shannon7581

I have an old Schwinn Continental 10 speed that has been in the family garage for 20 years or more and I wanted to service it and start riding it. I went to the website that others have referred to try to identify the year. Since the serial number is under the crank it appears to be older than 1952. But I couldn't find a serial number starting with X in the list. If I fixed it up, would it just be a $35 bicycle, or would it be a collectible bike? It had an old leather seat that went with the bike, and it has a build in kick stand. The rear wheel had a problem so I took it apart and found a broken axle. What size axle would this bike need and where to find the parts for an old bike like this? See attached pictures.

I also found in our garage an old green Schwinn Varsity 5 speed with 26" wheels, so according to the chart it is 1960-62. Is it a collectible bike?

Thanks,
Shannon

dazevedo

Have you looked at the bottom of the headtube , It looks like a 74 or later to me looking at the color and shifters.But hard to really tell from those pics.If no serial number on the headtube check the non-drive side dropout. Also is there a 4 digit number stamp on the head badge.

dddd

A straight-on, right-side photo of the Varsity should help best identify it.

Bike should fill the photo space, have good lighting, etc.

Your Continental isn't a much-valued bike, but is high enough quality to be a good rider.
These Varsity/Continental bikes will perform best if the bike at first seems too large for the rider. This is due to their unique frame geometry and proportions.
I recommend at least a 22" frame size Varsity/Continental for anyone over 5'4", and if the rider isn't at least average leg length for their height then a Varsity/Continental usually won't work too well, because the pedals are situated pretty high on all sizes of these models.
Your pictured Continental appears to be well short of the 22" frame size BTW.

Some frame sizes of the Varsity model may have had 26" wheels well after the 1960's if I recall.

Bike pictured below (1962 model) is a 24" frame size but is still quite cramped front-to-rear while riding, at least for this 5'9" rider (and even with the longer 10cm handlebar stem!).

shannon7581

When I get home I'll look at the places suggested to see if I find any more numbers. When you talk about frame sizes, do you measure from the horizontal top frame tube to the ground? I'll also take some better pictures of the Continental and also some pictures of the Varsity and repost.

dazevedo

The Schwinn's are measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube.

KerryP

That is a darn purdy one

shannon7581

The yellow Continental is 22" frame size. I'm only 5'4", so it seems to fit me OK, but I'm not an experienced rider. It has a 1976 permit sticker on it so I know it is at least that old. There were no numbers on the head tube, left drop out, or head badge. Just the numbers shown in the picture above on the bottom of the crank housing.

The green bike is 20" frame and has the numbers A92461 on the left drop out. I was assuming it was a Varsity, but it didn't have anything printed on the down tube, so I'm not sure.

Scooper

I believe the Continental is a 1971 model year or later, since the fork blades have no chrome plating.

The Continental serial number should be on the head tube just above the lower bearing cup, or on the non-driveside (left) rear dropout.

Head tube location


The serial number should have two letters for the month and year of manufacture as explained below.



I don't have a clue about the bike with A92461 on the left rear dropout. "A" with five digits should be an early 1950s number, but Schwinn didn't make derailleur equipped mass produced bikes until 1960, and even then there were no derailleur equipped models with 20" wheels.

shannon7581

Thanks for the info Scooper. On the Continental, I did find the SN on the head tube. I missed it the first time since it was covered with grease. It reads DH107968, which indicates that it was made April 1972.

The green bike SN on the drop out was difficult to read, so after looking at it again the SN reads JA02761 which would make it a 1965 model. It is a 5 speed with 26" wheels. I think it is the Collegiate boys model that someone converted to drop down bars and removed the chain guard, and spray painted from black to green.

Scooper

Great!

Glad you got it sorted out. Somehow I got it in my head that the second bike had 20" wheels, but I don't think there were ever any E-F diamond frames with 20" wheels.