New here, original owner late 80s Schwinn Woodlands
#1
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Location: Northwest Lower Michigan
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Bikes: 1987 Schwinn Woodlands 24"
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New here, original owner late 80s Schwinn Woodlands
Hello. 42/M from Northern lower Michigan. In April 1988 I was 12 and got a new 24" Schwinn Woodlands. Yes I realize I would be better fitted to a larger bike now but I love it dearly and I'm not super tall anyway. With the seat all the way up it's a comfortable posture for me. It's held up great, even for being stored outside all these years, it's barely even rusty. Haven't had to do that much over the years except some cables and tires. The Schwinn Quality badge on the front really means something. I rode a ton of miles in my younger years, now I just leisurely ride the local bike paths. Even when I was a kid I took a corner too fast and hit a curb and got thrown off. I rode away from it, didn't even bend the rim or anything.
But it's time to do some work to it. The headset bearing has a little play, I might be able to just tighten that up. The bearings in the pedals are shot, I have some new ones. And the crank bearings are worn out. I can service car engines and have plenty of tools, but haven't done much work on bikes aside from brakes and shift mechanisms. I just bought a bike work stand a month ago.
What's the best way to get the correct bearing parts? Pull it apart and try to match what's left? Or can I look up the parts in some catalog? I do have the serial number in long term memory, not sure if I should post it publicly though. I'll get a photo of the bike later.
But it's time to do some work to it. The headset bearing has a little play, I might be able to just tighten that up. The bearings in the pedals are shot, I have some new ones. And the crank bearings are worn out. I can service car engines and have plenty of tools, but haven't done much work on bikes aside from brakes and shift mechanisms. I just bought a bike work stand a month ago.
What's the best way to get the correct bearing parts? Pull it apart and try to match what's left? Or can I look up the parts in some catalog? I do have the serial number in long term memory, not sure if I should post it publicly though. I'll get a photo of the bike later.
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Welcome. Your best approach is asking your questions to the Mechanics forum here. It’s full of experts
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/
#3
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Location: Northwest Lower Michigan
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Bikes: 1987 Schwinn Woodlands 24"
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Looks like I can post pics now.
Great help in the mechanics forum. Got all the bearings done including the freewheel. Also new pedals and seat (done after these pics). Next I'll redo the cables, and would like to replace the tires with the same tread as the originals were (Giant Comp III). But for now it rides so much quieter and a little easier too. Rode it for about 5 hours the last 2 days. It's nice being a little bit smaller bike, easy to pick up and carry up and down stairs (our trails are not just for bikes, they have stairs here and there too).
Great help in the mechanics forum. Got all the bearings done including the freewheel. Also new pedals and seat (done after these pics). Next I'll redo the cables, and would like to replace the tires with the same tread as the originals were (Giant Comp III). But for now it rides so much quieter and a little easier too. Rode it for about 5 hours the last 2 days. It's nice being a little bit smaller bike, easy to pick up and carry up and down stairs (our trails are not just for bikes, they have stairs here and there too).
#4
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Welcome! Alot of the bearings should be serviceable, but you'll probably need to pick up a few specific bike tools (crank puller, bottom bracket tool, maybe freewheel/ cassette tool) depending how far you want to get into it, everything else you should be able to get by with "normal" hand tools
#5
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Welcome! Alot of the bearings should be serviceable, but you'll probably need to pick up a few specific bike tools (crank puller, bottom bracket tool, maybe freewheel/ cassette tool) depending how far you want to get into it, everything else you should be able to get by with "normal" hand tools