Classic & Vintage - Schwinn deluxe Twinn (tandem info)

I was fortunate enough to pick up this lovely ride over the summer. If anyone can help me on dating it, it would be appreciated. It has a5 speed sprint derailleur drum brake, lights generator, speedo,original schwinn tires, its a light blue and white accents,original seats with the S on it. It's in running condition with marginal surface rust on rims and bars,fenders are chrome with the S on the tailreflector. Me and the neighbor took it out and reached some good speed. It's awesome its like driving a bus. Anyway thanks for your time. This forum is way to interesting, the bikes I could of pick up over the years is ripping me apart now. But I think I got agood start.Thanks

Try to find the serial number and post it here. Look for the serial number on the head tube below the badge, on the bottom of the bottom bracket housing, or on the left rear fork below the dropout.

Once you have the serial number, it'll be pretty easy to date it.

Tandems are cool.

Five speed didn't show up until '65 and the sky blue color + rear expander hub brake were offered from '65 until what seems to be '71.

The serial number is as Scooper notes, most likely on the headtube ('65 & up) but if it's not there check left rear drop-out or bottom bracket.

You can decode the month & year of manufacture from the first two digits of the serial number:

1965 - AA00000…
1966 - AB00000…
1967 - AC00000…
1968 - AD00000…
1969 - AE00000…
1970 - AF00000…
1971 - AG00000…

1965 Consumer Catalog Page / Photo:
http://www.geocities.com/sldbconsumer/1965/65ccpg32.html

1971 Consumer Catalog Page / Photo:
http://www.geocities.com/sldbconsumer/1970/70ccpg05.html

I hadn't seen a Deluxe Twinn Tandem with a horizontal top tube at the forward position before, but it looks like there was a 10 speed Deluxe Twinn Sport Tandem with a drop bar and horizontal top tube up front in the 1978 lineup.

I believe all the early frames had second downtubes in both positions similar to the bike on the left in the attached illustration from the 1978 catalog.

I believe all the early frames had second downtubes in both positions similar to the bike on the left in the attached illustration from the 1978 catalog.

Actually, before '64 the Schwinn tandems (Town & Country & Bicycle Built for Two) were "lady-back" designs with a horizontal front and "mixte" rear. '64 was the transition year leading up to the '65 Schwinn Twinns with the dual step-through frames. Through it all, the Paramount group was still doing custom tandems for racing and in '69 the Paramount tandems were reintroduced as production models with both a "conventional" full length horizontal top tube and a lady-back design.

Also, if the tandem is a very light blue, it could have been produced in the 70's as I noted that an "Opaque Blue" color showed up in '73:

http://www.geocities.com/sldbconsumer4/1973/73ccpg07b.jpg

Again, the serial number will quickly resolve the year of manufacture.

1972 - AH00000…
1973 - AJ00000…
1974 - AK00000…
1975 - AL00000…
1976 - AM00000…
1977 - AN00000…
1978 - AP00000…

thanks guys The serial # is GC 04503 . Its on the leftrear fork as noted. Its on the darker shade of blue.The top tubes are both ladies style with upright handlebars.It is looks like the one in the picture on the left except it has blue and white seats. Looks like it is made after 78. Thanks

The serial # is GC 04503

GC = July 1967
http://www.geocities.com/sldbconsumer18/1967/67ccpg05b.jpg


Probably wasn't clear about the serial number decoding:

1st letter = Month

A=Jan
B=Feb
C=Mar
D=APR
E=MAY
F=JUN
G=JUL

Second Letter = Year

AA=Jan 65
AB=Jan 66
AC=Jan 67

Awesome Does this mean I bought a Schwinn 1967 tandem for 25 bucks cdn. Ive have my cleaning products ready to go. Either way Im excited about the fact that I can ride a tandem which gets heads turning every were I go. Thanks guys Keep on Keeping on Skyrider!!!

Awesome Does this mean I bought a Schwinn 1967 tandem for 25 bucks cdn. Ive have my cleaning products ready to go. Either way Im excited about the fact that I can ride a tandem which gets heads turning every were I go. Thanks guys Keep on Keeping on Skyrider!!!
Congratulations! Nice find!

Hey all - I just joined the forum and was hoping you all could give me an idea of the year of my tandem - Schwinn twin..but on the left rear drop - it only has numbers. 2941. No letters at all. Any help would be appreciated. I don't have any pictures as it is in pieces right now - I'm cleaning it and restoring it. I can remember riding it with my father, but I was a little girl :-) Thanks.

Holy resurrected thread, Batman!

Look at the head tube below the head badge and see if there's a serial number there.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/HeadTubeSNLocation.jpg

If there is no serial number on the head tube, are there other locations to look.

n/m... found it FE34184

So it looks like its June 69'

Love zombie threads!

My friend has a "bicycle built for two" down in the basement that is completely intact right down to the (what looks like) original pedals. "S" on the seats, "lady back" step-thru backseat, little bit of rust on the chrome fenders. Beautiful condition for something that old.

I have no idea what he wants to do with it and it will probably sit there another 20yrs because he doesnt ride.

Cool thread! We just found a '66 DeLuxe Twinn at a local sale. I think we got a deal... decent shape seats are intact with minimal rust underneath. Needs new tires, the rims are a bit rust covered.
Any directories or manuals for restoration of antique bicycles? What are these worth these days?

