earthworm94

2007 Schwinn Le Tour GS


Front view:


Drive side view:


Non-Drive side view:


Back View:

AlmostTrick

On one hand your bike has practical Schwalbe Marathon tires (with reflective side walls for extra Club Fred points) along with fenders and bags. On the other it has a racer boy saddle with several inches of drop to the bars. While it's generally ok to mix things like this as long as it works for you, it was the 'Zoom Zoom' stickers that really left me baffled on which way to score. Calling all resident Fred's to help out on this one.

AlmostTrick

Not a bad idea, really. Consult with one of our resident High Tech Fred's and you can probably set it up to automatically take video and summon the police anytime there is a violation.

thenomad

Its how i score points with the cars around me.
Felt like having fun and plastering stickers on this one, maybe it'll be completely covered one day... or completely bare, not sure.

erg79

Sadly, Jerry Brown vetoed the 3-foot passing law that the California legislature passed, joining Rick Perry as the only governors to do so.

erg79

earthworm--what pannier is that? I'm still on the lookout for a pannier that fits my tastes, and I like the look of that one.

earthworm94

It's a Timbuk2 Bullitt, but now it is out-of-production. It is well-made, extremely waterproof if you are careful on how to close the bag, and quite stylish. I attached a water bottle sleeve to it with velcro straps and some zip ties.

However, this is a similar item and I think it's just as stylish if not better.

https://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/...nier-messenger

SuncoastChad

I have now updated the Schwinn with a basket, cup holder, and bell/compass combo. I'm thinking of putting on some bullhorns just to see the look on people's faces!

AlmostTrick

+ Fred points for silver SKS fenders, (everyone has black, yawn) reflective tape on fork and rack struts, and the little stuffed dog sticking out of the top of the bag. 55/100. 10 more points if you ride with the dog showing!

AlmostTrick

So what you're saying is stickers or no stickers, Honey Fred don't care. Sounds good to me. I'm gonna give you a 75 for your bike. If I'm way off someone else is going to have to correct me.

earthworm94

It's not just "the dog", it's Snoopy, the world's most famous beagle!

Note I have a mini maglite mounted with 2 hose clamps and I only use platform pedels.

AlmostTrick

I have to admit I've eyed that bike while shopping at the local Target. It sounds like you're having a blast with yours. Pedal On!

thenomad

Oh yeah, forgot to add the tires are reflective, and several of the stickers are reflective and I have reflective tape on the pedals and rear fender. I ride with headlight, small front flasher, rear flasher on bag, helmet and sometimes backpack. Construction vest for reflectivity in the winter but I do wear spandex. Haha

AlmostTrick

Snoopy deserves a better close up. I bet others missed him totally.

What pedals are those? I like how they look extra flat.

AlmostTrick

Reflective construction vest essentially cancels out all spandex. Just ask 'em in the road forum.

earthworm94

That particular Snoopy is like Flat Stanley, it travels to wherever I go.

Pedals: Performance Bike store brand Forte ATB Comp pedals. They are very functional but not a big fan as the edges are so sharp they chew up my shins if I miss or slip off the pedals (not often but that does happen).

Burton

Personally I think anyone that happily drives a Schwinn should get bonus points to start iff with, but a couple other things about your rig also caught my attention. Checked the original specs on that model and it came with toe-clips and resin pedals as well as a 52/42/30 crankset. Not only have you opted for larger platform pedals, you've dropped the 52 and installed a bashring!

And that single rear panier is mounted so high your touring buddies might pretend they don't know you. I think your efforts have been under appreciated! That was originally marketed as a road race and triathlon machine!

earthworm94

That toe clip was useless for normal tennis shoes and felt pretty weird so that was ditched pretty much within the first week or so that I own the bike.

Also, due to my poor leg strength the 52 is useless and it's only good for tearing up my pants. It is very liberating to be able to ride with pants without tying them up first.

Mardmakarm

I'm looking for front bag like this for so long because it really fulfill my needed.


I can put camera, maps, gps unit, compass and MP3 players in on bag and it easily to install and remove.Very useful when working outside with my bike.(can't avoid gps since i'm a cartographer.)

earthworm94

Just read your 2nd paragraph. That is technically a messenger bag with hooks on the back so I can quickly mount/dismount the bag from the rack. It is a bit high but it works well enough.

This bike is the lowest "trim level" of the Le Tour series, and consequently the tour-ist of them all as it has a steel fork instead of a carbon one. Le Tour does feature a more relaxed geometry than a race bike but it has other annoying racing bits like a very narrow rear "fork" so tires fatter than 28mm probably wouldn't work especially with fenders.

Burton

Cool! Haven't seen anything like that before! Can you please post more photos and some details about the rack, bars and bag?

erg79

Cheers, I've seen that and I've considered getting it because of the removability and shoulder bag factor. Just wish that the black or the grey was on sale like the red one!

Andy_K 

A modern Schwinn like that has instant fred-cred in the sense of being something that roadie snobs will turn their nose up at while still being a perfectly good bike. Your fenders are frighteningly close to the tires. Is that a mirror in the drive-side view pic? The big orange stripe on your pannier is mildly fredly. The reflective tape is nice. Platform pedals on a road bike are always good for a few fred points.

Overall though, it just looks like a nice road bike well outfitted for commuting.

I give it a 45.

Andy_K 

In the end "working well for me" is the true measure of a bike's inner fredliness, but as for outer fredliness the front and rear cargo options are really all you have going on an otherwise drool-worthy bike. It looks like the rear wooden crate is actually constructed around the rack. If so, I'll give you bonus points for that.

41

Andy_K 

The many stickers can be good, though on a Cross Check you run the risk of drifting into hipsterness. The trunk bag with drop-down sides gives you a few fred points. The mismatched non-Surly fork is a fredly touch though it would have been better if you were using it to add disc brakes. Most freds would scoff at the insufficiency of your CatEye EL220 headlight, but having one myself I happen to know that it has the worst size-to-lumens ratio on the market (which is kind of fredly) and, not being a Knog, it saves you from hipseter drift.

I give it a 43.