Just found this thread. Looks like you have quite a collection already! I confess I have some sort of bike acquisition syndrome myself -- at the beginning of summer, I had one bike, and now I have a dozen -- not including the four bikes belonging to my wife and kids. Like you, I'm always looking at yard sales and thrift stores for good inexpensive bikes. I have a 1984 ladies Schwinn Varsity that the previous owner said she was given by her parents for her birthday and which she rode two or three times before deciding she didn't like it, and stored it for twenty years. That one cost me $30 and is perfect. On the other end of the use spectrum, I've been riding my 1972 Schwinn Suburban for years with no issues but for flat tires.

I recommend two books from Bicycling Magazine that I bought used for one cent (plus shipping) on Amazon.com -- "Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair" and "Complete Guide To Upgrading Your Bike", by Frank J. Berto.

Good luck! and have fun.

P.S. I love your idea of providing bikes to bike-less moms.

no no Oreo is just a small shaggy mutt.


i am trying to keep my addiction under control..i have a cap on what i will spend on a bike
and i have narrowed my focus to just what i call a 'Mom bike'
i am going to have a yard sale in the summer to benefit the Methuen Rail Trail project
and sell off everything but "Daisy" my 69 Armstrong and "Marian" the 56 Robin Hood
i think i get off more on the hunt than the hoard.

THAT I understand completely. That's why I've got 12 bikes already this summer.

it took you all summer? i bought my second bike in August. i think i have at least 12, i'd have to go out in the barn and look.

erasergirl, would you please score me a mens Raleigh Sport or Superbe? You are so good at this!

1st one i get.

Besides, I haven't seen any here in Michigan for a while!

Not bigger than 22 inches.

I spent the latter half of my summer digging out my backyard and laying patio blocks.

Goodies that came with my Robin Hood.

can someone label these wrenches?





Download the entire manual pdf

1,2 and 3 ! lol

this little Hercules needs a LOT of work, the rust on the paintwork is pretty bad
but she runs.
i need to find a new saddle for her.
i will clean it soon and find out what is written on the SA hub

I set up the brown 5 speed Raleigh Sprite on the work stand
but i can't finish her today, the rims don't seem to be the standard 26 x 1 3/8 inch size.
i will have to buy different ones.



yep that's my work area..in the middle of the living room.
i have a turn of the century steamer trunk with all my tools etc..





So far this is the most rusted bike i have worked on.
the chrome is pretty freaking bad
even the AFTER image still have a coating of chrome acne.
can't imagine anyone will pay much for it.



but with some new tires, she's a nice workable bike.

i wish i new more about rehabbing chromed parts...my knuckles ache from the scrubbing.

still don't have a date for this one
serial number underneath says
037383522

any ideas?

no she hasn't given into the addiction she is being a good capitalist... and leveraging her capital to make a profit when the season changes... this is good business acumen... you guys hoard we women are industrieouse.... I know the spelling is bad here... hehehe... but you get the point right...

If you scan the forums for "oxalic acid" and "Zud", you'll get another poster's recipe for cleaning rust from chrome. I couldn't find oxalic acid other than deck wash, but Barkeeper's Friend contains it, and it worked very well for me on that green 1968 Schwinn Breeze I posted earlier.

thanks, Bon Ami also contains oxalic acid it is common enough.
i wonder if it will work better than metal polish and steel wool?
i will try it.

"yep that's my work area..in the middle of the living room.
i have a turn of the century steamer trunk with all my tools etc.."

Brilliant! Love the tool trunk and the idea of being able fettle bikes in the comfort of the lounge - don't think my good lady wife will approve though, so it's out to the workshop for me!

here is an idea of what to do with these bikes... you could rent them to the ladies of the neighborhood... let them know they are there... and they could rent them from you.... make lost of moolah.... or selling them is good as well....

i though about that.
perhaps

you could start a club... a womens cycling club...

all wear skirts...

rentals are problematic..
it makes you responsible for fitting the cycle to the rider and maintenance on a bike
and i am not sure how vintage bikes would stand up to abuse by strangers.
if i 'WORK' on a bike, i want to reap the benefits.

i am hoping that by the time the full rail trail system in my backyard is on line.
that i could open a bike rental...but i'd buy tougher bikes and hire someone else to maintain them.

there's working on bikes for fun and then there's working on them for work.


skirts? perhaps not.

ya I hear you there... I have done photography professionally ... now I do it as volunteer... that way I can keep the passion for shooting and not get all stressed out and resentful of it.

undated Schwinn traveler..monstrously tall the seat is under my armpit

i HAD to take 3 crummy BMX bikes off the guy before he would sell me this.
i haven't found a way to date it yet.

Looks similar to my 82 LeTour. Check on the rear dropouts for the serial number or check the headbadge. That will give you a 4 digit number that is the day of the year and the year. Nice "tall" bike.

if 1050 means October 1950? than this is the oldest bike i have acquired so far.
also the tallest: the seat tube is 27" and the top tube is about 25"