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Incheville, France verses bidonville, India 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 2:01 pm Reply with quote
Frenchbuilt
Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 443
Don't replace the freewheel. Yours does not look worn and nothing new will fit the FRENCH threads. New ones don't have French threads and are made in countries that have slave/child labor. Maillards were made in the north of France by wine drinking Gitane smoking grumpy frenchmen. After a hard days work, the factory workers went to the local bar for a good time before confronting wife and family at home in a real house. Foreign workers building new freewheels go home to cardboard refigerator boxes in the street. (you don't believe me?) These old Maillard/Atom freewheels are degraded and disliked by many except the 100's of thousands who use them everyday in France (and millions everywhere else for that matter including all of the Schwinn bikes-Varsitys to Pea Pickers etc.) Get your friend to do the brakes. Your Mafacs are ones that can be adjusted in every direction possible and should work forever. Its fun to play around with these bikes but you will soon find that many pieces are worth more than the whole bike (new seat for example) New Mafac brake levers are 5 to 10$ anywhere boxes of old parts are to be found like in funky old bike shops or ebay.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533435/Freezing-slums-India.html
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brakes and freewheels 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 2:31 pm Reply with quote
gman309905
Joined: 23 Dec 2012
Posts: 63
Location: Pittsburgh PA.
your brake calipers are center pulls, if your not getting equal pull your springs may need replaced or you might have to tear down and clean the caliper so nothing is binding and keeping the arms from moving equally. as to your gear cluster, the older vintage type, that you have is called a freewheel, the newer modern type that has ten speeds is a cassette, they are not interchangeable.also the newer ten speed cassettes require wider spacing where the axle fits, the older style like yours that generally uses five speeds is spaced at 120 mm, 6 and 7 speeds are spaced at 125mm and beyond that the spacing is 130mm, I'm not sure if it gets any wider than that for a ten speed cassette, never dealt with anything wider than 130 mm. Having said that, your freewheel may be french or english threaded. If you really want to replace your freewheel you may have to hunt for a new old stock freewheel, buying used you really don't know how much life is left in it. A company called interloc racing design still manufactures old style freewheels in an assortment 5,6 and 7 speeds but I'm not sure they carry one with french thread, didn't see any clarification as to what thread type although the ones I have purchased from them in the past were english threaded. http://store.interlocracing.com/cl5fr.html
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Re: Incheville, France verses bidonville, India 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 2:32 pm Reply with quote
js303
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 13
Frenchbuilt - Good to know... I figured that is what the case would be so I'll be keeping the freewheel... and if I find a nice shinier stock part somewhere for cheap I may get one. Don't worry I won't be supporting any child labor. Any opinion on the dork disk? I do want to have fun working on the bike, and I definitely don't want to get in over my head with costly parts. I think 60 for a seat and 40 for grip tape are smart solid investments. That's what I'm willing to pay at least for those parts at least.
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:30 am Reply with quote
Frenchbuilt
Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 443
Thats what I do, I like mixing and matching colors and have lots of$ put into
pieces worth more than the bike. If you take off the freewheel then sure, take off the disc. They were done to keep americans from overshifting poorly adjusted derailleurs or bent huret derailleurs on schwinns. But leave it on if it polishes up and adds to original look.
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Not Brain Surgery! 
PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:11 pm Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
Put down the scalpel... Not brain surgery!

When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras! In other words explore the simplest solutions first!

Putting some light oil into the MAFAC brake pivots and working it in by hand will loosen up the brakes calipers.

The older MAFAC calipers had brass bushings in the pivots. Later calipers had red nylon bushings. In both cases they get some corrosion in them.

The brass bushings should be disassembled, cleaned with steel wool, greased and reassembled.

On you brakes some light oil will do the job.


Freewheels were and are dirty greasy things that work best with lots of lube on them. Read what I said above about used freewheels.


$40 for bar tape??? WHAT! $15-$16 max for good bar tape!

You need to stop by my house with LOTS of money, I'll fix you up with every thing you need (then I'll go out and have a great diner with some of my friends)... Shocked

_________________
Chas.
SF Bay Area, CA USA
==============
1984 Criterium
1969 TdF
1971 TdF
1974 TdF
1984 TdF x 2 Bikes
1970 SC
1971 SC
1972 SC
1984 SC
1984 Team Pro
1985 Professional
1990s Team Replica
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 6:47 am Reply with quote
js303
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 13
Quote:
Putting some light oil into the MAFAC brake pivots and working it in by hand will loosen up the brakes calipers.

The older MAFAC calipers had brass bushings in the pivots. Later calipers had red nylon bushings. In both cases they get some corrosion in them.

