rayr0683

Hello All,
I have a Schwinn ****og Speedometer/Odometer on my bike. I bought the whole package in 1985. Its a Schwinn LeTour Luxe 25" Frame, 27 inch wheels, and when I bought it, I asked the Schwinn Shop to put a Speedometer on it. I remember that on both this bike, and my previous Continental I had to have the Small Wheel at the end of the Cable, instead of the Fork/Spoke Mount. The Owner of the Shop told me that I had to have this type of System because I think the wheels were Quick Release. I cant remember why....but I would have rather had the Spoke Mount termination on cable. There was less Bobbing of the Speedometer Needle when riding, with Spoke Mount End. But both of my Bikes have the small Black Plastic Wheel on the end, and it Rides against the sidewall of front tire.
My question is, Can this type of Speedometer, its Schwinn Approved Chrome model, Square Face, with Cable and Plastic Wheel end, be put on other Bikes?? My Daughter likes it alot, and she has a 20 Inch Wheel/Tire Pacific Bike. I told her that if it could work accurately on her Bike, Id let her use it, and put a Digital Cyclometer on my Le Tour Luxe, with 27" Tires. I had both on my bike already, but my Avocet 30 Cyclometer has died, and I bought a new model, from Germany, waiting to install. Can the Old Schwinn ****og Speedometer with Plastic Wheel work on my Daughter's 20 Inch Tire Bike?? Thanks Alot, Ray

RavingManiac

It seems to me it would be accurate since it's measuring the sidewall that passes rather than rotations.

Bianchigirll 

there was another model like that uh.. I want to SKU they were very schmool back in the day.

I think the issue with your daughters 20" wheel bike maybe that cable will be too long and when it 'loops' it will start binding.

rayr0683

hello,
thanks for an answer....I was thinking the same. But I really cant remember the reason that the owner stated that I had to have this kind of an end on my Cable. It was on 2 of my bikes, both had 27" Inch Tires on them, and both were Quick Release Wheels. Im not sure if it was due to the Quick Release, But if it was, than would that make the Wheel rubbing on the Tire Sidewall accurate on any size tire??? I thought Cable Length had something to do with the accuracy, and the cable Length varied on different size diameter tires/wheels??? That is what Im not sure of. I wanted to be sure it was accurate. I know the In Spoke End of the cale, and proper Cable Length were accurate, and they seemed to respond better, with a Steady Needle Reading on Gage when your riding, with this wheel, it sometimes Bobbs a bit at the Speed your traveling. Thank You, Ray

RavingManiac

I'm just guessing because I'm not familiar with what you have. That being said, if the speedo is driven by some sort of wheel against the sidewall it would be accurate with any size wheel. Since it sounds like it has an old style cable similar to an auto speedo cable the bobbing could probably be remedied with a cable lubrication. You can probably just pull out the internal cable and lube it with some light grease. Routing the long cable might be the biggest challenge, as noted by BG.

Bianchigirll 

OH yes I forgot that part of the Q. yes the general idea was, OH maybe it was IKU, you didn't have to have wheel specific model or calibration.

selling them to you because of the QR wheels sounds reasonable too, that way as a novice, you only had to worry about the QR lever being tight and the wheel being straight. the speedo would take care of itsself

wahoonc

The wheel running on the tire was a necessity because of the quick release. The other style wouldn't work with QR, it was for bolt on wheels only.

IIRC most of them were IKU brand and somewhere in my culch pile I probably still have the directions for it. I can't for the life of me remember if there was a way to calibrate them or not. I do know that the cable length will not make a difference in the speed reading, it may be possible to shorten the cable. For some reason I seem to recall having done that on at least one occasion.

There has to be a way to calibrate, a 20" wheel will make more revolutions per mile than a 27" wheel.

Aaron

rayr0683

Hello Guys,
Thanks for the answers so far, and also that you remember what im talking about. I know that the wheel on the sidewall was not the most common end on the speedometer cable, so at least you all know what Im talking about. I dont understand what is meant in the 2 posts that mention SKU and IKU?? and being a newbie, I dont know what IIRC really means either. Please explain to me. And Aaron, if there is any way you could possibly find the directions, Id really appreciate it alot. I cant find any online, and I surely figured I would. I cant even find a Post/Thread that relates or mentions the small wheel on the end of Schwinn Speedometers that I mention. I know they were used frequently in the late 1970's and 1980's with Quick Release Wheels. Yes, Im sure that had to be the reason for their use, probably only for Bolt On Wheels...I think your right, and thats what I remember. Thank You All......Ray