People who are not serious Schwinn nutcases might not realize that the SCHWINN SUBURBAN has the Lighter Tubular Front Fork (same one as seen on the CONTINENTAL ). This Tubular Front Fork is SEEN in post
#22 8-31-19 5:20 by RidesAJapanese, and also in post#1 8-13-19 10:55.
This Schwinn Tubular Front Fork (Suburban & Continental) weighs considerably less than the Ashtabula forged blade Front Fork that the Varsity and the other Schwinn "lightweight" electroforged-HEAVIES have.
The first thing you may notice is though the SUBURBAN'S Front Fork is the same as the Continental, the Brakes are the Exact same Side Pulls that are seen on the Varsity. The Suburban has the Side Pulls of the Varsity and the Front Fork of the Continental. The Continental has CENTER PULL brakes if you aren't into old Schwinns.
The Suburban has the same heavy forged steel stem as the Varsity and the other common "lightweight" Chicago heavies of the seventies to the Chicago end.
The Continental has a lightweight alloy stem. The handlebars on the Suburban are the typical approx 23" wide North Road bars seen on Schwinns of at least the mid sixties to the Chicago end. Good design and shape and great chrome like most all Schwinn chrome a decade after WWII and beyond until the Chicago end. It cleans up nicely except when seriously rusted. The Suburban has what most folks refer to as ugly duckling painted fenders compared to the Chrome Fenders that were found on the '69 Varsity Tourist (last year before being phased out, replaced by Suburban in the line-up). Chrome 27" fenders were Optional Accessories for the Varsity and other 630mm (27") wheel lightweights in the seventies.
The SUBURBAN traditionally with its very conservative graphics and decal colors for the "Traditional" graphic scheme years, tend to fade into the paint color on some SUBURBAN colors of 1970 through 1976 that have the "Traditional" Schwinn graphics/logo. An example is the 1971 Brown Color and the 1972 Green Color has a coordinating off gold that over time just is not seen, unless your eyes are within four inches of the bicycle. Due to the conservative, muted color scheme choices that Schwinn decided upon for most of the pre-1977 SUBURBANS, the decals and graphics DO NOT LOOK NEARLY AS GOOD AS SAY THE AVERAGE EQUALLY WEATHERBEATEN Collegiate, Varsity, Continental, Super Sport, Breeze, Speedster, Fair Lady, or Sting Ray etc, of the same era.
These 1970 - 1976 SUBURBANS tend to look good only when their decals are clean + intact and not yet faded, ghostlike into the paint.
The Later 1977 era "Modern" SCHWINN graphics/logo tends to look great on the SUBURBANS of '77 and onward......it made them much less like homely spinsters compared to Varsity and Collegiate and others. The later "MODERN" Schwinn graphics/logo decals tend to contrast and stand out more on the Suburban which is great, BUT THE DURABILITY/LONGEVITY OF THE WEATHERABILITY & WEAR +TEAR OF THE NEWER "modern" graphic-logo is much more fragile and it tends to scrape and lose parts much more easily.
There is no reason not to if you want to dress up the otherwise homely looking SUBURBAN with snazzy chrome fenders that were optional on Varsity/Continental.
You could also choose to repaint a SUBURBAN in one of the better color choices that the Collegiate/Varsity/Continental/Super Sport/Breeze/Hollywood/Sting Ray etc had during the sixties or seventies, or you could visit the spray can isle at TRACTOR SUPPLY, HOME DEPOT, LOWES, or WALMART and choose any of hundreds of colors that would make a great looking bicycle. You don't have to stay stock with the color. I have found that you can get superb paint quality from an expensive cheapo rattle can if you take your time and you spray outdoors when the weather is warm to hot and during the year when there is zero pollen and at a time when there are no insects flying to get in the paint. I tend to let the paint cure (dry) for about three weeks or so before attempting to re-assemble the bicycle, or installing new decals, or reinstalling headbadge etc.
The outdoors in the heat and sunshine during days without forecast for rain is good in my opinion.
Don't worry at all about possible sun fading of the new paint color. Those folks who restore and customize the old forties, fifties, and sixties Cruiser bicycles OFTEN USE INEXPENSIVE RATTLE CAN SPRAY PAINT. Yes, Schwinn did do several coats and then baked the enamel so their paint finish was slightly more durable than say what came on a JC Higgins from SEARS. The paint in the $4 spray paint that you find at WalMart, etc is every bit as good as the paint seen on bicycles and cars of the fifties and early sixties as far as color retention (fading). Today's $4 spray paint is probably better in resisting fading.
Yes, it will take probably several months to reach its most durable after the intitial painting, assuming the weather is not cold, longer if cold.
