striker_dj

I just picked up an old Schwinn LeTour for $10.99 at a thrift store on my way home from work. I don't know much about the LeTour (anything really), but wanted to get an old bike that I could use to really teach myself about some bike maintenance and maybe turn it into a commuter, or just something to ride around the block.

I bought some new tubes thinking the current ones weren't going to hold air. I tried to take the tires off, but it seemed like it was attached to the rim on one side and just wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be so I just pumped them up as they were. I doubt there will be much air left tomorrow morn. cleaned up the chain a little bit and it rode pretty nicely around the block for me.

I don't know what I'm gonna do with the bike now. I thought about building this bike into the commuter instead of buying a hybrid next year for that purpose. Maybe I'll just leave it as is and use it just for cruising around the neighborhood. Here are some pics. Just wanted to show off my purchase and maybe see what anyone else would do with an old LeTour.



They also had a Schwinn Sprint there which I would have bought as well, but that one was not in quite as good shape as the LeTour was. I wouldn't be riding the Sprint today if I had bought it. I would like to get a road bike to work on as well, maybe I'll stop and get the Sprint tomorrow or sometime next week. Or would I be better off just paying a couple hundred for a used road bike at a LBS? Is the Sprint a decent bike?

Sorry if this belongs in a different forum, I wasn't sure which to post to.

mike

Well, you have a Japanese made Le Tour. It says so on the bike. These are pretty sought after these days. I am not sure what kind of steel your frame is, but the components should be pretty nice alloy components.

You got an excellent buy. I am sure you could turn around and sell it for $150 or more.

Sadly, the handlbars and the saddle you have now are not original.

The old tires are 'melted' onto your rim. A bit of muscle will get them off.

Be sure to check the rims to see if they have a flange for wire beaded tires. If not, you will have to either change the rims/wheels or get tires that are appropriate for 70 psi. More than 70 psi and you will blow the tires right off your rim. It took me a lot of tubes to figure that out.

USAZorro

I converted the one I bought at auction for $6.00 to a fixed gear. $150.00 you say mike? I may need to change it back and sell it.

striker_dj

Thanks for the info.

On my 2nd ride I noticed the rear wheel was rubbing on the frame a little bit. I loosened it and tried to straighten it out, but I think something is bent cause I couldn't get both side to go all the way onto the frame as it seemed it should. I hope its not the frame, I assume that would be much harder to fix and/or drop the value of the bike if I was going to sell it.

LastPlace

I need to find thrift shops like that in my area.

It would be great to have somethng like that to work on during the winter.

Congrats. Can I ask where you live striker_dj?

striker_dj

I live in Moorhead MN, got the bike in Fargo, ND --> right across the river.

LastPlace

Thanks. I live in what is probably a larger area and I have yet to find anything resembling the deal you got.

Enjoy.

mike

Catch the new craze, maaan. Le Tour flippin'.

raverson

I picked up this Super Le Tour at a garage sale last weekend. Missing the front wheel, but came with a trainer for $30. The frame is a tad small for me at 21 inches, but after getting it home and ID'ing it on Scoopers Schwinn catalog scans, I just have to ride it.

well biked

Is that one an '82? I've got an '82 Super le tour that looks exactly like that, even the same size. I've also got an '83 le tour luxe and an '84 le tour.

McDave

A fixie? That instantly triples the value to $450!!!

stringbreaker

Send It To Me

evwxxx

In the OP's 3rd pic from the left, does the rear (non-drive side) dropout appear to be bent to you guys, or is it just me?

stringbreaker

Kinda looks like it. Hard to tell it sort of drops out of the picture. It could be straightened though

solveg

OK. HOW DO YOU GUYS SEE THIS???

You can barely see it! That, and the bent fork thing has me totally baffled. I always any weirdness like that up to the angle of the photo or the lens length (which distorts items).

Tell me your secrets. Your many, many secrets.

Edit: Oh, wait! I was looking at the wrong photo. It shows in the photo of the badge, right? It bends out.... but that fork juju you guys got going still* needs explaining.

striker_dj

something down there is bent for sure. I can't get the rear wheel lined up strait. I'll try to get some better pictures of it early next week (I'm out of town this weekend) so maybe someone could tell how easy or hard a fix it could be.

striker_dj

you can't tell anything from the pictures, but somewhere on the rear of the frame it is bent. I can't get the wheel on straight. Is that something that could be easy to fix?

evwxxx

With the stamped dropouts if it is just the dropout that is bent, it could be bent back in shape. If it is rear chain stays or seat stays, it could possibly be fixed, but needs to be done by a bike shop with proper tools.

Sluggo

This is an inexpensive bike with not-so-nice, part alloy components and probably low-end frame tubing. There may be Schwinn fans out there to whom it is worth $150, but I would not pay that much for it. It is, however, worth fixing up to ride.

And by the way, the rack is sitting on the rear brake straddle cable, which means the brake probably barely works.