evwxxx

Here is a bike that Easthill can appreciate! For comparison, the bike behind the Moto is a 48cm size!

https://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/evwxxx...cd.jpg&.src=ph

USAZorro

Yah - but unless you can find the original fork...

evwxxx

Good point, can't be many of those size forks floating around!

East Hill

That could be a problem! Am I going crazy, or does that Schwinn have a biopace setup?

East Hill

evwxxx

Naw, that schwinn does not have biopace, just angled to look like it!

divineAndbright

What size wheels does that motobecane use, 650c? I was gonna guess 24" like the "Junior" rode bikes of the 70s, but it looks like it uses downtube braze on style shifters which I doubt you'd ever see on a 24" wheeled bike!

That place has gotta be fun to scrounge around - I looked through some of the other photos in the album, lotta neat looking cycles there.

evwxxx

I would say it would have to take 24" wheels, due to frame size and geometry. As for quality, if you look at the pics in the album you will see a blue Olmo, which is also a Jr sized bike with 24" wheels, but some pretty nice components!

divineAndbright

https://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/evwxxx...cd.jpg&.src=ph

Say.. that first orange frame hanging, the one that appears to have a checkered flag top tube decal, is that a Crescent? That looks nice, my fave color for a bike and looks about my size maybe? if its 52-54cm what do I have to do to get ahold of it? (;

evwxxx

Yes that is indeed a Crescent, it caught my eye right away the first time I ever ventured down there. However, it is not a Crescent like you might think. It is a bottom of the line, kind of "gas pipe" Crescent. No external lugs, welded frame, straight guage swedish SIS 1412 tubing, ONE PIECE steel cranks, etc. It is the Crescent model Sport 305, from what I can gather (I have some old literature). I think it falls into the 54-56cm size, have not measured. If you are interested, I can check it out....ew

monogodo

Yeah, it does. Look at the chainring "supports" between the actual chainring portion and the bolt portion. The "legs" are of different lengths, and are different depending on which bolt hole you're looking at.

It looks to me like old Exage cranks, which would have been biopace.

Look at picture 11, there's a Biopace sticker on the chainring.

evwxxx

You are correct! I did not even notice the sticker on there, and it was covered in the shot of the small moto,,,,interesting indeed!

divineAndbright

Ah cool, if I was sure it was my size and I was in the states where-as shipping wouldnt be so much I'd probably go for it despite it being lower quality and use it as a commuter, im pretty desperate for a new commuter frame (riding around on something too big for me right now). That green raleigh super course is really nice as well, and my size, but I'll just have to be patient to find something locally- spring cleaning is around the bend so somethings bound to turn up sooner or later.

East Hill

Hey, I must be finally learning something! I thought it looked like biopace. I still don't understand it being on a Schwinn, though.

East Hill

pastorbobnlnh 

East Hill, most Biopace chainrings are 110 BCD (although I believe some are 130 BCD), so they will fit on any crankset supporting that size. So frame brand has nothing to do with the use of a Biopace.

sekaijin

My rain bike is a 1992-ish Taiwan-frame Schwinn Mirada with biopace. Just one more data point ... I'm sure the original owner didn't modify it, so Schwinn musta been building em that way.

I don't know much about the history of biopace, just that the concept was elliptical = efficiency. The idea seems to have come and gone ... what is the postmortem, was it a bad idea?

East Hill

My first thought was that it would not have been original to the bike...but as sekaijin's Schwinn Mirada came with Biopace, well, apparently it could have been original equipment. I learn something new everyday here .

I know I've got Biopace on my Fuji Thrill mountain bike. I haven't really noticed any big difference in riding it. I should pay more attention, eh?

East Hill

top506

I spent my early career exiting functional aircraft in flight while carrying heavy loads, and it took a toll on my knees that 30 years haven't helped. Biopace chainrings make it MUCH easier for this old man to grind up these New England hills. Got 'em on all my bikes (53-40, 52-42 twice, 50-38-28, and 48-38-28).
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