They followed me home, can I keep them?

KChurch86

Banned
Founding Member
Aww crap, it happened again. Today I was followed home by not 1, not 2, but 3 weary-looking critters. I think I'm going to give them a home. Especially this old Columbia, that one's for my wife.

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KChurch86

Banned
Founding Member
Sweet! I dig the one on the left

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It's a pretty cool bike. Not quite my style, but I think it'll make a great parts rig for another frame I've got - the chainring on that old Raleigh is beautiful. It's also got a really cool little taillight, the lens is broken but not a total loss. The headlight on that bike is what caught my eye in the first place. The front hub is a built-in generator, which I would really love to get working.
 

Timrich

Super Duper Moderator
Founding Member
Location
Central FL
That sounds like a nice piece! I need to find an old one like that

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KChurch86

Banned
Founding Member
I can't find a serial number on the Raleigh, but I found one on the Schwinn and one on the Columbia. The Schwinn was built between 11/22 and 11/25 1955.

The Columbia is a 1965. I've already stripped it, cleaned everything, greased the bearings and reassembled it. I have to clean the wheels still, and grease the hub bearings, then order some tubes and a nice pair of white wall cruiser tires. Have to find or make some replacement straps to hang the basket and it'll be a rider!

I was amazed at how easily everything came apart. No seized or rusted nuts or bolts, a tiny bit of rust on the handlebars in the stem but it was new rust - I suspect from the morning I brought them home. I brushed all the chrome to remove what little pitting there was and it all cleaned up nicely. I was most surprised to find that all of the bearings were dry - no rust at all, but also no oil, wax, grease, residue of any kind. Odd!

Here's the Columbia in pieces, drying in the sun on my work stand.

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Timrich

Super Duper Moderator
Founding Member
Location
Central FL
Not bad. It's a little more work getting up hills but it's not too bad. Haven't taken it off the pavement yet. I was reading that alot of people run the tires at 10 to 15 psi so they absorb the bumps. Gonna tinker with that here soon.

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KChurch86

Banned
Founding Member
Allisonn's Columbia is all done! I accidentally ordered the wrong size tires so I had to wait a while for the right ones to arrive.

Now I just need to adjust the bar and seat heights to her liking and reattach the basket. Test rode around the driveway and it feels like it just came home from the store!

All in all it cleaned up pretty nicely.

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KChurch86

Banned
Founding Member
Here's how I received the frame. It had been painted over at least twice, the black top coat seemed to be house paint. I was able to scrape and flake most of it off, the silver underneath put up more of a fight. Once I got through the silver I found that the original red had been heavily sanded. Bit of a bummer, but no huge deal.

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It was a very nice color though, seen here in the steer tube:

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More mockup shots with Schwinn parts and the springer:

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The more I look at it, the more I love these massive bars.

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The wingtips could use some straightening, shouldn't take much:

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I like this seat a lot but it still seems too wide or too tall. It's in pretty good shape, though the nose of the cover is torn/cut off.

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Schwinn crank and pedal options. The pedals are all very worn, I may try my hand at a rebuild or 2.

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Headlight and taillight. They both work! Too bad the lens is busted on the taillight, I'm sure I'll use it anyway.

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Now for racks! Rear rack fits great. Front rack poses a challenge since the fork steer tube is short. I may be having that lengthened.

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Cool reflectors:

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Alternative bars, stem, and grips if I change my mind:

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The first kickstand I think I've ever actually liked. Not sure if I'll actually use it.

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