Steve Whitlatch 

I picked up a 1980 Schwinn Voyageur dirt cheap. It is pretty dirty, has some rust and a small dent in the top bar. Everything is original except instead of the shimano Altus Lt rear derailleur, it has a Suntour Superbe rear deraillur. I paid $35. The paint is a bit ruff and the name decals have been removed. Date on the front badge is 3199. Link to catalog specs https://www.bikecatalogs.org/SCHWINN/...LL/1980_10.JPG

Steve Whitlatch 

For $ 35 I figured I could at least use the Superbe on my Prelude or even sell it on ebay. Not sure if the Gold Shimano Freewheel will fit on my Prelude though. That would look pretty.

oddjob2

Nice score, heckuva deal. That dent will hurt resale by about ten percent, but really, for $35 with a Superbe?

Steve Whitlatch 

Yes I thought so. I drove an hour and a half on a hunch. This was the craigslist add. https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwi/bik/4131657849.html
I was a bit disappointed when I first looked at the bike but then I noticed the Superbe. I also bought an Activa 200 Univega Tange Cromoly 21 speed Hi bred that needs new tires and some TLC for $25 off of him. The bikes have been in his garage a long long time.

oddjob2

I sold this overhauled Activa Trail earlier this year for $175.00

Steve Whitlatch 

That`s a sweet looking bike!! Mine is not that nice. It has some scrapes and rust spots I need to hit. I do not think It will look as good as that though. I will post a picture after I get the cob webs and 12 year old dirt off of it.

Gravity Aided

Fixing a Voyageur up myself. Great ride and a great bicycle, mine is a huge frame, but also has dents in the top tube. I think someone in Illinois was running around, denting Voyageurs.

Steve Whitlatch 

The thought of someone denting Voyageurs.... he should have his legs broken. LOL

I hope you post some pictures?

jjames1452 

Agreed about denting Voyageurs. They are addicitve. I have faster bikes, but tend to pull the Voyageurs out of the rack to ride.

I have an '81 chrome, '84 and this '85. (the bike is better than the picture and yes I adjusted the seat before riding)


I saw you had a '77 Le Tour II. I included a picture of my favorite bike - a '77 Super Le Tour 12.2.

Steve Whitlatch 

Sweet bikes. The 77 Le Tour`s are so sweet looking with the red mixed with all that chrome.

RaleighSport

So are you going to fix it up OP?

Steve Whitlatch 

I am going to fix it up for my wife. The frame is to small for me. If she does not like it after it is done I guess I will search for a rear derailleur that matches the rest of the original set and sell it. I may just do that anyway and throw the Superbe on my Prelude even if I keep it. My wife will never know the difference.

The Golden Boy 

I think there's a tiny dent in the top tube of my Voyageur... and it was an Illinois bike... hmmm...

RaleighSport

I'm telling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously though, good plan.

Gravity Aided

This is an 11.8. I believe it is 1981, and the paint was a bad rattle-can job. It's going navy gray now, which looks cool with the chrome on the bicycle.

Steve Whitlatch 

Navy Gray will look nice. I am going to stay with the black on mine. I need to get some new decals for it. Do you know if the SCHWINN decal was red or red & white ?

Gravity Aided

https://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1...0/1981_08.html
Red, with white outline on the Schwinn. Getting decals is iffy, though, but Ebay has some, I think.

Steve Whitlatch 

Thanks. I thought so but needed to be sure before I purchased them.

Steve Whitlatch 

One more question. The gold color freewheel cassette on my rim has some spots where the color has worn off. Is that gold metallic paint on it or some kind of platting? Can I use gold paint to touch it up?

Gravity Aided

I would think that anything like that which is not anodized would just wear off in contact with the chain. The chains' outer plates were gold colored also, originally.

Steve Whitlatch 

Got her cleaned up and rolling.

Steve Whitlatch 

Now I need new tires.