The Schwinn Bicycle Co. is an American bicycle company and a bicycling history icon. From 1948 to 1982, Schwinn pioneered its own models of cruisers, touring bikes and three-speeds, fabricating their own frames and components in-house. After the 'Bicycle Boom' of the 1970s, however, Schwinn's proprietary frame-building technology and heavier bikes became less economically viable in an increasingly weight-obsessed industry--resulting in millions of unique vintage and antique bikes that can be identified by their serial numbers. Dating these bikes is usually the first step toward proper appraisal of a vintage Schwinn machine.
Find the serial number. Upon production, all Schwinns had a serial number stamped in one of three places on the frame.
The location of the stamping of the serial number on the Series 2 frame was also changed somewhere between 918D and 9143D, there are NO frames we know of before 9143D that are stamped in the same area as the Series 1 Bikes. Identifying Vintage and Antique American Bicycles Pre 1960's. This is where. The serial numbers on the frame under the crank is K58846. Nov 30, 2015 - Your bike is one-of-a-kind, and not just because you've spent countless rides getting everything perfectly dialed in. Before they even leave the. Dating these bikes is usually the first step toward proper appraisal of a vintage Schwinn machine. Find the serial number. Upon production, all Schwinns had a serial number stamped in one of three places on the frame. The first possible location is on the underside of the bottom bracket.
The first possible location is on the underside of the bottom bracket. Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary defines the bottom bracket as 'the part of the frame around which the pedal cranks revolve.' Turn the bike upside down to view it better.
The second possible location of the serial number is on the left rear dropout--the 'fork end that allows the rear wheel to be removed without derailing the chain first,' according to Brown's Glossary. Look for the left dropout on the same side as the chain.
Bicycle Serial Number
The last of the possible locations is on the head tube, which is are on the very front of the bicycle (between the handlebars and the fork) on which the Schwinn logo badge is affixed. Look below and to the left of the badge to find the serial number.
Visit the Schwinn Date Codes website--this is the 'cheat sheet' for identifying Schwinn serial codes on the Internet, and it contains many other related resources and facts.
Follow the appropriate link. The Date Codes website has a link for each of the three places mentioned in Step 1 where you might have found the serial number. For example, if you found your code under the bottom bracket, click the link below the line on the website that says, 'IF THE SERIAL NUMBERS ARE FOUND UNDER BOTTOM BRACKET.'
Match your serial number and find out the exact year, month and day your Schwinn was made. For appraisal purposes, this date will be helpful in determining your bike's collector value, though it is not a definite rule. Generally, the value is determined by what those within the community of Schwinn collectors would pay for that specific model and year. Some models are rarer and would command more value than others. Research auction and collector websites for more information.
Dozens of companies have manufactured bicycles over the years, including Murray, Huffy, Schwinn and even some department stores such as Sears. Department stores sometimes made bikes that looked like the more expensive models, which makes it even more difficult for beginning collectors to identify the maker and style of their bike. As some bikes are worth well over five figures, it’s important you correctly identify the bike. With a little practice, you’ll know how to do this without using any other resources.
Look for any identifying marks on the bike, including the manufacturer's name and a model number. Model numbers or serial numbers are found on the rear stays, crank or headset. If you find the manufacturer, it’s easy to use the model number in determining the type of bike that you have. The Old Roads website has a large database that lets you search for bike names and models based on model numbers or other factors.
Contact one of the bicycling museums, including the Metz Bicycle Museum, Pedaling History Bicycle Museum or the Bicycling Museum of America. The museums often have photographs of bikes on display on their websites and can help you correctly identify your bike type. For example, the BMX Museum has a large number of Huffy bikes on its website, with photographs and details on when the bikes were made.
Join one of the online bicycling collector forums, such as The Classic and Antique Bicycle Exchange. Forums are divided into different categories, including vintage bikes, motorized bikes and custom bikes. Members often post pictures of their recent finds, giving you the chance to compare your bike to theirs. The Old Mini Bikes Forum is one example because it focuses specifically on mini bikes and has a section for those wanting details on a bike.
Use the archives and database at Dave’s Vintage Bicycles. The website has hundreds of pictures of antique and vintage bikes on display, with information listed for each one. It’s easy to search through the database and archives to find bikes similar to yours and get the style or manufacturer’s name. Dave's has separate sections for different bike manufacturers, including Schwinn, Roadmaster and Hawthorne.
Vintage Bicycle Serial Number Lookup Free
Read more books on the subject, including 'The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles' by Jane Heine and Jean-Pierre Praderes, 'Classic Schwinn Bicycles' by Bill Love and 'Evolution of the Bicycle, Vol. 1 with Price Guide' by Neil S. Wood. These books include pictures of bikes manufactured over the years, with details on when the bike was made, the manufacturer and the value of the bike.