Free Spirit from the trash
A co-worker who had his bike wrecked last fall scored a Sears Free Spirit 10-speed in his size from the trash the other day. I told him to bring it in to work for me to look at. It's in almost unridden condition. There are several scrapes on the frame that are probably due to 30 years in storage because the tires still have flashing on them! It must be from the late 70's with cottered cranks but a clear plastic dork disk. The decals are clear stick-on plastic rather than water transfers. The chain and freewheel were clean as a whistle. The freewheel exhibits the wobble of cheap bikes. Add in the steel wheels, stem shifters, suicide levers, stamped steel chainrings and injection molded bar coverings and you have yourself typical department store fare. The Dia Compe brakes were nicer than I expected. The derailleurs and freewheel are Falcons.
It must have been in a basement because the tires were so good that I didn't even put new ones on! I changed the tubes, lubed it, and he's got a summer rider that no one will steal! Not worth a picture but I sure had an amusing couple of hours.