1975 Schwinn Sprint Question
 

On a walk home from work, I found a Schwinn Sprint abandoned with no wheels. I would not have taken it but it was the first time I had seen a bike with a contoured seat tube, so I carried that beast on my shoulder for a mile (ouch).

I'm going to restore it but instead of 10 speeds, i'm going to make it 5 to streamline it. My question concerns the wheels since it didn't have any. I have the proper Schwinn Approved large flange hubs. The "Schwinn History" website states it came with "lightweight steel rims". Would these be different than what was issued with the Varsity and Continental of the same time period?

any Schwinn experts out there?

https://bikehistory.org/catalogs/ima...inn_sprint.jpg

It is a Continental with a "short coupled" frame. Sold from 1974 to 1976. The Orange is a 1976 one and is the rarest and I paid $60 for it. Lots of 1974s and not to many of the other years. If you get the bike find a cheap Continental for parts to finish it. Roger

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1e22d2d59.jpeg

Thank you !

It was sold from '74 through '77. I have a '75 and a '77.

Interesting how times change. I remember you telling me I was full of it when I posted on another forum that I had a 1976. Not important anyway. Roger

Nice to see you post!!! Been awhile. We've missed your Schwinn expertise! :thumb:

PCC of Southern California was sponsored by Schwinn, one year a number of the top riders in the club rode Schwinn Paramount Sprints in silver mist. I laughed when I saw the electro-forged model with the same paint scheme.

If if I had one I would go with aluminum rims, and probably 700c with Tekro dual pivot brakes. Upgrade the stem shifters to Suntour Power Ratchet. But then, what to do with it?

I will ride it for a while, like every other bike I've owned. I'm not expecting much from the lead pipe frame, but it could be a durable bike to leave in the yard for the quick errand. I'd hate to see it rust although if it did rust, it would eventually shed it's skin to the point of becoming a nimble streetcomber....
nah, I'll sell it to a hipster for a song :giver:

FWIW: A $20 American to BSA bottom bracket adaptor gets you access to many, many modern cranksets. Modern compacts, subcompacts, etc...could be a welcome developement.

They are gas pipe steel, so a $5 derailleur hanger and a brazing torch is so easy to enable 8-12 speed cassettes it's almost criminal.

The thick tubes make it so easy to weld, chop, & customize to be anything you want. You just gotta get over the 2 water bottle weight penalty versus a simalarly equipped modern equivalent.

I have an all Ultegra 6800 cantilever braked & 1&⅛ carbon forked, 1974 Varsinental, my wife has the same group set with Ultegra short reach calipers instead & 1 inch carbon forks on her 1972.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f5782d1d_o.jpg20200407_160806 by Richard Mozzarella, on Flickr

Plus one to the above aluminum 700c wheel suggestion.

I understand you have a Sprint, but Schwinns really do ride like no other. You're gonna love it.

That's an awesome Schwinn @base2, made right here in my hometown....... and elegantly transformed in yours :)

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll give the Sprint more consideration.

Oh man, you got me during an edit!

Thanks for the like! I'm glad you like it :thumb:

It's important if you want to be accurate ;)