Old MTB Schwinn -> suburb/training bike

[beachless]

So I've had this bike for a long time, it was abused by me many a year ago and then became the official loaner bike. Its been with family and friends for sometimes years on end and sometimes ridden all the time and sometimes just left to ponder its existence.

 

The plan is to convert it into a bike I can use for training/commuting/strap to a trainer etc so as to save some wear on my full suspension bike and limit the amount lost if it gets stolen.

 

I will be polishing up the frame and then make everything else black sort of black and chrome with a few color accents.

I've ordered a cheapo Chinese rigid front fork but for the rest I'll be scrounging parts that I have lying around. The plan is to not spend much money. 

 

Heres the old girl before the makeover starts:

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/72dpqf.jpg

 

 

Stripped the frame off ready for the paint stripping:

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/2ylqjrl.jpg

 

 

Many coats of paint stripper and a lot of water paper sanding later we have a mostly bare frame:

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/ekpxlw.jpg

 

 

There is still plenty of sanding to go before I can even think of starting the polishing but hopefully in a few weeks the frame will be done and I can start refurbing/modding the other parts.

[Sarge]

Nice Beachless,

And you will get a lot of satisfaction when you hit the streets when she is finished.

Sarge

[V12man]

Nice - I still run my old steel Schwinn which was my first mtb... 88... much edited over the years - now converted to a singlespeed and hydraulic disks - and with sliding rear dropouts, and a cf front fork - all done with the help of a few hubber mates.

 

It's still a fun bike to ride - great for training on.

 

PS - get some power tools to polish that frame.... or send it to someone who polishes car wheels for a living.... they are really good at it.

[beachless]

Nice Beachless,

And you will get a lot of satisfaction when you hit the streets when she is finished.

Sarge

 

Thanks, I'm hoping so it's gonna be a fair amount of work

 

 

Nice - I still run my old steel Schwinn which was my first mtb... 88... much edited over the years - now converted to a singlespeed and hydraulic disks - and with sliding rear dropouts, and a cf front fork - all done with the help of a few hubber mates.

 

It's still a fun bike to ride - great for training on.

 

PS - get some power tools to polish that frame.... or send it to someone who polishes car wheels for a living.... they are really good at it.

 

Those steel Schwinn's are really sweet. 

 

I have a lot of tools so should be sorted in that area It's still going to be a lot of work though but I enjoy that sort of thing and I'm in no rush. 

The shock will likely take 2 months by snail mail so I have plenty of time to sort out the frame, cranks etc. Part of the fun is finding all the parts and cleaning/polishing/painting them.

[V12man]

Thanks, I'm hoping so it's gonna be a fair amount of work

 

 

 

Those steel Schwinn's are really sweet.

 

I have a lot of tools so should be sorted in that area It's still going to be a lot of work though but I enjoy that sort of thing and I'm in no rush.

The shock will likely take 2 months by snail mail so I have plenty of time to sort out the frame, cranks etc. Part of the fun is finding all the parts and cleaning/polishing/painting them.

Best you keep showing us progress....

 

What I did discover is that it's not so easy to cut off rear dropouts and replace them... fortunately I have a friend with more skills than I....

[beachless]

I managed to make some progress over the weekend.

 

First I finished the sanding down to 800 grit:

 

http://i67.tinypic.com/bipf7b.jpg

 

Then the polishing started:

http://i63.tinypic.com/2wf8vpg.jpg

 

Some more polishing:

http://i64.tinypic.com/10msos7.jpg

 

 

Then I started refitting some of the screws, cleaned and refitted the derailleur:

http://i64.tinypic.com/2ikwiu8.jpg

 

I had some metallic blue spray paint lying around so I thought I would see what it looks like:

http://i66.tinypic.com/2cj61z.jpg

 

 

After a few coats of paint and a few more coats of clear lacquer I test fitted the cranks:

http://i63.tinypic.com/xdh2ed.jpg

 

 

I still have quite a while to wait for the parts to come in, I can clean and fit the rear wheel, cassette etc but other than that I'm at the mercy of SA post so I'm guessing its still a month or so at least before I can make any real progress. In the mean time I'll try and swing past a decal shop to see if I can have a blue Schwinn decal made to stick on the bottom of the down tube.  

[V12man]

 

I managed to make some progress over the weekend.

 

First I finished the sanding down to 800 grit:

 

http://i67.tinypic.com/bipf7b.jpg

 

Then the polishing started:

http://i63.tinypic.com/2wf8vpg.jpg

 

Some more polishing:

http://i64.tinypic.com/10msos7.jpg

 

 

Then I started refitting some of the screws, cleaned and refitted the derailleur:

http://i64.tinypic.com/2ikwiu8.jpg

 

I had some metallic blue spray paint lying around so I thought I would see what it looks like:

http://i66.tinypic.com/2cj61z.jpg

 

 

After a few coats of paint and a few more coats of clear lacquer I test fitted the cranks:

http://i63.tinypic.com/xdh2ed.jpg

 

 

I still have quite a while to wait for the parts to come in, I can clean and fit the rear wheel, cassette etc but other than that I'm at the mercy of SA post so I'm guessing its still a month or so at least before I can make any real progress. In the mean time I'll try and swing past a decal shop to see if I can have a blue Schwinn decal made to stick on the bottom of the down tube.

I have the artwork - send me a pm with an email address and I will ship it to you

[beachless]

I have the artwork - send me a pm with an email address and I will ship it to you

 

 

Much appreciated.

[beachless]

Some parts are starting to come in yipee

 

I fitted the rear wheel then the fork arrived so I test fitted that and the front wheel. 

I started installing the brakes(still need to sort out the piping and may need to do some filing for the hosing to fit properly. But its slowly starting to look like a bike again.

 

http://i67.tinypic.com/34xho1u.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/2aan3mw.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2yuei3o.jpg

[Dubber]

Looking good!

 

I have an old Schwinn hanging in the garage - my first bike when I got back into cycling.  Schwinn Mesa I think!?  Planning on giving it a similar treatment when I get a gap...

[beachless]

Looking good!

 

I have an old Schwinn hanging in the garage - my first bike when I got back into cycling.  Schwinn Mesa I think!?  Planning on giving it a similar treatment when I get a gap...

Thanks, yes it's a Mesa I think it's gonna be a nice ride when it's done. The frames are very good in my opinion.

[beachless]

Sorry for the slow updates but life got in the way a bit of the build... I've finally got it into a riding state though and thought I would post its "done" pics.

 

Its currently running a 1X9 setup with a 38T up front I'll see how it goes like that while I try and get semi fit before summer hits.

 

Anyways here it is with night lights and all

 

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/v4szh4.jpg

 

 

 

[Letum911]

 

Sorry for the slow updates but life got in the way a bit of the build... I've finally got it into a riding state though and thought I would post its "done" pics.

 

Its currently running a 1X9 setup with a 38T up front I'll see how it goes like that while I try and get semi fit before summer hits.

 

Anyways here it is with night lights and all

 

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/v4szh4.jpg

 

 

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/2e4xelj.jpg

 

Nice!!! Hope she brings you many happy miles!!