natloz

Just picked this up for $30. Don't know much about Schwinn values. Full chrome fork which not sure came with original.

natloz

bikemike73 

For $30.00 you can't go wrong.

Are you looking to " flip" it ?

Or just clean up and ride ?

It's a basic bike on the lower end of the scale, but a good durable bike.

My friend in high school had one in 1973....he still has it and rides it !!!!!!

Congrats

natloz

Looking to clean, tune and flip.

ramzilla

That's a big boy bike. Looks like it's greater than a 60cm frame. Maybe a 62. If it was mine, I'd ditch the drop bars & safety levers & install some nice upright bars on it. New brake levers & grips. Leave the stem shifters alone. Clean, polish, install new bearings & re-lube. Replace the chain & cables. Put a rack on the back. And, sell it for around $225. "As - is" after cleaning & tune up maybe $50. Be good. Have fun.

natloz

25" frame

bikemike73 

The spokes have rust on them. Not sure if it's surface rust or worse.

If you do all ramzilla suggests, (would be what I would do)..... if I was keeping it... or if it was a high end bike

I do not see much of a profit , but it depends on the area and supply and demand

The decals are in poor condition.

To be honest..I would be " shocked" if you got anywhere close to 225.00

A bike in that condition and quality , at best, even after tuned and ready to ride would be 150.00 on the high end.
Not trying to discourage you, it is great that you saved a bike, but to me it looks like an awful lot of work( but enjoyable) and you get experience to make maybe 50 - 65.00.

At least in my area. If the paint and decals were better you might be able to get 165.00 after cleaned and tuned up.

Good Luck and please do not take my comments as negative. I am just being honest and wish you the best of luck!!!

Please keep us posted and share a pic of the end result.!!!

Stay/be safe !!!

natloz

Thanks for contributing, I will post once it is cleaned up and will see what we can get for it. There is very little rust overall so it is all about polish and degreasing. It is missing one spoke so will have to sort that one out...to determine spoke length required should be interesting.

madpogue 

See those digits stamped into the head badge? Looks like the last digit is obscured from the camera view by the brake cable? What's that digit? That will tell you the year. Well, it'll probably be the next year's model, because it was built mid-December (day 346).

Oh - the G1280 on the dropout suggests Giant-made, Dec 1980, making this a 1981 bike, which matches the markings. Schwinn catalogs, 1981 - 1990 (11 of 456) . Second up from entry level of what Schwinn called "xtra-light" 10-speeds. With a LOT of cleaning / tune-up, fresh tires and brake pads, it might fetch $150 in this crazy new market, but the focus today is on "ready to ride".

To match the broken spoke, remove another spoke from the same side of the hub and bring it in to match.

natloz

The last digit is a ZERO. Thanks for the information, that is great.

branko_76 

natloz , in addition to the above suggestion, replace the brake pads with KOOL-STOP "Continentals"

natloz

I love Kool Stops, but for a flip if the current ones stop the wheels I find the $30 price tag really erodes the profits. If it were my personal ride I would do it in a heartbeat!

branko_76 

Is buying and selling bicycles your full-time job?

natloz

Not at all, but I do it for personal enjoyment and love searching for a great deal that can be turned into cash so I can purchase tools and more bikes. I am however learning how to re-use as much as I can without compromising safety but also maximizing my return.
In the last month, this has brought me enough cash to purchase the following:

1) Park tool home mechanic stand
2) Park tool home mechanic truing stand
3) Good quality pedal wrench
4) Good quality crank puller
5) Chain whip
6) Couple bottom bracket removal tools
7) Vintage toolbox to hold the goods
8) Couple of cone wrenches by Park tool
9) Park tool grease gun
10) Upgraded my son's bike from a Nakamura to a better quality Raleigh for free
11) Added a restored (by me) vintage Jetter ten speed to my personal collection for free
12) And enough money to keep looking for deals and keeping stock of parts such as: gear/brake cables and housing, crimp on nipples, bike grips, spare saddles, tire tubes

I have a full time job that keeps me busy the rest of the week! I often work on this at night and weekends when I have time.
In this market, most bikes I post for sale are gone within 48 hours.

madpogue 

While you're building your Park tool collection, consider an SBC-1 ruler/gauge, which includes a handy gauge for measuring spoke length.

natloz

Actually I forgot I have that on order. I stripped a crank cotter pin and when I went to my local bike recycler, they pulled out that handy ruler to determine it was a 9.5mm, so when I got home I ordered one from Amazon. Not all that expensive but also has bearing gauges, and as you stated spoke ruler. Thanks for the tip, for anyone else reading this.

natloz

On this one I decided minimal. Cleaned up frame with windex and WD-40. Adjusted derailleurs, removed nasty bar tape and left bare, and listed with missing spokes noted and as-is. Got someone coming today for $100 which is $70 profit with minimal effort. This is a win for me! Here is the cleaned up bike.

madpogue 

Now THAT is quick turnaround!

You are going to reccommend new brake pads, right? They look original.

natloz

I will see what type of person they are, they may want to take it to the next level and flip it again lol...the double-flip.

bikemike73 

I would just put a zip tie on the cable and connect to the handlebars.

I would leave the brakes as is...IF when you ride it....they work

natloz

i won't spend money when i don't have to, but won't hide the flaws either

madpogue 

It would take apr. 1 minute 23 seconds, and cost zero, to slide the caliper off the end of the handlebar and back on with the cable routed properly.

branko_76 

Every bike I have sold or given away to family and friends has had complete mechanical restorations. What I've come to realize over the years is that there are very few people who actually know how to do basic maintainance and repairs so I kind of feel obligated to pass along a bike that is mechanically sound.

natloz

It sold last night for $100 as-is. They are looked it over and we're happy to pay that amount. I made $70

Trakhak

Congratulations for the quick turnaround. Just a follow-up to your saying that you're not sure that chrome fork is original: it's almost certainly a replacement fork, the original having been damaged in a front-end impact.

The clues: the head tube angle is steeper than would have been the case out of the factory. Also, there's a horizontal line of rust on the down tube immediately below the head tube lug: a sure sign that the tube bent upward in the collision, cracking the paint there.