My 'find' in my parents back yard

[JBergland]

While visiting my folks a couple weekends ago I came across a ‘find’. It was an old bike left in the woods to rust away. It’s an old beach cruiser model with two top-tubes… one straight, the other curved. It has/had fenders, wide bars, white-walls, etc. Most of the paint job has been worn down to a dull rusty red finish. The only markings I can find on the bike are the remains of what looks to be a shop sticker, ‘Richfield Bicycle’. No serial numbers, badges, etc. I thought this might be a fun restoration project until I took a closer look at the rear drop area. Along with the drops being stamped, the junction into the seat-stays looks to be two tubes fitted/crushed together (into each other) secured with a spot weld. Surprisingly, the headset turned with ease and the cranks spun freely.
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I’ll try and get some pics of this ‘find’ over the weekend.

JB

[TML]

This reminds me that I need to post some pics of my granpa's cruiser that I Refurbished.

Good luck and have fun with it.

[EscourtU]

I was thinking an old beach cruiser would make a great SS trail bike as long as you dont plan on doing any huge drops it would do fine. If you are concerned with the dropouts could you have an extra weld done on them for added security? Sounds cool though.

[manual63]

until I took a closer look at the rear drop area. Along with the drops being stamped, the junction into the seat-stays looks to be two tubes fitted/crushed together (into each other) secured with a spot weld.

This is still a common way to install dropouts on dept store bikes. I remember a kid on a dept store BMX bike not quite making a set of doubles. It was funny, he cased the front side of the landing with his rear wheel and the whole rear section came off, dropouts included. Also his bars went forward and he just kind of chested the bike until he hit the ground. I am glad the kid was okay, but after that I would make my best efforts to not let kids ride dept store bike at our trails. It was way too dangerous. When I worked at TC BMX, I would inform parents about the poor designs of these bikes when they didn't want to spend more than $60.00 on their kids bike. The other funny thing about this is that most of the parents that didn't want to spend much money always seemed to drive up with the nicest cars. Some people just should not be parents.

[steef]

They probably had $200 child seats in them, too.

Then there's the parents that show up on their bikes to get bikes for the kids. :D

Shad, you'll probably get to see my son's BMX at trailwork this Sunday. No way I'll let you ride it, though.

I have a find of my own that I'm debating on restoring. It's a pre WWII Schwinn ladies ballooner with an inch pitch chain. I do have a few other resto projects that I'd like to take care of first, though.

[berrywise]

They probably had $200 child seats in them, too.

Then there's the parents that show up on their bikes to get bikes for the kids. :D

Shad, you'll probably get to see my son's BMX at trailwork this Sunday. No way I'll let you ride it, though.

I have a find of my own that I'm debating on restoring. It's a pre WWII Schwinn ladies ballooner with an inch pitch chain. I do have a few other resto projects that I'd like to take care of first, though.

http://www.memorylane-classics.com/

Good source for extra links for those chains among other odds and ends.

[JBergland]

Here's some pics.

So, what do you think... a project worthy of some time and money to get it rolling again... or is it better served as some wall/garage art??

JB