Bike ID? Cantilever framed... something

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maurtis

maurtis

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Dec 14, 2011
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Kyle, TX
Cruising CL, I ran across an ad for an AMF Sportmaster, but the guy was asking a little more than I wanted to pay.

I was mainly looking for either a non-motorized bike to ride around the neighborhood with the wife, or a frame to replace my China Girled Cranny and then just use the Cranny as my pedal bike...

So the guy with the Sportmaster said he had a different no-named frame without tires, but he did have the tubes, that he would sell for less.

Any idea what it might be? Worth taking a look in person and maybe using as a Cranny replacement?





I think the grips are generic Schwinn grips from Walmart (have those on my son's Razor scooter) and I like the seat...

Thanks!
 
maurtis

maurtis

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I realize some grainy pics and virtually no info to go on might not be enough to ID the bike, just hoping someone would be able to say "Yeah, that nut on the top of the fork stem was unique to the 1972 Fartknocker, those are great bikes!".

I am thinking that since I would need to get tires for it anyway, that $25 - $30 would be my offering for a bike of unknown heritage.
 
rustycase

rustycase

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May 26, 2011
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Hey M,

As you know, cranbrook pricing at wallyworld has pretty much knocked the bottom out of the used bicycle biz ! lol

and wally will give you a no questions asked, money back guarantee.
Hard to beat 'em in the low $ market !

Good luck
rc
 
The_Aleman

The_Aleman

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Jul 31, 2008
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The thing with cantilever frames is that there were a lot of Schwinn imitators. I'm almost positive what you have is a Schwinn tho.

Is there a serial anywhere on the frame? That would be the only way to figure the year. Otherwise it's yet another '55 cantilever-style Schwinn.

They only made em for 50 years or so :p
 
2door

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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The spoke reflectors, if original equipment, would indicate it was built after the early 80s. If my memory serves me they were made manditory on new bikes sold in the U.S. around 1985.
That said, the front rim could have been replaced or the reflector installed anytime.

Tom
 
maurtis

maurtis

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Thanks guys! So whether it is a '73 Fartknocker or '55 - '85 Schwinn, probably worth a look.

If I do get it and actually figure out what it is, I will post it up!
 
a_dam

a_dam

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Feb 21, 2009
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Sorry I cant help you ID it, maurtis. But you might want to give those forks a good inspection. Do they look bent forward a bit like a chopper? Could be the pic angle. Wouldn't want them snapping off by the tube.

Let us know if you find out what she is.
 
maurtis

maurtis

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Kyle, TX
Well, I believe we will just have to wonder... He would not come down enough to make me want to jump on it, especially since it at very least needed tires.

But an early-mid 90's KHS Montana Summit came up on CL today for $40, in good shape with a Rock Shox Quadra 10 fork. All it needs is a new seat and post, the previous owner had an alloy layback seat post that snapped... I think I have a spare of each in the garage that would fit.

(This is the pic from the CL ad)



So I figured this would make a decent peddler and possible backup for the Cranbrick, or the basis of my next build ;)
 
locell

locell

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Jan 16, 2010
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I can say with 100% confidence that it is definitely not a schwinn, the forks are wrong, the seat post clamp is wrong and so is the geometry of the frame. Its probably a murray or motgomery ward (alot of stores sold re branded murrays back then) from the early 70's. So the comments about a "73 Fartknocker" are actually not too far off.

Schwinn stamped/marked alot of the parts on their bikes back in the day. Look for an "AS" stamped on any bolts and "SCHWINN" on the rims. They also used a very distinct goose-neck. I cant see the goose-neck in these pics, but if it appears to be made from stamped steel or has any visible lines or grooves on the outside of the neck, that is not what schwinn used.

The seat on the bike is pretty cool too.

The thing to check on these older bikes is how the frame is assembled, if its brazed, its good. If you remove the paint where 2 pieces of tubing are joined and you can see gold-toned metal used to fuse the 2 together, its good. Same color as the tubing is bad.

A few nice things about these older frames is the diameter of the tubing used is friendly to mounting a motor and the tubing seems more sold overall.
 
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maurtis

maurtis

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Dec 14, 2011
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Kyle, TX
That is excellent info for IDing a Schwinn frame, thanks!!! The KHS that I ended up getting instead has turned out to be an excellent pedaler, and one that I am tempted almost daily to swap my HT onto with a shift kit.

I am secretly hoping to find a huge crack in my Cranny's frame while parked in the garage (and NOT on the road!) so I have a good excuse to scrap it, lol.
 
locell

locell

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oh ya, and the big elephant in the room is that vintage US built schwinn frames have an integrated kickstand, rather than a bolt-on one
 
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