What a great week of bikes, and we’re not done yet. I’m going to let this next beauty lead us in to the weekend. This is Turbo Bob’s 1960 Schwinn Continental.
Have a great weekend and don’t forget to GO RIDE YOUR BIKE!
1960 Schwinn Continental
I was lucky to get this time machine. Each time I ride it, I go back to my pre-teenaged days of bike freedom and innocence. I bought, fixed-up, rode and sold so many of these Schwinn 8 and 10 speeds back then. Usually $5-10 would cover the cost and most resold for $20-25 after many fun rides. Even though I have very little tied up in this classic, it’s more than those days back in the 60’s and 70’s. I got this in good shape with a new Brooks saddle and a vintage Suntour derailleur in place of the original Simplex. The complete tear-down and lots of hand polishing was a labor of love. I even removed each nipple one at a time during polishing to ensure I was happy with the outcome. I changed the color scheme somewhat with the black bar tape and cable housings. A touch of the present is seen with the cycle computer and lights. I am so pleased with the results as it rides nice and smooth. Every time I reach down to the suicide front shifter, I feel like I am twelve years-old all over again. You just can’t buy the kind of happiness this lightweight Continental brings me. Said to be Schwinn’s first ten-speed, I have yet to see another like it since my childhood. This is one ten-speed that is not for sale. I have written a few articles about it on my bike blog, including one on the full rework of the braking system. There is even a video covering it on my You-Tube channel. The last installment will include me running test laps at the local Velodrome. Here are the links to the articles and the video.
http://turbobobbicycleblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/1960-schwinn-continental-schwinns-first-ten-speed/ http://turbobobbicycleblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/1960-schwinn-continental-schwinns-first-ten-speed-rework-up-date/ http://turbobobbicycleblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/vintage-schwinn-brakes-repairing-and-adjusting/