bigwooly

So recently i began trying to figure out what i would need as far as a bike goes that would not only fit but be something i can work up to commuting to work with. I'm 6'4" and until today had never had a bike that fits.

In my searching for a place to help me learn about how to not only find the right bike but also work on it and maintain it once i had it. A local bike shop mentioned a place called SOPO. I must say this place it totally awesome.

I had a couple of old wally world special bikes that my wife and i had accumulated over the years. Still completely rideable but mine was too small and she has a nice new shiny red schwinn. So i put air in the tires and loaded up the bikes we no longer needed and headed to SOPO for their open shop hours today.

My intentions today were to go donate the two bikes to their "Charity Bikes" program and hopefully obtain a whole heap of knowledge about working on bikes. I must say my expectations were greatly exceeded.

I arrived and the owner of the bike shop that shares a location with SOPO (whom i had talked to last week) remembered me and said "Hey i've got something to show you" She lead me back into the bike co-op and there in front of my eyes was a recently donated 1974 Schwinn Continental.

Not only was it sitting there but it was a 24" (60cm). It had a busted rear derailleur, missing Friction Shifter parts, and needed a chain. Other than than it was in pretty good shape it was beautiful (to me at least)

So after a few minutes of just being in shock. The lady from the co-op told me that since i had donated the two bikes i could have that one.(the normally ask for a "reasonable" donation for a bike) Score. And we went to work.

Here's how it looks today. I rode it this evening with my son and i must say it was awesome to be able to ride and not have my knees hurt.


For those of you who are the TL : DR type

Got a cool vintage bike and it's a great fit for me. Total cost $57.

wrk101

Those old EF Schwinns were pretty cool bikes. My first road bike was about a 1970 Continental, picked up when I was in 8th grade. Rode the heck out of it until it got stolen my first year in college.

Stem looks pretty high on that bike, make sure you are not above the minimum insert line.

Enjoy it!

bigwooly

It's not about the minimum insert line. When we were working on getting it going the volunteer at the co-op said something to the effect of good lord that's a long stem.

I'm in the market for a comfortable saddle. I don't have the budget for a Brooks or anything close to that price. What's one that will sit well but not break the bank.

Metacortex

Don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but based on the height of the seat post and stem it looks to me like you really should have the larger 26" frame (they were available in 22", 24" and 26"). You can certainly ride that bike in the meantime, but I'd keep on the look out for something bigger.

bigwooly

Thanks for the heads up on sizing. The only problem i think i might have with a larger frame would be stand over height. This one is a close call with the boys already. I'm not sure there's another 2 inches of space. I will keep an eye out for another larger frame though.

bigwooly

After riding a couple of miles in circles around my neighborhood yesterday i must say that stopping power is very under-whelming and i also have one pedal that is making a loud poping anytime i am climbing a hill. (there are some serious hills in my neighborhood)

So time for questions. What can i do to improve Stopping Power?

Any suggestions for some functional pedals that don't look completely out of place on this vintage bike?

Scooper

The first thing I'd try for improving your braking is replace the existing brake pads with Kool-Stop salmon "Continental" pads.

https://www.koolstop.com/english/continental.html

Scooper

For pedals, I like Performance's Forte "Campus" pedals. They're platform on one side for street shoes and SPD on the other side. I've got a pair on my '72 Paramount.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...68_-1___400936

Mos6502

Do they make those with 1/2" thread for one piece cranks?

Also about braking I can see in the photos that on the front brake one of the pads is hitting rear end first. For decent braking you can put that end of the caliper into vise and gently twist it so that the front of the pad contacts the rim first.

Scooper

Oops! No, I don't think so.

Harris sells 9/16" to 1/2" pedal thread adapters to use 9/16" spindle threaded pedals with Ashtabula cranks, though. Harris also has a decent selection of 1/2" thread pedals.

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/opc.html#pedal

noglider 

bigwooly, I have some nice pedals with 1/2" threads. You can have them for the cost of postage. If you're interested, I'll even take pictures and give you the pick of my collection.

bigwooly

Sounds great to me however i don't have enough posts to pm you yet.

my email address is my forum name @gmail.com

bigwooly

Are you saying the caliper is bent? i would remove the whole thing from the bike clap down the part where the ad bolts to and actually twist the end of the brake?

bigwooly

Well another trip back to the co-op and come to find out my brakes weren't crooked. my front wheel wasn't centered in the forks. That issue fixed re-did brake cables and housings (housings were cracked and causing the brakes to bind) and now it stops sooooo good that if i use the front on accident going down hill it tries to throw me over the handle bars. I think next in line is to rebuild hubs and bottom bracket. Rear wheel creaks and squeaks going down the road. and if you turn the crank by hand almost feels like there's grit in there you can feel it scrubbing.

