uRabbit

The bikes are completed, and we are looking at beginning the upgrades. I have wanted to keep them factory, but a Schwinn Approved springer seat is not as affordable as I'd hoped. So why not get something nicer?

If we do upgrade, we would definitely need the grips and saddles to match each other. We are thinking a classy brown. And most definitely springers.

I have looked at high rated ones on Amazon and I think I know which one I would get on there. Just wanted your opinions.

As for pedals, I am thinking some rat traps. Anything that is as grippy and looks cruiser-ish?

Schwinn Approved saddlebags are also expensive, but possibly cheaper than other nice looking bags. What to you think?

zukahn1 

The thing is most Schwinn saddles come in your choice of black or two tone to match paint hard to find . This one seems a near match for what came on suburban originally.
https://www.mygofer.com/schwinn-soft-...W029802090001P

Metacortex

That's not even close to the mattress type saddle that Schwinn used on the Suburban. If you want something that looks original, the "Tourist Mattress Saddle" sold by Memory Lane Classics only costs $15 and is about as close as it gets: https://www.memorylane-classics.com/B...%20Listing.htm

oddjob2

Velo-orange? Not mattress, but well regarded quality and customer service.

uRabbit

Velo-Orange is too rich for my blood. I'd splurge for a Brooks for that much. Don't really want something that nice on these Schwinns though. I would be afraid of it getting stolen.

Hmm. Anything in brown that is not expensive or ugly? Might have to just get a Schwinn Approved one.

The Golden Boy 

I just opened the Ebay and typed in "mattress saddle" there's a few- nothing over $30.

There's even a brown one.

uRabbit

That brown one sure is nice.

When I posted the topic, I was not sure what they were specifically called, so I was not getting any good results.

Grand Bois

I'd go with the brown mattress saddle, the original Schwinn grips and these pedals:

uRabbit

The brown mattress saddle found on eBay? And the original black Schwinn grips?

Ooh, what pedals are those?

Grand Bois

Yes. I always liked those grips. They're thicker than most.

MKS Sylvan Touring. Available in silver, black and some anodized colors. I think you can find them for about $27.

Mercian Rider

They came with rubber block pedals and those are functional and can be used with any kind of shoe, or even barefoot. I would not replace them with quill or track style pedals meant for an entirely different kind of bike. I would not consider them an upgrade in any way, shape or form.

IMHO it was very classy as spec'd, and dandying it up with velo orangeish type stuff--leather grips and matching saddles, etc., would not only not be remotely correct (not that I'm all about that at all) but you'd be aping the most tired, hackneyed, overdone trend in the vintage bike world today. But if you like following that sort of thing, knock yourself out.

As the name suggests, Suburban was aimed for comfortable, casual riding for grown ups. My wife rode the pristine one I got for her at a garage sale for $10 for 15 years with no problems and nothing but normal minimal maintanence. I added a rack, panniers, and a basket and she used it for all her riding, including rides up to 40 miles. She regularly rode it over curbs with no sign of wheels ever going out of true, illustrating that Schwinns being heavy and overbuilt was right for some people. Only sold it after I got her a lighter bike that's easier for both of us to lift onto a car bike rack. Only thing that got replaced was tires and cables and housings.

uRabbit

Well, thanks for your opinion, but the block pedals are simply not safe. 'Nuff said.

mkeller234

Um... that is very debatable. You don't have to like block pedals, but I think it's a stretch to call them unsafe. Maybe on a fixed gear bike, but not on a suburban. Block pedals were a standard on 3 speeds, balloon tire bikes and Schwinns for decades, I don't see many mangled adults as a result.

uRabbit

I cannot count how many times our feet slipped off the pedals on our 10 mile ride yesterday.

Glennfordx4

As far as the Saddles & Grips, have you looked at some of the stuff that comes on the newer China made Schwinns? The grips look like the old hard rubber Schwinn grips but are made out of soft rubber and are a lot more comfortable and still look the part, the same goes with a few of their saddles and you can get them( or find them ) in the two tone colors with the big S on them ( I have a pair in two tone green ) and they ( at least to me ) are more comfortable then the old mattress saddles.

I have had Suburbans come with both rubber block & metal rat trap pedals depending on how many speeds the bike was equipped with, while the 3 & 5 speed models usually had the rubber block pedals, the 10 speeds had the rat traps, but I do have a 5 speed model here that has rat traps that seem to be original.

Glenn

Mercian Rider

If that's how you feel---and I strongly disagree--I'd recommend BMX style pedals over quill and track style, especially BMX pedals with teeth or studs for grip.

Mos6502

Some block pedals can be slippery. Most are not. The real benefit to rat traps would be losing some weight, those old rubber blocks weigh tons. I lost several pounds off of my Columbia switching from block pedals to "track" style alloy pedals.

The saddles you have looked like they were in good condition, and aside from even older Brooks and Terry mattress saddles, those shwinn approved ones are the best you're going to find. The new ones available on memory lane don't come close, and most of the older ones are low quality and less comfortable than what you seem to already have on your bikes. The next step up would be making the jump to a tensioned leather saddle.

The air cushion grips, if that what your schwinn came with are also pretty much the best grips you can hope to find.

If you really want an upgrade worth getting, consider alloy wheels.

uRabbit

I ordered some rat traps. The bearings are somewhat exposed, so apparently they don't last long. They were cheap enough, though, and they shouldn't be too hard to clean and re-grease.

My saddle has a tear on the right side where the padding is exposed, and the springs on it are rusted, so it is not as comfortable as, say, my wife's.

Alloy wheels are definitely on the list. I should probably consider that a priority since we live in the Seattle area.

Mercian Rider

Several pounds? Seriously? I'd like to see those several pound pedals on a scale. And alloy wheels (rims)? To shave a couple of pounds off a 40 pound bike?

And these are 1-piece solid steel Schwinn Ashtabula cranks with .5" pedal axle threads. I'd love to see a good selection of alloy track pedals for those. Please post some links.

Mos6502

They weighed over 5lbs. together. Union pedals with solid rubber blocks. Ridiculously heavy. I think Schwinn used the same ones.

I replaced them with origin 8/wellgo track pedals, which weigh maybe 2lbs. together?

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