Humid Rides...

 

Not much in the way of heavy-duty heat here lately, but plenty of humidity. I guess it's that time of year... I'll put up a few photos of the 1948 Raleigh Sports Tourist and the 1950 Schwinn Superior. They both ride nicely. The Sports Tourist is a little heavier with its chain case and dynohub system, but no complaints about either bike. 

I've probably written this before, but chain cases are great looking and great from a collector standpoint, not so much from a mechanic's standpoint. They're a pain to get "just right" so nothing rattles or rubs. This one is a good one: no real dents and very straight. It has all the covers, sliders, etc. I still prefer a hockey stick style chain guard for riding and repair purposes. But the full chain case sure does look the part...

 

 The Superior has a more American flavor to it: lots of chrome, heavy gooseneck stem, louder paint scheme and decals... 

The Superior has a 22-ish inch frame, versus the 23-inch of the Raleigh. I am 5ft 8in or so tall, with long legs for my height. I can ride either frame comfortably, though perhaps the 23 is a little better fit. 

One trick with the smaller frame is to use a better seat post and a little longer stem to get the bars and saddle into place. BMX seat posts are a good source of longer, stronger posts for these welded Schwinn frames. This is a Cr-Mo post that is quite long. The taller "AS" razor stem also helps get those bars into place and more adjustment range. I hate a bike with too much or too little reach to the handlebars. For whatever reason it's among the first things I notice riding a bike. I hate feeling like I'm straining to reach the bars especially... So a taller stem and a little more range of adjustment is in order on these 22-inch frames. 

You can only do so much though with the stem and seat post. If you're 6ft 3in tall, a 22-inch frame on 26-inch wheels will not cut it. Then you would need the taller frame. But if you're at the edge of the frame size in terms of fit, the stem or seat post can make the difference in getting comfortable.

I notice the days are starting to get a bit shorter again... too bad. Keep on riding.