For a free bike though i am still loving it.

qcpmsame 

Congrats on finding the Conti, I was lucky enough to have a '73 in opaque blue through my last 2 years of high school, time in the Marines and first 3 years of college. Definitely rebuild the crank bearings and the pedals (take Noglider up on his offer!) and I'd think about both of the derailluer cables if they are original and tires/tubes. Then ride it with pride, the EF Schwinns were heavy but extremely reliable bikes.

bigwooly

not to sound dumb but what does the EF stand for?

qcpmsame 

Electro-forged, the welding procedure for the frame. No lugs.

DsmBerg

Servicing that crank takes about 5 minutes, provided you can get the pedal off. Buy some grease and get after it.

There are a handful of BMX and track pedals that fit the 1/2 inch threads you have. I would take the offer on the free ones above, however. You may find that this bike is a gateway drug to other bikes so you may not want to get too deeply invested.

Scooper

As qcpmsame says, electro-forged.

There's a nice write-up on Sheldon Brown's website about the unique process used to build these frames. The article was written by Marc Muller who managed Schwinn's Paramount Design Group in the eighties and early nineties, and is Richard Schwinn's partner in Waterford Precision Cycles.

Inside the Varsity (the Varsity and Continentals both had electro-forged frames).

Flying Merkel

The wonderful thing about old Chicago Schwinns is that they did come in several sizes. They assumed the bike would get ridden by a knowledgeable adult. Have a '64 Schwinn Varsity that fits 6' me nicely.

I rode my Dad's cast off Continental until it was stolen in high school. Burnt orange with patterned rims that was supposed to help wet braking performance. It didn't.

sonatageek

I bought a set of pedals for a Ross 3 speed from Niagara Cycle Works and they have a pretty good selection of alloy 9/16" options for under $20.
https://www.niagaracycle.com/index.ph...sort=3a&page=2

Scooper

He needs 1/2" for the Ashtabula crank.

RoyIII

Very nice bike. You'll enjoy it! No need to spend ANY money on upgrades. If it were mine, I would keep it Schwinn pure. My bike shop gave me a trashed Schwinn Collegiate which I reincarnated as a single speed. It's a blast to ride. Have fun on the Schwinn Continental

bigwooly

I'm loving it and it is like a drug. I've already bought a second bike, that i'm using the skills i've learned in getting this one ride-able, to restore. hopefully it will be my 1st flip.

I'm already looking for other frames for myself. So far it seems that if you look hard enough there are plenty of C&V bikes in a large frame size. This bike will definitely be a ride it as is bike and only repair things as necessary.

Repairs Done to it so Far.

Replaced rear derailleur (one that was on it was broken and bent)
All cables and housings replaced.
Swapped out seat.
Replaced Chain.

Still to be done
Replace Pedal's
Better Seat
New Brake Pads
Rebuild Bottom Bracket
New Tires
Rebuild Hubs
Possibly Fenders (if i haven't gotten another bike my size by then)

I appreciate all the input. I am going to take the gentleman up on his offer for pedals. The bike really feels like it was meant to last for ever. If there's a nuclear war all that will be left will be EF Schwinn's and Cockroaches.

bigwooly

headed back to SOPO tonight to rebuild bottom bracket and hubs.. but i've had a couple of issues riding this past week. When i use the front brakes the Wheel will "Walk" over the course of a 5 - 7 mile ride. I can center the wheel and clamp down the quick release and set off to ride. By the time my ride's over the wheel is back off center and i can usually tell about halfway through my ride it's moved cause when i get my butt off the saddle and get ready to get going the bike is unstable, shakey, etc. What should i check into about this?

Also from time to time in my low gear it seems as though the chain is Skipping. I've stopped several times and the rear derailleur is almost always pretty well centered under the cog the chain is on. and it's definitely happening on the back wheel.

Thanks for your help and advice.