An open note to the (former) framebuilders at Schwinn
 

Dear former frame-building Schwinn employee:

I would like to introduce you to this nifty tool(Exhibit 1):

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_1415.jpg

This is commonly referred to as a "file." A file is used for a variety of useful purposes, such as mitering head tube joints so they don't look like this (exhibits 2 & 3):

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_1413.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_1412.jpg

Joints like this lead to a variety of issues. In this particular case, it has lead to the destruction of a headset due to poor alignment, and a pretty good gouge in the steering tube (Exhibit 4):

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_1414.jpg

Dear former Schwinn bike-assembly employee:

Have you ever wondered why the headset cups were so hard to insert? Reaming not an option? Although you feel that this method may work, simply ramming the living snot out of the headset cups until they wrinkle the downtube end, is not a good idea either. For one, it leaves the headset out of alignment which leads to premature failure. I assume that since the "file" in Exhibit 1 was evidently not available to the frame-building employee, this tool and its use may seem foreign to you as well. You are correct, it is a hassle to file the tubes down after they have been brazed, but you may be suprised how many people may not be happy with your ape-like assembly methods.

Dear Schwinn qualtiy-control employee:

Apparently you called in sick the day this frame was built, or you might have noticed the forks did not turn very well. Perhaps you passed this off as a new feature to help prevent top-tube dents. I assure you, it is not. In fact it is a royal PIA to fix after the fact.

Dear Schwinn executives:

If this is the sort of crap you are going to produce an try to pass it off as a upper-end quaility product (in this case, a 1989 Schwinn Voyager) thinking that your reputation is going to get you by, you deserved to go bankrupt.

My 79 Schwinn LeTour, Chicago built, seems to have had just a little better frame work. I was just talking to a friend, who was a Schwinn LBS back in the day, and he was mentioning how BAD the last few years of Schwinn were. They often had to rebuild the brand new Schwinns before they sold them, THAT was what THEIR customers deserved in a NEW bike. NOT a pile of mismatched parts, misaligned bits, Wrongly assembled parts...just a nightmare.

I'm going to guess that you never see those issues on Panasonic/ National made Schwinns/ PDG's. But the Japanese took tremendous pride in their workmanship, as did the Waterford crew. Chicago and Greenville guys got their paychecks for holding costs down, hitting production quantity targets, and keeping the disfunctional union-management relationship from escalating into open warfare.

I wish I had the photos of my old Raleigh LTD-3. Gaps between the tubes and lugs big enough to drive through.

Calling for the Whambulance this many years after the fact is sad. That bike looks like it's been ridden a lot of miles.

I get (I hope) this is tounge in cheek but I think you are expecting way too much from the bike in question. Don't expect a Lexus when you buy a Pinto. And I realize there's probably a hundred better analogies than that but I'm feeling like Schwinn production line worker circa a couple of decades ago, so am only giving you one good enough to be functional. Not well crafted or meant to last for ages.

lazy americans.

It is half rant/half tongue and cheek after spending the better part of the afternoon on what was supposed to be a simple re-packing of a headset. After 30 years, I thought I had seen it all between the Schwinns, French, Italian, Brittish, and some early Japanese bikes I have worked on/sold (heck, I recall specifically selling two Voyagers exactly like this one 20-some years ago), but this is about the top end of it. The fact that no one noticed that it did not steer all that well...at least until the steering tube was scored to match the tube ends...is appalling. After about an hour of trying to get the cups out without a cup remover (would not seat on the cups because the tubes were in the way), another hour and a half with a file (too far in to use a Dremel tool), and a sorta-newish headset out of the used headset bin, things seem to be better than new (I could proabably back over it in the driveway with the van and reach that low threshold).

I feel your pain. I had a battle royale with a bottom bracket that was so stuck I had to use a hacksaw to get it out. Pics are here

Don't blame the former hourly employees, blame managment.
Since the mid to late 70's, the battle cry of corporate America has been, "MAINTAIN THE PROFIT MARGIN".
Cut corners, use cheaper materials, reduce the labor force, and still keep daily output the same.
As the product becomes substandard, sales drop, and they try another round of cost cutting.
The spiral continues until the company goes out of business(or moves the product manufacturing overseas).
We have all seen it.

That's the first time I've ever seen a headtube cut at the lug to allow an improperly-mitered downtube to slide through it. That wouldn't happen to be a one-piece cast headtube with fake lugs, would it?

-Kurt

Nope. Standard construction. I am curious how they held it together for brazing (it is back together, so too much wondering will make me have to take it apart again). In both the top and down tubes, there are two large blobs on either side of the tube (right and left, not top and bottom), Almost seems like they pinned it from the inside with 16d nails. This bike really makes me think I could build frames for a living.

1989 SCHWINN BICYCLE COMPANY LIMITED WARRANTY.

What is Covered
This warranty covers all defects in material or workmanship in any product sold by SCHWINN Bicycle Company ("SCHWINN"). In addition, each SCHWINN bicycle or exerciser will be fully assembled by the selling Authorized SCHWINN Dealer at the time of purchase.

WHAT IS NOT COVERED
This warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, or normal maintenance items, or any damage, failure or loss caused by:
1. Accident, misuse, neglect, abuse, improper assembly or improper maintenance:
2. Use of products in any competitive event:
3. Use of products for stunt riding, ramp jumping, acrobatics, or similar activities, or with motors as power driven vehicles: or
4. Failure to follow instructions in the owner's manual.

FOR HOW LONG
The warranty coverage has no time limit for all products sold by SCHWINN except electronic components. For electronic components, the warranty coverage runs for two (2) years from date of purchase.

WHAT SCHWINN WILL DO TO CORRECT DEFECTS
SCHWINN WILL, at its option, either repair or replace any defective product, part or accessory. Repair services or replacement parts will be provided free to you.
Dealer labor charges for installing replacement or accessories are not covered by this warranty, except for:
1. bicycle during the free 30-day check-up, and
2. defective frames within one (1) year from the date of purchase.


Hmm, I think they got ya by the boys with that very last line. :eek:

OK, so several million bicycle frames were built between 1960 and 1980 and you found one bad one. Does this condemn 100 years of Schwinn bicycles or an entire nation's workforce? Perhaps a little perspective is in order.

Me thinks that if the first bankruptcy didn't negate this option, then the second one probably did.

Strange - that means they had to deliberately cut holes in the headtube to allow the tubing to pass through - which necessitates more work than simply re-mitering the tubing.

-Kurt

I have an 87/88 Schwinn Premis in the barn someplace. As soon as enough snow melts that I can get into it, I plan on pulling the fork on it to see if this apparent "through-tube" jointing technique is a one-off, or if they thought they were onto something revolutionary. Basically they would be treating it the same as the BB. I am not too concerned about the joint seperating at this point.

That very last line refers only to labor costs.

I've rebuilt probably a dozen mid to late 80's Schwinns, and have never seen this problem before. Perhaps it was a newbie on the line? I wonder if the hole was cut before the lugs were brazed? It seems like it would have to be, given the angle and clearance needed to cut it.,,,,BD


Have you checked the headtube angle? I imagine it could be steeper than usual? What does it look like at the BB? I'd wonder if the DT is extending far enough into the shell to provide a strong joint.

Mea culpa, how about I just stick to driving'em.