Is This C&V Sacrilege?
 

Back in 2021, I bought a 1989 Schwinn Circuit. It is a 22" (55-56cm) frame. I bought it because I was fascinate by both the frame itself (Candyapple red, Columbus main tubes, with chrome Tange Aero stays and fork) and the groupset (Shimano's Sante). It came with all the original parts, except for ONE of the black rubber nubs that go into the pivot bolts on the single-pivot brakes. I normally ride larger frames, 57-59cm, so it took a long seatpost and a 130mm stem to make it fit. Mostly.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...249d21ddd6.jpg
The thing is, the bars are about 2 cm lower than any of my other bikes, and I found that after long rides on it, especially if I do much riding in the drops, I get some lower back pain.

SO, I found a 23" (58cm) frame on Ebay. Same year, same color, etc. But this time, in my size. No fork, though, and obviously the fork from the 22" frame wouldn't fit. SO, I found a 24" 1988 Circuit frame and fork. That frame is a bit rough. Lots of rust spots on the top tube, etc. BUT the chrome fork will clean up nicely!

Here's my plan: Get the fork from the 24" cut down and threaded to fit the 23" frame, then swap all the components from the 22" frame onto the 23", recreating a completely authentic, but not original, 1989 Circuit in my size. And a really nice 22" frame.

Sounds like a plan. I imagine it would most certainly be worth the trouble.

Before you go to that extent though, have you considered a tall or upward rise 13 cm stem? Might be worth the experiment to see if you could get the 56 comfortable before springing for a new frame.

I’m more of a fan of Salsa chromoly stems instead of Nitto Technomic BTW.

That's kind of counter to the aesthetic I'm looking for. What I really want is an authentic Circuit, but in my size.

And I already bought both the 23" frame and the 24" frame and fork. I'm hoping that with the 23" frame, I'll be able to use the original seatpost and Rolls saddle, and with a 110 stem (as originally spec'ed on the 23") the bars should be right. I did a quick calculation, based on the increased head tube length, and the bars will be 2cm higher, putting them right in the range of all my other bikes.

genejockey-

Sounds perfectly viable and you can resell some of the bits to cut the overall cost down. You will find the proper frame sizing will make a big comfort difference.

Sounds like a plan to me! Those are really nice bikes, my friend bought one new in 1987 or '88 and absolutely LOVED that bike. His was the satin black one without the chrome fork and not near as nice looking as the red ones. He rode that thing until just a few years ago when he decided to hit the side of a car and play Superman over the roof . It appeared that the bike was OK but the front wheel was "taco'd ". We checked the steerer and the head lugs as well as the down tube for any damage.....none. He bought new wheels for it and a year later the head tube cracked helically( like a spiral) . It was an interesting effect when he was riding , so he scrapped the frame . I thought that was a good choice! Seriously nice bikes though.

Yeah, it's a Circuit, not a Collegiate.

Not sacrilege at all! I think you'll love having a classic C&V in your size. Beautiful bike.

Now I just need to find someone in the Bay Area to cut and thread the fork....

Dale Saso? 408.258.5574

If you no longer need the shorter fork PM me!

Sacrilege is in the eye of the beholder. it depends on your C&V worldview. To me, the only sacrilege is for a bike to exist unridden. Unless it is in a museum it is supposed to be on the road, or on the tails, doing its intended purpose.

Do whatever to whichever frame you desire so long as you actually ride it.

Eons ago, the C&V sect welcomed devotees to the Cult of the Chimera, a mythical creature long-since elevated to the upper pantheon of deities. Zealots of the cult are said to make pilgrimages on Frankenbikes to the Temple of the Chimera, where offerings of mismatched parts are said to cause the gods to send down a Zephyr, always in the form of a tailwind.

lol that is what I was going to say https://sasobike.com/

Is your shorter fork chromed near the threaded portion? If the larger frame is too, that will make threading it more difficult and some shops will turn it away, rather than wear out their tools. You may have to do it yourself.

If a larger frame is an option, I’d go with it. If stuck with the current frame, a 90 degree stem would be a solution for the stem height. I have a couple of rides outfitted this way. My Peugeot beater pictured here is one example.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8dadf92584.jpg

two meters is a lot.

No. Totally worth it. It's not sacrilege. That said I have a 23" Circuit frame & fork hanging in my garage waiting for me to get motivated enough to paint it. I probably would have traded for the 56cm as I can ride either size comfortably.

That's a lot of hoops you jumped through, so follow thru with what makes you happiest.

and post the pics of the finished product.


then again brothers are nice to have.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...887da9189.jpeg
the Daimlers.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cb2fa9fe7.jpeg

Oh God no. That would indeed be sacrilege.

Have you determined that the fork which will be cut down is the same length as the original fork that would have came with the 23" frame?(other than the longer steerer tube) I have a Tange 1 frame that had the fork swtiched out before I owned it for a chrome Tange Prestige fork. It's an upgrade and rides good, but now the TT is slightly sloping.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5822dbb97.jpg

Is a Schwinn Circuit considered "sacred" ?

Catalog scans.

https://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCa...9_Ltwt_16.html

Interesting...

What is strange is that the paint in the fork crown matches the frame paint. The chrome fork has less bend at the bottom. Here is an original to compare. If I had to guess as to why the fork swap on the iris one, the original aero headsets had some failure issues. Bike shop might not have had the right size replacement. Headset/fork swap could have been the quickest solution. The iris one when found, was souped up. Simplex DT shifters, different Suntour Cyclone/Superbe derailleurs and Campy hubs. The black one is a weight weenie build despite the triple/BA cassette. Not many matching components on it either.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...56e36d8b0e.jpg

Those are both nice looking bikes. But that chrome fork looks like it added at least an inch to the front-end height! That seems very strange to me.