Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Schwinn Collegiate

Jim Grey
, , ,
Schwinn parts

While I had the roll of Adox HR-50 in my Olympus OM-1, I made a series of photos of my bicycle. Some years ago I bought a 1986 Schwinn Collegiate from a Craigslist seller, had it overhauled, and have been riding it ever since. I like its springy seat and upright riding position. The bike has a few dents and the paint is chipped here and there, but it rides well.

The 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens and the Adox HR-50 came together to render my bike in ways that pleased me deeply. These photos show a rich range of tones, and the selective focus adds dimension and depth. They could be a little sharper, but I’m not sure I’ve fully dialed in my scanning and sharpening settings yet.

Schwinn parts
Schwinn parts
Schwinn parts
Schwinn parts
Schwinn parts
Schwinn parts

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Comments

29 responses to “Schwinn Collegiate”

  1. J P Avatar
    J P

    And the 3 speed, even! On flat terrain that would be a nice ride.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Yes, for most toodling around on flat terrain, 3 is all you need.

      Reply
  2. Tim Jeffers Photography Avatar
    Tim Jeffers Photography

    Great photos and a nice bike I have a 1974 Schwinn Collegiate and ride it all the time!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thank you! These were hardy bikes.

      Reply
  3. bodegabayf2 Avatar
    bodegabayf2

    For some reason, these photos provided a nice sense of normalcy on another crazy Covid Friday–perfect timing Jim. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      You’re very welcome!

      Reply
  4. Michael McNeill Avatar
    Michael McNeill

    Nice tones 👍 I must look out for that film.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      It’s surprisingly good! Especially in HR-DEV.

      Reply
  5. marcusterrypeddle Avatar
    marcusterrypeddle

    Nice film and a beautiful bicycle. I prefer the sitting-upright bicycles, but this area is hilly and I need as many gears as I can get. Unfortunately, that means having to ride a bicycle that forces you to be hunched over. Hard on the neck, especially if there is a camera hanging around it.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Indiana is pretty flat. I wouldn’t mind having five speeds. Ten would be a little more than I need but I’d still take it. I don’t want more. But above all I need the upright position and the springy seat.

      Reply
    2. adventurepdx Avatar
      adventurepdx

      Depending on the bike, you can swap out upright bars. This would mean having to get different brake levers and possible gear shifters, but it is doable.

      Reply
      1. Jim Grey Avatar
        Jim Grey

        I like ’em as original as I can keep ’em. The rear reflector broke off mine recently and now I’ve got a saved eBay search looking for a Cat Eye RR 260 WM. So far I’ve yet to find one for under $25, which seems steep.

        Reply
        1. adventurepdx Avatar
          adventurepdx

          For that price, you might as well get a Spanninga Pixeo fender-mount tail light. At least it does something!
          https://www.benscycle.com/spanninga-pixeo-xbaauto-fender-mount-rear-tail-light/taillight_spanninga__852-102_852-102/product

          Otherwise, if you can make it into a bike shop, they probably have a box of random reflectors. Something in it should work.

          Reply
          1. Jim Grey Avatar
            Jim Grey

            Good call on just visiting a bike shop.

            Reply
  6. Dan James Avatar
    Dan James

    Being a fan of old cameras and old bicycles this post is a surefire winner! Great work Jim.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      You know my dream bike is an old Raleigh 3 speed right? In green? Man, do I hope to own one someday.

      Reply
      1. adventurepdx Avatar
        adventurepdx

        You mean something like…this? :-D
        https://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanadventureleaguepdx/50101860497/

        Reply
        1. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          Now that’s what I’m talking about!

          Reply
  7. adventurepdx Avatar
    adventurepdx

    Love it! I owned a three speed Schwinn Collegiate exactly like this for a few years in the early aughts. It’s what got me in love with three speed bicycles in the first place. A three speed has amazingly good range for what it is, and is more capable than what many people think. They’re sort of like zone-focus cameras: It doesn’t have the adjustability of focus like a rangefinder or SLR, but gets the job done.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Every once in a while I wish I had one more gear above 3. But otherwise, for the leisure riding I do an upright 3 speed is perfect! My 3-speed hub likes to slip out of adjustment, but it’s quick to fix that while on the road.

      As a teen I had an AMF Nimble, a humble 3 speed I bought new for $110 at a sporting goods store. I think I got it early in high school, which would have been about 1982. I sold in the mid 1990s when I bought a new Schwinn mountain bike. That Schwinn was a mistake; I should have kept the Nimble. I wish I still had it. Even though it wasn’t a major make, it was a great bike for me. Here’s a photo I made of it when it was about new, it’s in the background behind my friend’s bike. I made this with my Kodak Duaflex II on whatever the Kodak consumer color film was at the time.

      Bikes

      Reply
  8. Darts and Letters Avatar
    Darts and Letters

    How smoothly do those old thumb shifters work? That looks like a great bike!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Easy. You can shift while pedaling and even when stopped. Just click the lever with your thumb.

      Reply
  9. Peggy Avatar
    Peggy

    I miss using my bicycle. I have three, but the recent weather and a bad knee have stopped me using them. Maybe I need to try this type of series to get me thinking of using them again. These are great photos and show a love you have for the bike, a classic.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I hope you can push through your knee issues and wait out the weather!

      Reply
  10. nataliesmartfilmphotography Avatar
    nataliesmartfilmphotography

    Such a cool bike! Thanks for sharing 🤗

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I do enjoy it! Put 7 miles on it just yesterday.

      Reply
  11. Schwinn Collegiate in Black and White – Society Of Three Speeds

    […] Photoblogger Jim Grey mostly talks about film cameras (with a smattering of old roads) on his blog, Down The Road. But he recently posted a nice set of black and white film images of his 80’s era Schwinn Collegiate three speed. […]

    Reply
  12. P Avatar
    P

    These photos are very nice, Jim. They’re definitely among my recent favorites of yours. Well done.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thank you! They please me greatly as well.

      Reply

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