Classic & Vintage - Schwinn Le Tour

Hello all. I am wondering if I made an impulse buy today. I bought a Schwinn Le Tour, unknown year, for a decent price( 49.00 ) at a local thrift store. However after getting it home, It needs a new rear rim. Quite a few broken spokes and a wobble. Should of tested it before I bought it. OOPS... I am worried I may sink a few dollars into this and after I am done, could of bought a newer ride for almost the same money. What is this actually worth and would it be worth my time and money to update it? Mainly for commuting and weekend jaunts on the trail. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris in Omaha :eek:

I'm fixing one up too- a mid 1980s model-
Seach on this site for schwinn le tour - there are a few threads that discuss the dating ,and the quality.
You probably have a pretty nice bike worth fixing.
Take it to a good bike shop so a seasoned mechanic can check the integrity of the frame.
...and post some pictures!!!

Have your LBS check it over. A lot of bike shops have some used older wheels sitting in a corner somewhere that you can buy cheap. Ask them to check over the bike, and give you an estimate of the cost of getting it on the road. I'd suggest keeping it as original as possible, and spending as little as possible....a $100 Le Tour is a nice bike...but a $300 Le Tour is not as nice as some other bikes you could invest $300 on.

Big Chris,

If that Le Tour fits then it's worth getting a decent rear wheel. The good news is that it should not be expensive, and I'm talking under 30 bucks.

I just posted the following on another thread, it applies well here:

If you're not into wrenching -and I recommend that all vintage lovers take up a wrench- then that beat wheel sounds like its time for a replacement.

Used freewheel-ready rear wheels aren't to hard to come by -- nor are they expensive if you are not in an overnight kind of rush. I'm assembling a decent collection (I need them all(:-) ) from garage sales, police auctions, trash. You should be able to find some soon.

I've also built several sets of wheels from good hubs I cut out of bent/wrecked wheels. I'll be glad to look up a link for a tutorial for you if you want.

The wheels I have on my commuter were the first pair I ever built. They've held up well for nearly a year of constant use. It's a great feeling to ride on wheels you laced yourself.

Have your LBS check it over. A lot of bike shops have some used older wheels sitting in a corner somewhere that you can buy cheap. Ask them to check over the bike, and give you an estimate of the cost of getting it on the road. I'd suggest keeping it as original as possible, and spending as little as possible....a $100 Le Tour is a nice bike...but a $300 Le Tour is not as nice as some other bikes you could invest $300 on.
Yeah, you'd be amazed at what you can find in teh corners of a bike shop.
A few years ago we found a new set of high-end campy stuff that was 20 odd years old. Perfect shape. We gave them away to a guy do a restoration job.