Originally Posted by
denaffen
My intent was just what I said up front: I happen to find myself suddenly coming into both of these at once. They’re the same color ( or were) pretty much the same size, very similar geometry, both US made from double butted chrome moly. They are much, much more similar than they are different, aside from gearing. So was Schwinn punching above their weight with the Mississippi bikes? How much secret sauce did Trek pour in? Let’s find out. I just thought it would be fun to compare the 800 pound gorilla with the punching-above-it’s weight contender. Sheesh.
I like your idea- in terms of comparing 2 bikes you like... but I just don't think they're much of an "apples to apples" comparison- not even really an "oranges to tangerines" comparison. The hi-ten fork alone puts the LeTour in a different category- and the cantis in another. Throw in the components and it's just rungs down the ladder. That's not saying it's a poor bike- just that it was designed for a different purpose from less expensive materials, with less expensive components in a place with less expensive labor costs.
My understanding about the Greenville plant is that it was conceived to produce lower costs than Chicago and then Japan and even Taiwan, as opposed to creating higher manufacturing tolerances and increasing quality. The initial plan was to move to Kansas in the early/mid 70s, but then went to Greenville after the events of 1980.
The LeTour occupies a section of bikes that Trek had abandoned early on- but you'll read of the fondness people have for their 412s and 414s. I had an 84 Trek 420 that I really liked- it was a Mangaloy frame with Hi-Ten stays and fork; sport touring geometry with side pulls but with a triple crank. That would have be a much more apt comparison... Additionally, I also had an 84 World Sport which really just seems to have been something like a Giant made LeTour- CrMo main frame and Hi-Ten fork... maybe a little lower on the component end- but components are always swappable. The World Sport was a decent bike- I liked it.
Of course, the direct comparison to the 89 Trek 520 would be the 89 Voyageur (I don't remember if those were Greenville made then). I realize the impetus is having these 2 bikes fall into your hands- but it's kind of neat comparing Sandro's Voyageur comparison chart to the Vintage Trek catalogs.
https://sandro.knot.org/wp-content/u...comparison.pdf. Schwinn had surprisingly steep angles on the Voyageur- the 2 Voyageurs I've had rode very differently from my Trek tourers. You get used to it after a couple of miles, but it's definitely a change up. I'd like to compare an 86 Schwinn Passage with an 85 Trek 620... I think that would be a cool comparison.
I've always loved swapping out components- whether up or down the hierarchy ladder and seeing if/how it rides or how it affects me. Along with the repaint and refresh of the LeTour, it might be fun throwing barcons and some XC derailleurs along with a triple onto there- make it effectively a 70s style tourer.
FWIW- I seem to recall the last bike that came off the Greenville line was a Voyageur and it went to a manager of the plant. His kid ended up taking the bike to school where it was promptly stolen.
