Classic & Vintage - 27" Schwinn Traveler What was I suppost ta do?

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/BigPolishJimmy/bicycles/Schwinn%20Traveler/traveler_side2.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/BigPolishJimmy/bicycles/Schwinn%20Traveler/traveler_crank_fd.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/BigPolishJimmy/bicycles/Schwinn%20Traveler/traveler_rd.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/BigPolishJimmy/bicycles/Schwinn%20Traveler/traveler_side1.jpg


I can't believe I stumbled into another 27" frame. Last time it was a Fuji Monterey, this time a Schwinn Traveler. I found it at a resale shop for 60 bucks, so I hopped on to see how it fit. Immediately it felt very comfortable in the cockpit, normally I feel very cramped. This bike was big, but didn't seem too big. I thought it was a 25" frame as I had more standover... in comparison the fuji connects with my pelvic bones when I stand flat footed (in shoes) over it. With this Schwinn i can bend at the knees a little even.

Sugino cranks, Suntour AR shifting, diacomp brakes. it's all very compatible component wise with nearly everything I own. Nothing terribly special, but yet, decent enought to ride without problems. I need to go through and repack all the bearings and give it new cables and a new saddle and it'll be a whole different bike.

I suppose I'll have to look up the sereal number and find out more about it. It has a Schwinn Chicago badge on the front, wonder if it was made there.

It felt light, solid and in my size. What was I suppost to do?

That's a big bike! But if it's your size, then congratulations.

That's a decent deal at $60, especially considering how rare that frame size is.

What were you supposed ta do ? ?

= Check the seat post first then disassemble and clean everything, and show it off again!

(Kudos on your excellent find! )

I feel dwarfed just LOOKING at that bike!

What were you supposed to do? Give it a proper, loving home, and you did. Well done! :D

I think we see eye to nipple on this one...

I think we see eye to nipple on this one...

You must be VERY tall

I suppose I'll have to look up the sereal number and find out more about it. It has a Schwinn Chicago badge on the front, wonder if it was made there.

Looks like a 1985 (http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1981_1990/1985Ltwt19.html) (specs (http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1981_1990/1985Ltwt31.html))


It felt light, solid and in my size. What was I suppost to do?

Appreciate the opportunity :)

Thanks for the links !!!!

i have that same frame and size in my attic. i'm not sure why i bought it...

I could probably ride that bike but it wouldn't be comfy for the twins.

I think those were made in the Mississippi factory. Either that or taiwan.

I think those were made in the Mississippi factory. Either that or taiwan.

Some of the travelers were built by Masusta (Panasonic). I had a 85 with the same drop outs that I flipped because it was too small. Nice frames. Rode nice, wish it had been my size.
Giant was also building some of the Schwinn's in the 80's. They typically had a long horizontal drop out and had a stick that said Giant on one of the drop outs.

On a side note I missed a 27 inch Fuji that hit craigslist Tuesday evening for $25. Picture was really bad but it looked like a 79 or 80 Royal :(

I have a Scarlet Red 1985 Traveler, also Chicago built, I ordered in 1985 in the 27" frame! I'm only 6' 3 1/2" tall but have a 36" inseam. I still ride this bike almost daily-1 of the most comfortable bikes I have ever owned! Now that I'm past 60 years old, I made some changes to it: Taller touring style stem with touring bars, touring brakes, handlebar mounted shifters, a touring style gel Schwinn seat and some Planet Bike fenders I painted to match186855. I guess I'm getting soft in my old age, but it sure is a lot more comfortable!!

Great touch painting the fenders. It looks like they match perfectly.

IMHO, the Schwinn with it's double butted chromoly frame is a better bike than the Monterey. If you're considering rebuilding one of those as a more modern bike with 700C and indexed shifters, I'd go with the Schwinn.
I keep one Schwinn in the collection cause I think every collector should have a Schwinn, up until I bought the Paramount, my one Schwinn was the Traveler, similar vintage to yours. Very nice bike with good riding charachteristics.
EDIT: As was stated before, it looks like a 85, mine is an 84, almost identical, but a different color, Burgundy.

186866
happened to me too jimmy - except my traveler was $40 - i rode this morning in fact - its a big beast - too big - but for some reason i cant help but keep her

Bill Walton living in your area?

http://www.bobkestrut.com/images/walton.jpg


Nice find!

I ride a 25" or 63/64, but I would imagine a 27 would fit me ok.