Cool thread! We just found a '66 DeLuxe Twinn at a local sale. I think we got a deal... decent shape seats are intact with minimal rust underneath. Needs new tires, the rims are a bit rust covered.
Any directories or manuals for restoration of antique bicycles? What are these worth these days?

A Schwinn from '66 isn't all that "antique"- after all, I'm 3 years older than it and I don't consider myself antique (usually).

Schwinns of the '60's and '70's have their admirers, and they aren't that tough to work on. Start here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chicago-schwinns.html
http://www.bunchobikes.com/repair2.htm

A really good reference for maintaining vintage bikes is Glenn's Complete Bicycle Manual: Selection, Maintenance, Repair (http://www.amazon.com/Glenns-Complete-Bicycle-Manual-Maintenance/dp/0517500930). Originally published in the early seventies with later revisions, they can be had used on amazon.com starting at about $5.00.

A Schwinn from '66 isn't all that "antique"- after all, I'm 3 years older than it and I don't consider myself antique (usually).

Schwinns of the '60's and '70's have their admirers, and they aren't that tough to work on. Start here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chicago-schwinns.html
http://www.bunchobikes.com/repair2.htm


They are fun to work on. Here is my project. Almost finished.

Before - 69'
http://i56.tinypic.com/24pdxe0.jpg

Current - Still need cables, chain, pedals, and generator.
http://i55.tinypic.com/b6aph5.jpg

We have a Schwinn Tandem and I dont know how to tell for sure the year. I think from looking at the posts that maybe it was December but I dont know. THe serial number was on the front and it is either MG019513 or NG019513 but I have looked at web sites all over and I can find nothing that really tells me anything about my bike. It is a not so pretty yellowish color too. Its pretty old but not sure how old. Can anyone please help with some great info for me?

The manufacture date from the serial number.
M=December
G=1972

So just shy of its 39th birthday. Who knows, it might want to be 39 for the rest of its Electro Forged life?

Your Twinn is most likely a 1973 model.
(http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1971_1980/1973_07.html)
http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1971_1980/1973_07.jpg

Hi Bob, thank you for your help with the dates, that was about what I was thinking but you confirmed. I am thinking of selling it soon due to health issues but knowing the year is a start, thanks :-)

Since this thread has aready been resurrected once before I don't feel too bad...

http://i.imgur.com/e1WwAxY.jpg

So, this just rolled into our shop and I was hoping to help the owner decode a bit of informtion about it. The serial number starts with MC, so it's a 1967 as per this thread, but what month? Did they skip a month, so this one is December?

Also, do any of you know anything about the awesome collapsable child seat on the back?

Thanks for anything you can tell us!

The serial number starts with MC, so it's a 1967 as per this thread, but what month? Did they skip a month, so this one is December?

December 1967, so probably a 1968 model. http://www.angelfire.com/rant/allday101/SchwinnCodes3.html

Also, in the future, don't be afraid to start a new thread. I can just about guarantee you that at least one person will reply to the 8 year old posts in the beginning of this thread, not realizing they're from 8 years ago.

Since this thread has aready been resurrected once before I don't feel too bad...

....Did they skip a month, so this one is December?

Also, do any of you know anything about the awesome collapsable child seat on the back?

Thanks for anything you can tell us!

Yes, Schwinn never used the letters "I" and "O" as to not confuse them with "1" and "0." So in the month sequence, "H" = August and "J" = September, thus "M" = December.

I had one of these a while back. I sold it to a family with a kid going to school. the kid ended up using the tandem. Later, I was contacted by parents asking for a bill of sale with serial numbers. I also spoke to school security.

It turns out that the kid had been operating as a "high speed and reckless" late night taxi and had in the past avoided being interviewed, though pursued on several occasion.

This was not the first bike to earn infamy after leaving my shop but certainly worth mention.

Thanks for bringing this back, as I never solved my quest for finding out how old my twin actually is..there is a number on the drop.. 304423 it looks like H182941.
304424Thanks so much in advance for any help. I'm new to this forum, so I hope the photos are ok. Happy spring!

The letter "H" is the month (August), and the first numeric digit is the last digit of the year. I believe the number is a 4, not a 1.

That would make it an August, 1964 frame.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/Schwinn%20Publ%20Pages/schwinnbulletin23pg03top_zpsa989a7a8.jpg

I have a later '60s Twinn, pretty cherry. My son has discovered they are chick magnets on campus, so that's where it lives - a very happy life.

Alas, no resale value, in a weak moment I put it on eBay and CL, the offers were hilarious - no sale. ...but it does take up serious space in the garage.

Thanks so much! I knew it was August, from your kind explanations, but I was not sure of the next letter or number...

It will live here with me and after I locate a new rear reflector and new replacement pedal..it will be restored. Just for info I used Oxalic acid to take the rust off...it worked like Magic !!

Thanks again, Stan

Thanks for bringing this back, as I never solved my quest for finding out how old my twin actually is..there is a number on the drop.. 304423 it looks like H182941.
304424Thanks so much in advance for any help. I'm new to this forum, so I hope the photos are ok. Happy spring!

I read this as "HM82941," making it August 1976 if I count right.
http://re-cycle.com/images/Schwinn/1976cat/34-35.jpg

I read this as "HM82941," making it August 1976 if I count right.
http://re-cycle.com/images/Schwinn/1976cat/34-35.jpg

If it were a '76, the serial number would be on the head tube instead of the dropout. It's pretty clearly a poorly stamped "4". Compare the top of that second character to the sixth (next to last) character, which is a 4.