Originally Posted by
Bikedued
I don't ride many of my oldies regularly, but I have a few. 1955 Corvette in possibly my least favorite Schwinn color. It just doesn't excite me much. I have a 39 Elgin Frame in the garage, that may never get built. It's old enough to have the sold steel bent rod seatpost. My favorite one is a 55 Columbia. It rides a lot like a motorcycle with pedals instead of an engine. I have a two speed automatic Sachs wheelset on it right now. Shifts all by itself, but unfortunately cannot be controlled. It stays in high gear anytime over about 10mph. If you want to downshift, you have to brake down until low catches. Kind of a PITA
...,,,,BD
1955 Columbia
That tri-color paint scheme is pretty wild on that bike- looks nice.
I have to admit that the old ballooners are awesome when the road is just right for them. I'm not a fan of having to go up hills with the Henderson (the single speed is a very high gear ratio), but on a flat or downhill it's a blast. They're so cushy and smooth- especially if you have one with the old style leather Troxel spring saddle. The smoothest bike ride I've ever had was on the Henderson on a newly paved trail/road. It's a bit of shock going between that and my Raleigh Sports, but each has its own qualities and advantages.