robtown

I've heard of a single letter code but I don't know about this one. Given the Tenax tubing I'm guessing 87 but maybe she's from the 70's. She's got non-areo brakes with drillum, and cyclone friction down tube shifters. Narrow bars. Nice caged pedals; fluted seat post and nasty suede saddle.

I got this beautiful frame from a craigslister - Darryl. He likes fixing and selling bikes - and may join our little club.
I had to have her because she reminded me of a Schwinn Premis (Tenax tubing and all). Unfortunately her Cyclone RD is bent - and so is the hanger. She deserves to have the dura-ace downshifters and RD I have in storage and the mavic 700c wheelset I"m currently using on my commuter. Unfortunately she is 23" and my smallest ride is 23.5".

couleeman

HOLY COW! That sir, is an 86 model in gunmetal. I have the same and have owned her since new but, judging from these pics, yours looks like it was mothballed from new. Ive never seen a better example.

You can find NOS cyclone derailleurs on ebay if you search long enough. That drivetrain will shock you in terms of smooth shifting. The rims were originally 27 inch wienmann on Malliard atom hubs (no good, dont bother). The original rims were silver, and that bartape looks original to me (hard to believe) especially compared to the hoods that also look spankin new. WOW!

There is a site with the catalog page in this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/309930-cooper-schwinn-catalog-collection-1980-1996-a.html

Ive kicked around selling mine but, well, Im sentimental about it. Unless someone got really excited about it, Id just assume keep it.

IM almost afraid to ask what you got it for....

robtown

Your bike is stunning!

I paid all I had left in my wallet - $60 for the Prelude. I had paid $72 for the 88 Schwinn premise, 62cm; this one is 59cm. I really miss the Premis, that I sold for my out-of-pocket costs of $200. I had put shellac blue tape on her.
I have some dura-ace shifters and RD I could use. I'm also running a dura-ace hub/8spd cassette, and mavic open cd 700 wheels on my commuter Fuji. They would go wonderfully; but damn I like them on the Fuji. Or I could go with the short cage Suntour VT Luxe RD taken off my Raleigh (I have a long cage also). She's probably too small on me but I'll find out. My Fuji is a 58cm and fits fine.

rsd212

*Jealous* I have the '86 Prelude in Light Blue, would love the gunmetal. Hey, while we're here, anybody know if the Suntour Accushift indexed downtube shifters work for these bikes? Keep seeing them on ebay, but I've been told the indexed shifters often dont match up.

Good find though, I'm loving my bike, especially the San Marco suede seat.

robtown

I liked the San Marco saddle on my Premise - at least for 30 miles or less. You don't move around unless you want to This one is ratty, dirty, and torn.
The Premis had indexed 6 speed Acushift. They worked with the original suntour freewheel and with the nickel plated one I bought from Nashbar for $20. I've gone through heck trying to put suntour (or dura-ace) downtube shifters on my 73 Raleigh [came with simplex crap]. It doesn't have braze-ons so I need a clamp - and none have worked. I just best-offered a set of friction suntour shifters w/clamp and may just use them in friction mode. The two wheelsets, skinny/wide will have a 7spd shimano mega-freewheel and a 7 spd cassette respectively. I don't expect that to match up with the accushift in 7 speed mode.