screwdriver

I have been try for some time to get my '76 Schwinn Superior in stock original condtions. Well, it turns out I've still got a ways to go. If the first picture of the crank, pedals and pedal arms of a 1976 Schwinn Superior is correct then the same on my '76 Superior is not correct (second Picture). I know the pedals are correct but the rest of it I don't think so.

alanbikehouston

Look on the internet for some old Schwinn catalogs. I know some are out there, and links have been posted in the Forums before. The catalogs might help you compare your bike to the "original" setup.

rhenning

One thing you should also consider is the Superior was a low production relatively expensive bike. With that in mind I wouldn't be surprised to see that Schwinn had used several different brands of cranks during the production year. They bought fewer build parts to put these bikes together and when they ran out of one kind they went to the lowest bidder. They probably built 5000 Varsities a week and maybe 20 Superiors. It wouldn't make sense for Schwinn have invested in a large inventory of parts for them. In Schwinn's literature on the bike that is said is the crank is "three piece alloy" and I suspect the above is the reason why. Limited production bikes often have equipment/parts changes during a given year. Good luck on your restoration but I wouldn't get to hung up on things like this. Roger

jacksbike

I am quite certain that the top picture shows the correct cranks that came on that model bike. I believe that they are Stronglite cranks. The bottom picture shows an SR crank that I have never seen on a Superior. However, as stated above, both Raleigh and Schwinn did substitute parts as they were available.

Marrock

Which would explain why my '76 Moto has a '74 front wheel?

rhenning

Yes many companies in the 1960s/70s motto was get it out of the plant ASAP. This was true of both bicycles and automobiles. It was use what you had and substitute if necessary but don't stop the assembly line. My friend had a Ford Maverick he bought new with a dash from a Mercury Comet in it because they were produced on the same assembly line and they ran out of Maverick dashes. Roger

Marrock

Makes sense, my '76 Moto, which is supposed to have QRs front and rear, only has it on the rear.

Also, the date codes on the hubs makes the front a '74 and the rear a '76, I'm just glad they used the "M" branded nuts on it.



I love those high flange hubs.

cudak888 

I have to see that. PM me if you have a photo

-Kurt

rhenning

Long gone to a junkyard in the sky. Roger

KarmicPedals

I once saw a car at a Dodge dealership that was finished out as a Dodge Aspen on one side and as a Plymouth Duster on the other side.

byrdwyngs

While it is true that Schwinn (and most other manufacturers) did occasionally substitute parts, especially during the boom years in the '70s, it's exceedingly unlikely that they would ever have put that low end SR crank with the stamped steel chainrings on a Superior. They had plenty of other better quality cranks available that they could have used if they ran low on the 'standard' Nervar. I worked at a very large Schwinn dealership in the mid '70s and I never saw that particular SR crank on any Schwinn. And I never saw anything on a Superior except the Nervar.

screwdriver

I'm sorry for misleading anyone. I know for a fact that my '76 Superior did not have the currect SR crank on it because I put it on the Superior myself because there was none on it when I got it from my great aunt. The crank and pedals and the saddle was gone. I've recently installed a new Books B17 Champion and found a correct set of Atom 440 9/16" pedals. Now I need a crank.

Jeff Wills

Ditto. I worked in a Schwinn shop in that era and owned a Superior. The new ones in the shop always had that Nervar crank. I'd guess there aren't that many around- the Superior was the only bike I ever saw with that crank and it was a fragile, wear-prone part. Putting a TA Cyclotouriste crank (if you can find one) would be a period-appropriate upgrade.