timmyquest

So my first bike with gears was an old Schwinn that was originally my moms. My second was this vastly over sized Schwinn of my fathers that he would let me ride every once and a while. It's been neglected over the years and i've had a growing desire to get it back on the road. A recent inquiry of mine about building wheels lead me to the suggestion of rebuilding old wheels that i find in the garbage. Well, we got plenty of bike garbage at my dads, so i figured i'd just restore this entire bike.

I'm not sure of the year but it's a Continental, my dad has owned at least 3 of these things.

Before you ask why i would waste my time on something let me tell you the answer.

1.) Sentimental
2.) availability of a junker bike
3.) It actually runs pretty good when it runs right!

I'm posting this here for two reasons:

1.) I'm going to need some help along the way i suspect
2.) I want to keep a record of the progress, i'm in school so it will be fairly slow.

On with the photos, followed by some questions i have.

As i picked it up. It weighs 27.5lbs as seen here!






This amazed me...times have changed (or it's just a bottom of the line bike? I really don't know)


Remember when this meant something in the world of cycling

timmyquest

This is what I've been able to get done tonight, i need to get some more tools out of my car tomorrow


Now for some questions.

Painting the frame:
The frame is in good shape minus the paint and some surface rust. Do you folks think it would be worth it to try and sand the frame and paint it. If so, what methods can you get away with for doing this. Also, would i be able to get the logos for it through someone?

Drive train:
I think a lot of this weight comes from the BB. I know i'm not going to make this thing very light at all, but if i could reduce it a little i'd be willing. What available vintage drive trains can i swap into this thing? Can you guys tell from the photos?

Wheels
I've got the original wheels (i think they are originals) and i'll snap some photos tomorrow. I'm not completely against using them but they are chromed and some of that has begun to rust. I also wouldnt mind shaving some weight here, perhaps i could put some more modern wheels on it? I know the drive trains are a bit different now days and i know that causes some problems, i've also heard there are ways around it.

The kickstand
It must go. Shall i hammer it off? (its welded on)

Brake levers
Would it be taboo to go with something like this:

CardiacKid

If you want to lighten that bike, I would suggest you start by finding a new frame. Those Continentals were some of the heaviest "lightweight bikes" made. There are a lot of vintage steel frames out there that can be built up to be under 20 lbs. My Hetchins weighs about 2 lbs. more than my Trek 5000. I imagine if I were to swap out all the components, the Hetchins would be lighter than the Trek. Heck, if I were to just trade the Brooks saddle for the Aliante, they would be close.

timmyquest

I'm about to build up a 15 pound carbon fiber bike . This is the bike i'm restoring, no questions asked

FWIW i weighed it again as seen in the last photo, and it was down to 20lbs. I'm doing this more for fun than anything else. That, and perhaps my dad will tag along on a few rides.

SweetLou

I'm unsure of what you want to do with the bike. You talk about making the bike lighter, taking off the welded kickstand, putting on aero levers, etc. But now you say you are restoring it. Do you want to restore the bike or make a nice riding, lighter bike? Either way if fine with me, I have older frames that I have swapped out newer components and others that I try to keep original.

So, is it taboo to put on aero levers? Well, that all depends on what you want.

timmyquest

Point taken. Call it semantics i suppose. I just want to turn this into a functional and ridable bike. I don't think a Schwinn Continental is worth my time to do an actual restore but i'd like to "restore" it's cycling pride...if you will.

I'm not here to make the bike as it was when it was brand new.

kpug505

Hey,
I'll start with paint...........Get it powder coated. It will look better and last way longer then anything the average guy can do. Or maybe take it to a local body shop and have them spray it.
As far as making it lighter is concerned... I'll start with the bottom bracket. You can get a conversion kit that BMX guys use to convert from the American style bottom bracket you have to a Euro style. This will allow you to run a nice alloy crankset.
Wheels. Just get some alloys and scrap the steel ones. Wheels make all the difference in the world. Not only will they be lighter but newer ones will allow you to run higher air pressure for a quicker ride.
I'd scrap the bars for some alloy ones as well. And those "aero" brake levers are a great choice. Not only do they look better but they offer a mechanical advantage and are way more comfy.
The drivetrain can be upgraded too. How about some clamp on downtube shifters and an older Suntour changer out back?
I say go for it! If it was your Pops and it's been around this long why not give it the once over? Especially if it will get him out for a ride!

