Thursday, September 9, 2010

Schwinn World Tourist

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Above: I recently finished this Schwinn World Tourist. It has a "Giant" built lugged frame. It was a little rough when I found it. The original rear fender had a home-made rear strut on one side. While it did function well, it looked a little rough. Fortunately I had a copper colored fender set left over from an old conversion (commuter to racer). This bike is kind of odd. It has a front FF Crank set with a rear 6 speed freewheel sprocket group. And a Normal friction rear derailleur. Not the hard-wire cable operated positron derailleur you would expect. Kind of a mixed bag for sure. Oddly enough it seems to work fine.
Above: You might recognize the Avanti rear bicycle rack. It was on the Fuji S10S that I restored not too long ago. The rack did not fit into the plans I had for the Fuji. But it sure looks "right at home" on this classic style commuter bike.
Above: This is the Brooks touring saddle removed from the Ivory colored Raleigh Sprite. Why would I take the Brooks saddle off the Sprite? What happened is this. Another old Raleigh came in. Kind of rough, but sporting a brown Brooks leather touring saddle circa 1973. After cleaning-up the rails and springs and Saddle-Soap cleaning the leather four times. And then after a good buffing, I put it on the Sprite. (also circa 1973) It was a match made in heaven. It was what the Sprite lacked evidently, as it sold quickly after I made the switch.
Above: The rust on the front derailleur was bad and was even worse on the rear. Because I had two almost identical derailleurs on hand, I decided to replace them. I will clean-up the originals and use them on some latter project or repair. Unfortunately I was unable to save the rear wheel. I did "true it up" but there were some severe curb dents that I was unable to hammer-out properly. This is the part when I was glad it had the weird set-up. A 27 inch rear wheel with the five speed fixed set up would have been much tougher to locate. That`s how a normal FF front free-wheel works. The rear gears are fixed and the crank free wheels. Pretty amazing the first time you see one. So I just borrowed a matching rear wheel from a Schwinn Varsity.(future project) I did however swap the free-wheels.
Above: I was able to save the original touring handlebars using Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover and a brass detail brush. You may notice the handlebar chrome is not the best, but it is acceptable. I love the old style Schwinn grips. Always nice to find those in great shape.
Above: I added a new Schwinn water bottle cage and new Schwinn alloy quill pedals and also a new Schwinn chain. It also got all new Jag Wire Basics cables and Jag wire X Caliper brake shoes. The brake calipers were removed and polished. The threaded headset was re-built and the front free-wheel bearings were lubed. And the frame and fenders were cleaned up as well.
above: Due to different mount-hole positions (from the original) This fender had to be extended in the front. I used part of the original fender to make the extension. The result was a very custom looking wrap around fender. I also replaced the tombstone tail reflector with a more retro looking round reflector. Then I mounted the same type reflector to the rack. I rode this bike into town for coffee with friends Tuesday. It performed flawlessly. However being a couple of sizes too small for me my upper legs got an awesome (and painful) work-out.
Before I close I would like to thank Everett K for letting me post his road-bike project on my blog. I have never blogged about someone else`s project before "and it showed". I found myself answering comments that I should have let Everett answer. I apologize for that, I was treading on new ground. I will not repeat that mistake in the future. So sorry pal, I screwed up. I will try to delete my response (if I can) and post Everett`s response if and when I receive them. Till Next Time, Ride Safe :) and remember to always RESCUE,RESTORE & RECYCLE
Cheers,Hugh
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31 comments:

  1. Im a big fan of your work. I look at it daily to see if you've posted up anything new =)

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  2. Thanks Alex,
    You made my day :)

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  3. Hugh, this is a fantastic bike and I've been eyeing it on Craigslist for a few days now. My wife has the 5-speed ladies version of it that I've fixed up for her. As much as she'd love it if we had matching bikes, I think she'd kill me if I brought home another!

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  4. "rear gears are fixed and the crank free-wheels."

    I have never seen or even heard of such a thing! It seems like it'd be hard on the rear derailleur since it would be always turning, as would the chain.

