For the past several years I have been on the lookout for an early 1970's era Schwinn cruiser (cantaliever frame with smooth soddering finish).

Unfortunately I have only run into completely restored bikes running in the $1000+ range. I would like to find one in need of slight restoration at a much lower price.

I have checked Craig's list frequently, been to all the antique shops in my area, checked several thrift stores on a regular basis, even checked shops on road trips I have taken up the east coast from Florida to New York, checked ebay, but so far no luck.

Every time I drive by garage sales the first thing I look for are bikes, but no luck so far. I have run across several altered/fake Schwinns though.

Any suggesrions?

p.s. I don't "need" the bike, and I ride newer bikes on a daily basis. This is just one of those nostalgic mid life crisis things. ☺

Balloon tires? Middleweight? Post a pic and we might be able to help you out. "Cruiser" in CL parlance could mean anything with upright bars. Good luck!

The lack of being able to find one of those is curious. I see them quite frequently on our local CL. I actually purchased one not so long ago for my daughter. She loves riding it around town, even though it's a "Boys" bike. I actually weighed it in at an astounding 42 lbs!

The "Schwinn American" from the mid 1960's would be the closest match. There were several variations in the early 1970's with slight modifications of that model. 26" tires, middle weight, balloon tires.

Funny thing is I remember seeing them in bike shops in the mid 1970's priced in the $300 - $500 range back then!

Here's something local to me that I posted a while back, a middleweight (26 x 1 3/4 tire, infamous Schwinn size) like the Corvette I delivered papers on. This is a 3-speed with hand brakes, so maybe not exactly what you want. If you want a coaster-brake only and balloon-tire (26 x 2.125) only, let us know. The Schwinn American was built in both tire sizes.


https://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/6008975422.html

OK, do you mean cantilever brakes? If so, I don't think they were common until the 80's, and probably never on a Schwinn of that era.

"Soddering finish"? Do you mean a smooth finish to the paint, or do you mean soldered lugs on the frame? Because Schwinns in that period came with 2 different frame types: soldered lug frames, or butt-welded frames. I don't think I've ever seen a 'cruiser' with anything but a butt-welded frame.

FWIW: its a Cantilevered frame he was speaking of. if you look at Thumpism's picture you can see the two tubes that attach to the down tube and arch passed the seatube then become the seat stays. thats the Cantilevered frame style.

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I'm a little surprised at the difficulty locating bikes like the Schwinn American or just Schwinn "cruiser-style" balloon tire bikes in general, especially from the era cited. I wonder if this is an issue of location, because I see this sort of thing pop up with frequency on our local CL, at local auctions, at flea markets, and at garage/yard sales. What I don't see much of are frames of this ilk in larger sizes. Seems like the small and medium frame sizes are out there in abundance, but the big ones are few and far between. I'm also a little taken aback with regard to the pricing the OP is seeing...I've not experienced anything close to the one grand bar, even at swaps. The OP sounds like he or she is searching up and down the East Coast, so my suggestion would be to expand the search out here to the wilds of the Midwest. Good luck!

The cantilever frame was what Schwinn even referred to for a time to the frame design with the seat stays arching forward to stop at the down tube. The smooth soldiered joints really refer to the appearance of the electroforged frame assembly, where the butt welds were ground smooth, (at least at the primary view angles).
Way back I coveted an earlier Schwinn languishing in the backyard of a friend's house... It was all fillet brazed, a pre cantilever frame but of the same basic profile... Never could convince the dad to sell. I quickly moved on to real road bikes but remember it fondly.

The Schwinn middleweights and heavy duty bikes have long been in demand, in Southern California they just don't sell cheap, no matter the condition. The rusted relics fetch just as much as they become the basis of a "rat rod" bike. Ride down the Venice Boardwalk on a sunny day and they are out in force.