If you are trying to determine the genealogy of your bicycle by it's features, go to our Vintage Bicycle Price Guide
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, brake types, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your old bicycle.
If you are trying to determine the make and model of your bicycle, go to our Vintage Bicycle Picture Database
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your vintage bicycle.
| Swap meet Sullivan Square our 9th Year. Directions Interstate 93 North or South 1 mile North of Downtown Boston, Sullivan Square exit around the rotary Under the Bridge. Please email me for more information. Thank you |
| Swap meet Sullivan Square our 9th Year. Directions Interstate 93 North or South 1 mile North of Downtown Boston, Sullivan Square exit around the rotary Under the Bridge. Please email me for more information. Thank you |
| Swap meet Sullivan Square our 9th Year. Directions Interstate 93 North or South 1 mile North of Downtown Boston, Sullivan Square exit around the rotary Under the Bridge. Please email me for more information. Thank you |
| Swap meet Sullivan Square our 9th Year. Directions Interstate 93 North or South 1 mile North of Downtown Boston, Sullivan Square exit around the rotary Under the Bridge. Please email me for more information. Thank you |
| Swap meet Sullivan Square our 9th Year. Directions Interstate 93 North or South 1 mile North of Downtown Boston, Sullivan Square exit around the rotary Under the Bridge. Please email me for more information. Thank you |
| Hi everyone. My grandfather just past away a few weeks back and I discovered he had an old Colson in the attic. My grandmother says he must have ridden it before he started driving -- this makes it circa 1935-40! It's a beauty, still with horn and tank, rear kickstand, and a sweet cherry red underneath the grime. A real beauty, like my grandfather. Anyway, I am a Schwinn lover, but this will be my first go at restoring a Colson, and I haven't been able to find much info on the bikes (aside from the history of the company). I haven't yet discovered the serial number (I've been too anxious to begin repair). But, it looks like the female bullet nose found in this web site's archive. Hard to tell because it's a female bike and in better shape than the one I have. So, the questions: First, there's what seems to be oxidation or a good cloud of white spray paint all over the frame. I tried scrubbing it lightly, and had good results, but am loosing a little paint along the way. Is there a better way to go about this? Also, how do you guys feel about a copper scrubby (used in the kictchen, do you know the kind?) as opposed to brass wool? I had pretty good results, but some of the chrome is a little spotty? I took the front wheel off, and took the hub apart. Some of the bearing casings are cracked, but not badly. Replace them or ride? I cleaned them and the bearings themselves are still pretty circular. They still spin the bike wheel. And, the area I will get lost in is the rear wheel with the coaster brake. Not sure how to take it apart (and for that matter, will I EVER be able to get it back together?). If anyone has an exploded diagram of such a device, I would greatly appreciate it. The same goes for the crank too. Difficult areas for me, such as, how do I get the crank off? Also, any other tips/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! |
| Mr.Eric first of all i wish we were your local bike shop! the kitchen steel wool should stay in the kitchen! at your local grocery store you will find a product called supreme steel wool pads no soap it's OO ought very good for chrome! just dont use on painted surfaces.try mineral spirits let soak 5-10 min. buff with terry cloth.make sure you use in well ventilated area!!!!If your not mechanicly inclined do find a bike shop.hope you enjoy your new bike. |
| Is it necessary to tear down and pack the "wheel bearings" on the SA 3 speed hubs? Or does the oil in the hub lube those bearings also? |
| i think u mean the whole lots of small ball bearing.That bearing is for the running the the spocket so it wiser to use some grease on it.Lube from hub does little lubricate |
| I read in an earlier post about receiving decals via .jpg or .gif. How do I get decals for Schwinn? I know Hyper Rays sells them, but I want to make my own. |
| I print decals of all types for the motion picture industry, as well as fovors for friends. I happen to have a set of Schwinn decals...entire set for a "Spitfire" in my possess ....e-mail me and I'll tell you how to silk screen decalcomanias using a great photo emulsion called, "Nova-Star". Maltus |