The brass bushings should be disassembled, cleaned with steel wool, greased and reassembled.

On you brakes some light oil will do the job.


Thank you... the breaks appear to be in good condition and I'll try that out. When testing the breaks one the cable on the right brake has come loose (pic below) so I'm going to talk to my original seller about re-tuning the brakes until I'm able to replace them.



So when removing the suicide/safety lever does that bolt need to go back in?

Quote:
$40 for bar tape??? WHAT! $15-$16 max for good bar tape!

I know, right? 15-20 would have been my range originally but when I saw the tape I wanted I just felt I can't compromise...If I was re-taping 10 bikes that would be a different story. It's actually one of the parts I'm most excited about strangely enough. Luckily I have no wife or kids to support so splurging on grip tape won't hurt financially.

Trust me that I won't be throwing stupid money at fixing him all at once. Going for the right balance of aesthetic and affordability. If money was no object I'd give you the bike and or money to fix it but that isn't the case either. I do find all your knowlege, advice and info you have given me very valuable though and if we were to bump into each other on the street i'd slip you a $20 and buy you lunch
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 3:31 pm Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
js303 wrote:
... the brakes appear to be in good condition and I'll try that out. When testing the breaks one the cable on the right brake has come loose (pic below) so I'm going to talk to my original seller about re-tuning the brakes until I'm able to replace them.



So when removing the suicide/safety lever does that bolt need to go back in?


Jake,

In my 1st message:

4. Replace the cables and housing....

Here's a good deal on cables and housings on eBay - $13.59 w/free shipping. These are Jagwire brand and the kit contains both brake and derailleur cables. They have them in a great blue color. (no relation to seller, yada, yada, yada).

http://tinyurl.com/n2jkhh4


Brake levers:

The bike would have originally come with MAFAC levers.

The shop that sold the bike probably switched out the complete bar, stem and levers for some with Weinmann suicide levers. That was common back then.

When you remove the suicide sticks, the pins in the levers will stick out about 10mm. You can use them as they are, cut them flush, replace them or find some MAFAC or Weinmann levers. Old Schwinn dealers should have the standard replacement pins and maybe even NOS (New Old Stock) Weinmann levers. Otherwise, search "Weinmann" on eBay.

Dia-compe levers were made under license from Weinmann so they interchange completely, parts and all.

The bulb on the end of the brake cable has popped out of the slot in the lever. It's easiest to reinstall it with the cable disconnected from the brake caliper.

MAFAC brakes have a quick release feature. Squeeze the brake brake blocks against the rim then unhook the straddle cable that goes from caliper arm to arm.

Look into the lever with a flashlight and you will see where the cable bulb goes.


js303 wrote:
if we were to bump into each other on the street I'd slip you a $20 and buy you lunch

Embarassed Embarassed Embarassed

_________________
Chas.
SF Bay Area, CA USA
==============
1984 Criterium
1969 TdF
1971 TdF
1974 TdF
1984 TdF x 2 Bikes
1970 SC
1971 SC
1972 SC
1984 SC
1984 Team Pro
1985 Professional
1990s Team Replica
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 3:06 am Reply with quote
js303
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 13
I was able to remove most of the grime and gunk (decades worth) off the clamp and seat post and the look is much cleaner.



My All City Gonzo saddle has arrived and here is how it looks on the bike... it's a vast improvement on the original black plastic saddle.



My cobalt Lizard Skin grip tape has also arrived and I'm surprised at how well the color and texture match my saddle. I'll be installing it soon after getting new cables and finding the right plugs for the tape

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:20 pm Reply with quote
catttty
Joined: 16 Feb 2015
Posts: 3
Hi your paint looks pretty nice. Orange is easy to retouch.





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Fut Coins
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Almost done! 
PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:29 pm Reply with quote
js303
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 13
All that's left to fix is the front derailleur which will be done in a few days. I'll also be replacing the quick releases for the wheels soon with new ones, and I'll be adding a saddle bag soon... The bike rides great!

Most likely this summer I'll be fixing the dings with some orange powder touch ups... then finally replacement decals.



The grip tape looks great... I'm loving how the blue pops out. I got whiskey corks from a local distillery to plug the tape and they fit perfectly! A little tape needed to added to the cork to fit extra snug...





New brake and gear cables with blue tubing. Also new shinier chrome chain!


Gumwall tires... the walls look a little uneven in spots, not sure why that is but that might be from the wheels which ill replace eventually


Dork disc removed! It came off like butter. Took literally no effort.





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QRs 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:26 pm Reply with quote
js303
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 13
Replaced the quick releases with these blue Halo QR's by Porkies... $25



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Restoring my 71' Orange Tall Frame Gran Sport Deluxe 
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