Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Help to ID Schwinn

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Help to ID Schwinn

Old 07-16-21, 08:32 AM
  #1  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
Help to ID Schwinn

I own a lot of bikes, and enjoy doing the research to ID them. I was recently was given a Schwinn that I can not identify at all. I am sure it is a franken bike, but the serial numbers (under crank),
should help solve, but I am coming up empty. Serial number is SD403145, and it has a round Chicago badge with 0904 stamped in. The components consist of:
Brakes are all 105
Crank is Surgio BT
Rear derallier is Shimano Light Action
Front Derallier is Suntour
Downtube shifters are Suntour Symetric
Seatpost is Laprade
Wheels are Mavic MA 40
Bars are Sakae Custom Bars.
Pictures will follow in a few days when I figure how to enter them
Any help would be appreciated. Bike is pretty light, and was repainted, no sign of any decals.
Thanks in advance for your help. Pete

Last edited by Ptcycles; 07-16-21 at 08:37 AM. Reason: add some info
Ptcycles is offline  
Old 07-16-21, 08:49 AM
  #2  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,810

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
Have you gone through all of these sites?

schwinn serial numbers

C&V sub-forum would have gotten you a lot of vintage folks that know old bikes inside out that may never come to this sub-forum. Or is this not a vintage Schwinn frame? Yeah they'll crucify you if it just the bike shaped object from the company that bought the Schwinn name. So be careful! <grin>

Read this with a grin. Only 1% of this is anything remotely serious.
Iride01 is online now  
Old 07-16-21, 09:14 AM
  #3  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
Originally Posted by Iride01
Have you gone through all of these sites?

schwinn serial numbers

C&V sub-forum would have gotten you a lot of vintage folks that know old bikes inside out that may never come to this sub-forum. Or is this not a vintage Schwinn frame? Yeah they'll crucify you if it just the bike shaped object from the company that bought the Schwinn name. So be careful! <grin>

Read this with a grin. Only 1% of this is anything remotely serious.
Ran this serial number through every Schwinn serial # site I could find. Nothing..
Ptcycles is offline  
Old 07-16-21, 09:23 AM
  #4  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,810

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
Well a picture might help.

But if it's one of the Post Schwinn Schwinn's, then the serial number might just be the place it was made and it's numerical place off the assembly line floor.

Many bikes don't encode much more if even that much in their SN's.

What are you wanting to do with it? Schwinn made so many of these things back in their day. Both a few very good frames and oob-goodles of run of the mill stuff for the masses.

Last edited by Iride01; 07-16-21 at 09:27 AM.
Iride01 is online now  
Old 07-16-21, 09:32 AM
  #5  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
I have concluded that this was produced around 1984, if I conclude correctly. I have looked through all Schwinn catalogues 1975 thru 1985. Could be a Prelude or a Super Letour. Bike will need a repaint, but will only spend money on this thing if worth it, hope it's a Prelude.
Thanks, Pete
Ptcycles is offline  
Old 07-16-21, 10:39 AM
  #6  
dedhed
SE Wis
 
dedhed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,516

Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2731 Post(s)
Liked 3,361 Times in 2,034 Posts
Does it have a tubing decal on the seat tube. A Prelude should have a Tenax decal
dedhed is offline  
Old 07-16-21, 10:56 AM
  #7  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,810

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
I don't think either of those Schwinn's as being worth anything other than in the eyes of their beholder. The Super Le Tour was a 26 pound bike in their Recreational line up of bikes that were made in mass quantities for the masses that just wanted a bike with a cool sounding name and knew nothing else about bikes. The Prelude wasn't made in '84 AFAIK. But it's not something noteworthy either still likely a 24 pound bike.

Don't get me wrong, I rode a 46 pound Schwinn Varsity for over 35 years and it was a nice riding bike. But my attachment to that bike didn't make it worth spending money on.
Iride01 is online now  
Old 07-21-21, 07:57 PM
  #8  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
Here are the pictures

Originally Posted by Iride01
Well a picture might help.

But if it's one of the Post Schwinn Schwinn's, then the serial number might just be the place it was made and it's numerical place off the assembly line floor.

Many bikes don't encode much more if even that much in their SN's.

What are you wanting to do with it? Schwinn made so many of these things back in their day. Both a few very good frames and oob-goodles of run of the mill stuff for the masses.



