My sister in Ca. called me the other day, she came across a blue Schwinn that was left out for garbage pickup in her neighborhood, and wanted to know if I was interested.

Her: well it looks pretty nice, but the tires are bad.
Me: what does it say on the frame?
Her: Schwinn
Me: anything else?
Her: Sports Tourer, are they any good?
Me: why, yes they are. can you send pictures?

My brother in law is bringing it up this weekend from Ca. and i can't wait!

Nice rescue and those tubes look great!

Well done, sir (and kudos to your siblings)

GAH! I hate you!



Spectacular find, raverson!

-Kurt

Thanks guys.

I just spoke to my BIL, they are passing through Redding now and should be here for dinner.

Wow, I spent a lot of money on one of those. I do like it a lot though.

That would look SO good next to my Opaque Blue Paramount.

What is the difference to the le tour?

Good thing they saved it from getting crushed in the back of a garbage truck. It's amazing what people will throw out. You would just hope the previous owner put it out figuring somebody else would rescue it. Can you provide more pictures? Start a thread about it? Put it up on the "before and after" thread?

nice looking 'garage queen'. I love that baby blue color

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/schwinn-braze.html

I've had a chance to look at the Sports Tourer a bit and take a few pictures. Very nice overall condition with everything looking to be original, minus the Brooks saddle and toe clips.

The oddest thing on this bike and something I have never come across: Some of the spokes on both wheels are wrapped with what looks like metal coils. I haven't had a chance to take them off to see what kind of metal it is, but it seems a bit bizarre. I can't figure someone would be trying to balance bicycle wheels?

Probably. Either that, or someone severely misinterpreted the concept of tied and soldered spokes.

-Kurt

What causes old Tires to do this?



I see it all the time and it kinda grosses me out to have to touch it to tell the truth.

The dark spots are what is left of the outer gum rubber, I believe; the lighter sections are the actual nylon threads exposed, for the gum has since flaked off.

-Kurt

Are those little coils lead? are they all on one side of the wheel?

I haven't had a chance to unravel them to see what kind of material was used. The rear wheel has them on five consecutive spokes, the front has four in a row and then two smaller coils about about 5 spokes after that.

And, it's weird that the wires on the spokes are not opposite the valve stem. Some odd Science Fair project?

Great find BTW!

Wheel weights....high speed balancing