It is just a bicycle and you can get good results. It isn't a super-valuable or rare bicycle, so I'd say if you're patient and detail oriented, why not make it look really good in a color that you or your spouse or child really loves. It is extremely simple to disassemble everything and you can easily paint the frame, as it isn't very large and you can hang it up or prop it up and move it as necessary to reach all of it. GO SEE c.a.b.e. AS THEIR IS A THREAD OVER THERE THAT SHOWS EXAMPLES OF MANY FOLKS THAT PAINTED VALUABLE OLD CRUISERS WITH $4 SPRAY PAINT. Their work is fantastic and they share the Colors and the brands of which those particular colors came. There are two - tone and complimentary colors. Some Painted fenders with masked off painted pin stripes. Some examples include ten speeds of the electroforged and lighter lugged variety. If they didn't tell you that the paint was common rattle can stuff from Walmart/HomeDepot etc, you'd never know. It isn't exactly taking a walk on the wild side, but heck, if you like that sort of idea of painting it, then have a go at it. You can't screw it up. These bicycles unless in showroom perfect condition just do not have significant value..........NO VALUE other than as for the total minimal basic functional bicycle transportation value.........................probably is less than the total sum of two K-35 Kenda tires, tubes, rim strips purchased from the lowest cost webseller and the approximately $30 that your local bike shop would charge you to mount the tires and tubes, rim strips that you sourced from webland.
Another SCHWINN feature, the STEM SHIFTER (referred to as Twin STIK on 10 speed, single lever STIK on 5 speed models)
Perhaps METACORTEX might explain more on the subject of perhaps why SCHWINN made this change that I will mention here:
(s) 1967 - 1973 have the funky looking (s) on the shift lever
(S) 1974 - Chicago end has the cleaner looking (S)
On the 1974 5 speed SUBURBAN ONLY, the shifter was a Shimano thumb lever that was on the right side handlebar......1975 it returned to the STIK (S)
THE LATER (S) shifter is said to pull more cable and requires less throw (up + back movement)
THE 1967 -1973 earlier shifter is easily identified by the (s) that looks closer to the (s) s-shape as seen in the early kiss rockgroup logo than just a simple s-shape.......thus I refer to it as the funky looking (s) on the 1967-1973 STIK.
**************That is another distinguishing characteristic.
I have modified some late seventies and early eighties Twelve Speeds and Ten Speeds that came stock with DOWNTUBE Shifters to STEM SHIFTERS using the SCHWINN Twin STIK. I have used both the early (s) and the Late (S) . I prefer the later (S) cleaner S shape that indicates 1974 and later.
I know you guys are thinking, who does that, changes from downtube to stem, when clearly downtube on Japanese bikes of the late seventies/early eighties indicates a more serious bicycle that isn't the base model. I have done it because both I and other folks that wanted it that way, detest downtube shifters and prefer the stem location. It isn't a huge thing. A later owner can always return it to the downtube or whatever they wish to do.
Hey that is what is sometimes fun, making the bicycle the way that you would like it. It is a very low cost to make such a change. I obviously chose the Schwinn Twin Stik stem shift levers for such use because I like them better than everyone else's stem mounted levers. Yes, they weigh more and yes the levers themselves are large and are shiny plated and have that Schwinn (S) but I like them and that is what ultimately matters. Do what you like.
Don't however get carried away with trying to make any bike into something it can't easily be. It is gonna be difficult to modify a 1974 PINTO into a car that could compete successfully in the 24 Hours of Lemans......................................now against similar vehicles from a long ago era in the 24 Hours of Lemons competition, the old 1974 Pinto might do okay against Gremlins, Dusters, Novas, Ramblers, Falcons, Corvairs, Spitfires, MGB, FIAT 124, TR7. You also have to be smart and realize what outlay will be a sunk cost in your build of such bike. Don't worry that you will spend more than the bicycle is worth because you will spend more than the bicycle is worth when you spend $45 on two tires, tubes, rim strips, and grease to repack the hanger set(bottom bracket)
#64 bearings. You'll have fun. That is what counts. Just Don't Go Crazy And Spend $200 re-habbing or customizing that bicycle unless you have the excess disposable income where $200 will otherwise have no impact on your weekly spending budget . It is a hobby. Have fun. Ride Them. Customize Them. IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO, You Might Want To Save One From The Landfill and Get It Rideable and Donate It to a Charitable Organization or someone who might need a reliable basic bicycle. I realize that not everybody can afford to absorb such a cost to do so, but if you can and you enjoy projects and tinkering and taking things apart, you only need the GLENNS COMPLETE BICYCLE MANUAL (found easily on ebay for about $4 free shipping) and YOUTUBE and other web/GOOGLE links.
Have fun, whatever you do. Such an ancient Schwinn is perhaps the perfect bicycle to learn and tinker with.