Gary W. Graley

I picked this up when I got out of the Navy, the fall of 1976, so next year will be
for my personal bike, a 30 year anniversary

I'm tempted by all the fancy bikes out there, one that I've eyed in years past
was the Trek 1500 but $$ held me back, but now I may start a slush fund to
search for one of those.

Although the Schwinn still rides great, comfortable ride.

anyone else own one of these?
G2

ollo_ollo

My oldest son has had one since he was in college. Been sitting in the corner of his basement his basement for years but I'm working on him to overhaul it & get back on the road again.

peterbarson

I've got a leTour, but it's a 1980. and not in very good shape, still rides well, just not pretty.
30 years is a long time to have a bike. thats cool.

Gary W. Graley

Thanks and yes, it never spent a night outside and after rides in the rain
I always wiped her down clean, gone through a few tires and a couple of
chains, should change out the sprockets but haven't yet.
Did upgrade the brake system to new shimano levers with hidden cable
that REALLY made a difference in the braking!!!
My daughters always wondered how my bike looks so good, albeit with a
few scratches here and there from some spills, overall it's in great shape.
I just told them to learn to take care of your things, when I bought this
in 1976 it cost me dearly, $275 which for a guy just out of the Navy and
no job, it was a stretch to go but am glad that I did, at the time it was
Schwinn's next to the top of the line.
G2

kerk

Close, but there was the Paramount then the Voyageur II and then the Super LeTour 12.2. The Super LeTour was a great bike, though. It's great to hear stories about 30 year old, one owner bikes. Don't ever let it go!

Gary W. Graley

Ah, ok, thanks Kerk, I was misinformed! but glad to be near the top
and it does still ride nice.
G2

peterbarson

some say that in the 70's they were at the top of their pre-bancruptcy game.

TOB9595

Hello G2, fancy seeing you here on my first day on the forums.
I have a Super LeTour 12.2 from ~ 74-75????
I love it cept for the soft stone roads and towpaths alonfg the Delaware.
I have a lot of work to bring my Schwinn back to service...But it has started....
A few years back I bought a Mongoose Sahara for the wide tire experience. Not shabby. I have to change the seat post and saddle as it's too short for my ride and the saddle is terrible. I also have to learn the shift mechanism.....
If I were to get one today, I'd go lighter. I do like the Mongoose fat tires and it fits my needs for the soft road and dirt path. THo the Schwinn did it for many a year



Tom

TOB9595

ANd a Q...
Wasn't the Super LeTour 12.2 lighter than any other Schwinn at the time?

Tom

Jason Curtiss

The LeTour 12.2 weighed 26.9 pounds, but the Schwinn Voyageur weighed slightly less. In fact, my 1980 Voyageur weighs 26 pounds. And any Schwinn Paramount weighs less than the Voyageur and Le Tour.

So, I don't think the LeTour 12.2 was the lightest Schwinn of the time.

Jason

Gary W. Graley

Hi TOM! funny meeting you here and you having a similar bike as mine! While mine is coloured Red, which by some standards was a lighter weight paint
Thanks Jason, the shop where I got mine, all those years ago in 1976, was the highest in the line up they had on hand, was told that the Paramount was the next one up but then it was probably just them trying to sell me the one they had, which I can't knock after riding it all these years, where a few years it didn't get ridden as much, but there are a lot of miles on it and a few left in it...and hopefully in me as well!

I'll have to take a pic of mine and post it here, just haven't gotten around to doing that yet!
G2

Gary W. Graley

And it turns 30 years old this year!
Riding each day at lunch time!
G2

peterbarson

sweet, 30 years. that's cool.
thanks for reviving this thread.
My WorldSport turned 20 this year, very proud

oglala_1927

I have a '76 Silver Mist Super Le Tour 12.2 in excellant condition just sitting in the storage room! As you guys know, they are quick, fast and great road bikes. Dowm tube shifting is a little much for me, so I don't ride it at all. It's all stock, even the Ideale saddle. Open to suggestions. PM me if interested

jjsinglespeed

I had a blue one it was my first road racing bike,saw me through my cat.1 days......alas I became jaded to newer is better some where along the way...The 12.2 is one of the top five I regret selling.Of course my old 1971 Super sport being the first--Jim

screwdriver

What is the difference in the standard Le Tour and the Le Tour 12.2?

rhenning

Super LeTour 12.2 is lighter. Frames are the same components better/lighter. 12.2 is the weight of the bike in Kilograms. Roger

screwdriver

Is the frame aluminum on a 12.2?

sonatageek

I have a red 12.2 in the basement waiting for its turn at getting some fresh grease and a nice set of cables etc. It is a nice looking bike and I plan to set it up with Sun Tour bard end shifters in place of the clamped on down tube shifters.

cb400bill

No. It is lugged chromoly steel frame.

screwdriver

It's a bit odd to see a Schwinn 12.2 model. I have never seen Schwinn use a number in the description of a model. What if anything does 12.2 designate?

well biked

As has already been mentioned, bike weight in kilograms. Another model, the Voyageur 11.8, is also bike weight in kilos.

screwdriver

Thanks.

rhenning

If you want those numbers translated the 12.2 is a bit over 25 pounds and the 11.8 is a bit under 25 pounds. Both a steel is real frames. Roger

beakgeek

gratuitous Chrome 12.2 image. My 1977 Chrome Super Le Tour 12.2