Ptcycles is offline  
Old 07-21-21, 08:34 PM
  #9  
Gresp15C
Senior Member
 
Gresp15C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,893
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1062 Post(s)
Liked 665 Times in 421 Posts
Man, I'd just ride it. That's a perfect knocking-about-town bike. Assuming you're taller than the previous owner.
Gresp15C is offline  
Likes For Gresp15C:
Old 07-22-21, 07:11 AM
  #10  
Milton Keynes
Senior Member
 
Milton Keynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947

Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times in 936 Posts
Originally Posted by Gresp15C
Man, I'd just ride it. That's a perfect knocking-about-town bike. Assuming you're taller than the previous owner.
I agree, I'd just use it as a beater bike. The price was certainly right.
Milton Keynes is offline  
Likes For Milton Keynes:
Old 07-22-21, 07:22 AM
  #11  
VegasTriker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,879

Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 521 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times in 179 Posts
Looks more to me like one of the Schwinn bikes imported from Japan instead of made in Chicago. The bikes made in the Chicago factory which I once drove by years ago were welded frames, not brazed frames like the one in the picture. Here's a post that may lead you to more information. It confirms that Schwinn was still buying bikes from Panasonic and Bridgestone in 1984. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-schwinns.html
VegasTriker is offline  
Old 07-22-21, 07:24 AM
  #12  
Phil_gretz
Zip tie Karen
 
Phil_gretz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Posts: 7,006

Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1465 Post(s)
Liked 1,542 Times in 806 Posts
This would be a nice bike for a resto-mod conversion. 7-speed freewheel, keep the LA derailleur and swap out the front for a FD 300 or 400 series.. Cable stops mounted in place of the Suntour levers, and MicroShift 2x7 brifters. Add you favorite pedals and Bingo! It'd be fun.
Phil_gretz is offline  
Old 07-22-21, 11:41 AM
  #13  
dedhed
SE Wis
 
dedhed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,516

Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2731 Post(s)
Liked 3,361 Times in 2,034 Posts
Originally Posted by Ptcycles
I have concluded that this was produced around 1984, if I conclude correctly. I have looked through all Schwinn catalogues 1975 thru 1985. Could be a Prelude or a Super Letour. Bike will need a repaint, but will only spend money on this thing if worth it, hope it's a Prelude.
Thanks, Pete
1984 catalog only shows the LeTour models using the suntour top mount levers. No others would have the correct braze on for them.
dedhed is offline  
Likes For dedhed:
Old 07-22-21, 11:58 AM
  #14  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,810

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
I use to venture into the C&V forum. There were a lot of people in there that knew old bikes up and down and inside out. At the time, many of them were only seen in the C&V forum.

Don't know what it's like in there now, I got over my vintage affair.
Iride01 is online now  
Old 07-22-21, 04:34 PM
  #15  
Gresp15C
Senior Member
 
Gresp15C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,893
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1062 Post(s)
Liked 665 Times in 421 Posts
Originally Posted by Milton Keynes
I agree, I'd just use it as a beater bike. The price was certainly right.
The beauty of a bike like that, is that you can tune it to utter perfection, yet it will attract no attention when parked.
Gresp15C is offline  
Old 07-22-21, 08:11 PM
  #16  
Korina
Happy banana slug
 
Korina's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,752

Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1524 Post(s)
Liked 1,513 Times in 906 Posts
Originally Posted by Iride01
I use to venture into the C&V forum. There were a lot of people in there that knew old bikes up and down and inside out. At the time, many of them were only seen in the C&V forum.

Don't know what it's like in there now, I got over my vintage affair.
C&V is still very active.
Korina is offline  
Old 07-23-21, 07:28 AM
  #17  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
Schwinn ID

Originally Posted by Korina
C&V is still very active.
How does one get this thread switched over to C & V
Thanks, Pete
Ptcycles is offline  
Old 07-23-21, 07:49 AM
  #18  
cb400bill
Forum Moderator
 
cb400bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 21,324

Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy 4 Trek Checkpoint ALR-5 Viscount Aerospace Pro Colnago Classic Rabobank Schwinn Waterford PMount Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista

Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3059 Post(s)
Liked 6,379 Times in 3,692 Posts
Thread moved to C&V.
__________________












cb400bill is offline  
Old 07-27-21, 07:39 PM
  #19  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
Well, Happy days!! It looks like all the C & V folks are sleeping in late these days. It bugged me too much not to follow through on this Schwinn, so I kept on and did my due diligence, and it seems this bike appears to be a 1984 Tempo. I guess it's a wrap.
Again, thanks in advance.
Ptcycles is offline  
Old 07-27-21, 07:48 PM
  #20  
curbtender
Senior Member
 
curbtender's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, East bay
Posts: 8,682

Bikes: Miyata 618 GT, Marinoni, Kestral 200 2002 Trek 5200, KHS Flite, Koga Miyata, Schwinn Spitfire 5, Mondia Special, Univega Alpina, Miyata team Ti, Santa Cruz Highball

Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1590 Post(s)
Liked 2,486 Times in 1,188 Posts
Le Tour, as posted earlier it's the only one with the top mount Suntour shifter.
curbtender is offline  
Old 07-27-21, 07:53 PM
  #21  
Hudson308 
Mr. Anachronism
 
Hudson308's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Somewhere west of Tobie's
Posts: 2,093

Bikes: fillet-brazed Chicago Schwinns, and some other stuff

Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 526 Post(s)
Liked 256 Times in 165 Posts
Originally Posted by dedhed
1984 catalog only shows the LeTour models using the suntour top mount levers. No others would have the correct braze on for them.
This. Here's the 1984 catalog.
__________________
"My only true wisdom is in knowing I have none" -Socrates
Hudson308 is offline  
Old 07-28-21, 06:58 AM
  #22  
Ptcycles
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Sylvania, OH
Posts: 77

Bikes: 73 Schwinn Continental, (my first), 1993 Nobelette, Cannondale 500,Team Fugi, Raleigh Supercourse, Raleigh Gran Sport, 1976 Krystal, Tsunami, Giant Boulder SE, Series 30 Paramount, Scott Unitrack, As long as I have room the Hoard will grow...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 15 Posts
Possible Tempo

Originally Posted by curbtender
Le Tour, as posted earlier it's the only one with the top mount Suntour shifter.
What leads me to believe this is a Tempo, is the fact the wheelbase is 39 inches, whereas the Letour is 42 inches. Hope I don't have to eat crow, but it tastes pretty good with mustard.
Pete
Ptcycles is offline  
Likes For Ptcycles:
Old 07-28-21, 08:35 AM
  #23  
curbtender
Senior Member
 
curbtender's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, East bay
Posts: 8,682

Bikes: Miyata 618 GT, Marinoni, Kestral 200 2002 Trek 5200, KHS Flite, Koga Miyata, Schwinn Spitfire 5, Mondia Special, Univega Alpina, Miyata team Ti, Santa Cruz Highball

Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1590 Post(s)
Liked 2,486 Times in 1,188 Posts
Originally Posted by Ptcycles
What leads me to believe this is a Tempo, is the fact the wheelbase is 39 inches, whereas the Letour is 42 inches. Hope I don't have to eat crow, but it tastes pretty good with mustard.
Pete
Unless someone brazed a top mount on a Tempo, I'm not seeing it.
https://bikehistory.org/bikes/tempo/
curbtender is offline  
Old 07-28-21, 09:08 AM
  #24  
rustystrings61 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,340

Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others

Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 822 Post(s)
Liked 1,387 Times in 690 Posts
What's the seatpost diameter? If it's 26.6 it's a Tempo that has been reworked with a top mount shift boss. If it's 26.4 with that top mount boss it's a LeTour or a Super LeTour, which were built with unnamed double-butted chrome-moly.

As an aside, from 1986-1991 LeTours were built with True Temper double-butted tubing and took a 26.6 mm seatpost.

I recommend these scans from Waterford.
rustystrings61 is offline  
Old 07-28-21, 09:53 AM
  #25  
RustyJames 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 1,443

Bikes: You had me at rusty and Italian!!

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 559 Post(s)
Liked 1,032 Times in 534 Posts
Originally Posted by rustystrings61
What's the seatpost diameter? If it's 26.6 it's a Tempo that has been reworked with a top mount shift boss. If it's 26.4 with that top mount boss it's a LeTour or a Super LeTour, which were built with unnamed double-butted chrome-moly.

As an aside, from 1986-1991 LeTours were built with True Temper double-butted tubing and took a 26.6 mm seatpost.

I recommend these scans from Waterford.
My mid-80s Super Le Tour has a 26.6 seatpost and the tubing isn’t unnamed.

RustyJames is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.