I bought this Hornet last winter because it was a pretty good price for an all-original Schwinn. I wiped it down, took off the front rack that was pretty badly bent and the (J. C. Higgins) speedometer that didn't work, and stashed it in the basement with the rest of the herd, with the intent of eventually taking it out and properly cleaning and tuning and greasing it all up.
I took it out today and aired up the tires and rode it, and I discovered I had a problem: I hated riding it. It was boring.
So I did a thing.
This week someone gave me these wheels.
The wheels gave me an idea.
And these bars have been kicking around here forever.
And I traded a friend for a couple seats like these because for some irrational reason I love them.
And suddenly I love this bike.
It needs a bunch of little tweaks: the chain is too short, the front dropouts need to be filed just a little so the axle fits better, the stem is loose in the steerer tube. (What is that about? I thought old Schwinn was old Schwinn and hardware like that would just interchange.) I like the general shape of the bars, but I want to get a better set. Once the chain is the right length and the axle is where it belongs, I have to set up the shifter. The crank/sprocket needs to be cleaned up and the BB rebuilt.
I am very much digging this project. I have wanted something like the bikes in the SHOW US YOUR KLUNKERZ thread for a long time now, and I tried to put something like that together in this last build-off with my Murray JetCruiser, but I already like this one better than that. I was kinda hesitant to take apart a fairly nice original Schwinn, but I am thrilled with the direction it's headed, and I am keeping all this stuff safely tucked away so I don't get a visit from the CABE Police.
I took it out today and aired up the tires and rode it, and I discovered I had a problem: I hated riding it. It was boring.
So I did a thing.
This week someone gave me these wheels.
The wheels gave me an idea.
And these bars have been kicking around here forever.
And I traded a friend for a couple seats like these because for some irrational reason I love them.
And suddenly I love this bike.
It needs a bunch of little tweaks: the chain is too short, the front dropouts need to be filed just a little so the axle fits better, the stem is loose in the steerer tube. (What is that about? I thought old Schwinn was old Schwinn and hardware like that would just interchange.) I like the general shape of the bars, but I want to get a better set. Once the chain is the right length and the axle is where it belongs, I have to set up the shifter. The crank/sprocket needs to be cleaned up and the BB rebuilt.
I am very much digging this project. I have wanted something like the bikes in the SHOW US YOUR KLUNKERZ thread for a long time now, and I tried to put something like that together in this last build-off with my Murray JetCruiser, but I already like this one better than that. I was kinda hesitant to take apart a fairly nice original Schwinn, but I am thrilled with the direction it's headed, and I am keeping all this stuff safely tucked away so I don't get a visit from the CABE Police.