This is a great looking bike, as mentioned above. Those fenders look real good with matching paint. What kind of paint did you use for the plastic fenders?

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=186855&d=1295571785

I have a Scarlet Red 1985 Traveler, also Chicago built, I ordered in 1985 in the 27" frame! I'm only 6' 3 1/2" tall but have a 36" inseam. I still ride this bike almost daily-1 of the most comfortable bikes I have ever owned! Now that I'm past 60 years old, I made some changes to it: Taller touring style stem with touring bars, touring brakes, handlebar mounted shifters, a touring style gel Schwinn seat and some Planet Bike fenders I painted to match. I guess I'm getting soft in my old age, but it sure is a lot more comfortable!!

The Schwinn Chicago factory closed in December 1983. Schwinn continued to put "Schwinn Chicago" on head badges until the 1992 bankruptcy (because the company was still headquartered there), but after the Chicago factory closed Schwinn bicycles were made in Greenville, MS or Waterford, WI (Paramounts), or were imported from Japan, Taiwan, or China.

Nice catch, I was just stripping my 25" Traveler down today to see what condition everything was in ( rough) and looking at the catalogs in the link I am more confused then before I started. I believe mine is a 1987 that must have had a few parts changed out. Since there was no spec page for 87 I can only tell what a few of the original parts were like the cranks,hubs,seat post,stem & bars by looking at the 86 & 88 specs. It had a Shimano 105 7spd RD,FD & shifters with a Suntour Winner Pro 7spd freewheel on it, none of it I don't think went to it. It has the same brakes as listed for 86 but looking at the 87 page it looks like they were recessed and what I removed was nutted and I didn't notice what it actually takes. I don't know what I am going to do with it yet but I am going to glass bead blast the frame as soon as my cabinet is hooked up and go from there, it does fit me.
Glenn
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm319/Glennfordx4/bikepics239.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm319/Glennfordx4/bikepics242.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm319/Glennfordx4/bikepics241.jpg

My sister's old 84 World Sport was pretty similar.

Giant made- you've probably got a G serial number on the back.

Great score Jimmy- clean that sucker up and roll.



edit-

ACK! n00b'd on a zombie thread bump.

I had one of those as a kid. Same size. I didn't know frames from shinola, and wound up spray painting it. My father got rid of it while I was at college. :(

I ride a 25" or 63/64, but I would imagine a 27 would fit me ok.

This is a great looking bike, as mentioned above. Those fenders look real good with matching paint. What kind of paint did you use for the plastic fenders?

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=186855&d=1295571785

I scuff-sanded the plastic fenders with a red (coarse) scotch pad, Primed/Sealed them with Dupli-Color gray primer/sealer, wet sanded with 360 wet or dry, 3 light coats & 1 heavy coat with Dupli-Color Perfect Match BGM0398 Bright Red-(GM '81 WA8774) Acrylic Lacquer. I let the primer cure for 3 days in bright sun before sanding & painting. I let the paint cure for 1 week in bright sun before rubbing out and applying the 1/8" white pinstripe. Because the Planet Bike fenders are plastic-I prepped, primer-ed, painted, & cured them the same way I used to do Corvettes. Anything that's not metal (fiberglass, plastic, etc.) needs the extra time to shrink & cure. After sampling colors-This was a dead match for Schwinn's Scarlet Red!

looks like a swing set.............but a great buy!

I have a Scarlet Red 1985 Traveler, also Chicago built, I ordered in 1985 in the 27" frame! I'm only 6' 3 1/2" tall but have a 36" inseam. I still ride this bike almost daily-1 of the most comfortable bikes I have ever owned! Now that I'm past 60 years old, I made some changes to it: Taller touring style stem with touring bars, touring brakes, handlebar mounted shifters, a touring style gel Schwinn seat and some Planet Bike fenders I painted to match186855. I guess I'm getting soft in my old age, but it sure is a lot more comfortable!!

The Chicago factory closed in 1983. More than likely produced in Greenville Mississippi. Foreign produced bikes will have country of origin plainly marked on them.

Ha ... Thread Necromancers! I posted this last March, still I'm glad you resurrected the thread because it gives me the chance to see your nice Travelers. roccobike I agree, the Schwinn Traveler is a nicer bike than the Fuji Monterey. Fortunately i do not have to choose between the two of them, I get to choose both. I'm just fixing up the Monterey first. I think there is little I'll do to the Traveler right away other than grease and cables, though it will probably get wider bars in time.