sd5782 

I purchased my original 73 Super Sport in 1975 and it was my only ride for over 40 years. Obviously as a youngster just riding, I changed a lot of stuff and didn't baby it. In the last couple years I have bought several other bikes, and then decided to revisit my old friend and update and clean it a bit. It is less than perfect, but mechanically has been mostly freshened up. I posted a year ago about the gearing change too.



1973 mostly as I rode it except for new gearing and a newer B15 Brooks









Transmission changes in the last year.

Those newer to me bikes took me to the local co-op for parts. While there, I found 3 other Super Sports that were incomplete and very cheap. I built an upright conversion and planned on a stocker for my son. I posted the upright in other threads I believe.



Another 73



Indexed 6 speed



Flatland city cruising gearing


Continued....

sd5782 

So, the stock build took awhile, and came out well. It took me back a few decades. I used all the better parts from the donor bikes. I trued the wheels so the turkey levers even work. Most bearings are new and run true and very smooth. Steering is light and lively and it handles well. I put my decades old Suntour V-GT on this one and it shifts wonderfully with a newer Sram chain. The bike rides very quiet and smooth. Of course it had to have Kendas on it for the proper vintage ride. Alas, I couldn't find proper vintage Schwinn handlebar tape. I had a huge grin on my first ride. My skills and patience don't match the artistry of others here, but it is a 90% build maybe and is a Sunday rider for grins.



1973 mostly stock












Vintage mirror but no luck on vintage tape



V-GT rear derailleur from my original bike

Family gathering















I didn't forget my son though. I am building up a 74 Continental for him as an upright conversion. He can have any of the others in a decade or two.

Hudson308 

What a great post! Thaks for sharing. Can you tell us more about the crank on your first example?

sd5782 

I posted on that crank adapter here.


https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...an-t-i-do.html

I wanted some easier gearing as I am aging but liked the simplicity of the Ashtabula crank. Only 1 lb heavier than a 3 piece setup this way. That sport is my original and least pretty. I just ordered some Panaracer Pasela tires for it so as to put the old Kendas on an economy upright Continental build for my son. I am quite interested to see how the old bike will feel with a better quality tire. Glad you enjoyed the old Super Sports.

pastorbobnlnh 

It's a Super blue day for Sports in Ohio!

Amazing that the co-op bikes were the same matching color. Great find!

dedhed

OEM bar wrap
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bicycle-Med...UAAOSwn~tdvGjW

If you want more.
​​​​​​https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sch...gAAOSwXZtgOuGD

John E

I like the alloy chainrings on one of the bikes -- where did you find that spider without an integral steel chainring?

When I originally built my wife's UO-8 from a bare frame in 1974, I used Schwinn TwinStik shifters like yours and a SunTour V-GT derailleur like yours. I had to grind down the lever stop on the right side to secure enough cable pull to shift across all 5 cogs in back on the 16-18-21-24-32 "homebrew megarange" SunTour cluster I built for her. IThat bike was her only transportation until we bought our first car toward the end of 1976. I had my 1971 Nishiki Competition, which was the donor of the SunTour V-GT after I tightened its gearing, and my first ca. 1960 Capo Modell Campagnolo.)

4funbikes

Very nice, and what a find at the co-op!

jamesdak 

Those are awesome as was the entire post. Something about those nicely brazed frames that I've always dug.

repechage

A color matched trio.
opaque blue was the Schwinn Olympic issue bike color for the 1972 USA Olympic team.
Vandevelde used his previously owned silver one in the Individual Pursuit.

Wayback, I always felt the Super Sport should have been the model with the threaded bottom bracket, and the Sports Tourer with the one piece crank. Schwinn marketing dept decisions. But I don’t recall which model was introduced first.

I keep my eye on the lookout for a 21 1/2”? Frame example of either model.

sd5782 

Thanks for the links, but on these opaque blue bikes Schwinn had a matching light blue tape. That color listed is darker but I appreciate the searching.

sd5782 

That steel spider was an accidental find on eBay when I was searching for a headset top crown race to replace my pitted one. It was shown in sellers other items and was probably a bmx item meant for a single ring crank. I would think all gone now. It is just a cheap steel stamping that was $7 shipped and I was able to adapt it. Nice aluminum ones are out there but costly but probably very nice. The 3 co-op bikes were $10, $18, and $25. I have a smaller frame left stripped of all the parts but that one is quite scratched up.

machinist42

I think the Super Sport was introduced first, in 1964 as a rechristened "Superior". (I have one from February 1964; so I've done a bit of reading on this. Some of the 1963 Superiors I've seen have the "Sport Super Sport" engraving on the handlebars, so I suppose the actual date of introduction is fuzzy. If I recall, the Sports Tourer was introduced in 1972?

