Ever since I was in college I really wanted a Schwinn Prelude. I thought it was a really high-end bike at the time, but much more realistically affordable than a Paramount. I finally found an inexpensive 1987 model for sale, but it needed a lot of work. I took the wheels and the busted saddle saddle off (and thankfully the aluminum SR Laprade seatpost didn't fight me too much. They're often rust welded in place).
Next I took the brakes off for cleaning and repairs (don't mind the reflector, it's not going back on):
The cables came out of the brake levers without issue:
Next I removed the handlebars:
Then the fork:
The headset bearings were in good shape. The only caveat was the corrosion on the outside of the lower bearing race. This bike might have either sat outside or in a damp basement for way too long. I removed it to try cleaning it up:
Next I removed the drivetrain for cleaning. The rusty chain needed to go:
Then I removed the derailleurs:
Next the cranks:
And then the bottom bracket:
The bearing cups had a retaining ring holding the ball bearings in place. I pried it out in order to properly clean the bearings underneath:
The hub bearings were next. I removed the freewheel:
Then I unscrewed the bearing cones and removed the ball bearings for cleaning:
The quick release skewers were very rusty, but I was able to clean them up with Naval Jelly:
The axles and bearings also cleaned up nicely with mineral spirits:
Time for reassembly. I repacked the hub bearings with automotive grease:
Same with the bottom bracket cups. I omitted the retainer rings because they were bent up from removal, and aren't really necessary anyway.
I repacked the headset bearings with marine bearing grease, in case I ever get caught in the rain.
I also pressed the lower headset cup back into the frame. The rust dissolver removed the surface rust, but it's still pitted. Oh well.
Now the fork can be reinstalled:
I had to do something about the rim strips. The original soft rubber ones that came with the bike are too narrow to fully cover the spoke holes in the rim, and I have no idea how the inner tubes ever held pressure.
That's better:
Now I can start hanging parts on the frame. I grabbed a white saddle and a pair of period-correct MKS AR-8 pedals from my local bike co-op. I reinstalled the original drivetrain, which looks quite nice when it's all cleaned up:
I wrapped the handlebars in white:
Before re-installing the cables, I like to take a file and round off any sharp corners on the ends of the cable housings:
Finally, here's the finished bike:
This bike looks the same as a more common Schwinn LeTour, but there are a couple differences. The tire clearances are narrow, and a 32mm tire will not fit. The Colombus steel tubing on the Prelude was more expensive than the True Temper frame on a LeTour from the same era, but the weight difference is insignificant. As for how it rides, I think the Prelude is one of my best handling road bikes. It's agile, but stable at higher speeds. It also feels very fast on the skinny 23mm wide tires. My college self would have been thrilled to have it.
