1936 Schwinn World DX

Object/Artifact

Marin Museum of Bicycling

Name/Title

1936 Schwinn World DX

Description

This was Wende Cragg's ride in early 1977. She rode it on Mt Tam nearly every day for about a year, and raced it on Repack. Painted and outfitted by Alan Bonds, it represents about the best of the mongrel hybrids from the "clunker" era just prior to the introduction of modern, purpose-built machines. It sports parts from around the world: Japan-made Suntour thumbshifters and derailleurs shift across aluminum French TA triple rings and a Japanese 5-speed freewheel. The rear drum brake is from Union in Germany, and the Brooks B-72 torsion-spring saddle is from England. The handlebars are off a Japan-built Honda 125cc motorcycle, with grips by Preston Petty in Oregon. The frame and fork were made by Schwinn in Chicago, as were the cantilever brakes up front. The rims would've been Schwinn S-2 in steel. The 26 x 2.125-inch balloon tires are branded UniRoyal Knobby and made in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In mid-1978, Cragg's Series I Breezer was delivered, and became her daily ride. Tom Ritchey borrowed this 1936 Schwinn when he visited Marin to ride Repack in January, 1979.

Acquisition

Accession

2017.05.25-MMB Cragg Schwinn

Made/Created

Date made

1936

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Wende Cragg

Notes

rode it 1977-1978; sold it during 1980s

Person or Organization

Alan Bonds

Notes

assembled, modified and painted it, 1977

Person or Organization

Tom Ritchey

Notes

TR borrowed it to race Repack, January 1979. Handlebar slipped (loose stem bolt). When Ritchey built a run of mountain bikes later that year, they included his Bullmoose handlebar-stem.