Show us your drop to upright bar conversions
#76
Cheerfully low end
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This frame is a 25” Schwinn Sprint from 1985. Turned out to be too tall for my oldest, so I put most of its parts on a Le Tour frame.
It was already a ways from where it started when I took this shot about a year ago. This frame inherited some of the parts from my better road frame that I’m not using on my usual road/trail mixed riding.

Now I have Sunlite touring bars and a long stem installed and really like it.


Yeah, it’s a bit odd... there are DA cranks and Superbe brakes and hubs on the bottom of the line Schwinn.
Otto
It was already a ways from where it started when I took this shot about a year ago. This frame inherited some of the parts from my better road frame that I’m not using on my usual road/trail mixed riding.

Now I have Sunlite touring bars and a long stem installed and really like it.


Yeah, it’s a bit odd... there are DA cranks and Superbe brakes and hubs on the bottom of the line Schwinn.
Otto
Last edited by ofajen; 05-31-21 at 05:04 PM.
#77
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Maybe not quite an upright fit, but here’s a change from drop bars to albatross. The bike came to me stock as a freebie from a previous LBS. Another customer wanted them to recycle it and they thought of me...sweet, happy to help.
It’s a bit small at ~58 cm ctc seat tube, and riding with drop bars accentuated that. This originally came with 27” wheels and room for fenders, so the head tube length can be deceiving. The 58 cm top tube along with a 120 mm stem get the bars where they’re needed. Somewhere between the tops and drops on a drop bar fit, and with the right reach. This was a “free” test platform, to be replaced with something a better fit in the future given it passed the test and piqued the interest in this type of build.
Yep, the fender lines need work, plus I need to cut some flaps. I threw these on and figured I’d get to all of that later. Whenever that is.

Yep, the fender lines need work, plus I need to cut some flaps. I threw these on and figured I’d get to all of that later. Whenever that is.

#78
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Bought as a mongrel frame, ridden as a fixed commuter, converted to townie. edit, it's a Sakai, house brand of Bloor Cycle in TO. Champion 2 tubes and really nice.



#79
Junior Member
I’m super impressed with all these conversions. I’ve been working on one of my own, based on a 60s Dawes Realmrider frame. It’s a kind of tribute to a bike I had for 20 years which was stolen. Damn I miss that bike.
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#81
Junior Member
Here's my Dawes Realmrider. It was originally a 5 speed drop bar bike. I bought the frame and built it up from several parts bikes and a few spares, converting it to 10 speed along the way.

As new in the catalogue.




As new in the catalogue.




Last edited by Humanbeing757; 06-07-21 at 12:31 PM.
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#82
Newbie

Re-using a pic

My Peugeot PH11 road bike, originally 700c 6spd Helicomatic wheels, Simplex derailleurs and shifters and CLB single pivot brakes.
Sat as a bare frame after the fork steerer developed a crack. Replaced the fork and now it is built up with:
27 inch Weinmann hookless aluminium rims on a S-A ASC fixed gear 3spd IGH and a Harden front hub
32mm Paselas
Peugeot -branded SR cranks, 52-18
Maillard CXC pedals
Original CLB front brake, Weinmann lever
Random PRO saddle. Kills my bottom, need to replace asap.
#83
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{bump} Any new conversions to show us?
#84
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Newish, last summer with a couple of variations since
80 SR Semipro
arabesque group, velo orange postino bar, tekyto city levers, some dual pivots I had laying around and panraces pasela 1 1/4 but they are a biiig 1 1/4 , and a brooks b17 i have used for town bikes for a while, nice white jagwire cables and housing
80 SR Semipro
arabesque group, velo orange postino bar, tekyto city levers, some dual pivots I had laying around and panraces pasela 1 1/4 but they are a biiig 1 1/4 , and a brooks b17 i have used for town bikes for a while, nice white jagwire cables and housing

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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
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#85
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I've been commuting on this one a lot:

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#87
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Did my daughter's bike. Bought NOS from the LBS for 150.00. She wanted a flat bar setup which wasn't hard being an early 6sp SIS bike. I didn't like her stopping ability with chromed rims. So, some unlabled Sun rims, NOS Performance labeled Sanshin cartridge hubs, and some pink spokes, and the result was lighter and faster in every way. Also moved us from 547iso tires to 540iso, the old tires were getting hard but not cracking. Its now toured across half of NY state.
#88
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Lowly compared to many of the nice bikes here, but I've long thought that Schwinn should have made an upright tourist model with the fillet brazed chrome-moly frame, sort of a better version of the Suburban model.
They didn't, so I put together my own, a '76 Superior with indexed 7 speed.
I prefer indexing as I'm hard of hearing and can't always hear when the r. der. needs adjusting.

They didn't, so I put together my own, a '76 Superior with indexed 7 speed.
I prefer indexing as I'm hard of hearing and can't always hear when the r. der. needs adjusting.


#89
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1971 Schwinn Sports Tourer
Had all braze-ons removed, and had one added for the coaster brake.
Tim
#90
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Lowly compared to many of the nice bikes here, but I've long thought that Schwinn should have made an upright tourist model with the fillet brazed chrome-moly frame, sort of a better version of the Suburban model.
They didn't, so I put together my own, a '76 Superior with indexed 7 speed.
I prefer indexing as I'm hard of hearing and can't always hear when the r. der. needs adjusting.


They didn't, so I put together my own, a '76 Superior with indexed 7 speed.
I prefer indexing as I'm hard of hearing and can't always hear when the r. der. needs adjusting.



I did keep my original SS I purchased in 75 and put another back to nearly stock condition, so I have all my bases covered.

Family portrait; upright in middle.
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#91
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73 Raleigh competition.
Top is 73 supercourse converted to three speed. All my bikes are converted to porteur bars or some sort of flat bar that will take bar ends generally. My arthritic neck is to blame but I love the visibility of riding upright in the city. I also like bikes that look a bit worn.
#92
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Also have a fillet-brazed Schwinn doing upright duty. '73 Sports Tourer, 3x7 Shimano. I painted it with Krylon Matte Ink Blue, as the original paint was a mess and I had to have one of the chainstays repaired. It's great as an upright bike.

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#94
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I'm surprised I haven't jumped in here. My 1971 International became a townie in the winter of 2019-2020 to replace my too-small but beloved Raleigh Sports for commuting and shopping. Sturmey 8-speed hub, VO bars, dynamo lighting, fenders, racks, basket...even a 2-leg kickstand. I hang canvas roll-up bags on the rear when i"m in shopper mode. Rode it to work once and COVID hit, but it's made many grocery runs and will be back in regular service soon when our office opens up in April.

