I had hoped 2026 would be a year of somewhat downsizing my collection. So far it has not unfolded that way; because over the weekend I acquired this beautiful Schwinn New World.
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| Nice bike in a nice color... |
This was a Facebook Market purchase from a very nice, fellow collector in New York state. For this bike a family member joined me (not the Mrs this time - she only volunteers for runs where the bike is leaving rather than arriving) for a road trip from my home in Connecticut to the Hudson valley area of New York. The seller was located along the edge where the base of the Catskills meet the Hudson River Valley. It's a beautiful area, but is very cold and windy this time of the year...
With the trip made and the bike purchased, what we find is a beautiful example of a late production New World. The frame size is nominally 21 inches on 26-inch wheels, with the tape actually showing a 22-inch frame in practice (as is common on these post-war New Worlds). The machine-stamped serial number on the bottom bracket looks to be from 1949, perhaps fall 1949. That would make this bike a late 1949 or early 1950 model bicycle.
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| Welded seam on the bottom bracket and machine-stamped serial |
As traditional New World bikes go, that is pretty late in the production run. In the early 1950s, Schwinn converted New Worlds over to the "World" style ornate winged frame graphics.
Although the pre-war New Worlds have stronger collector cachet, I love the rider value of these post-war New Worlds because their frames tend to be a bit larger and their mixed welded and brazed construction make them quite robust. Parts are also easier to find for them than their pre-war cousins. In fact, I sold off all my pre-war Schwinn lightweights and kept the post-war ones because I think the ride value and parts availability is that much better.
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| Good graphics - hat-in-the-ring and Schwinn logo |
The condition and the color caught my eye. It is the same color as my 1947 Continental. Most of the New Worlds that turn up from the late 1940s are black, red, or maroon with gold pinstripes. This Continental-style blue is a much less common color on the New Worlds (though common late 1940s Continentals). The saddle is from the 1960s or 70s. The stem and bars look to be off a late 1950s Racer. Paint, chrome, and graphics are in good shape.
Frame is a mixture of welded and brazed, same as my 1947 frame. This has a later style chain guard with the hockey stick plus cable hook on top (my 1947 has the wing chain guard). Head set is the same style as my Superior and Continental - hexagonal nut type rather than the knurled cup/dish type.
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| Excellent condition - pinstripes visible still |
The wheels are chromed Schwinn S6 (597mm). Hubs are Schwinn script front and New Departure coaster brake rear. I plan to build a second, rider wheel set for this bike from quality, vintage parts. I'll use a 3-speed Sturmey Archer rear hub and add Schwinn-built, correct hand brakes.
This bike adds to a family of early post-war (1945-50) Schwinn lightweights I own currently.
- 1947 New World
- 1947 Continental
- 1949-50 New World
- 1950 Superior
They're great riding bikes and emblematic of that early post-war period when Schwinn was trying to keep pace with the growing number of British-made imported lightweights from the likes of Raleigh, Hercules Cycle, and BSA. Adult-oriented lightweights had a relatively strong niche in the American market in the years following WWII (unfortunately, this did not last very long...).
I've been an advocate of these American-made touring bikes for quite a few years. These bikes are often overlooked today because they fall between the cracks of various collector markets. Schwinn collectors often collect balloon tire and middleweight bicycles because of the deluxe accessories and pre-war and mid-century designs. Collectors of lightweight road bikes gravitate toward higher end imported bikes made from Reynolds tubing and alloy components. In between fall these American-made lightweights that don't quite connect with either market. They're still great bikes and very affordable classics today.
So this isn't really "downsizing"... is it? Perhaps I will still find a bike or two to sell or donate to offset this New World's arrival. I showed the Mrs the New World and the response was "that's nice... now which one is leaving?". I get the sense other collectors know the feeling... new year new acquisition... same collection. I suppose she's right, in a way. You can only ride them one at a time...