Hah. My procrastination about purchasing a pair of these for my brace of Super Sports has an unintended benefit!

Yes, rusty8857 still has these for sale at $2.99 each. He will combine shipping. He's written me he has a ton of these.

(I have no affiliation with the seller. He may be a she? I don't even know.)

Thanks for posting your Super Sports; they are indeed "Super."

I hope to have my '73 Opaque Green, (really fluorescent green), on the road today for Morels Mycocycling tomorrow!

(Hmmm, maybe that should be Morelcycling?)

sd5782 

Great that you found those. Caution is advised as I am an old weak guy so can’t really vouch 100% to strength or durability. Driveline spacers and fiddling around are in order too, but there are a bunch of mechanical minded guys here otherwise they wouldn’t be riding vintage bikes. Hope to someday see some more posts on those old Schwinns.

sfazio 

Well done, thanks for posting.

cudak888 

I don't know what I like more - the photo of all three of them side-by-side, or the story of finding two identical Super Sports to yours. Fantastic catches and good-looking builds.

If I see any Opaque Blue Hunt Wilde tape out there, I'll make sure to grab you a few rolls for the all-original build.

-Kurt

Velo Mule

Nice trio sd5782 . One of these days... I've got a Continental and a Varsity frame, and those make nice riders, but I am keeping my eye out for a Super Sport or Sports Tourer. The problem that you present to me is that you have three great examples. Which way would I go?

I see you have a Brooks B72 on your upright. I had one and gave it up with a sale of a bike. They are comfy and no longer available. It looks like you found a good one.

Your chrome and paint look great. The new bar tape is an excellent match to the opaque blue. These bikes got into the right hands. It is good to see them ready to go.

Crankstank 

Had a 69 super sport years ago, sorry I got rid of it. Now have a 76 Superior frame and fork with flat bars and late 80's LX parts and Suntour stem shifters. The fillet brazed Schwinns have a good feel to em. I put long reach Tektro calipers on it and run 700x35 Gravel Kings. Fire road flyer.

sd5782 

Thanks much Kurt. I see we have a couple bike shows in May in my area too, so I will keep an eye out. I have never been to the very large show in Ann Arbor Michigan and I hear it is quite a show. Should be fun.

ClydeClydeson

My experience has been that even inexpensive older road bikes, with decent tires properly inflated and bearings in good shape, are 100% acceptable even if you are used to riding modern 'faster' bikes.

The primary drawback is brakes, which compared to modern dual pivot or discs, are poor to absolutely scary (eg. chrome steel rims in the wet).

Crankstank 

1962-63 Superior
1964-73 Super Sport
1974-75 Sports Tourer
1976-78 Superior

1962-63 had the Ashtabula 1 piece triple
1962-69 had the full polished chrome fork*
1976-78 no kickstand

*my 1976 Superior had the painted fork halfway down with chrome tips. I took it out to replace the headset and saw the chrome steerer. Got busy with the buffer wheel and wouldn’t you know it: heavy chrome plating all the way. Shined up nice.

Kdogbikes

Nice bikes! Found two super sports in in rough,frozen state. Built up the blue one with whatever I had laying around. Original bar tape. Rides awesome. Yellow bike got complete redo. Have yet to ride it. Cheers, Kevin

sd5782 

A more or less stocker, and a custom rider one. Nice on both. As Velo says, it’s a hard choice. That red custom is a cool setup and I bet it rides great. I see a VX-gt on it; nice. The frame geometry is amazingly responsive yet comfortable. Did you notice the lack of flywheel affect on your 3 piece crank while pedaling? Yet, going back to the stocker is fun too in a retro way as one has to get those cranks a spinnin. I ride the B72 upright most I guess as it is a quick grab and go for a half hour leisurely jaunt in the neighborhood. To answer Velo again, that saddle was pretty much NOS purchased last spring at the bike show in this area. I also think that blue was a common color in this area and it was interesting to read that it was a color for an Olympic bike for Schwinn.

Kdogbikes

Sd5782, I really wanted to try 3piece conversion on this build. Turned out to be tricky bc of bottom bracket sizing. May end up putting Ashtabula back on. I live couple min from where Ashtabula parts where made, so I’m a fan of the simplicity and durability and looks(chrome pie plate) of those parts. If you get a chance to buy a early Schwinn Le Tour, give it a try. Very nice build with the 3piece crank. And the great handlebar.

sd5782 

Not an early one, but I had a 1980 Letour come my way that I rescued from the curb and gave to my son. I remember it riding very nice, especially considering the steel wheels and hi-ten frame. I need to go through bearings and such on it. 1980 was last Chicago year I think. I really didn’t understand the steel wheels on that level bike.