The top-line Paramount series, with framesets built of silver-soldered Reynolds 531 double-butted tubing and Nervex lugs.Yet unbeknownst to most of us Schwinn was actually using three types of frame tubing and construction, which meant that there were three classes of Schwinn ten-speed bicycles : Schwinn derailleur bicycles of the 1960's and 1970's seemed to be either heavy (but sturdy) welded models, or much lighter but expensive Paramounts.
#Schwinn bicycle serial number location series#
This article describes Schwinn's final high-volume series of fillet-brazed bikes, the 1962-78 ten-speed Super Sports, Sports Tourers, & Superiors During the 41-year span there were a variety of Schwinn fillet-brazed models, but details of early models are difficult to trace. Schwinn's practice of offering this style of bicycle as its second-highest models continued until 1978. Perhaps in those days manufacturing lugs was more expensive than hand brazing.) (The author does not know why lugs were not used for these frames. Unlike the Paramount, however, Superior and New World framesets were not lugged but fillet brazed of seamless chrome molybdenum tubing. The Superior and New World were the second line of Schwinn bicycles, with in a more intermediate price range. The Schwinn Paramount, Superior and New World were built by hand in a separate area of the Chicago factory called the "handbuild shop." The Paramount, with its lugged frame of Reynolds or Accles and Pollock tubing, was the top of the line. Here - with characteristic hyperbole of the age - is the opening text from Schwinn's April 1938 advertisement that announced these new bicycles: The three new models were the Paramount, the Superior, and the New World. reintroduced fine, lightweight adult bicycles to its product line. In 1938, most likely in response to European competition, Arnold, Schwinn & Co. became primarily a producer of heavy-duty juvenile bicycles. From the 1920's until 1938 Arnold, Schwinn & Co.
Bicycles began to serve more as vehicles for children, which led to the development of heavier and sturdier models. In time bicycles became less expensive, but by the end of World War I automobiles had taken their place as the popular form of transportation. originally produced standard light adult models weighing 19 to 24 pounds, and priced from $100 to $150, a lot of money in those days. At that time bicycles were a fashionable but expensive mode of transportation for adults. Custom framebuilders still provide fillet-brazed construction, and tandem framesets were often fillet-brazed when lugs to fit their frame angles were not available.Ĭross section of a fillet-brazed bicycle head tubeĪrnold, Schwinn & Company was incorporated in Chicago in 1895, during the boom in bicycle sales of the 1890's. Lugged bicycle frames, for example, are now manufactured by automated machines.
(For additional strength Schwinn also brazed steel sleeves into the interior of its frame tubes at the joints.)įillet-brazed bicycle frames are strong and have a neat and clean appearance, but they are uncommon because of the additional craftsmanship required. The extra thickness of the fillet also provides strength, and its smooth contour distributes stresses evenly. In this method of bicycle frame construction, "mitering" or cutting the tube ends so that they fit together precisely is critical so that capillary action will draw the molten filler into gaps for a strong joint. Fillet brazing involves building up brass filler metal in a smooth "fillet" around joints. Fillet-brazing is an alternative method of constructing high-quality lightweight bicycle frames without the use of lugs.īrazing is a joining process employing a filler metal, like brass, that melts below the melting temperature of the parent metal workpiece. Until the recent rise of quality TIG-welded and composite bicycle frames, most high quality lightweight bicycles used lugs (external metal sleeve fittings) to join their frame tubing.
0 kommentar(er)
