SpeedofLite 

From Bike World, August/September 1972...where the model name is correct everywhere except in the article's title.
Doh!





And from the SCHWINN Cycling '72 catalog...

Vintage Schwinn

Ol' KURT did essentially defeat the purpose of that '72 Sports Tourer by changing to 51/45 in front and going backwards to Varsity/Continental like 14-17-20-24-28 in the rear.
(VARSITY & CONTI & 10sp SUBURBANS had 14-16-20-24-28 in the rear and of course the old 52/39 up front)
What a dumbass in my opinion was ol KURT, but you know it was his bike and he obviously felt most comfortable with his selected, limited-range gearing, but that really defeats the whole purpose of that Sports Tourer with its wide range gearing doesn't it.

The 1971 SPORTS TOURER was even WIDER RANGING with the 54 & 36 UP FRONT (the rear in '71 was same as '72). I have a 1971 and can tell you that YES, you don't really need to use that (28 GEAR NUMBER) that the 36 front and 34 rear provides unless you're carrying baggage(loaded) and going up a steep hill, or going up the longest steepest hill that you've seen in about three years. The great thing is that it is there IF & WHEN YOU DO NEED IT. I just don't follow dumb old Kurt's logic about just turning it('72 Sports Tourer) into an otherwise ordinary limited range 10 speed. Perhaps as a consequence of the magazine buying that Sports Tourer for doing the article review on it, that they have to do something with it..(unload it) and maybe ol Kurt got it for a song or as a comp. portion for doing the review piece on it.

BFisher

"...closer examination reveals the standard rugged welded Schwinn frame."

Didn't look all that closely, did he?

pastorbobnlnh 

Didn't notice the difference in tubing diameter between the Sports Tourer and Continental/Varsity, either, along with the filet brazing?

tkamd73 

Yeah Schwinn kind of hid the little round Chrome Molybdenum sticker, surprised he didn’t notice it changing the freewheel.
Tim

bikemig 

The bike was better spec'd in '73 as it came with a shimano crane rear derailleur. It came with a nervar star crank as well but same gear range. This is a comfy bike if you like sitting fairly upright. It was designed for customers who might not be accustomed to riding on the drops of a 10 speed and that likely was true of many of Schwinn's customers BITD. It is a stout bike and no lightweight but that is Schwinn's DNA.

dddd

I've usually been one to tighten up a touring bike's gearing to suit the limited bulk of my foothills riding, and which doesn't detract from the goodness of a sport-tourer's geometry, tire clearance and toughness.
I never much liked a 14-17t gap in my freewheel gearing though, so I think that this author missed an opportunity to upgrade to a six-speed freewheel while he was re-designing the gearing. Especially since these Schwinn's frame/hub spacing (made for their proprietary wider 5s freewheels with chain-retaining ring) had the clearance to do so.

In today's fast-moving, often internet-based world of journalism, we see quite a few journalists who have perhaps briefly gained seemingly-sufficient knowledge of various topics more through internet browsing than anything else, and this author's comment on the bike's "standard, welded") frame reminded me of so many journalists today. Not so much their fault if they take a much-needed job with time restraints on every task, and with no incentive to inform the reader of their "green-ness" on topics that they are writing about.
He had enough bike experience to make a very good point about the hubs, however, as the serious problem of very-premature (and mostly avoidable) hub cone failures on Schwinns having French-made hubs would persist clear through the 80's due to severely over-tight hub bearings (and which is why, in addition to the weak/narrow/heavy Weinmann rims, that I typically downgrade my offer on such used Schwinns).
He seems to have also ridden the bike much longer than most of today's bike write-ups would allow,so there's that!

repechage

I looked at one of those way back, the fillet brazed frame was suspect, I had read Sloane's book and wanted Nervex pro lugs....
Those were on the Paramount, that was on hopeless backorder.
Also, I thought the names of the two models, Super Sports and Sports Tourer should have been swapped.

bikemike73 

I have 4 of these Sport Tourers 1973 and they are VERY SMOOTH AND STABLE !!!!!!

Certainly not considered a " lightweight" by todays standards, but how many of us are in to racing ???

I like to go fast and have other bikes to do so...


But for a nice relaxing Sunday ride................the Sports Tourer is my " go to " bike

Those who have never ridden one should really try one.......

LOVE the Sports Tourer !

daverup 

I'd like to find a good one I can buy at a reasonable price. They get snapped up fast and then show up on the bay at silly prices.
Care to share pics of your Sports Tourer collection?