Classic & Vintage - Schwinn LeTour! Yeah!

I finally found a decent lugged bike that I MAY convert to single speed (not sure yet) Please let me know what you ladies and gents think of it, like is it worth resto? I sure can use a geared bike for longer trips! and its the perfect size for me! YAHOO! Finally! Its Cr-Mo with forged drops and as I mentioned above lugged frame. and its Chicago made! Thoughts on it would be appreciated.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/schwinnletournew010.jpg
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It's an '89 model, Medium Blue/Dark Blue Fade. True Temper chromoly frame.

1989 Schwinn Road Bike Specs (http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1980_1990/1989_Ltwt_16.html)

It's a nice bike, worthy of restoration but not particularly rare or collectable. If you want to convert it, you have my permission. :D

Why thank you Scooper! :lol:
It's an '89 model, Medium Blue/Dark Blue Fade. True Temper chromoly frame.

1989 Schwinn Road Bike Specs (http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1980_1990/1989_Ltwt_16.html)

It's a nice bike, worthy of restoration but not particularly rare or collectable. If you want to convert it, you have my permission. :D

.......and its Chicago made!

Nice bike, in many ways one of the nicer le tours.....but not Chicago made. Built at the Greenville, Mississippi plant. The Chicago manufacturing plant shut down at the end of '83, but the company headquarters remained in Chicago until the early '90's, thus the continued use of the "Chicago" headbadges.

Best restoration you can give it is a nice cleanup, tuneup, and new bar tape - doesn't look as if it needs more then that!

-Kurt

Best restoration you can give it is a nice cleanup, tuneup, and new bar tape - doesn't look as if it needs more then that!

-Kurt

I agree. If you turn it into a single or fixed don't cut off anything needed to restore it to its original condition should you sell it or change your mind later on.

I had your bike's equivalent - 89 Schwinn Traveler a year or so before I recently sold it.

It was an ok bike, but I kept having problems with the low end components (won't be an issue for you if you go SS). The top tube was short so I would strike my toes when turning at slow speeds. Also the biggest tires it would take were 700X28's and that left me no clearance for fenders.

I think a SS/FG would be a good solution to some of the bike's shortcomings.

That's a very nice example of a LeTour. I've never converted any bike to a single speed or fixie, even though I obtained the parts in a bike parts buy. So I'm not a big fan of the SS or FG. However, that said, there are many Schwinn LeTours, so if you're going to do it, that's probably the bike to do it with.
I guess I don't understand the attraction of a single speed. I mean, leaving it in one gear accomplishes the same thing. Fixie, I understand, don't like them, but I understand the difference.

If it is a Japanese made LeTour, then it is a sin to convert it. Some of the nice bikes I have seen ruined by this latest fixe and single speed fad really breaks my heart.

But it looks like the LeTour you have is something from the 1980's and probably not one of the Japanese made LeTour as you pointed out, so have a ball. At least keep all the parts you remove and have them handy for the next guy or for after you get tired of the single-speed/fixe.

That's a very nice example of a LeTour. I've never converted any bike to a single speed or fixie, even though I obtained the parts in a bike parts buy. So I'm not a big fan of the SS or FG. However, that said, there are many Schwinn LeTours, so if you're going to do it, that's probably the bike to do it with.
I guess I don't understand the attraction of a single speed. I mean, leaving it in one gear accomplishes the same thing. Fixie, I understand, don't like them, but I understand the difference.

I used to have a few geared bikes but found myself leaving them in one gear, so I figured make one a ss, that way Im in one gear AND I drop some weight off the bike. RD, FR, cable, shifters, rear cluster, one frant chainring, it adds up :thumb: Ive got more than afew ss now :D Mike, Ive been riding ss for a LONG time, no where near being tired of it :) I prefer it to geared bikes on 90% of my rides :) but do keep one geared bike for those uphills that I know are coming on the other 10% of my rides :D

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/k2001-1.jpg

Get a new chain and some new chainring bolts for the single ring, slap on a freewheel and call it done. You'll shave some weight off the bike and it will be fun to ride. No more clunky gears! I would swap out the old cranks to something lighter and add a cartridge bottom bracket.

but do keep one geared bike for those uphills that I know are coming on the other 10% of my rides :D



NICE! Looks like you have my Beast's younger brother.

NICE! Looks like you have my Beast's younger brother.

Lets see a pic of "The Beast!"