Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Bike: in need of an idea!

Hey, I have this Schwinn bike frame i got off an antique shop for 15 bux. Ive stripped every multi-speed item off the bike beside the rear gears. I want to make it in to a fixed gear, seeing that i already have a freewheel single speed built, so i'd like to mix it up a bit. Here are some pictures of it in it's current conditon.
http://s948.photobucket.com/albums/ad325/Patthepunk860/?action=view&current=IMG_0881.jpg&newest=1
http://s948.photobucket.com/albums/ad325/Patthepunk860/?action=view&current=IMG_0880.jpg&newest=1

Heres what I currently ride....Nothing fancy, all DIY
http://http://s948.photobucket.com/albums/ad325/Patthepunk860/?action=view&current=IMG_0882.jpg&newest=1

I need some ideas for the Schwinn, help me out people!
thanks

I don't know.... I suggest a saddle, chain, and brakes. Probably a bigger chainring. Looks like you need a new seat post.

BTW, you paid too much for it.

BTW, you paid too much for it.

Just because he paid more than you would have paid does not mean it was over priced. Its worth what the potential buyer is willing to pay. Simple rule of resale.

You are entitled to your opinion. I would not have paid a single bux more than 14.


Just because he paid more than you would have paid does not mean it was over priced. Its worth what the potential buyer is willing to pay. Simple rule of resale.

I need some ideas for the Schwinn, help me out people!thanks

1 piece - 3 piece crank adapter
Track crank
Track wheelset
New seatpost
Colored tires

Could be a cool bike.

I'd probably just build it back up into a road bike though.

I once found a red Schwinn Varsity frame that someone had left near the dumpster behind my work. At first, I was kinda stoked...until I picked it up and realized that the frame alone weighed more than my Kilo. I left it there to die.

It is a pretty heavy bike, but im not complaining. I think i may just buy a white rim wheel set w/ fixed cog, and mabey a paint job.

I once found a red Schwinn Varsity frame that someone had left near the dumpster behind my work. At first, I was kinda stoked...until I picked it up and realized that the frame alone weighed more than my Kilo. I left it there to die.

For som reason I read this as Schwinn Traveler, which is what I have, and I was like holy **** is my bike really that heavy? But yeah those varsity and continental frames are anvils. My roomate has one and it's insanely heavy.

cruise fixedgeargallery.com for ideas.

hmmm......Royal Blue Frame, White Deep V at front, White disc wheel rear, Bullhorns + white tape, White saddle, chrome bars btw, chrome seatpost, chrome cranks, white chain, ur set =p. GO logoless to.

To the OP: Every thrift store bike can't be made into a "sweet fixie". It's just not possible. You will spend weeks if not months completing this project with a substantial cost of well over $15 to end up with a mediocre bike at best and an aborted project at worst. Actually, it looks like you already bought someone's aborted project.

My idea (since you asked): Let it go. Take it to be recycled and save yourself weeks and months of searching for obscure parts and save your money for more worthwhile projects.

I'm with carleton.

http://msp74.photobucket.com/albums/i277/Reid_R/Carlton.gif

did you poop on it? It would probably look better if you did.

To the OP: Every thrift store bike can't be made into a "sweet fixie". It's just not possible. You will spend weeks if not months completing this project with a substantial cost of well over $15 to end up with a mediocre bike at best and an aborted project at worst. Actually, it looks like you already bought someone's aborted project.

My idea (since you asked): Let it go. Take it to be recycled and save yourself weeks and months of searching for obscure parts and save your money for more worthwhile projects.

do it the cheap way and you have a sub par bike with used components and you'll spend close to $400 just to make it roadworthy. try to make a ballin fixie that all your friends will like and shoot for around $800 and only have a bike that looks cool but still won't ride as well as others. are you really interested in investing that kind of money into a $15 frame?

or take the cheap way out and braze the freewheel and put a front brake on it.

Or throw it into the river.

Make a nice boat anchor or dumpster ornament out of it is a better idea? haha

Compared to your current ride, that frame looks a lot bigger, so if it's too big for you then it makes no sense to spend any money on it regardless.

Yeah i hear ya. Im only 17, and it would probebly cost me more money than id like to spend. But they frame is not too big for me, im 6'1'', haha.

I once found a red Schwinn Varsity frame that someone had left near the dumpster behind my work. At first, I was kinda stoked...until I picked it up and realized that the frame alone weighed more than my Kilo. I left it there to die.

In the early 80's, when I wasn't bashing my BMX bike, I used to steal my bro's 1976 Traveler and do mad wheelies all the way up our street. I also took it on some pretty nasty off road adventures well before the mountain bike proper had been invented. Around the time I graduated high school, ('87) I still had that bike, all original, and the wheels had never been trued. Sure, it was ridiculously heavy. But it was also nearly indestructible.

Did they make the Traveler in 76? I didn't know that.

Yeah i hear ya. Im only 17, and it would probebly cost me more money than id like to spend. But they frame is not too big for me, im 6'1'', haha.

For one thing, you need a rear wheel and a saddle / seatpost. You are gonna be paying about 50-150 USD. Throw in 10-20 USD for a proper cog. I would put on clips and toe straps so that's 10-20 bucks there, too. Get brakes and that's 20 bucks for you. You might get em cheaper by begging and getting stuff used, but remember you have to get some tools, too. Getting a 15mm and a sprocket-lockring tool will set you back 40-50 bucks.

Oh did we talk about skidding tire wear? Oh lawdie, there would be more spending there. Dude you are a teenager, you will be skidding like a juvenile that you are. Get some Rando's. That's like 20 bucks.

