Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - What is a nice condition '78 Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2 worth?

I've been trying to read up on these forums about older Schwinn bikes. I have a guy selling a '78 Super Le Tour 12.2 in my town, and he is asking $250 for the bike. From what I've been reading, '78 is the last year bikes were made at the Chicago plant, but these SLT 12.2 came from Japan...right? His bike has a Zefal pump attached to the seat tube, a blackburn rack on the back, 27" tires, a good condition Avocet seat, upgraded seat post (whatever that means?), and new HP Schwinn sport tires. He is original owner and has taken good care of it (at least from the looks of it.) It appears to have the original Shimano shifters and shifters located on down tube.

So.......I need some feedback about the quality of these old Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2.....especially if you have one. How is the ride? Is this considered to be a bike that can be kept for another 35 years and upgraded (you know, I mean the 70s Schwinns typically weren't a bike that you would do upgrades on). Is this the type of bike that I could solo tour (light-medium touring) as well as the club ride too? I'm not the kind of guy that will have 3-4 bikes in my stable. I'm looking for a great bike (not just good bike) that I can ride/fix/upgrade/tinker with/love to death.

Anything you all can help a newer road biker out with would be appreciated. And, is the $250 price fair? I don't want to insult him either (especially if this SLT 12.2 is a quality bike). He seems like a nice man. Us nice guys gotta stick together :thumb: Thanks again.

Just realized that I should have posted this in the appraisal vintage section.....sorry. Still would like some feedback and background on the Super Le Tour 12.2 though :)

Moved here from C&V

that seems really high for that bike to me. In my estimation, that really isn't the kind of bike you would want to keep for many years. They were nice bikes, but near the bottom end.

Unless it is REALLY, REALLY NICE, I would think that the price is a bit high. It is a decent, solid bike, but there are a LOT of Japanese bikes of that era that you can get for a lot less, that are better. My 79 LeTour IV was only $25, but it needed a LOT of work. THe SUPER is a better bike than mine, but for $250 there are a lot of choices. Here is a link to a catalog page, with specs on her. http://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCat/flschwinn_1971_1980/1978x09.html

is it full chrome?

+1 That bike would have to be very nice to pull that kind of money , but not out of the question . If you look at it and like the way it fits and rides, offer him $225 and see what happens. That being said, as pointed out above , there are better bikes out there for the price. Mid to late '80s Schwinns are pretty good bikes (Passage comes to mind as a touring rig). Trek tourers are nice, but will usually cost you more money.

+2

$250 is too much for an SLT 12.2 unless it's in TRUE mint condition (brand new, never ridden.) I would put one in the $150 range around here in good workable condition.

Agreed, this is not a bike I would use as *the* bike for the next 35 years, I feel like there are a lot of better choices out there. If you're really planning to keep it that long, I'd recommend coughing up the dough for a nice Trek 520 or similar true touring bike.

Suitable for the next 35 years and continual upgrades? No. At the $250 mark, you should be able to find one of the mid to late 1980s Tenax frame Schwinns, which are worthy of upgrades. Shop hard, and you could find something even better, such as one of the Series Paramounts.

But for touring, you should consider one of the myriad of fine Japanese touring bikes out there, get one with canti brakes. If you shop hard, you can find them for $250 or less. I've found several for less than that amount. Market value on them is more like $350 to $400, until you get to the top of the line, and those go for more.

Over time, you are going to find that just one bike isn't going to do it. Fortunately, as you get proficient at spotting deals, you will be able to expand your fleet without a major impact to the budget.

My 1978 Schwinn SLT12.2 just sold $150. Excellent condition w/ working 2008 simple wired bike computer and rear rack. It was the best condition/quality 10-speed at the bike swap meet.
Had been hoping for a simple trade to a comparable bike in my size.