    It bears another post just to provide more details.

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  5. Hey Steve,
    I hear you, When the first Schwinn came in with the Shimano FF Integer system. Well at first, I was sure the free-wheel was seized up. Then I noticed the crank was a free-wheel set-up. I remember thinking "I`ll be damned, It`s supposed to be like that" The rear derailleur shifts in increments. Schwinn`s first attempt at index shifting. The rear derailleur had a very strong spring and was very tightly mounted. Instead of a twisted or braided shift cable, it had a hard-wire cable.
    The advantage was, you had a ten-speed you could shift while coasting. As you can imagine the system has lots of drag. I do have a very vague memory of someone telling me years ago
    that Schwinn had a ten-speed that would shift while coasting. At the time I just blew it off
    thinking they were misinformed. If you go to May 2009 (on my blog) You can read about my first encounter with the Shimano FF Intiger System. I believe the header reads Ladies Schwinn World Tourist. Also did a post about the Men`s June 2009. I believe the header reads Return of the Men`s Schwinn Suburban.
    So read-on brother!

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  6. Thanks Everett, It has a really small frame. I think it would be a good fit for someone about 5ft 5 inch tall. It is one of those bikes that might take a while to sell. But when the right person comes along.....
    I have just finished building a bike for myself. I think I have finally succeeded in replacing my beloved Fuji Gran Tourer SE. I will be posting it by Wednesday. I have ridden it a few times and I absolutely love it. I will say no more..

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  7. Great site, Hugh! I've been browsing through the archive for practical bike-restoration tips until yesterday I felt "inspired" to bring home (yet another;-)) derelict old Road Bike. Hope my result will be at least half as nice-looking as your bikes always do.

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  8. Hey Mart,
    I hope you found some useful tips. And good luck with your current project. I`m sure it will come out fine. I too am always bringing home (yet another) old road bike. Sometimes I have to force myself to stop, while there is still room to get around the shop/garage.
    And Hey, Thanks for the kind words.

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  9. Hello,
    That rear wrap around fender is awesome. I have a question that perhaps you or one of your readers can answer; On a front freewheel system bike it appears to me that the bottom bracket shell/housing is too large to accept a standard, or non "FFS" bottom bracket. As some of these frames are quite nice, Giant made, for instance, as you point out, would an Ashtabula to european bottom bracket adapter allow one to replace the "FFS" bottom bracket with a standard bottom bracket? To put it another way, is the bottom bracket shell on a "FFS" bike the same size as the bottom bracket shell on an Ashtabula equipped bike?
    As always, nice job on the featured bike, and thank you in advance for considering my question.

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  10. Its a standard 68mm bb on the FFS bikes sporting a "Three-Piece" crank setup. I.E. having two arms and a spindle.

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  11. Thanks Alex,
    Honestly, I forgot about this question.(sorry) So busy this week with the finishing touches on my vintage MotoBecane. Also finished a Raleigh Record (except pedals). And have started into another Raleigh (Capri). I have always suspected that since the actual FF Mechanism is out-side the bracket shell, That the FF could be replaced with a typical 3 piece crank. But I have never attempted switch one (yet). Thanks again for the answer Alex (:

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  12. Hugh,

    I just love your blog. I'm restoring a 1980 Schwinn Collegiate 3 speed and learning a lot from you. Right now it needs new brake lines and pads and your endorsement of Jagwire has me thinking about using them. What Jagwire parts work with these oldish Schwinns?

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  13. Hey John,
    First, Thank you and Welcome. The brake cables should be easy. A universal Jag-Wire brake cable and housing kit should work fine.
    As far as the shoes go, this is a little trickier. If your brake shoes have a flat surface (square with the back plate) the Jag-Wire X-Caliper shoes should work fine.
    If you have brake shoes that have a slant or angle to match the rim. You will want to find a matching replacement. I am unable to locate the ones I have in mind online this morning. Might want to try your local bike shop. Or email/call your online supplier customer-service before ordering. I have noticed that some of the slanted or angled replacement shoes are not as thick. So you will want to watch for that.
    On my links list is Re-Brit. Steve at Re-Brit is a bicycle restorer who specializes in English 3 speeds. Which means he knows a lot about Sturmey Archer 3 speed hubs and shifters etc. If you get stuck you might want to contact him. The late (and great) Sheldon Brown no doubt has some good info posted too.
    Good Luck and keep me posted.