Kelly D

timmyquest

how do you address the wheel thing though, modern alloy wheels don't fit on these bikes if i understand right

BikeTales 

try this for the kickstand:
https://www.bunchobikes.com/repair2.htm

I asked a question on the schwinn forums about lightening up a similar bike (a 76 suburban). Here is a response I got that may be helpful to you:
---Get a set of 27" alloy wheels, and an alloy 3-piece crankset (with appropriate adapter). These two modifications will save you 6 or 7 pounds in one fell swoop. Anything else you change out after that will only save you ounces.---

I decided to leave my suburban alone, because it's beautiful. But your bike is oogly. If you have access to those parts (read: cash) I'd take the advice.
As far as painting it, I don't know. But I'm pretty sure you could find the decals if you want them.

kpug505

Measure the rear spacing as well as the front. You really shouldn't have a problem finding rims/hubs with that spacing. 120 rear/100 front? Do you have a local bike co-op around that sells used parts? I have been known to buy a complete used bike for parts. Even just a stem once! Maybe thats an option. Then sell the frame and fork to pay for the paint. If its too narrow out back you can spread the rear. It's called cold setting and its pretty easy to do. Hell, if you were local I'd give ya a set of alloy 27's and if they didn't fit I'd make 'em!

SweetLou

Not a problem. The alloy wheels will fit. There are a couple of ways to do it.
1. As mentioned above, just get some 27" alloy wheels and respace the dropouts if needed. Sheldon Brown (pbuh), has a page to show you how. There are other ways to spread the dropouts also. You might want to take it to a shop. They can do an alignment on the frame and do the spacing. I think a shop by my house does it for $25.

2. If you have the original hubs and they are good, just buy some alloy rims and lace them to the hubs.

3. Buy some alloy wheels with the same spacing

4. So far, everyone has mentioned 27" wheels, but you could put on 700c wheels also. You might need to get new brakes that have a long enough reach.

Of course each way has its pros and cons.

pastorbobnlnh 

Timmyquest,

Post the two letters at the beginning of the serial number on the headtube and we can date your Continental. Kool Lemon's were produced 1971-74, and a plain yellow in '75.

If you have the money, converting to a 3 piece crankset, will cost you about $40-50 (for the adapter and cartridge BB), plus whatever you spend on the crankset. I added about another $50 for this crankset and a chainring to hang on my '62 Continental. You will also have the cost of pedals.

Along with losing the kickstand and swapping the steel rims for 27" alloy ones ($15 each from Nashbar), my old Schwinn now weighs a little less than 30 lbs. Best of luck and have lots of fun with your project.

dwainedibbly

I would consider new brake pads, at least for the front.

How badly is the right seat stay bent? If you take the frame to a shop for spreading, have them check out that seat stay, too.

late

Nice project..

I agree with most of what's been said, powder coating (don't forget to have it clear coated), new wheels and a new crank. Those Shimano brake levers are nice, I have a pair. There is another brand that has some that are both cheaper and more ergonomic. I'd consider taking the whole thing to 7 speed. 7 speed stuff is dirt cheap, throw on a Sugino crank and a big cassette and you'll be spinning and grinnin'. You can keep the shifters, or go to bar ends. I like the way those ride and the position; think of it as a blue collar Rivendell..

I'd guess it was a Bike Boom bike, which means 1970 give or take a few.

PS,
I have a 27 inch bike project that didn't work out. Give me a holler if you want to talk about parts.

jgedwa

I am guilty of putting too much money into unworthy bikes a number of times.

However, is this really a good idea? In my opinion, a main reason why so many bikes lurk unused in the back of garages is that the bike is sooo heavy and clunky that it is just a chore to ride. Only a 13 year old with unlimited energy could ride a EF Schwinn and not grow discouraged. I highly, highly recommend that you go find yourself any other junky old bike and go from there.