| I recently picked up a 1950 Schwinn girls balloon tire bike. I was going to use most of its parts on a boys frame that I have, but my daughter fell in love with this bike.(even though she won't be able to ride it for a few years.) It has a new departure hub and a skip tooth chain. But the brakes are VERY soft. I had read in an earlier post that it may just need a good cleaning and regreasing. How difficult is this? I've never taken apart a coaster brake hub. Is this a job that an average guy can do? Also, what are your thoughts on tearing apart a really nice original girls bike, just to put the parts on a boys frame? Keep in mind that a six year old has the final vote. Thanks, Don. |
| A pair of cone wrenches should do it. Take it apart from the cog side. It's not necessary to remove the cog unless you're a purist and it can be difficult if it's a threaded cog. Note the order of disassembly. Remove the locnut and bearing cone with the cone wrenches. Remove small cog side bearing. Unscrew cog/driver assembly. Remove large cog side bearing. Then pull the brake arm assembly out noting the arrangement of brake shoe assembly and clutch. All these parts can be cleaned in mineral spirits(don't use gasoline) and reassembled in reverse order. (tip: for better braking knock the shine off the shoes and inside hub with 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper)If you have any further problems, I may be able to locate an exploded view from an old Schwinn service manual. Email me. |
| Check Oldroads.com's exploded hub section. There is a cutaway photo of a New D but no exploded photo. |
| thought this might b of interest,im restoring a jag mk2 memory lane has the correct seat post decal and hyperformance rays will rerivit the fender braces back on for 2 bucks a rivit plus shipping AJ |
| Hey gang, I've got an old Hawthorn cruiser with a Hawthorn coaster brake hub. The cog is not held on with a snap ring like Shimano or Bendix hubs. There is a left hand threaded lockring over the cog. My question, is the cog left hand threaded, or is it right hand threaded like track hubs are? Also, is the hub similar to rebuild as the Shimano and Bendix. I've rebuilt them before. |
| If you look carefully at the margin of the cog/driver assembly you will see that the cog thread exits the driver thread with a right hand twist. I'm certain that a left hand lockring would not be used to hold a left hand cog. |
| I am restoring a 1980 Raleigh 753 ten speed and need a few decals. One being the Raleigh logo (bird's head) that would go on the seat tube and the Raleigh name written in cursive for the top tube. These can be in decal form or gif or jpeg. I have reproduced the 753 Reynold's decal and can supply it one if any one needs it. |
| The handlebars on my project are really pitted...is it better to keep what chrome I can (which is not much) or just steel-wool it down to the stainless? |
| Rechroming is a possibility, but expensive. For the collector's sake, leave it alone. You may find a layer of copper under the chrome and it's had to remove by steel wooling. |
| Hi! I'm a newbee here, but have enjoyed reading the posts and have learned a lot. I dug up our old 1964 Schwinn Tandem (learned from the serial number page!) that we bought at a yard sale about 15 years ago. We rode it some then but it hasn't seen the light of day for at least 10 years. I brought it out of the basement and the kids (10, 8 and 6) think it is the coolest thing! I'm in the "clean up" process which is going quite well! I bought new tires from the Schwinn dealer but haven't installed them. The old ones still work for now but are quite cracked and look like they could go at any time. I'm trying desparately to save as much original as I can. My question is on the coaster break. It doesn't work really well. Do you think just taking it apart and cleaning it up will do the trick? Is there any other advice before I tackle this? |
| If the brake worked o.k. before you parked it, a good cleaning and new grease should make a vast improvement. It is a coaster and not a drum, right? |
| I am looking for wheels for a 1960s Vista by N.I.D.A. tandem and Hikari tandem that I am trying to restore if anyone knows where I can find these it would be much appreciated |
| I recently restored a rollfast tandem for a coustemer we ordered a new set of wheels from my distributer 105ga spokes new chrome + lots of other goodies !SURE it's not original but it LOOK'S REAL GOOD he's very satisfied if your interested I'll gladly tell you how to get them !! seya |
| I have a VISTA N.I.D.A. tandem that I am thinking about selling. I purchased it from the original owner who hardly used it. Thought my wife might like it but she doesn't. Color is a deep rust. Condition of bike is excellent. Let me know if you're interested. Thanks. Fred |