[Last_Place_Pete]

So I just ended up with a Schwinn Traveler. From what I can tell by the numbers on the badge, it was made in Taiwan in 1983. How, may you ask, did I end up with such a relic? Simple: My Specialized got stolen + found the Schwinn in my dad's garage = now it's mine.

With that said, I'm looking for tips/advice/suggestions on making upgrades to the bike. Obviously I'm not looking to spend big money on such an old bike, but I would like to hopefully rebuild most of it (shifters, wheels/tires, brakes, seat, bars, etc). For a bike that is almost 30yrs old it is in remarkably great shape. Most of the paint is in mint condition, but there is some rust on the exposed chrome parts (ends of the front fork, wheels, some of the hardware, etc). Everything on the bike is original with the exception of the pedals, which I installed today.

Please let me know what you all think, and thanks in advance!!

-Pete

[billnuke1]

Hey Pete,
Try riding the bike the way it is. I rescue old /older, unridden, neglected bikes. These are great old bikes! A little bit of tinkering and I'm ready to go. I can usually get a month or so out the tires. Cables, usually I just spray the cable with my cable sprayer and I'm good to go. My bikes are 10/12 speed road bikes from the '60's and '70"s. Anywhere from Motobecanes, Bianchis, Huffys, Schwinns. It is a blast to pull 10 to 12 bikes out to get to my work area, and ride them all back to back! So different! Some times the dept. store bikes surprise you!
Grease it and ride it!
Bill

[Grape Ape]

As for the rust on the chrome parts. I learned a trick here to get rid of it. Use aluminum foil and lemon juice. Crumple the foil up and scrub the rusty chrome using lemon juice as the cleaner. When I did my wife's Schwinn it worked like a charm to clean the chrome up.

[Industry_Hack]

A little grease and polish is all I would put into it. But I'm jealous.

[Last_Place_Pete]

You don't think I should make any upgrades?

[billnuke1]

You will really appreciate any upgrades you do later. I consider myself lucky that I get to ride all of these old bikes. When I do upgrade an "unrideable" ride, I will have a solid idea of what I want.

[Industry_Hack]

Seat and brake pads. Maybe brakes. I beat the crap out of a Traveler for years, and it was perfectly serviceable in stock condition.

[Last_Place_Pete]

I don't doubt that she'll get me from A to B. I actually went on a short ride yesterday. However, the more I ride at it or look at it, the more things I find that I don't quite like. The frame is in ridiculously great shape, but it seems to be everything else that needs a little love. Here are a few examples of what I mean:

1) The handle bars have the original tape on them, which is now dry and flaky.
2) The brake pads are harder than an old pencil eraser, and split.
3) ...So are the tires.
4) Both wheels have quite a bit of rust, and the front one is bent.
5) The seat is original nylon/vinyl (ow!).

I added more pics of her to the bike registry page if you'd like to take a look. What I'm hoping to do is take care of these issues while improving overall performance and comfort. Like I said, I don't doubt she's great. Doesn't mean she can't be made even better with some love

[photosbymark]

Well the tires, brakes, tape and seat are to be expected. They also are not very expensive. Cleaning the rust off the wheels will take time, but you might be surprised at how well they will clean up.

The bent may be more of an issue. There is bent, and there is bent. Bent as in impact with something like a curve is one thing. Out of round where you see the wheel isn't rolling straight, can usually be fixed by what is called truing a wheel.

Anything more than that starts to get into the should I do this category. Buying better components at this point may be better spent buying a new bike. A new quality wheel set is going to be expensive and you can get a new entry level bike that will likely be much lighter, modern technology, and better for competition if you are going to do tri's.

For me I am looking forward to redoing an old ten speed from the early to mid 70s. Why? I had one like that as a teenage and now that I am an old geezer, I wish I kept it. Will it make any financial sense to do it? No. I'll spend more to redo it than its worth, if it had any value as a collectible I am likely to destroy it by either a new paint or powder coat job, and I won't care a bit. I may spend more just rechroming parts than my dad spent for a bike like that new.

If it means something that you actually compete on a bike that was once owned by your dad, then do it. I don't keep up with the race stuff. Hack and many of the others do and know what is compatible with what.

[Industry_Hack]

Things get tricky with the wheels. If they're those old school taller wheels, you can replace them cheaply enough, then get some long reach brakes dirt cheap on eBay. The argument against the long reach brakes is that the arms are long and flex, making them less efficient. But compared to the stock brakes on a 1983 Schwinn, they're probably fine.

This just reminded me that my neighbor has offered a similar vintage (I think) Fuji for me to do as I wish. I need to go have a talk with him.