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1973 Schwinn Scrambler

My "Roots" bike just like we built them before there was real BMX (or before we could afford it!)

Been looking for a late 60's/early 70's Schwinn Scrambler frame ever since I found an old photo of myself riding one at my mom's. I was so little, I'd forgotten I even had that bike. But the photo brought back all kinds of memories.
All the kids in my neighborhood were into BMX in the early 70's. So everytime we broke something on our plywood jumps, we begged & stole and connived until we could replace the broken part with something from Hank & Frank. So accordingly... this '73 frame has '77 mongoose bars & ashtabula stem, '78 Tuff 1's and '80 Tange forks. Brake is Bendix Mexico '76. Power Grips, Schwinn "S" seat, built-in kickstand.
Also fitting for a kid from Oakland, the frame is spray bombed black on one side & silver on the other. I'm not touching a thing - its exactly what I might have done. We all lived for the Raiders back then.
My kids love riding this thing. I need some MX knobbies, though...

g-flash · 2008-09-21 7:26am

What's the serial number on that frame? That frame looks older than a 73, The brake bridge looks like the 67,68 and 69 models! Great looking history machine!

Last edited by g-flash (2008-09-21 7:27am)

MADDAWG · 2008-09-21 7:38pm

Oh what memories you've brought back - where did you find this vintage work of art ?

Benny1 · 2008-09-22 8:47am

Thanks guys! I love it too.

I'll check for the SN tonight... there are as many coats of paint on it as there are decades since its construction, so I didn't find it at all the first time around. It could easily be pre-73, I just wanted to be fairly conservative in its age when I submitted it to the Museum.

Maddawg, I found it at one of those random poorly-spelled Craigslist "anteek bikes - Shwinn etc." listings. A guy had 100 or more old Schwinns in bad shape all over his backyard in a lousy part of town. I already had the Tuff 1s and the Tanges and was looking for the right frame for something like this... when I found it in Silver & Black I felt like I was 7 years old again. $10 brought it home. Are you local?

Last edited by Benny1 (2008-09-22 8:48am)