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  14. i am pondering resurrecting this same bike of my dads from the back of my garage, a bit rusty, especially spokes and derailleur, but still rides fine, any tips for restoring it would be greatly appreciated.
    it is all stock, needs new grips, brake pads, possibly shifter as well as the rear fender reflectors... do you know where i could find some of these to match this bike? thank you.

    c_rosbottom@ymail.com

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  15. Hey Chris,
    For spokes try sanding them with automotive-grade sandpaper maybe 400 then 600. As for the chrome I use a "Brass" detailing brush then "Turtle-Wax Chrome Cleaner / Polish and Rust Remover." For cleaning the derailleurs I like "White-Lightning, Clean-Streak" As for the "hard to find parts" try E-Bay. But don`t give-up on E-Bay if what you are looking for is not there the first time you check.
    If your bike has the Shimano FF Intiger System you might want to research that before you start.
    The FF stands for "Front Free-wheel". Meaning the rear sprocket group is fixed and the crank (front) free-wheels. If your bike has this system
    you might want to re-consider restoring it. They are tricky and the parts (for the free-wheel system) can be difficult to find. I would suggest
    checking the front crank and if it free-wheels smoothly leave it alone. It can be cleaned-up (chrome) without removing it.
    If the rear derailleur has a hard-wire cable (mine didn`t)they can be difficult to locate as well. If it is working properly you might get-away with cleaning it up "in place."
    I would not recommend restoring a bike with the FF system, if it is your first restoration.
    But if you are "mechanically inclined" or have some bike-tech experience then 'go for it" One more thing. Before you remove the rear wheel, shift the rear derailleur to the smallest sprocket. Good Luck with your project.
    Cheers,Hugh

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  16. is it possible to raise the handlebar height on a Schwinn World Tourist?

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  17. Hello Anonymous,
    You have a few options here. You can loosen the "quill expander bolt" and raise the stem up. There should be a "max height" line engraved on the stem. I would not recommend raising it past that mark, although some people do. Also you can loosen the "Handlebar clamp bolt" and change the pitch of the bars. Or you can also replace the stem with a taller one. Same with the handlebars. Keep in mind though, the higher you raise the bars. The more likely it is that you will have to replace the brake cables with longer ones. But you should be able to raise them moderately without having to get into all that. I hope this info is helpful. Cheers

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  18. Hello from Colorado. I have just reassembled a late 80s World Torusit. It is the ladies version shown here; same color and all. When we stored it we took off the front wheel and speedometer. When I examined the speedo, it would not turn. I believe it fits on the axle and the arms turn with the spokes. I thnik the grease may be frozen. Any suggestions? Thanks, John

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  19. Hey Jon,
    I`m no expert on mechanical speedometers but.. I would suggest spraying the axle end of the mechanism with Clean-Streak. Then spray a light coat of a silicone based lubricant like Tri-Flo. I suspect the problem might be inside the cable housing itself. If it is, you will need to disconnect the cable (probably at the speedo. end) and get some lubricant / penetrating oil in there. Something like 3 in 1 Oil should work fine. If you have some snowmobile cable lubricant that will work good too. You might want to hang the cable up so the oil can work it`s way into the cable housing. If you can please let me know how this works out. (for future reference)
    Cheers

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  20. Thanks Hugh. I will try this this week and let you know the outcome. Is it possible to send you a photo of the portion of the speedo that attaches to the axle? If so, please tell me how to do it. Thanks, jh

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  21. Hey Jon,
    You can scroll up and click on the Hugh's Bicycle Blog on Face-Book logo. You should be able to post pics and questions there. Maybe someone who knows a lot more than myself about vintage speedometers will see it. They may have some good pointers/advice.
    Cheers

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  22. I like what you did with your bike. I just came across the same bike (color and all.) everything is all original from the pedals,seats to the factory tires. The best part of it all is that it came with the matching female bike in the same condition, they were hanging in a barn for 15 years. the paint has some wear and tare but all the rims and chrome cleaned up great. In your opinion what do you think their worth.

