Hey all! First of all, I wanted to say 'Thanks' for all the great posts on here about the 1970s Schwinn Continental, which set my mind at easy when I finally bought one.

Sounds like these things will last a long while as long as they are cared for. With that being said, I am new to biking and was wondering what sort of general upkeep/maintenance I should be prepared to do for my 1971 Schwinn Continental. I am not sure if I'll every feel the need to upgrade to a new road bike, as I probably will ride casually to class and a little bit around town for fun. I'd much rather learn to do this stuff so I don't have to take it to the LBS several times a year....


Thanks for your help!

I thoroughly clean and relube my drive train (Chainrings; chain; derailleurs & freewheel) every 4~6 weeks or so.

Once a year, I repack my wheel bearings & make sure my brake pads are OK

Other than that, maintenance is "as needed": flat repair, handlebar rewrap, etc.

Oil all the usual spots periodically. Remove the one-piece crank every couple of years (easy to do), and regrease the bearings. Remove the front and rear axles every year or two and regrease the bearings. Put grease or oil on the brake and gear cables. Drip some oil into the cable housings. Change tires & brake pads when they wear out. True the wheels as needed. Keep some type of wax on the bike as a rust inhibitor. Try not to use steel wool to remove rust. Wet and soapy SOS or Brillo pad if you really have to. These bikes are built to last probably forever with a little simple, easy maintenance.