I got great feedback on a post the other day so I’m looking for some help again!
Picked this bike up today to try and restore and learn on. It has no visible serial number and has been repainted blue. Its red underneath.
I am hoping you can help my get a date and ID on this 10 speed. Its heavy as can be but i can see the potential.
Thanks!
by TatumsChatums666
4 Comments
Pretty low end Schwinn boat anchor from the late 70s(?). Maybe a Tourist or Continental? These are heavy but would go through a war without much damage. Steel rims mean wet weather braking can be pucker inducing and dry weather may still cause some white knuckles.
Continental. 27″ wheels, same frame as the Varsity but upgraded with a tubular fork, center-pull brakes, quick-release hubs, and alloy stem/bars. It is NOT low-end, but it’s not high-end and lightweight either. It’s a mid-quality American-spec bicycle, complete with the typical boat anchor 1-piece crank and all. The serial number is likely on the head tube below the badge, and you can put it into a [serial number website](https://bikehistory.org/serial-number.html) to figure out the month and year it was made. Someone added the fenders and rack as an option.
These make great commuters once they’re restored. I encourage you to tear every bearing down and reassemble, polishing the chrome with steel wool as you go. The Huret drivetrain is not very popular with cycling enthusiasts but it’s very cool, and both the front and rear derailleur can be entirely disassembled and reassembled, and if any nuts/bolts go missing, they’re generally M4/M5/M6 because they’re French (as are the hubs).
It is a schwinn
Your dog knows. He knows the smell of ass when he sees it.
Naah it’s a good bike to learn on. You can’t kill one of those boat-anchor Schwinns. If nothing else upgrade the wheels to alloy rims so you don’t kill yourself in the rain.