jungwiar

You guys are making me jealous - I think I missed this first year, Japanese LeTour...
https://madison.craigslist.org/bik/774564943.html

Not that I NEED another Schwinn (daily ride is World Sport, "Weekend" ride a '72 Sports Tourer) - just thought this looked like a nice one in my size...

rumrunn6

Hey jungwiar, My LeTour is light blue too! I wonder if it is a '73 as well ...?

beakgeek

The color is called pearlescent orange. I own this 1977 Volare in the same color. People out riding always stop me to check it our since it is a unique color.



I found this a frame and fork only. I'm riding it fixed right now, but will eventually restore it to original.....one of these days.

BobHufford

I'm not sure when the Mississippi production of Le Tours kicked in (this whole '80s Schwinn era is a mystery), but they were Chicago built in '79 and '80 and then went back to Japan.

Bob

pjohn12

New to the C&V forum, but I re-aquired an 83 Super Le Tour recently and am getting back in road shape. I actually bought it for 200...in 1989, rode it for a year, got my driver's license and it's been collecting dust for the past 18 years in my father's/brother in law's garage. Appears to be 4130 steel, and the headbadge says Chicago. Kind of excited to put it together as I've been bitten by the bike bug in the past year (this will now be my third bike). It occured to me that this is the same material that Surly's are made from. So why, I ask, would you purchase a Surly when there are so many dirt cheap old bikes out there with equivilant or better frames? I no longer know.

Brunsi

Here is my new winter project, Probably paid a little to much for it but I love the color and the frame only has minor scratches. picked it up tuesday and already started the strip and clean process. any comments from the le tour experts out there are welcome.

Bikedued

Okay you must tell us, where did you find the time machine??,,,,BD

brandenjs

From that picture I would'nt think the clean up would take very long. That bike looks like it's fresh off the line..I hope you're about 6'3" or so that's one tall frame..

CACycling

Looks like my '77. Well, it looks like my '77 looked 30 years ago. Nice find.

fearfeasog

resuscitating an old thread, but i'm buying an '87 le tour from a friend, picking it up tomorrow. like this onein white...i'm pretty psyched! its pretty.

_rex

i love my le tours as well. doesn't impress anyone...until they ride 'em. '74 in yellow, and a '78 super le tour. learned how to work on bikes with those two.

thorsteno

Wow. Some good looking bikes on this thread. I just received my wife's childhood Le Tour and plan to update and clean it up for her. A quick question about the serial number. I was able to figure out it was the 4752nd bike made in APR 1970 but don't know what the first number means. It's a Japanese mixte. SN 7D04752. Maybe the first number is part of 1970? Any suggestions for updating? I plan to toss the steel Araya rims for starters.

rumrunn6

not sure why I'm posting the picture - it's not like it's all cleaned up shiny and new ... it's my commuter and I beat the cr*p out of it ...

bcoppola

Woohoo! Another excuse to post my updated '85 Super Le Tour!

Updated = 700c Mavic/Shimano wheels (got 'em free!), 8 speed Shimano HG cassette, Nashbar Look-compatible pedals.



I'll soon be adding a Nitto Technomic Deluxe stem so my aging bod can stay in the drops for more than a few minutes.

BobHufford

This uses the Japanese serial number scheme where the first number is the last digit of the year and the second (letter) is the month. It could be a '77 or '87 (check out the '87 up above, if it's not similar in decal style, then it is probably a '77).

I'd link you to the '77 catalog page, but the Schwinn Lightweight Data Book site is broken right now.

https://www.geocities.com/sldatabook/...l#1977letourii

Here is the '87:

https://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1...0/1987_08.html

Is there a light, four-digit stamping in the headbadge? That would be the assembly date code (1st three digits are the ordinal day of the year, the last digit is the last digit of the year).

Nice of you to fix up the bike!

Bob

rumrunn6

I'm kinda crushin' on that black rim! Black is a good accent color for red. I have a red Varsity that would like black rims very much. Alas it might have to wait another 30 years ... LOL

thorsteno

Thank you BobHufford. She got it in 1979 so that answers '77 vs. '87. I'll post up before and after pics someday.

bcoppola

Thanks - actually it's that anodized bronze (brown) color - doesn't quite show in that photo. But it looks good with the red as well. Wish the rims matched but, hey, they were free.

ricksey

Hi all, I just picked up what looks to be a 1974 Le Tour. Seems to be in pretty good shape. I was under the impression this bike would weigh in at around 30 pounds, but we weighed it at the local shop and it was closer to 39.

So, here is my question: is it worth upgrading to a decent, all be it heavier road bike? Or would I be best served switching it to a single speed daily bike and continue my quest for a road bike to fix up?

And do people leave the kick stands on these things? Thanks.

Scooper

Either the bike shop's scale is off or somebody poured molten lead into the seat tube.

Schwinn has always published realistic weight numbers, and the catalog lists the weight of the '74 Le Tour as 30-32 pounds depending on frame size and kickstand.

rumrunn6

I have LeTour and it is lighter than my Varsity. I've really enjoyed both but I'm keeping my eye out for a Super LeTour which is supposed to be lighter. I'm also considering a Trek 1.5 and a Fuji Touring.

You've got a nice old bike. Fix it up and enjoy it for what it's worth. I doubt it will be the last or only bike you buy.

ricksey

First off, those old catalog photos are fantastic. I was 4 when that came out, but I miss those days. I've ridden the bike several miles, rides great, smooth as can be. Still debating single speed vs. just fixing it up. I could, since it needs a complete going over anyway, strip it down, single speed it and hold onto the original parts to switch it back at a later date.

On another note, it's getting obnoxious the amount people are asking for these old treasures. Start hoarding what you can, then sell before the bike bubble bursts the way real estate has.

frenchy

Stan: I have a ladies Letour touring bike and the only numbers on it are on the right rear dropout V490555. On the rear hub it is stamped
Schwinn LeTour Japan and under that is stamped Y H. What year is it? The V has me stumped.


Rick the Bikeman

Hummer

Hi Rick,

welcome to the forum.

From the serial number: The "V" probably indicates that the frame was made late in the year. The "4" is for the year of frame manufacture, 1974.

The bicycle is probably 1975 model year.

Here is another that might be a match for your schwinn.

Help Identifying Japanese Schwinn Le Tour 'Mixte' - Bike Forums

Snugs

It’s a orange schwinn le tour not sure the year on it serial number. Is f725193