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1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
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#95
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#96
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You might like Velo-Orange's Tourist Bar, or their Granola Bar if you like them wide.
#97
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The SCHWINN 7881 handlebars have the finest chromed steel that you'll ever find. Width is about exactly the same as the Velo orange TOURIST handlebar......perhaps the 7881 may be 1/6th of an inch wider at most. The SCHWINN 7881 handlebars have a slightly higher rise than Velo orange TOURIST handlebars.....probably about 1.25 inches higher in rise.......guessing maybe 4 inch rise for 7881 schwinn vs perhaps 2.75 inch rise for the velo orange Tourist bar.
You can find millions of 7881 model Schwinn handlebars beginning with the 1967 model year and continuing for the next decade until the late seventies.
In my opinion, the 7881 Schwinn handlebars are the most comfortable and best design that anyone ever offered.
You can tell if the 7881 handlebar is indeed the 7881 handlebar because ALL OF THEM ARE CLEARLY STAMPED AS SUCH, in the area portion which is not visible when mounted to the stem. You will see 7881-xx , with the xx portion having the exact year........thus 7881-67 = 1967, 7881-71 = 1971, 7881-75 = 1975......you get the picture............NONE ARE ANY BETTER THAN ANY OTHER YEAR, DESPITE CLAIMS OF SOME FOOLS SAYING PERHAPS THAT SCHWINN CHROME WAS BETTER IN SOME YEARS, BUT I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY VALIDITY TO THAT CLAIM DURING THE DECADE PERIOD THAT THE 7881 WAS IN PRODUCTION.
------The Schwinn Collegiate, Schwinn Breeze, Schwinn Speedster, & Schwinn Suburban models were just a few named Schwinn models that were produced in very large numbers during that time which you'll find with the 7881.
These are all standard 25.4mm(1") stem clamp mount, and the outer tube diameter of the remainder of the handlebars where the brake levers & grips attach is 22.2mm(7/8") . The old Schwinn 7881 model handlebars do make a fantastic UPGRADE for many ancient classic and antique bicycles from many of the great marques as well as for unloved, who cares, low rent makes, and also similar 21st century respected and low-rent beach cruiser type tourist bicycles. You'll find that a typical clean non-rusted Used 7881 Schwinn handlebar will both look better and outperform 95% of the new Tourist handlebar offerings of today for upright tourist duty in my opinion. Yeah it is heavier than than aluminum, but you aren't gonna ever break it*, and you will never find any new handlebar with the chrome quality of the old used 7881 Schwinn handlebar. ( * yes mister doofus, if the used 7881 handlebar has severe rust, and large chrome loss, it is possible to break it, but that is largely a moot point as you aren't gonna find and use a severely rusted used 7881 when millions are still in near perfect condition...)
You can find millions of 7881 model Schwinn handlebars beginning with the 1967 model year and continuing for the next decade until the late seventies.
In my opinion, the 7881 Schwinn handlebars are the most comfortable and best design that anyone ever offered.
You can tell if the 7881 handlebar is indeed the 7881 handlebar because ALL OF THEM ARE CLEARLY STAMPED AS SUCH, in the area portion which is not visible when mounted to the stem. You will see 7881-xx , with the xx portion having the exact year........thus 7881-67 = 1967, 7881-71 = 1971, 7881-75 = 1975......you get the picture............NONE ARE ANY BETTER THAN ANY OTHER YEAR, DESPITE CLAIMS OF SOME FOOLS SAYING PERHAPS THAT SCHWINN CHROME WAS BETTER IN SOME YEARS, BUT I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY VALIDITY TO THAT CLAIM DURING THE DECADE PERIOD THAT THE 7881 WAS IN PRODUCTION.
------The Schwinn Collegiate, Schwinn Breeze, Schwinn Speedster, & Schwinn Suburban models were just a few named Schwinn models that were produced in very large numbers during that time which you'll find with the 7881.
These are all standard 25.4mm(1") stem clamp mount, and the outer tube diameter of the remainder of the handlebars where the brake levers & grips attach is 22.2mm(7/8") . The old Schwinn 7881 model handlebars do make a fantastic UPGRADE for many ancient classic and antique bicycles from many of the great marques as well as for unloved, who cares, low rent makes, and also similar 21st century respected and low-rent beach cruiser type tourist bicycles. You'll find that a typical clean non-rusted Used 7881 Schwinn handlebar will both look better and outperform 95% of the new Tourist handlebar offerings of today for upright tourist duty in my opinion. Yeah it is heavier than than aluminum, but you aren't gonna ever break it*, and you will never find any new handlebar with the chrome quality of the old used 7881 Schwinn handlebar. ( * yes mister doofus, if the used 7881 handlebar has severe rust, and large chrome loss, it is possible to break it, but that is largely a moot point as you aren't gonna find and use a severely rusted used 7881 when millions are still in near perfect condition...)
Last edited by Vintage Schwinn; 03-08-22 at 10:38 PM.
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#98
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1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
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#99
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#100
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