Greetings from portland! schwinn windsor rebuild

[Averas]

Hi there

First off I am a complete newbie when it comes to bikes. I decided to take my dads old bike our of storage so I could have something to ride. It's a little rough.

I really know nothing about this bike. is it worth anything? are parts hard to find?

my sister apparently taco'd the front wheel years ago. can I buy new wheels? does the style matter?

lol If it's anything like a car and certain parts are interchangeable it would be nice.

well here is some pictures










any help would be awesome thanks!

[10 Wheels]

Very rough looking.

Moving your post to The Classic and Vintage Forum from Intro.

[RubberLegs]

Looks like a good solid bike to start from. Matching wheel/axle/#gears straight up is simplest to get it back on the road. All parts are NOT directly interchangeable, though many are. Cheap parts, wheels and such can be found on CL, IF you know what you are looking for. Start off with a good cleaning and lubing of everything that is there, then figure out what you need to make her ridable. Looks like a good frame, at least from the look of the drop-outs (the back bit of the frame where the back axle attaches)

[Averas]

nice thanks!

Yeah, I am doing a tear down of the bike now for paint. I am currently stuck trying to get the crank off. It just won't budge.. do I need some special tool for this? or brute force lol.

when buying replacement wheels can I upgrade to a new style without having to change other bike parts? or is it easier just finding a older wheel

[kc0yef]

um that is not a Schwinn... it is a Windsor Carrera Sport
Take it with care to the bike store and watch what how they react to that bike...


http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Carerra-Sport

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Carrera-Sport

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...7-Windsor-bike

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t-year-Help!!!

[Averas]

um that is not a Schwinn...
Take it with care to the bike store and watch what how they react to that bike...

is it rare or something?

[RubberLegs]

Do NOT force the cranks, you DO need a special tool or you will damage them. They cost big $$$$s Before even thinking of repaint, just try cleaning and restoring, as painting will often destroy the value of it. Try a Maguires Cleaner/Wax for cars. It will help a lot. NO steel wool on the chrome, it may look like it helps, but it also damages it. There are many videos online on how to do cranksets. Also try http://sheldonbrown.com/ lots of info and help there.

[Averas]

Would it be expensive to take it to a shop to have them take out the crank? or just buy the tool

funny thing I haven't even touched it paint prep wise so that's good to know. I have professional polishing tools and compounds I can give it a deep cleaning.

the chain looks pretty gnarly.. I was reading I could soak the chain in simple green for a few hours > dry > then grease. would that work?

[wrk101]

is it rare or something?

Its an or something. A couple of steps up from entry level from the 1970s. The good news is that bikes are really better than cars, in that all of the manufacturers bought generic parts from the same suppliers. Imagine popping the hood on a Chevy truck and finding a Ford motor. Now there were a myriad of standards, not just one, as various regions of the world argued about what the best standard was (apparently, they are still arguing... but they are more standardized than in the past).

Used parts are very easy to find, new parts like cables, chains, tires; are easy to find as well.

Brute force is not the answer, either buy a few of the right tools, or have a shop remove the parts for you.

On the chain, I pick up chain for that bike for under $5. I would not put time into that gnarly chain.

Some specialized tools you will need if you want to do the work yourself: cone wrenches for the wheel hubs, freewheel tool to remove the freewheel (there are dozens of different types of freewheel tools out there), chain tool, cable cutter, crank puller, bottom bracket tools (two or three), plus your basic every day hand tools: allen wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. IF you are just going to fix this bike, the tools are not worth it. If you want to work on additional bikes, tools start to make sense.

Bike has some nice touches: chrome stays, frame RD hanger, bar end shifters. You also have rust issues and some work ahead for sure.

In its present state, its worth very little.

[zukahn1]

Not super rare but a very interesting bike these where basicaly a copy of a high end Italian bike made in Mexico. They where of good quality and noteble for great looking lug work and paint.

[kc0yef]

Its an or something.

what he said and if you need help he or I can help you find parts
VERY COOL Bike

[TireLever-07]

Windsors were made in Mexico, 1970's and 80's. The Windsor Professional was a Cinelli-esh copy. Some bought them to harvest their Campy parts. Chris

[michael k]

Sweet, another windsor....they do clean up nice.

[zazenzach]

micheal, thats not an apples to apples comparison.

might as well throw in a pinarello dogma or a merckx.

brands had multiple tiers of quality. OPs bike is an entry level, that is not.

[TugaDude]

Very nice project bike. I love chrome and chrome lugs and that one seems to have both and in very good shape. Read other threads about cleaning chrome, but most have had good success with aluminum foil and water or Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish, found at your local WallyWorld.

Get all new cables and housings, chain (I totally agree with WK101) and brake pads. You might also need straddle cables for the brakes, have a knowledgeable bike guy check 'em out.

If you have a nice LBS in your area or a co-op, you could probably have them remove the cranks and either grease or replace the bottom bracket. Same for the wheels, they are either toast or can be serviced and ride fine. Check the size, usually marked on the rim or also to be found on the tires. It is likely 700c or 27". There are new wheels in both sizes available new or you could look for some nice used ones on CL. The bike has a freewheel, 5 speed, and those are harder to find. Good news is if you can salvage the rear wheel, a 6 or 7 speed freewheel could probably be used with no problem. They are readily available. Your bar-end shifters can handle the extra cogs.

Good luck! Personally, I wouldn't paint it unless it was really hideous. Try the Maguire's as suggested above, it works wonders.

[JakeBroske]

I had a Windsor Pro and it was mexican but all campy. I sold it like and idiot. Im my opinion i would never repaint a windsor, too hard to come by