Did they make the Traveler in 76? I didn't know that.

According to this website (http://www.re-cycle.com/history/Schwinn/SwnA_Models.aspx), yes. It may have been a '77 though, if that matters.

Did they make the Traveler in 76? I didn't know that.

Actually, they made it in 1975 also. I think that was the first year.

That bikes color reminded me of this ones. If I were you I would totally replicate this color scheme, it would look classy/sick as ****.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1307/878135091_a91835b17e.jpg?v=0

or you could do Like I and many other people did and go to drop $279 on a windsor hour, or something like that. I love my windsor =p

That bikes color reminded me of this ones. If I were you I would totally replicate this color scheme, it would look classy/sick as ****.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1307/878135091_a91835b17e.jpg?v=0

x 999999999. That scheme is so sweet.

x 999999999. That scheme is so sweet.
that is pretty sexy

Just because he paid more than you would have paid does not mean it was over priced. Its worth what the potential buyer is willing to pay. Simple rule of resale.

By that logic, it is not reasonable to say anyone ever paid too much for anything. Nobody ever gets ripped off on anything, since it is obviously worth what they were willing to pay. Really, he should have paid a million dollars for it; because then he'd have a bike worth a million dollars!

More seriously, it is common for inexperienced mechanics to assume that if they get a frame for some really cheap price that they are most of the way to a really cheap bike. This is not generally the case. Right now, for $15, patthepunk has some scrap metal. If he wants to make a fixed gear, he needs new wheels, seatpost, seat, chain, chainring, pedals. For the cost of all that, plus $15, he can have a heavy, not very nice fixed gear. You might well get all that cheapest if you buy them all together attached to a nicer frame than the Schwinn, by just buying a new bicycle.

Hmm.. I just looked at the pic of the other "Nothing fancy, all DIY" bike... freewheel, one brake, on the rear, with a suicide lever. So... suggestion for the Schwinn, sorry to be blunt: Don't DIY. You don't know what you're doing.

By that logic, it is not reasonable to say anyone ever paid too much for anything. Nobody ever gets ripped off on anything, since it is obviously worth what they were willing to pay. Really, he should have paid a million dollars for it; because then he'd have a bike worth a million dollars!

More seriously, it is common for inexperienced mechanics to assume that if they get a frame for some really cheap price that they are most of the way to a really cheap bike. This is not generally the case. Right now, for $15, patthepunk has some scrap metal. If he wants to make a fixed gear, he needs new wheels, seatpost, seat, chain, chainring, pedals. For the cost of all that, plus $15, he can have a heavy, not very nice fixed gear. You might well get all that cheapest if you buy them all together attached to a nicer frame than the Schwinn, by just buying a new bicycle.

Hmm.. I just looked at the pic of the other "Nothing fancy, all DIY" bike... freewheel, one brake, on the rear, with a suicide lever. So... suggestion for the Schwinn, sorry to be blunt: Don't DIY. You don't know what you're doing.

What you dont seem to understand is that any objects "value" is determined by what someone will pay for it. If a person is selling a frame for $15 and someone wants to buy it for that amount, the buyer and seller agree on its value of $15.

Just because you would not buy it for that amount, does not mean its worthless. To the buyer, it was worth that amount. Your opinion of what its worth is meaningless because the buyer is not trying to sell it to you. He is asking a simple question. What he should do to complete the bike. Not if he should trash his purchase and buy a new bike.

Actually, they made it in 1975 also. I think that was the first year.

Or 1957, if you want to count the three speed version....

or you could do Like I and many other people did and go to drop $279 on a windsor hour, or something like that.

This is probably the best advice here (aside from my suggestion to throw that Schwinn into the river).

i like this alot!

If it hadn't been spray painted flat green, then $15 would have been a pretty good deal. There are ******* buying varsities off of craigslist for $100 - you could have flipped it, and put the profit towards buying a Kilo or something.

If it hadn't been spray painted flat green, then $15 would have been a pretty good deal. There are ******* buying varsities off of craigslist for $100 - you could have flipped it, and put the profit towards buying a Kilo or something.

that may very well be what i will end up doing

That bike needs $200 worth of junk parts to be worth $100.


If it hadn't been spray painted flat green, then $15 would have been a pretty good deal. There are ******* buying varsities off of craigslist for $100 - you could have flipped it, and put the profit towards buying a Kilo or something.

yeesh give the guy a break - it's a bike! have fun with it - even if it's not picture perfect - it's fun to work on them and get them into riding condition. if it's awesome - you keep it - if it's lame - you flip it and start another! :-) you think the 1st skateboard was gorgeous?

That bike needs $200 worth of junk parts to be worth $100.

It needs about $5 of parts, and negative crappy spray paint to be worth $100.

I mean holy shiicaca you ever look at craigslist?: http://craiglook.com/bikes.html?q=varsity&g=&l=&s=0

wait, what the heck is "craiglook.com" is it related to "craigslist" ?

I found this realtor on that site. Think she is into cycling? She's into rehabbed classics. If that doesn't describe me I don't know what does!

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/reb/1595674840.html

wait, what the heck is "craiglook.com" is it related to "craigslist" ?

I found this realtor on that site. Think she is into cycling:

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/reb/1595674840.html

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Craiglook lets you search craigslist nationwide. It has nothing to do with craigslist in any way.

Hmmm, never seen Craig Look before. I do love crazedlist.org, however. Its ability to search just a couple cities, or the entire NW or entire West Coast is pretty handy.

I'll have to to a compare/contrast on CraigLook and crazedlist.org this weekend.

I do find it odd that the Look has bikes under automotive.