Continental Divide.

And so the weekend starts.  Whats summer without a mid day road trip to fetch a bike, and today we got a doozey.  I received an email with a picture attached of a 73 red Schwinn continental. The price seemed ok, and the condition didn't seem bad.  So I inquired for more.  A few more pictures later, and some harrowing negotiations, a deal was struck.  Off to Oshkosh we go.
After two hours, we made it, and I was shocked.  In the pictures that I received, in the classic behind the garage bike pose, it looked like a red Schwinn Continental.  This Schwinn Continental however was not red.  It was sunset orange...  wow.  While a a Continental is not much more than a fancier Varsity, the color in this model is hard to find.  At least around here it has been. Some of the cycling collector forums have eluded to the same in other places as well.  Back to the bike... it is in pretty good condition, new handlebar wrap, but those rarely survive, newer tires, but the rest is original and with a slight patina of rust on the chrome.  The paint is good with some scratches.   No surprises.  Well worth the trip. In all with the cost for gas, and paying for the bike, it cost me less than a trip for coffee and a muffin with the kids.

Thrift Shop Hop

After the weekends, rummage sales taper off, flea markets fizzle, and people return to their lives and generally wait for the next weekend.  Weekends are a prime time event for old bike hunting.  There is however a benefit to looking during the week.
Some rummage sales are an all or nothing thing for some people.  If doesn't sell, it goes to the thrift store, or dump.  Keeping an eye out for those last ditch efforts to clean the garage is important. An example is from this Monday, after picking the kids up from school, we drove by the thrift shop.  Not on purpose, it was on the way.  From the corner of my view, by the entry way, I noticed a blue bike.  This store is known for getting a lot of old junky department store bikes, (IE huffy, next etc...).  I turned around the car, and we went to investigate.  Sure enough, this time it payed off.
 A Schwinn suburban, blue, woman's frame.  Needs some polish and love, but a good find.  The price was right as well, only 25.00. They also have another bike that we may return for, (more on that one in a later post). It has the original Made for Schwinn Messinger seat, with a small abrasion on the back right corner but no tears or wear holes.  The abrasion is actually the best case of those as long as its in a good place, like the back corner, or is fillable.  I use a special vinyl sealer, similar to that used in those vinyl patch kits.  It does not remove the rough look of the damaged area, but it prevents it from spreading, or leaking through to the inner parts of the seat.
Tires and tubes are given it seems, and this bike is no exception.  The handlebars seem good, but typical rust.  I'll have to start cleaning off the rust to see if there is any pitting or scars.  Frame, paint and drive all just need a cleaning, and some shine

Fetching

Road trip!  My father, bless him, is now helping feed the family addiction.  A friend of his from work offered us a group of bikes that his kids and grandkids have abandoned in his yard.  Off we went in the little red thunder truck (no exhaust, lot-o-rust).  Keep in mind, most situations like this are usually nothing to get excited about.  Most large bicycle groups like this tend to be half ruined, cheap Wal-mart bikes.  Nothing against some of the Wal-mart bikes, but there are some high end that you rarely see in store, and then the really low end, that everybody buys.  Anyway, I expected the typical odds of 1 for every 10, that is one good find for every ten boat anchors.
Upon arriving, I was much more happy and surprised.  A Schwinn Breeze, another Sears Daimler, an 80's Murray 10 speed, a 10-speed Niitaka, a lugged Free Spirit 10 speed, and a non-lugged free spirit 10 speed (a cheaper later production).  There was a few more in the mix, a few cheapies, and some very stripped out frames, but not a bad haul.  Most were girls frames, with exception of the Murray, and the cheapies.  My girls once again win out.

Bicycle of the Gods.

 I have always admired the old Raleigh cruisers and lightweights.  English bikes in general arguably were the best bikes made in the first half of cycling history.  Raleigh's biggest competitor into the 40's (I believe, I'm no historian) was Hercules.  Of course time and economics mean change, and Raleigh was bought out by their tubing supplier, followed by Hercules.  There were other bike manufacturers and suppliers absorbed as well, but this is just to serve as a summary to explain in part why I love the Hercules bicycles.  

Finding old bikes is always exciting in the thrill of wondering what it is.  Usually obscured by dirt, high grass, rust, fading, repaint, or abuse, most old bikes are unknown other than the subtle clues given from design, and components.  My heart always beats faster when it spots the curve of a cruiser frame, lugged joints, fat fenders, the rivets on a brooks saddle.  No such luck yet in getting an intact brooks saddle yet, but seeing even the remains of one lends to something good that it sits on.