1968 Orange Krate Schwinn 5 Speed Bicycle
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:4351784 | Year: 1968 |
| Brand: Schwinn |
Hello everyone. Before you read the description of my bike here, please click on the watch button on your smart phone or computer first so you can watch its progression throughout the week. I have for sale here a very nice and mostly original 1968 Schwinn 5-speed Orange Krate Bicycle. On a scale of 1 to 10, (with 1 being totally blah and a 10 being extremely nice) I would rate this bike an 8.5. As you can see in the pictures this bike is in good shape. The frame is the original 1968 ...frame. The new orange power coating on it is very nice and it shines brilliantly in the sunlight. The serial number on it is DD29055, which means it was the 29055th frame made in September of 1968 at the now defunct Schwinn Bicycle Company in Chicago, Illinois. When one has the complete frame repainted or powder coated, then it only makes sense to have a new center post Schwinn decal applied to it as well. This water transfer decal looks very nice and it lets everyone know you are riding an original Schwinn Orange Krate bicycle. The fork assembly is the original. It is not perfect, but it is good enough. There are some areas of wear and tear on it, but not too bad. The chrome still looks decent on most of it, but the two truss braces and the inside of the springer crown do have some subtle surface rust on them, but not too much. The complete fork assembly is now 51 years old and it is in pretty good darn shape for its age. I have also included two new 4-inch-long transparent silicon rubber bumper tubes on the upper areas of the forks. This will help protect the orange power coating from being damaged due to the forks swiveling from side to side all the time. We now come to the front fender. It is a slightly used reproduction Schwinn Krate fender and it shines up nice in the sunlight. With that being said, I know what you are thinking right now. You’re thinking Schwinn did not have a front fender on their 1968 Schwinn Krate bicycles. You are absolutely right of course, but I decided to put one on this bicycle anyway because I feel Schwinn made a huge mistake by not having a front fender on their 1968 models. I have since corrected their mistake by putting one on this bicycle. Case closed. The front 16-inch Atom wheel is original and is in decent shape. As you can see there isn't very much rust or corrosion on this wheel. It isn't the best for sure, but it certainly isn’t the worst either. The braking components on it do work like they should, and the wheel does spin straight. There is, however, one spoke missing from the wheel. The front 16-inch tire is the original Schwinn Superior tire of 1968. Yes, folks, 1968! It was made by the famous Carlisle Rubber Company. Like the front Atom brake wheel, it is in good original condition. There are cracks on its sides due to its age, but not too severe. If you are a diehard Krate lover, then don’t let this one pass you by. The rear 5 speed wheel is new. The original wheel was too damaged and too corroded to keep. The chrome on this baby shines likes mirrors and it functions perfect like a 5-speed wheel should. It will last for many years to come. Now turn your attention to the orange innertube valve stem caps on each wheel. They are new and boy do they bring out the zest in this bicycle. These really do add elegance and they most definitely are an attention getter. The rear Schwinn Slik tire is also an original 1968 tire, but you would never guess it by looking at it. It does show some wear on it, but it is still in great shape for its age. It too was made by the famous Carlisle Rubber Company. Just like the front Schwinn Superior tire, it is a must to have for all those diehard Krate lovers out there who want originality with their bikes. Once again, please think about that when you are bidding. These original tires in their present condition are becoming extremely hard to find and they add much more value to this bicycle. The rear fender is the original 1968 fender. It looks good and the chrome still shines up just fine and dandy on it. It does, however, show signs of its age. The bottom side of it has the typical road corrosion on it and there are some minute scratches on the chrome. Not too severe, though. You must admit the new grey brake cables and 5-speed cable add pizazz to this most incredible bicycle. They also add beauty and finesse to an already glorious work of art. They will last for many years to come as well. The sissy bar is the original one that came with this bike. The inner shocks on it are currently in the stuck position so they will probably need some attention. This sissy bar is now 51 years old so it is very hard to find an original 51 year old sissy bar that has no problems with it. Please note: As an added incentive to the purchase of this bicycle, I am including a brand-new chrome shock absorber sissy bar. It is a $100 value and it is free of charge. you can't beat that with a stick. I know you have noticed the “Krate” license plate attached to the rear sissy bar. I mean, it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's the final touch I have put into this bicycle. Whenever a person sees this on this