1999 Schwinn Homegrown 4 Banger

So after I built up my 2001 Schwinn Straight 6 http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... p;t=189580, I found that the medium frame was actually a 16" that translated to a-bit-too-small for me. It rode nice and handled well, but felt a little cramped in the cockpit compared to my GT i-Drive 3.0. Fast forward a year, and I find myself in Northeast United States and back on eBay looking for bike bits:



First was finding a 2002 Marzocchi Shiver SC located a town away - the catch was that it was missing its (unique) front 20mm axle. One of the last places that still had one was Hibike in Germany - duly procured for $90.



Next was the Schwinn frame itself in Bassboat Gold - 19 inches so it might run large, but other built-up HGs look about right for me. It came with most of its M952 XTR groupset - cranks, BB, derailleurs and shifters and a Chris King headset. I totted up the sums (M952 cranks alone went for $150 on the 'Bay), mulled it for three days before pulling the trigger after a couple of stiff shots of Scotch.



So I can't really make up my mind now what to do:

Stick with one bike:
Swap in the front Homegrown triangle and Shiver SC fork onto my Straight 6;
Source a wheelset with a 20mm front axle;
Sell the resulting Frankenstein 2001 Schwinn Straight Six with a 1999 rear end.

Build the 4 Banger and keep the Straight 6 for technical trails. The ideal build would see the bike having period-correct parts like the Straight 6:
Marzocchi Shiver SC fork
Mavic Crossmax Disc or Chris King wheelsets
Chris King headset
Easton Monkeylite handlebar
Thomson stem and seatpost
Shimano M952 XTR group
Shimano M755 XT four pot disc brakes
WTB Velociraptors

As I am looking down a list of specialized items whose availability could determine the outcome, let me know if you have what I am looking for. It would help tip the balance toward building the 4 Banger. I'll post more photographs of the 4 Banger when it arrives in the post.

So my want list:

Straight 6 black droplinks with the IS mount
Trunnion collar for Fox shocks

Hi,

Realy like those Lawwill frames.
In fact I have a 4banger in red myselves.
Still waiting for a propper shock!

What is the difference in trunnion for a fox-shock ?


Cheers,
Jeroen

As far as I know, the Rock Shox threading is different from the Fox, just slightly so but enough to matter.

I received the frame today, the shock is practically bespoke to the frame as it has the mounts machined as part of the shock body. It measures 5.5 inches eye-to-eye and is not travel-adjustable in this guise. The condition is beautiful but I can't build it just yet. Its likely to eventually become half of a his and hers pair of Schwinn Lawwills.

As it was filthy I had it washed and scrubbed down - the XTR bits were nice and the Chris King headset has a nice Homegrown Tomato top cap. When it dries I will do a proper look over and take some photos.

I did a quick and nasty 'chop of how I want it to be, but I can't decide if I want a silver Titec seatpost or a black Thomson Elite. I'm pretty certain I want to get a 90mm Kore Elite stem and Easton Monkeylite handle bars.

And I want black wheels with black hubs. Preferably ones with flashy graphics like Mavic Crossmax. They'd have to be 20mm front axle though.

That will be a nice project.
I realy like the choice of forks on the bike.
The black parts will look good, as will a nice riserbar.

I'll stay with a red Manitou SX or Black on mine.
But first have to figure out the rear-shock....
I'm still missing out on that one :-(

Cheers
Jeroen

r32":ws1okcaj said:

So my want list:

Straight 6 black droplinks with the IS mount
Trunnion collar for Fox shocks

Click to expand...

The Fox trunnions are impossible to find, I've been looking for years.

I have the same HG frame and used a 2" stroke Rock Shox on the rear with the trunnion from a broken standard 4 banger frame to make it a straight 6. The main downside is being at the limit for BB hight adjustment, the bike needs at least a 5" travel fork to have a reasonable head tube angle. My 5" Psylo dies so right now have a 4" Reba for now which is sketchy.

You can get an adaptor for the rear brake to go from 22mm to IS. Then use a front IS brake caliper to keep the 160mm rotor. Otherwise with a rear brake caliper and that adaptor you would need a 180mm rotor which may not fit in the frame.

If you plan to ride the frame a lot I suggest collecting spares when you can, they are fragile. Although the HG frames do tend to hold up better.

The 2001 Straight 6 I have seems to have a much burlier front triangle. I found a crack forming on one of the right side drop links. Its not made it all the way through but it is growing from an odd spot, not where I expected it to form.

The chainstay yoke itself is in good condition, scuffed but no cracks that I could see. The pick up points of the front triangle look fine, too. It does not appear that this frame was beat on; which make the crack even more perplexing.

The pivot cartridge bearings all need to be replaced though. They feel gritty. More as I dig in......

There's a member here with a set of drop links for sale.

viewtopic.php?t=245458

A quick non-piccy update:

Brake department:
M755 brakes were secured. The front hose had a leak but was too short anyway. Two sets of 1000mm braided hoses have been ordered. NOS front 203mm rotors and 180mm rear rotors were obtained as was an A2Z parallel mount adapter. Some grinding and filing of the mount was required to make it fit flat on the drop link.

Cockpit:
New Kore Elite stems in 0 degree rises, for 90 and 100mm lengths, in black. They are probably new manufacture, as I recall the Elite stems back then came with titanium bolts. Still waiting on a good condition Easton Monkey Lite with enough width (<660mm); I have black ODI lock on grips waiting for them. Its hard to find a carbon seatpost (a 26.8mm Easton CT2 would be ideal) so I may settle for a silver zero layback Thomson Elite. Mulling over the red SDG Ventura on eBay right now but seems a little dear and the colours clash.

Rolling stock
Mavic Crossmax ST with 20mm front hub and QR rears. Low-mile XTR 953 cassette and SRAM 991 chain. Jenson USA is supplying Kenda Nevegals.

Pedals
Possibly Easton flatboys. I am going for a bit of an Easton theme here and half-wish I went for an Easton MG stem instead.

Can't wait to ride this baby, at times I want to just say, "to hell with it" and just settle for the final finishing components. Good thing its still too cold out to ride.

Where did you find your 19' Frame?