Bicycle Mechanics - 1980 Schwinn Traveler breakdown...

Hello,

I'm new to the site so I hope this the correct area for this question. I am tearing down 1980 Schwinn Traveler in order to rebuild it with more modern components (when I say teardown I mean to the frame). I have nearly completed disasembling the bike, however I have run into a snag with trying to take out the bottom bracket ( I hope the terminology is correct). I cannot for the life of me remove the pedals, which it seems were pressed onto the threaded cartridge in order to remove the entire cartridge assembly. I do not know how to do it. Can someone help me with this or tell me what tools I might need, etc... Thanks for any responses and help in advance.

James-

I'm not sure you're using correct terminology - the pedals are screwed into the crankarm, and the crankarm is press-fit onto bottom bracket axle.

On older bikes like your Traveler (unless its parts aren't original), you won't find a cartridge bottom bracket - it's the cup-and-cone variety which can be disassembled and you can clean the bearings directly.

The pedals can be unthreaded from the crankarms with a 15mm wrench. The right pedal is normal threading (unscrews counter-clockwise) while the left pedal is reverse-threaded (unscrews clockwise).

Then, to remove the crankarms from the bottom bracket spindle, you need a crank puller tool. Then you can get at the bottom bracket to remove it.

Parktool has good instructions on these sorts of things. Here's their articles on
removal and installation of square-taper crank (http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=103)
servicing adjustable (cup-and-cone) bottom bracket (http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=93)

I have an 1980 Traveler myself - originally built it into a fixed-gear setup (http://www.unc.edu/~cupery/pics/bikes/Schwinn_Traveler_fixed-gear/), and now it's set up as a nice-ish road bike (http://www.unc.edu/~cupery/pics/bikes/Schwinn_Traveler/).

Is this a one piece crank or a 3 piece crankset?
Oops...I now see that timcupery has the same year bike.

Hi timcupery,

Thanks for the response and info. I guess my terminology was a bit off the mark but what you described about removing the crankarms from the bottom bracket spindle is exactly what I was talking about. I found your Traveler road bike setup online and use the photos all the time for reference so thanks for the link to that and also for the park tools hyperlinks. I think you have done a great job with your bikes and wanted to ask your opinion on how to mount new Shimano Ultegra, Dura-Ace or 105 groups on a Traveler (I understand the the bike itself is really not worth the cost of those types of parts but who cares it might be fun). Thanks.

James

Glad to have been helpful.
You could do higher-end Shimano groups on the Traveler, and I agree it would be fun, and I also agree it's way, way nicer stuff than the frame is worth. Of course, I have 105 and 600 (predecessor to Ultegra) stuff on mine, but those parts are from the 1980's.

You'd need a "claw" hanger to screw the rear derailer into.
You'd need to mess around with front-derailer cable routing because the Traveler frame is designed for an FD which has cable housing run into it. Or you could do what I did - stick with the original FD, which shifting over a nicer crankset (this will probably work fine with a double crank with STI shifters, probably not with a triple crank and STI shifters).
You'll probably need to keep the current Dia-Compe centerpull brakes. Even "standard"-reach brakes (47-57mm reach) likely won't be enough reach to get to the rims. And certainly won't be if you use 700c wheels with modern 8/9/10-speed-compatible rear hub (for which you'd need to spread the frame).

On my commuting bike (1978 Le Tour III, same frame as 1980 Traveler) I built up a wheel with 128mm-spaced 7-speed cassette hub.

Anyway, the centerpull brakes are a good design with excellent braking power, especially if you give them new pads.