With this bike, there are two possible outcomes:

-If he does take to riding again, he will want to replace this one asap. You will be stuck with a $250 bike that no one would pay more than $15 for.

-If this tank kills his desire to ride, you will have it again lurking in the garage. You will be stuck with a $250 bike that no one would pay more than $15 for.

I am not a bike snob. I ride hunks of garbage that "real" cyclists would not have ridden 20 years ago, to say nothing of what they would ride today. In fact, I derive some satisfaction from being an outcast in the bike world (except in the friendly confines of C&V). But, there are practical limits to this attitude. A bike which gets in the way of riding enjoyment is one limit. A bike which has a number of proprietary parts and therefore is not readily modified is another.

My grouchy advice is that you go find yourself a yellow LeTour (or some such) and start there. Move the reflectors over to the new bike if you want a nostaligic connection to the past.

jim

iab

For the kickstand, I'm not sure if you were being sarcastic, but use a cut-off wheel for removal, not a hammer.

For powder coating, there is a place in Ridgefield that has done good, inexpensive work for me. Its on Hillside, they also make xray or dental equipment, I don't recall the name.

timmyquest

Correct

Thanks for the reference, unfortunately i'm in Iowa for the time being

timmyquest

Poo on you!

My dad is an out of shape blue collar worker, i don't think the weight of the bike is going to make much a difference. As i also said, i need a bike to get around on so i'm not riding my $2000 road bike and locking it up outside of lecture halls...and the sentiment man...the sentiment!

roccobike

Before I'd put a lot of $$ into that bike, I'd buy a set of alloy 27inch rims/wheels, preferably from a donor bike, add some new tires and a new chain. I'd ride it a few times and see how you feel about sinking more money into it. BTW Do not change the bars, the original Continental bars are alloy and nice.

For more information, search BF for Varsity threads. There are a couple of guys who went down this path with Varsitys. As I recall, one of them got his bike down to about 27-28 lbs. It turned out nice. (If I remember correctly, he painted it purple.)

raleighrider75

Right on.Stick to your guns.I ride nothing BUT old steel and once you can pedal that up a hill you can pedal anything.Once you get used to the weight it's not as big of a deal as people tend to make it out to be.Steel may be real...ly heavy but aluminum is real...ly flimsy and in my mind not neccesary.
Also being that it's "nothing special",it's less likely to get ripped off.
I'd just put it back together as is and enjoy it.Don't bother with the expense of powder coat(it doesn't look THAT bad as is)

roccobike

To counter those who disagree with your effort to reclaim your Continental, you might want to quote Schwinn Bicycle Co. statement when dealers complained about the Varsity and the Continental weight.

"ARE YOU GOING TO CARRY IT OR RIDE IT?"

Of course I wouldn't try to defend that statement, but that's what they said.

timmyquest

I'm with you. Right now i need to focus on spending money on my real bike, still got a few things i need to buy to get it on the road. In the meantime my plan is to refurb everything that's on it right now and just get it back on the road but i may want to make a few changes in the future and when the time is right i may just want to powder coat it as was suggested. It's not too bad, but it isn't pretty and it has some bare steel showing which doesn't lend itself very well to the salty/wet conditions of the midwest .

-Regardless, i'm going to want to get a new crank at some point (i think)
-I'm going to need to pick up a new FD (i had the old one but it got thrown out by the wicked step mother...)
-I may want to change the shifters, stem mounted shifters aren't too big a deal but i'd prefer downtubes

Regarding the bars, if i didn't think they were bent i wouldn't change them, but i'm a little worried about the shape they are in

jgedwa

I do fully support your craziness, by the way. If nothing else, it is fun to mess around with old bikes.

jim

p.s., Someone should have told Mr. Schwinn that sometimes people do have to carry their bikes. And that sometimes people have to "carry" their bikes up a hill under them. And that sometimes people have to "carry" their bikes forward when they accelerate. And that sometimes people have to "carry" their bikes backwards when they brake. As it turns out, mass does not like to change speed.

timmyquest

On all accounts.

PS
Note my sig...

timmyquest

I just realized something. My dad works for a tower crane company. I bet they could powder coat this at the shop...