40cm Vintage Schwinn?
10-07-08, 10:45 AM
#1
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40cm Vintage Schwinn?
Anyone know about this bike? It is advertised as a 40cm schwinn with 24" wheels for $75. Anyone recognize the model or year? I would love to get a bike and work on it with my 8 year old son for him to ride. So, is the price right? If I fixed it up what would you recommend I "upgrade" to make this a safer bike or would you pass on it and go with a newer road bike? He has a mtn bike already but he really is wanting a road bike. Road bikes for kids are much more expensive than mtn bikes.
Feedback is appreciated.
Guy
Feedback is appreciated.
Guy
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10-07-08, 12:15 PM
#3
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I have seen these called Schwinn Junior Varsity, although I do not know if that is the proper name.
I picked one up for my son last year and flipped it a week a later. It was too large (he is small), it must have weighed more than 40 pounds, and my son did not like it.
I picked one up for my son last year and flipped it a week a later. It was too large (he is small), it must have weighed more than 40 pounds, and my son did not like it.
10-07-08, 01:40 PM
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Yup a Jr Varsity. I have one in need of some love up above my garage. Saved it from the scrap metal pile at the local coop.
10-07-08, 01:41 PM
#5
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Were you to keep it for your son, I would start by making the brakes better. Get rid of the suicide levers and replace them with something like the Cane Creek ergo levers. Then replace the brake cables and housing and the brake pads.
Can't tell from the photo how the drivetrain is, but a new chain and new freewheel would probably shift a lot better.
New bar tape is for sure.
New tires would make it ride a lot better. Check the wheels to see if they are true and if not get them fixed.
If you know how to repack bearings that would be a good idea for the wheel hubs, headset and bottom bracket. If you don't know how, this would be a good bike with which to learn.
Lots of elbow grease cleaning and polishing. You could make that bike look a lot better than it does. It would be hard to get an 8 year old to see the end-game in his mind's eye when you are starting the project, so it would be easy to loose him in the process.
Can't tell from the photo how the drivetrain is, but a new chain and new freewheel would probably shift a lot better.
New bar tape is for sure.
New tires would make it ride a lot better. Check the wheels to see if they are true and if not get them fixed.
If you know how to repack bearings that would be a good idea for the wheel hubs, headset and bottom bracket. If you don't know how, this would be a good bike with which to learn.
Lots of elbow grease cleaning and polishing. You could make that bike look a lot better than it does. It would be hard to get an 8 year old to see the end-game in his mind's eye when you are starting the project, so it would be easy to loose him in the process.
10-07-08, 05:07 PM
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I had one of these a while back. I did some measuring and figured that I could use 26" MTB wheels with 26x1 tires. never got around to it though.
10-07-08, 05:25 PM
#7
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If you should replace the tires, check that they are not Schwinn proprietary 24 X 1 1/4 or 1 X 3/8 . I have a feeling that they are, rather than a basic replacement 24 X 1 3/8. Hopefully someone could order a pair from a good bike wholesaler.
10-07-08, 06:22 PM
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Shift cables, brake cables, brake pads, bar tape, brake levers(please destroy the turkey levers), strip everything down, clean it all up nicely. Wash and wax the frame. Maybe a new saddle.
Have fun.
If you need new tires, you'll need the Schwinn type. S-5 547mm 24" x 1 3/8" (NOT the 540mm 24" 1 x 3/8") Harris has them: https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/547.html
Do not get a decimal fraction size such as 24" 1.25" or 1.5" It will not fit. Not even close.
Have fun.
If you need new tires, you'll need the Schwinn type. S-5 547mm 24" x 1 3/8" (NOT the 540mm 24" 1 x 3/8") Harris has them: https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/547.html
Do not get a decimal fraction size such as 24" 1.25" or 1.5" It will not fit. Not even close.
Last edited by bbattle; 10-07-08 at 06:27 PM.
10-07-08, 07:15 PM
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That is about 25 dollars worth of schwinn. 75 seems a bit steep.
Before riding or testing this bike lower the stem. It's about 2" above the minimum insertion line.
The decals make it late seventies to early eighties.
The other posters pretty much have it nailed for the consumables, washing, waxing, & greasing.
I happen to use and like suicide/turkey levers though.
The only other hotrod trick I have for lower end schwinns is using a shimano uniglide or hyperglide freewheel. I don't know if you'll be getting into it that far though.
Before riding or testing this bike lower the stem. It's about 2" above the minimum insertion line.
The decals make it late seventies to early eighties.
The other posters pretty much have it nailed for the consumables, washing, waxing, & greasing.
I happen to use and like suicide/turkey levers though.
The only other hotrod trick I have for lower end schwinns is using a shimano uniglide or hyperglide freewheel. I don't know if you'll be getting into it that far though.
