Schwinn Bicycle Tire Sizes for Vintage Bikes

Vintage Schwinn bicycle tire sizes differ, sometimes greatly, from other bikes. Schwinn manufactured their own rims and created sizes that used what appeared to be standard sizes, however they are not interchangeable with industry standard tire sizes.

The different tire sizes made by Schwinn can be found on bikes manufactured in their Chicago factory. To make things more confusing some models of Schwinn bikes used industry standard sizes. You can tell which wheels use Schwinn-specific tires by the letter and number designations stamped on the rim. For example, S-7, or simply S7.

What Schwinn Bicycle Tire Sizes are Unique

The following table gives information about Schwinn tire and rim sizes. The tire bead seat diameter (BSD) is listed in millimeters. In the tire size column, if it says Schwinn before the tire size then only a Schwinn tire will fit.

Though Schwinn bicycle tire sizes are unique the tubes that go in them are not. For instance, a Schwinn 26″ x 1 3/8″ bike tire will use any 26″ x 1 3/8″ bicycle tube. Finding Schwinn rims is getting harder all the time. There are a lot of rims that are still serviceable but since these rims are chromed steel most will have some rust. Good rims occasionally show up on Ebay. If you’re trying to keep a bike all original this is an option. Otherwise, there’s nothing wrong with changing the original rim out with a reproduction rim or standard size chrome rims.