60s-ish Schwinn Ladies Collegiate Deluxe
#1
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60s-ish Schwinn Ladies Collegiate Deluxe
OK, first off you all are evil
My apartment is starting to look like a bike shop...
Secondly, can anyone tell me anything about what I just bought? Anyone that helped me out with my road bike purchase may remember I made references to a girlfriend that wanted an old-style bike with fenders and a basket, and while trying to watch for a bike repair stand on Craigslist, I bought this for her birthday on a whim (sans basket). It is a Schwinn Deluxe Collegiate womens (step-thru?) bike, purchased from the original owner, she only remembered it was bought in the late sixties or so, and it was last ridden in 1975 (as indicated by the long expired Detroit bike permit...), and the original purchase price back then was right around my purchase price of $75. Serial number seems to indicate an October 1968 mfg date.
The bike is in mostly good condition. There is light rusting on the chrome, but it disappears with a heavy finger rub, so I don't doubt most of it will clean up nicely. Paint has the usual scratches and dings associated with a used 45 year old bike. The derailleur is my biggest concern, it shifts, but not well at all, I'm hoping a soak in a kerosene parts washer will do it good. The original Schwinn-Approved generator and light system surprisingly works well. Consumables are obviously shot, but I fully expected that of a bike this old. Seat is a bit creaky, although I don't know if a 200# guy was originally in its design parameters....
Anyways, here's the pics. How'd I do? Anything relevant about these I should know? The general consensus on the quick searches I did seemed to say they were good riding bikes, even if nothing spectacular, is that correct?




Secondly, can anyone tell me anything about what I just bought? Anyone that helped me out with my road bike purchase may remember I made references to a girlfriend that wanted an old-style bike with fenders and a basket, and while trying to watch for a bike repair stand on Craigslist, I bought this for her birthday on a whim (sans basket). It is a Schwinn Deluxe Collegiate womens (step-thru?) bike, purchased from the original owner, she only remembered it was bought in the late sixties or so, and it was last ridden in 1975 (as indicated by the long expired Detroit bike permit...), and the original purchase price back then was right around my purchase price of $75. Serial number seems to indicate an October 1968 mfg date.
The bike is in mostly good condition. There is light rusting on the chrome, but it disappears with a heavy finger rub, so I don't doubt most of it will clean up nicely. Paint has the usual scratches and dings associated with a used 45 year old bike. The derailleur is my biggest concern, it shifts, but not well at all, I'm hoping a soak in a kerosene parts washer will do it good. The original Schwinn-Approved generator and light system surprisingly works well. Consumables are obviously shot, but I fully expected that of a bike this old. Seat is a bit creaky, although I don't know if a 200# guy was originally in its design parameters....
Anyways, here's the pics. How'd I do? Anything relevant about these I should know? The general consensus on the quick searches I did seemed to say they were good riding bikes, even if nothing spectacular, is that correct?
#2
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I hope you don't have an upstairs apartment, those old Schwinns weigh a ton! My wife has a Collegiate that is a few years newer, and we have her dad's Collegiate, too. She got hers after eighth grade and never liked it much since they talked her into a larger frame "so she could grow into it". It does ride nice for cruising the neighborhood. Don't worry about hurting the bike with your weight, they are built like tanks.
When you buy tires, make sure you get 597 bead size if it has the original rims. They may also may have an "S-6" designation. There are a bunch of different 26 inch tire sizes and they don't interchange. If you have an older bike shop nearby, especially if they were a Schwinn dealer back in the day, they may have the correct tire in stock. This article explains it all: Tire Sizing Systems
You may find the cable housings are smaller diameter than the ones that are commonly available. Also the seat post and stem are smaller. The derailleur can be easily replaced if you can't get that one freed up. Good luck!
When you buy tires, make sure you get 597 bead size if it has the original rims. They may also may have an "S-6" designation. There are a bunch of different 26 inch tire sizes and they don't interchange. If you have an older bike shop nearby, especially if they were a Schwinn dealer back in the day, they may have the correct tire in stock. This article explains it all: Tire Sizing Systems
You may find the cable housings are smaller diameter than the ones that are commonly available. Also the seat post and stem are smaller. The derailleur can be easily replaced if you can't get that one freed up. Good luck!
#3
Still learning
Anyone that helped me out with my road bike purchase may remember I made references to a girlfriend that wanted an old-style bike with fenders and a basket, and while trying to watch for a bike repair stand on Craigslist, I bought this for her birthday on a whim (sans basket). It is a Schwinn Deluxe Collegiate womens (step-thru?) bike, purchased from the original owner, she only remembered it was bought in the late sixties or so,nd and it was last ridden in 1975 (as indicated by the long expired Detroit bike permit...)
Anyways, here's the pics. How'd I do?
Anyways, here's the pics. How'd I do?

#4
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Ha, well I was more looking for how well/badly I screwed up on the bike purchase itself! I could have bought her a purple "old looking" bike from K-Mart and she'd have been happy, I just tend to WAY overdo things....
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Yep, the tires on there right now are 26x1 3/8, and say "FOR S6 or S7 WHEELS" (or something along that verbiage). Already went through the fun of 26" wheel sizing when I redid mountain bike tires last year. Luckily, I've been able to find a few options out there still.
#6
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My wife absolutely loves her '64 Collegiate in coppertone. Hers has more rust than yours and loads of "beausage," but it rides like a Cadillac and looks very cool overall. I put a Suntour derailleur on it and she's got a Brooks saddle now (it had the original, like yours, which was less than ideal after 50 years). Other than that it's stock Schwinn.
Have fun the first time you mount tires, btw. Getting them seated properly -- and roundly -- is an adventure.
Have fun the first time you mount tires, btw. Getting them seated properly -- and roundly -- is an adventure.

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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
Last edited by Fahrenheit531; 05-19-15 at 12:31 PM.
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