Schwinn Black Phantom

We had an unusual donation made this week, a Schwinn “Black Phantom”. I looked it over, made a few notes on it and went home. Susie and I went out to dinner that night and were talking about it and I talked myself into going back and getting it. I was looking at it before I left earlier and was afraid if the wrong person started cleaning on it we might lose some of the detail of it. We normally clean the bikes as much as we can to make them shine. It would be better not cleaned too well compared to over cleaned and losing any pin striping or logos and lettering.

 It was made on Friday Feb. 25^th, 1955. Schwinn has some good records! I do believe that it has replacement fenders on it and is missing the tank and rear rack. I took off the gray tape from the handlebar grips and they were fine. Something that is puzzling to me is that the head badge is engraved with “B.F. Goodrich” and on the chain guard where it should say Schwinn it say’s B F G with Bf Goodrich written again under that. This could make it a little rarer or not. Also it has a badge mounted on the head tube that say’s “Good Saint Christopher Patron of Travelers”. The missing seat was originally tan with chrome springs. It is in better than most bikes of this age. I am looking forward to digging into the history of this bike as well as the bearings and such.

I AM SO PUMPED!!

I AM SO PUMPED!! I have a few pictures from my bicycle ride with Russ (Wooly) Kann to N.Y. in 1977. My memories of it are fading with age and that is sad. I was looking on Google Earth and I was able to find all the spots in the pictures. I was able to follow our trip from Warsaw, IN to Hicksville, OH to Grand Rapids, OH the first day (130 mi). That is where we planned to spend the night at Mary Jane Thurston State Park, but it wasn’t built yet. So we went into Grand Rapids and the local town Marshal let us camp in the town park on the Maumee River. We took our bath in the river and set up camp. It was a great first day. The only bad thing was that my Mother had been worried about me getting sun burned and gave me something that was new, sun screen. Well I put it on once and rode all day without reapplying. Wooly (Russ) and I both got burned pretty badly. I have pictures the next day with a tee shirt wrapped around my head until we got somewhere to get hats. No helmets back then. After that we went across OH into PA. We ran into a problem in PA. Wooly had good maps for secondary roads until we started getting into the mountainous areas of PA. We stopped at a town hall and asked about maps for smaller roads and they just laughed at us. The smaller roads were what they called loop roads. They went so far off the major roads the looped back down and joined the same road farther down. So we had to ride the major roads in the mountains along with the trucks. Not the best thing but we survived. We didn’t have computers on our bike back then so I don’t know how fast we went down those mountains but I know my eyes were watering after some of those runs. We could keep up with the cars going down some of the hills. Around Oil City PA we turned north and went in to NY State. The one picture is of me looking up at a sign for Peek & Peak Ski Area. Lots of hills. Sometime while in NY Wooly started having trouble with his Achilles tendon and the decision to turn back was made. We made it to Cleveland OH and tried to get back home by bus but they wouldn’t take our bikes. We tried to rent a car but we didn’t have credit cards. (1977 remember) We had enough cash but couldn’t cover the deposit and they wouldn’t take checks from two nuts on bikes. So we rode across the most dangerous bridge ever and on to Elyria OH where we called a friend and waited for a ride back home. Wooly couldn’t ride any further. We had no flats! And I was riding sew-ups (tubular tires). The next ride we did was to KY and I switched to clinchers and had two flats before I got out of our county. I have to appreciate our new technologies letting me relive my trip.  

Today was another good day at the Chain Reaction Bike Shop. These four fine gentlemen from the Waterford Mennonite Church Stopped by the Chain Reaction Bike Shop today. (Sat. April 28th.)They said they were ready to help us out and the sure did. They completely went through our wheel inventory and resorted and labeled everything and even repaired some of the racks. On their way out they picked up the trash in the parking lot. Thanks to all of you for taking time out of your Saturday to help us.

The Chain reaction is pretty busy now that it is spring, more kids and more bikes going out. We always need more bikes donated to keep our inventory up. For every six or eight average or poor bikes we get one better ride.  If anyone around my area can donate a bike I will be glad to pick it up. If you’re looking for a bike stop in a look us over. We even have an old bike that would look great in a garden setting.

Almost done!

The Batavus made it to the trainer today for a little shake down ride. I found a skip on one gear only of the rear cluster. It could be the chain but more likely it is worn teeth on that gear. I have some slight adjustments and paint touch up to do and it will be on the road.

Pedals for the Batavus

Today I was repacking the bearings on the new old stock pedals for the Batavus. I started looking around and found a pair of older pedals they were dirty, a little rusty and needing rebuilt. The new pedals are 3 grams lighter, already clean, lots of plastic and made in China. But the old ones were made in France……no question…..got to go with the French made Lyotard Pedals, they just look right!

And those little ball bearings are sure a lot harder to pick up and work with than they were forty years ago.

Back to the "OLD BAT"

Started back to work today on the old Batavus. Put the crank in after a little grinding on the axle and lots of thread chasing. I used a new used chain I had from one of my better bikes. The chain wheels are 52 / 40 tooth. Not as low as I wanted but will work OK. I also ran shifter cables. The bike had full length covered cables when I got it but I have changed to bare cable where I could. With the long cage derailleur it shifts crisp and sharp, I love the old friction shifters. Still need to repack and adjust the new pedals that I have had for a couple years. You would think that new pedals would be ready to go but nope. That’s why your better bike shops go through a new bike before selling it.

There are lots of theories out there about rotating weight compared to static weight of a bike. Any weight loss of the bike or the rider means less work to get the same results. But rotating weight reduction means quicker acceleration and some claim better hill climbing. I’m not too concerned about the weight of this build but I have reduced the rotating weight by just over three pounds (1362.9 grams). This was done by using lighter wheels, tires, crank, pedals and chain. So far only new parts have been tires/tubes, cables, and seat. I did buy a new set of fenders but they may go on my Trek 4300. The bars and stem are off the Nishiki. Wheels are off the Fuji. The crank has been pieced together from the Chain Reaction parts bins. Lots of small parts from my parts & junk drawers. Still need to polish the rusted seat post, mount the seat and pedals.  More later........ 

Spring Cleaning in the Shop

 I have wanted to clean my shop for a while. After working on a few really dirty donated bikes everything was getting pretty bad. Yesterday I started by moving everything outside then scrubbed and degreased the floor. I ran a fan all night to dry it which Mr. Kitty didn’t care for. Then this morning I went to Goshen Floor Mart and bought a remnant carpet that was big enough to cover the whole work area. It looks better and the extra padding underfoot helps my feet and legs.

That got me started on the Batavus again. I put the new tires and tubes on, the brakes on and cabled up, shifters on, rear derailleur on and the grips on. I am at a standstill until I find a bottom bracket axel that fits. I took the three piece crank from my donor bike and it had a wider B.B. shell. I will look through the used axels at work and see if I can find a narrower one.