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  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  24. Hey Anonymous,
    I normally pay 20 to 30 dollars for an untouched (restoration wise) Schwinn. Sometimes a little more or less depending on condition. But 40 dollars is the most I would ever pay for a "low mileage, not yet restored" Schwinn like this one. However prices do vary from one area to the next. So check Craig`s List in your area for a similar bike in approximately the same condition. Keep in mind, most bikes sell for "considerably less" than the original asking price.
    Example I have seen old (not restored) Continentals listed for 300 to 500 dollars. Some people have unrealistic expectations of what their old "mass produced Schwinn" is worth. I have seen un-restored bikes listed for 200 dollars that I can and do purchase for 20 dollars on a regular basis.
    You might want to read my post titled "All Original / What That Really Means"
    Cheers, Hugh

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  25. Hi There. Does anybody know if there's a 28" model of this bike? I love this bike and will purchase one soon. Thanks.

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  26. What a find for me today coming across someone talking about one of my favourite subjects....Schwinn bikes. I have a Continental that I ride everyday that I purchased in 1964 to ride around campus. I also own a 1982 World Tourist, that I was riding today that someone asked if I have ever looked them up online. Since I had never done that first thing I did when I got home was to look up Schwinn bikes. I love this site. My bikes look brand new. I have always taken good care of them and so much enjoy riding. It's a good thing I have two so I can give one to each of my children when I'm gone. They have wonderful memories of us all riding together. No questions here. My bikes ride great. No reason to buy new ones. I just wanted to say I enjoy reading your updates. Thank you.

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    1. Hey Donna,
      I am glad you found the blog and enjoyed reading/viewing it. I hope you were able to find the Continentals on here. If not just use the "Search This Blog" feature in the top right corner. You can also use it to find specific repairs or other models and brands. If you like, feel free to share pics of your bikes or bike events on the face book page.
      The link for the Face Book Page can be found in the right column near the top of the page. Now that you found the blog don`t be a stranger. Ride Safe.
      Cheers, Hugh

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  27. hi hugh, awesome work. curious, what size is the stem on a 1980 world tourist, can't find it anywhere and figured if anyone would know right off the top of their head it would be you.

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  28. Hey Jasana,
    I have no idea. I would check for you , but that bike is long since gone. Sorry
    Cheers, Hugh

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  29. Hi Hugh,
    Isn't the interWeb a fantastic place? I was so amazed to see so much interest in old bikes and their restoration. We picked up a woman's World Tourist in a Santa Barbara charity store on the way up to Burning Man a couple of years ago. After spending half an hour on the sidewalk freeing the rusted solid chain link by link, we were able to ride it back to the RV. It was a couple of days before we realised the uniqueness of the FFS system and what a novel idea! So we decided to put it on the plane and bring it back to London. I have slowly been restoring it, re-greasing everything etc. Last weekend I took the rear wheel off to clean and grease the bearings, only to notice that the thread on one end of the axle is stripped, and I probably need a new axle. I have spent a few hours trying to find what I need, but couldn't find anything conclusive. Are you able to point me in the right direction please. Thanks.
    Ben

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    1. Hey Tribalhunter,
      I do not know how much help this will be, My "Go to guy" for all things old and Schwinn is Mr Joe. Joe is a bicycle tech at "American Cycle and Fitness" (formerly known as Scarlet's Schwinn) in Pontiac Michigan. You might want to contact the tech guy through customer service at "Niagara Cycle". I think with some pics and dimensions they can probably come-up with an axle. I do not know if they ship internationally. I hope this is helpful. And of course there is always "e bay" Maybe you can find one there. Good Luck

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