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
The Schwinns of that era, excepting some paramounts, have an American BB hell which will take a standard-size OPC BB. However, the Schwinn OPC's were 28tpi, and took a 9-ball retainer on each side, and many folks feel that the Schwinn cups work best with the Schwinn bearings. For comparison's sake, "standard" OPCs are 24tpi and take a 10-ball retainer on each side. Short story: you can run a Schwinn spec OPC OR a standard OPC in a Schwinn frame, but you'll need to make sure that the BB itself matches the crank. The sprockets are interchangeable. (You may find some variation on the width of American BB shells, side-to-side, but mmost OPCs have enough threads to compensate for this...) 1/2" pedfals for all OPCs, btw.
Headsets: These are 1" threaded, but they are the old-school american bike size, which means anywhere from 32.5mm to 33mm cups. I have found Schwinns from the 50s to be bigger (@32.7) with more recent (1970s) Chicago Schinns to be closer to the "bmx" size of 32.5mm. All take 24tpi forks. Basically, a nice starting point for a current-production headsets would be a tioga beartrap 2, but you may have to shim it a tiny bit. The safest bet is the Wald 4080, which you can make fit, but it will take some MacGuyver moves.
Other than that, basically every Chi-town Schwinn takes a 13/16" seatpost, and the stem will be 22.2mm (7/8") on very old Schwinns, and 21.1mm on the majority of them.
hth
-Rob
Headsets: These are 1" threaded, but they are the old-school american bike size, which means anywhere from 32.5mm to 33mm cups. I have found Schwinns from the 50s to be bigger (@32.7) with more recent (1970s) Chicago Schinns to be closer to the "bmx" size of 32.5mm. All take 24tpi forks. Basically, a nice starting point for a current-production headsets would be a tioga beartrap 2, but you may have to shim it a tiny bit. The safest bet is the Wald 4080, which you can make fit, but it will take some MacGuyver moves.
Other than that, basically every Chi-town Schwinn takes a 13/16" seatpost, and the stem will be 22.2mm (7/8") on very old Schwinns, and 21.1mm on the majority of them.
hth
-Rob
10-28-13, 08:36 AM
#4
Abuse Magnet
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
90 Posts
10-28-13, 08:39 AM
#5
Abuse Magnet
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
90 Posts
The Schwinns of that era, excepting some paramounts, have an American BB hell which will take a standard-size OPC BB. However, the Schwinn OPC's were 28tpi, and took a 9-ball retainer on each side, and many folks feel that the Schwinn cups work best with the Schwinn bearings. For comparison's sake, "standard" OPCs are 24tpi and take a 10-ball retainer on each side. Short story: you can run a Schwinn spec OPC OR a standard OPC in a Schwinn frame, but you'll need to make sure that the BB itself matches the crank. The sprockets are interchangeable. (You may find some variation on the width of American BB shells, side-to-side, but mmost OPCs have enough threads to compensate for this...) 1/2" pedfals for all OPCs, btw.
Headsets: These are 1" threaded, but they are the old-school american bike size, which means anywhere from 32.5mm to 33mm cups. I have found Schwinns from the 50s to be bigger (@32.7) with more recent (1970s) Chicago Schinns to be closer to the "bmx" size of 32.5mm. All take 24tpi forks. Basically, a nice starting point for a current-production headsets would be a tioga beartrap 2, but you may have to shim it a tiny bit. The safest bet is the Wald 4080, which you can make fit, but it will take some MacGuyver moves.
Other than that, basically every Chi-town Schwinn takes a 13/16" seatpost, and the stem will be 22.2mm (7/8") on very old Schwinns, and 21.1mm on the majority of them.
hth
-Rob
Headsets: These are 1" threaded, but they are the old-school american bike size, which means anywhere from 32.5mm to 33mm cups. I have found Schwinns from the 50s to be bigger (@32.7) with more recent (1970s) Chicago Schinns to be closer to the "bmx" size of 32.5mm. All take 24tpi forks. Basically, a nice starting point for a current-production headsets would be a tioga beartrap 2, but you may have to shim it a tiny bit. The safest bet is the Wald 4080, which you can make fit, but it will take some MacGuyver moves.
Other than that, basically every Chi-town Schwinn takes a 13/16" seatpost, and the stem will be 22.2mm (7/8") on very old Schwinns, and 21.1mm on the majority of them.
hth
-Rob
10-28-13, 10:57 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: NJ
Posts: 3,084
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
Now, if you want a straightbar, a DX, or a motobike-style frame, you'll need to stick with the older stuff....
11-12-13, 06:55 PM
#7
Banned.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 964
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I'm looking to get an old Schwinn frame (pre-1965, hopefully) to build into a cruiser. I do have some questions about the old Schwinns that may affect my plans.
Do the old Schwinns have a lot of proprietary parts on them that I'd have to track down sources for, or do they use fairly standard dimensions on the frames and parts (headset and bottom bracket are what I'm most concerned about). I'm not looking to do a faithful restoration or anything, but I don't plan on a bunch of custom work, either.
Do the old Schwinns have a lot of proprietary parts on them that I'd have to track down sources for, or do they use fairly standard dimensions on the frames and parts (headset and bottom bracket are what I'm most concerned about). I'm not looking to do a faithful restoration or anything, but I don't plan on a bunch of custom work, either.
11-12-13, 09:40 PM
#8
Abuse Magnet
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
90 Posts
Any Schwinn middle weight which they started making in 1955 will have parts that will interchange with any other middle weight including girls bikes. The parts are very easy to find you can even buy lightwieght schwinns that many of the parts will interchange. Unless you have a custom one in mind,,the most economical way is to find one that sat for a long time needs to be greased cleaned and tuned, but is complete or almost complete. I have bought and sold at least 200 hundred of them. I keep about 15 (-:
11-14-13, 09:43 PM
#9
Abuse Magnet
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
90 Posts
As it turns out, I'm following another path...namely, an early-70's Raleigh Sport.
11-15-13, 12:36 AM
#11
Abuse Magnet
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
90 Posts
12-04-13, 08:13 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: N/W Florida--Pace
Posts: 134
Bikes: N+1=20013 Green mongoose Beast, '74 Raleigh International, '58 Raleigh Dawn Tourist, Univega Alpine Sport, Univega Ladies MTB- Wife's, Townie 7D -Wife's, and a pile-o-spare British 'junque'
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
<<<< Lusting that green Panther ! tom
12-05-13, 07:05 PM
#13
K2ProFlex baby!
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: My response would have been something along the lines of: "Does your bike have computer controlled suspension? Then shut your piehole, this baby is from the future!"
Posts: 6,133
Bikes: to many to list
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 56 Times
in
31 Posts
I like that Jaguar, all orig?
__________________
You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
12-06-13, 05:25 AM
#15
K2ProFlex baby!
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: My response would have been something along the lines of: "Does your bike have computer controlled suspension? Then shut your piehole, this baby is from the future!"
Posts: 6,133
Bikes: to many to list
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 56 Times
in
31 Posts
Id love to see a few clear, detailed pics of it! 
__________________
You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
12-06-13, 06:17 PM
#16
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
And I second the motion, howeeee-Show off your Jag!
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
