pastorbobnlnh 

The CL Superior might just be the '81-83 "Baby Paramount" version made by Don M. out of left over Chicago Paramount 531 tubing and Nervex lugs (not fillet brazed). If so, that's a great deal!

top506

I used that very concept to explain my 32 pound SS.
"It's not a Corvette; it's a Cadillac!".







Top

vonfilm 

That is a beautiful KoolLemon Super Sport!

pastorbobnlnh 

And hopefully this coming April, Top506 will add a certain '65 SS in Radiant Coppertone to his bike barn.

Vonfilm, you asked if a certain naysayer had ever ridden a Schwinn fillet brazed bike. I doubt it, yet I'm not certain. I can attest that this poster has been raining on C&V members' "happy" parade for years. I'm certain I could go back and find such comments when I was building Sporty. He doesn't like what I usually have to say and even when asked a civil question for clarification on one of his posts, doesn't usually respond. Check out this thread: "SA TCW-III: Am I a Fool?" Go down to the last few posts on the first page. There was no response. Which leads me to believe, this poster just likes to be critical just because he can and for no other reason.

Now back to our regular scheduled program: Have any of these great examples given you any ideas for inspiration? Might you expand your search and include also the SS & ST in your hunt for a new canvas upon which to "paint" you next dream?

Hudson308 

I believe you are correct. CL posts of this bike going back to last summer showed pics of a dark gray bike with Nervex lugs. It's a medium-smallish frame, say 51cm, so I haven't been interested.

Chrome Molly

Been waiting to see that one again since it left my basement. Figured you were still collecting some of the bits for it :-)

Hudson308 

PastorBob provided a silky 14-34T Suntour Pro Compe freewheel for it, as the original skip-tooth versions were made from unobtainium. Since this will be more of a nice period piece vs. a factory-correct resto, about all I have left to source is a right side Stronglight Competition English-threaded BB cup. I'm using a 52/42 Stronglight 93 crankset on this one. Now if it would only stay warm enough (heh) for me to do some soda-blasting in the alley, I could run this frame over to Doug's. Then it would be "golden".

vonfilm 

Pastorbob,
You are right. There are some with negative tendencies and there will always be the Schwinn haters. I would also buy a Sports Touring if I found one or a ladies SuperSport for Mrs. vonfilm. I have never seen a ST or Superior in person or for sale in Austin. I will watch ebay for one but I won't pay an outragous price for one. I would rather find one in cosmetically challenged condition and make it my own since I would not be building it back to stock. A Schwinn Superior my size remains a grail bike for me as does a Paramount. One day my Schwinn will come.

unworthy1

now I'm bumping and updating the pic with an up-to-date shot that shows the current condition...it's not much of an improvement, but it's got a chain, working brakes and toeclips/straps.
I'm open to offers...

vonfilm 

Now that the ice has been broken with some Super Sports, I think I will bring out my 73 shamelessly for show and tell. This is a Super Sport for the Francophile's among us. It has a Stronglight 99 tiple crankset, Lyotard pedals, a Huret Eco-Duopar rear derailleur, Velo-Orange Portier bars, Guidonnet levers and VO high flanged hubs. It now has a 34 tooth rear cog instead of the 38 pictured.

0430201173SS 071 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 073 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 074 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 077 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 124 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 093 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 095 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 131 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 130 by vonfilm, on Flickr

0430201173SS 076 by vonfilm, on Flickr

pastorbobnlnh 

vonfilm---- FANTASTIC SS!!!!! Perfect example of how a great blank canvas can be transformed into a work of art!

vonfilm 

Thank you for the kind words.

Metacortex

That is very nice Vonfilm! If you don't mind sharing I'd love to hear about how you did the paint and decals, is that powder coat? Is there a reason you didn't reinstall the chrome cap on the fork crown? What headset did you use? TIA.

vonfilm 

Metacortex.
I stripped the frame with paint stripper and steel wool. I had it painted by an automotive body shop in the Mercedes-Benz color "Mars Red" I got the decals from Velocals when he could still make Schwinn decals. The body shop clearcoated over the decals. My fork crown was in kind of rough condition and I thought it a kind of cheesy item anyway. I don't remeber what headset I used. It was probably some sort of "old school BMX" headset.

The crankset was NOS that I got off ebay UK. The brakeset, rear derailleur, and Lyotard pedals were NOS off ebay USA. I polished them with Simichrome.

Assembly was done by my friendly LBS, "The Pedaler" The bike was originally light blue. I purchased it new in 1975 and rode it through high school and college where it was my main or only transportation for many years.

reggieob

Some of mine - 76 Superior (bought as frame/fork and built up as a ss), 77 Superior and the 72 and 72/73 Super Sports. Still looking for a 26" Sports Tourer!

Metacortex

Thanks for the details! It is really cool that you had it from new. Did the body shop put the decals on for you, or did you put them on and then return the frame to them for clearcoating?

I was just on the Velocals site, it appears they might actually be back in the Schwinn decal business?: https://www.velocals.com/servlet/the-...r-decal/Detail

oldbikenewbike

Ironically, I have two Sports Tourers. One in the same green as above and one in orange. BOTH are 26'' frames, and believe me, it took a while to find. I just finished applying new white decals and orange tape to the orange one. I'll try to get some pics as soon as I can.

vonfilm 

The body shop applied the decals and clearcoated them.
I hope your right about Schwinn decals at Velocals. I could use a set for an 87 Super Sport that I just completed.

The Golden Boy 

That thing looks like nothing but FUN!!!

cyclotoine

+1 actually, and those ugly bullet type stay tops stick out like a sore thumb. In 1930 it is one thing (that old superior is quite cool) but in the 1970s? These bikes were examples of Schwinn's lack of understanding where the market was going.

I am however impressed by a nice fillet brazed frame and it really is an art. But these old schwinns are industrial not art.

KerryP

Between Super Sports and Sports Tourers I’m upto five and my wife has a Super Sport. I’ve also got a fillet brazed Paramount.

The Lemon ’71 is being hot rodded. I felt a little bad about chopping it up since you don’t see many forged drop out 71’s but there are others. The ST is my most recent FB score. I got it from a forum member when we swapped Paramount frames. It’s nice for its age but compared to the rest of his stuff just not nice enough to be in his collection.

vonfilm 

The fillet brazed Schwinns were the end of an era where hand made fillet brazing was still economically feasible for a reasonably priced mass market bike. Check out what a fillet brazed bike costs today. During this period Schwinn was phasing out these lines. They were not the vision of the future. The mid to late 70's brought a new line of popular lugged frame bikes like the World Voyageur.

When the paint was off my Super Sport frame, the brazing was quite neatly done, certainly not ugly blobs of brass.

Schwinn adjusted quite well going into the 80's with some wonderful lightweights that are prized today. Witness the Peloton, Prologue, Circuit, Super Sport, Tempo, etc.

I like the bullet top stays also.

Jeff Wills

Oh, hot diggity! Just what I need...

67tony 

Here's my '73 Super Sport, with a full Suntour Sprint groupset. Even with the Brooks saddle and custom water bottle holders, it weighs in at about 26 lbs.

Not the lightest bike out there, but it rides like a dream!

vonfilm 

67tony,
Your Super Sport is stunning! And at 26 lbs it is getting very light.

What would Super Sport weigh with a lightweight groupset like this and Titanium railed saddle and tubulars?