Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - '73 Schwinn Suburban tough enough for big guy?

Hey folks,
I'm new here, so hello to everyone, and I'm glad to be on board! I have a '73 Schwinn Suburban 5 speed that I have been commuting to work on for a couple months (only 4.5 miles round trip, but over really crappy NYC roads), and it has held up well so far. I just readjusted the derailleur and tuned her up (my first time fixing my own bike... WooHoo!) which was a fun & rewarding experience, but it got me thinking. At 6'2" and 220lbs, should I really be putting much work into this bike?

As I said, it has held up well so far, but since I am a newb with bikes I don't know if this is a reasonable bike for me to be riding in the first place. Am I risking my neck? Will the frame and tires (27" x 1 1/4") support me over potholed roads? Is this thing going to buckle under me any time soon?

Also, if I was to put tougher wheels/tires on the bike in the future, any recommendations? (Keeping in mind I like my fenders and would want the new wheels to fit.)

Thanks in advance for any info/suggestions!

At 220 lbs, you ain't that heavy. You can pretty much ride whatever you like, and the Schwinn Suburban in particular is a tank - I doubt you could break it, even if you tried.

It'll probably hold together fair enough, unless rust gets into it. In the end, it all depends on where you want to go with bicycling.

I personally wouldn't put much money into it as it's probably only worth $25 at your local garage sale (unless collector's know something I don't). How much sweat you put into it is up to you. New wheels? You'd probably want to get 700c wheels (slightly smaller than 27"), but they'd probably cost more than $100, which is more than the bike.

I know...decisions...decisions...

Thanks for the reassurances guys.

The bike scene out in Cali must be nice mk! In NYC, bikes go for a higher price. The Suburban set me back $125! I probably overpaid a bit, but not much by nyc standards. With the minor upgrades I made, I'm sure I could CL it and get my initial $ back. When a monthly MetroCard is now going for $81, a bike looks like a better deal to us! :lol:

The suburban will break you before you break it.
If your 27" rims are true and don't give you any troubles when stopping (chrome rims are famously slick when wet) I wouldn't change a thing.
Tires are a cheap upgrade. Fatter tires with lower pressure will soften up the ride, thinner tires with higher pressure will make it faster and protect your rims from the potholes.
As far as comfort the only thing I have done with my suburban was upgrading the saddle.
If you find yourself taking longer rides and finding the upright position a pain in the posterior, you may want to start shopping for a road bike.
I love my 5 speed suburban, it is the perfect town bike.

Yes BB, I had to get a new saddle too. Well worth the small investment!

You will be fine, I am 270 and often ride a 70..er...71 Schwinn around