bicycle, he or she will say with amazement, “OMG, that is an incredible looking Schwinn Orange Krate bicycle! I haven’t seen one of those in decades!” The 5-speed shifter is the original 1968 shifter. Once again it is in good shape considering its age. The original decals are in decent shape and there is very little rust on the outside of it. There is, however, some subtle surface rust on the inside, but it does not interfere with its function and movement capabilities. The awesome glittery white vinyl seat, along with its Kool Orange stripes and Kool Orange circled “S”, is a reproduction of the original 1968 banana seat. It looks very nice and it is the icing on the cake that completes this amazing bicycle. The rear 3 ¼ inch red banana seat reflector is used, but it looks very nice if I do say so myself. It maybe decades old, but it was taken very good care of since new. When light shines directly on it, it illuminates very brightly just like a brake light on a car. The Schwinn pedals are the original 1968 Bow pedals and they are in good condition. Most of the metal on them shine up good and the plastic pedal pads look decent. They are not banged up and rusty like you see in a lot of the older bicycles. They are not perfect, but they look good for their age. The pedal sprocket and crank are original and are in decent shape. They do have some subtle surface rust on them, but not too severe. The crank has the 68-year embossed on it and they both look great for being 51 years old. The handle bars are original with the 68-year stamped on it. It is in good shape, but it does have the typical road rash and scuff marks in the obvious areas where the original boy owner laid the bike down on the road or sidewalk, so he could go play with his friends. Still it looks good for its age. The Schwinn Kool Orange hand grips are new. They add that extra flare to this incredible work of art. The orange glittery streamers are also new. If you are looking for a way to get attention from other people, this will most definitely do it for you. What do you think about the bicycle mirror with the white/silver reflectors? It is an original chrome mirror from that same time era. It looks nice and it adds value and elegance to this incredible bicycle. The goose neck stem is original with the 68-year embossed on it. There is some surface rust and corrosion and a few dings on it, but not too much. The chrome shines up just fine and dandy on it, too. The handle bar brake-levers are original, and they are in good shape for their age. They work just as good as they did when they were new. How about that chrome horn you see on the handlebars? A bike is not a bike unless it has a horn on it. It is new and it is loud. The rear Weinmann 1080 brake calipers are original, too. They function like they should and they stop the back wheel from turning with no problems at all. I cleaned off most of the grease and road grime that was on them and now they look nice for being 51 years old. The Schwinn 5-speed derailleur is a derailleur from that time era. It was thoroughly cleaned and lubricated for this sale. It does have some minor scuff marks on its chrome casing, but not too much. It functions on this bicycle like it should, but it will probably need some fine tuning and adjustments done to it for optimum performance. Remember, this derailleur is now a half century old, so you will not find picture perfect components on this bicycle unless you are willing to pay the big bucks for them. What do you think of that nice chainguard? It is new and it has been painted the same orange color as the frame. The "Schwinn Orange Krate" water transfer decal is also new and it is in perfect condition. It adds that finishing touch needed to complete this classic gem. The chrome color chain is also new. It shines up very nice and adds style and beauty to this most incredible work of art. You will not find this on very many bicycles. You will, however, find it here on this one. Well there you have it, folks. The ball is now in your court. You now have the opportunity of purchasing one of the most awesomely made bicycles ever created by the famous Schwinn Bicycle Company. The Orange Krate bicycle started it all and now you have a chance to own a piece of Nostalgia history. You can use your savings, your tax refund, or even take out a loan to purchase this bodacious bicycle. It would make an excellent gift for yourself, your son, your grandson, your nephew or any other boy you have great admiration for. Give him the gift he will love and cherish for many years to come. Because most of this bicycle is now 51 years old, it is being sold “As is”. There is no warrantee or guarantee given or implied with this sale. What you see is what you get. Remember, a brand-new chrome shock absorber sissy bar is also included with this bicycle and at no charge to you. My asking price is $1, 595. The shipping, the handling, and the processing charge is set at $185. This charge includes the bicycle box, the bubble wrap, the protective stuffing, the packaging tape and the labor. Insurance is also included with the price. This bicycle will only be shipped to the lower 48 States in the Continental United States. Thanks for looking and God Bless America. Good luck and happy bidding.
