i'm making myself an official bike commuter- (if i can do it this week i can do it any week), left my car at my parents place in NJ until its sold, and got a ride back. i want to throw a set of fenders that i just bought on my old schwinn for a winter beater, but the included bolts don't fit the threads, and the bolts are too small (diameter) for the holes. They do, however, fit my raleigh perfectly. anyone know what thread pitch/ diameter i need to go get from home depot to fit this old of a bike? thanks in advance.
http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/owner-submitted/erics-1985-schwinn-sprint/
I found a photo of a dropout on one of these bikes, assuming you have the Chinese/Taiwanese model. Looks like you need a nut and a bolt. I'd probably just take the bike to a bike store and have them try a few bolts until they get to one that works; Iron City has always treated me nicely, if you're anywhere near them.
thanks alan, i can see that the dropouts have a threaded hole for mounting purposes, and since i have to go to home depot anyway, i wanted to see if i could match it without having to bring the bike in.
Have you tried a water bottle cage bolt? That's a pretty common pitch/size.
Your best bet by far is to bring the bike to a hardware store and just start trying to thread bolts. Or go to Iron City and do the same thing.
PS. I suspect a place like Home Depot is not going to let you bring a bike in. Hit a smaller place, if you can. Rollier's is pretty amazing, but I don't know where their other location is. The one in Mt. Lebo is right off the T line.
M5 is the usual size (I think) for fender/rack braze-ons. You may want to join the iBOB list (http://www.bikelist.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-bob) and ask there. I'm guessing someone will have bolts they could give you.
The other Rollier's was in Shadyside, but has long since been replaced by a jeweler. There is a mom 'n' pop hardware store in the South Side, on Carson, near the Birmingham Bridge. I'm guessnig they could help you out, too.
The True Value in Coraopolis has the best selection of metric hardware I've found anywhere near town, although it's a bit further out of the way for most.
M5, correct, but there are at least two different pitches for that bolt. .8 is the water bottle bolt.
Some Schwinn drop outs had oversize holes, I seem to remember M6x1? Could go the easy route with zip ties or washers and a nut on the M5 bolt.
Kraynics is probably the place to go, he'll know just what you need.
