Another Project: 1956 Schwinn

I have been turning over the Bike Shed collection a bit lately. The Raleigh Dawn and Hercules Model G have left, and I have picked up a 1956 Schwinn middleweight bicycle. The Schwinn will be my next project, the concept being a bicycle with classic, American cruiser style but with some extra "go" to it using vintage upgrades.















The birth of this idea came back in July, when a visit to Chincoteague Island left me wanting a classic, American type bicycle with an extra degree of flexibility it going up small hills or inclines. I decided I wanted a bicycle with the typically "over the top" American colors and detailing, but with a somewhat upgraded, yet still vintage hub.







This 1956 Schwinn fits the bill. This bicycle, I believe, is a base model Spitfire, but received some vintage upgrades at some point in the past. First, the rear hub is a 2-speed "Red Band Automatic" Bendix from the early 1960s. The extra gear gives this bicycle a bit more "go" than the average, single speed coaster brake model.










Second, someone added Schwinn-type truss rods to the frame, giving the look of a more luxurious Schwinn Hornet model. At first, I thought that the bicycle might actually be a "Hornet", but the faint remnants of the chain guard details hint at this being a more basic, Spitfire model.

It really was the addition of a 2-speed Bendix to the painted wheels that got my attention. It was exactly that type of vintage upgrade I had been seeking. That extra gear would prove very helpful on small inclines, which you can find here in northern Virginia and over on Chincoteague Island. Finally, the bicycle is a "middleweight", meaning it has 26 x 1.75 tires and runs a little lighter than a balloon tire bike.



I already have a Columbia balloon tire model, and wanted something to bridge the gap between the ballooner and my lightweight Raleigh and Schwinn New World bicycles. I bought the Spitfire as lighter, faster alternative to my 1949-50 Columbia balloon tire model.  This will be a project for the fall and winter. The pictures shown here are the bicycle as it is today, which is to say without any work put into it by me.

Bike Gear Talk: Banjo Brothers Minnehaha Bag

I have a strong preference for practical, vintage and period-correct accessories on bicycles. However, sometimes you find new items that capture the spirit of old. I have been using a black canvas and leather Minnehaha bag on my Hercules Model G. The Model G is going up for local sale here in the Washington DC area, but I want to keep the bag.

I decided to put the bag on my 1949-50 Columbia Three Star DeLuxe cruiser. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the canvas bag went with the balloon tire bike. I had thought it might look out of place because it was "too new", but the Minnehaha bag captures the spirit and look of classic saddle bags well enough to fit in nicely.







It has that "old motorcycle" look that goes with the styling of the Columbia. After all, the American ballooners were meant to mimic the styling of classic motorcycles. It's also nice to have the durability of new leather and not have to deal with 60 year old, dried out hide.

The bag adds a nice element of practical carry to the bicycle, being able to bring small items like a cell phone, keys, small wallet, and small repair items. The bags are generally inexpensive and I recommend them if you want a new bag with a vintage look and a fair price.

Summer Rides: 1935 Hercules Model G Three Speed

I've spent the past few weeks bouncing back and forth between the 1974 Sports (have had it 10 years and its workings are second nature to me) and the 1935 Hercules Model G (got it and rebuilt it just this year, still getting used to its capabilities). There's a thought that once you've ridden an English three speed, you've ridden all of them. It isn't true.

The first thing you notice about the Hercules is that it is a much older bicycle. Its lugs are plain, its frame is heavy, and everything just feels and looks more primitive. It has side-mounted rear linkages, a plain front stirrup without any pad extension arms, and the old style, narrow handlebars. The hand grips are tiny by modern utility bicycle standards.

Once you are on the bicycle, the first thing you notice is that you sit way up in the air, in a very upright position. I've never ridden a bicycle where you sit as straight up as this. You draw looks on the road, especially if you roll up next to a truck or van. You literally are as tall as a pick up truck or cargo van when riding, and the people in those vehicles do not seem to expect a bicyclist to suddenly appear all the way up at their level. You tower over regular passenger cars usually.



The position is almost completely straight up and down. A road bicyclist will have a fair amount of forward position, but with the Model G, your back is almost straight up and down, with your hands almost on your lap. There is very little reach on this bike in terms of having to go forward to meet the bars. You are basically sitting up straight, with your hands just in front of your lap to steer.

The saddle sits with a good bit of backwards rotation. This is common to upright roadsters, but this bicycle particularly favors it because of how straight up and down over those rear saddle springs you sit.

Turns are easily done and relatively lazy. They are not as lazy as an American balloon tire cruiser like my Columbia or Schwinn-Henderson, but are lazier than the Raleigh Sports. It does not have that "snappy" feeling, but rather a more gradual turn. You also have to beware the bar ends and your knees in tighter turns- you will quickly run out of space and need to open your leg a bit to all the near bar to pass.





The bicycle is quite stable, though tends to drop off a bit to the drive side. It is likely the chain case's added weight, along with that of the drive train, on that side is the deciding factor. I have set up the gearing relatively low and the bicycle accelerates smoothly and cruises along well enough. The 650b/26 x 1-1/2 wheels soak up the bumps better than the Sports.  The Avro Westwood rims behave like any other Westwood type I've ridden. They have a fairly dead feel.

The brakes work as well as can be expected for primitive rods. I have nice, old stock Raleigh pads on there and they really do work as well as you can expect.  They constantly need to be tinkered with in terms of adjustment, at least during the period of breaking new pads in.

The quadrant shifter is squishy and does not give the crisp, positive response the common handlebar SA shifters give. You have to sort of "search" for the gear similar to the way a friction derailleur shifter works, though you do have three holes to "pop" into once you're in the correct spot. The hub itself is pretty solid and shifts well.









The gist of all this is basically that even if you have ridden your share of English three speeds, they're not all the same. There are these subtle differences you encounter that make each model a little bit different. I like this example in particular because it's older and demonstrates some of the more antique trends in these types of bikes.