The "Minstrel Cycle" of The Bicycling Guitarist
This 1977 Schwinn Sportabout has an "Electro-Forged" steel frame made in Chicago (the same type frame as the more well-known Varsity and Continental models)
Aluminum handlebar and stem assembly probably from either a 1973-1976 Schwinn World Traveler or Schwinn Le Tour (both made in Japan)
Schwinn Sportabouts have a tubular fork similar to that of a Schwinn Continental or Suburban, stronger and better riding than the flat fork of a Schwinn Varsity
Schwinn Approved quick release hub / Sun CR-18 aluminum rim / Continental Ultra Gatorskin tire
Schwinn Approved quick release hub / Sun CR-18 aluminum rim / Continental Ultra Gatorskin tire
In August 2009, I replaced the Sportabout's cheaper stock crank with a genuine Schwinn forged diamond crank as found on "Varsinentals"
newer Schwinn seat from a BMX bike: red glitter with white stripe and "S", CrMo seat rails.
The block pedals it came with are not the rat trap type of the Sportabout specs. The chain is a KMC Z30 installed in 2003 to replace the worn original chain.
Schwinn Twin-Stik shifters instead of the SunTour shifters of the Sportabout specs / SunTour Spirt front derailleur, SunTour V-GT Luxe rear derailleur
Schwinn Approved center-pull brakes / Dia Compe brake levers / Kool-Stop Continental "Salmon" brake pads
The stock Japanese SunTour derailleurs and freewheel cost much less but are actually much BETTER designs than the equivalent European parts on the higher-priced Schwinns of similar vintage
Since the early 1980s, I have ridden this 1977 Schwinn Sportabout more than twenty-five THOUSAND miles while simultaneously playing a Fender Stratocaster guitar, writing hundreds of songs dozens of which are posted for free on the official web site of The Bicycling Guitarist. I have been called a traveling minstrel, so this bicycle could be called a minstrel cycle (but only if I play ragtime!)
In 2003 I upgraded this Sportabout to quick release wheels and center-pull brakes from a Schwinn Continental. In 2009 I upgraded to a better Schwinn crankset, replaced the original steel handlebar and stem with aluminum ones from a different model Schwinn of similar vintage, and had new wheels built using vintage Schwinn approved quick release hubs laced to brand-new Sun CR-18 aluminum rims. I also got Kool-Stop "Salmon" brake pads for the new rims for much better braking.