• Eric’s 1985 Schwinn Sprint

    Another tragic fate has been avoided, another 10-speed will live to see more miles.  Thanks to the efforts of Eric in Pennsylvania, this 1985 Schwinn Sprint is looking better than ever.

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    I found this 1985 Schwinn Sprint on a local freecycle.org list. I was told that the individuals from whom I acquired said bicycle had just thrown it in the trash for pickup. Apparently they throw away perfectly good items on a regular basis.

    Thanks to this horrible habit, I ended up the recipient of this mid-80′s Taiwanese made Schwinn 10-speed. I already ride a 2007 Schwinn Voyageur GS hybrid for commuting and long distance pleasure rides but found myself wanting a workout bike for strength training. I figured that I’d be able to rebuild it if the frame was tight.

    After picking up the bike I took a thorough inventory of what I had, and what would need to be changed and/or adjusted. The whole bike required a through cleaning of all parts first and foremost. The front and rear tubes and tyres needed replacement (27×1 1/4). All of the cabling needed to be replaced and re-lubed. The brakes originally needed adjustment which was accomplished during cable changing. The front and rear derailleurs needed adjustment. The wheels needed to be trued with required extensive work with the spoke wrench. Finally, the chain required oiling.

    It was just this morning that I finished the final touches, those being seat re-adjustment and the wrapping of the dropbars with some phat wrap from Specialized. I’d taken a preliminary test drive prior to all of the above changes sans the original tyres and dead tubes being replaced.

    After roughly $60.00 worth of total replacement parts and some much needed TLC the Sprint has been reborn and feels like a totally new machine. I live in a fairly hilly area of Pennsylvania (Hilltown, Central Bucks County, PA) and look forward to taking this bike to task against the local terrain. Just shows that one can find an older bicycle and with little money and considerably more time invested, a true gem can be had.

    The next project is another donor bike, an AMF Roadmaster Scorcher which I intend to make into a fixed gear just for the experience of doing the conversion.

    Keep up the great work with the site, it is always a pleasure to see some of these older 10 speeds still in use and getting attention.

    Eric
    http://www.bucksbicycling.com

    Thanks Eric

    Related posts:

    1. Robert B’s 80s Schwinn Sprint
    2. Jae L’s 1985 Schwinn World
    3. Ed H’s 1986 Schwinn Sprint
    4. Daniel G’s 1974 (Short Wheelbase) Schwinn Sprint
    5. Stephen S’s 1985 Schwinn Traveler


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    This entry (permalink) was posted on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 at 8:55 PM by Cameron and categorized in Owner Submitted.

    • Jan Valentin

      Great bike! You can presumably expect some nice riding for a string of years. Godd work! And wow! how you required it! Such a “find” is no longer possible in Sweden, since old ten-speeds are known to be affordable and long-lasting and popular for the fixie-generation/single-speed. Ride on! /Jan.

    • http://www.bucksbicycling.com Eric Elinow

      Thanks Jan. I just got back from my morning ride through our hilly local terrain and couldn’t be more pleased with the bike. I’ve lost 3.5 kg in the past 2 weeks just from short 8-12 km daily rides with the occasional 32 km trip (on my city bike which needs the rear dérailleur adjusted badly before I ride it again).

      It is a bittersweet find due to the value of bicycles on a whole being seen as something for the young only. Toys if you will, until they ‘grow’ into motorised transport. We’re collectively hoping to change that with a europeanisation effort by those of us who appreciate what Europe as a whole has given the world in terms of sensibility, and bicycles are just the beginning.

      Thanks again for your kind words. What do you ride if you won’t mind me asking?

      Eric

    • Ryan W

      Hello, I just recently purchased a Schwinn Sprint just like yours from a garage sale for $10 and I want to fix it up. It needs a new Chain Derailleur and brake cabling, but I have no idea where to find these parts. Do you have an online shop that you recommend? or any tips for a beginner like myself? Should I check my local bike shops and do these parts have to be model specific?

      Thank you!

    • http://www.bucksbicycling.com Eric E.

      Ryan, wonderful find for a mere $10.00 A new Dérailleur can be had from many different makes and models. I would still check with your local bike shop. Many times they have stripped old bikes and have a plethora of parts available.

      The basics for a bike like that are simple… Go to http://www.sheldonbrown.com and everything the beginner (and pro alike) needs is there for your better understanding..

      best of luck!

      Eric
      eric@bucksbicycling.com

    • steveopdx

      I just did the same thing this last week. I bought the sprint for $5 along with a similar woman’s bike. I took the best parts from both and with some elbow grease I am very happy. I think I will upgrade the seat and get some decent tires. I think the ones I have are the originals and seem very close to meltdown.

    • patrick

      I had that same exact bike and color and I was madly in love with it and it got me around forever and then a Ford F150 decided to make a bad left at an insersection and hit me going 40 mph and now its a hunk of twisted metal in my backyard. I’m so messed up about it that I am out here googling Schwinn Sprint and trying to just look at a picture of one thats not mangled. Nobody knows, nobody cares.

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