likebike23

I've been making progress on the 1970 SS above. It's down to the frame now, headset repacked, paint and chrome cleaned/polished/waxed. I had a question concerning the stem. I was told in the Schwinn forum that the original stem was a Pivo. I've also read somewhere that the stem is 21.1mm. My bike had a 22mm stem in there. Was the original Pivo stem on 1970 Super Sports French sized or could I have a replacement fork? I tried a few 22.2mm stems I had in my bin and some were too large, but as luck would have it one of my SR stems fit perfectly.

Metacortex

The original stem was AVA, and was 21.1mm. It sounds like your SS had the fork, stem and handlebars replaced at some point in the past.

zukahn1 

If you have a fork that takes 22.2 stem even if a tight fit this does mean as said that the fork was replaced, likely to accomedate different stem handlebars and likely front brake. This is very common on single speed conversions about one in 4 I see have a none original fork. Not a big deal if they used a nice fork just means you won't be able to bring back the bike to original without a lot off work parts. If you found a stem and bars that work nice with the current fork and the headsets good I would just go with it wouldn't make sense to change back.

likebike23

I must've flaked out on the Pivo stem, I was told it was an AVA, my bad. Anyway, I double checked the stems and one was tight because the wedge is large. The steerer is 22.2mm, so I guess it's a replacement. There's no evidence of crash damage to the frame and it has a nice bend, so it is what it is. Thanks for the info guys.

punkinevil

This was in my mailbox this week.

Jeff Wills

OMG! A flamingo Superior!

(If anyone ever finds a 26" flamingo Superior... I want it. I want it bad.)

Metacortex

Very nice, looks to be all original except for the saddle. That's a small 22" frame, if you really ride it with the saddle that high a 24" or even 26" frame might be a better fit.

zukahn1 

Sorry but if I find one in my size 25/26 inch classic I'm likely keeping it.

Oldairhead 

Here is my Sports Tourer, a 1973, original and complete, though not finished or assembled. I actually bought the bike for $50 just for the saddle, a Brooks B-15. I'm not really a Schwinn guy but I seem to have a couple of them now.

Jeff Wills

I'll trade you my green Superior once I'm finished restoring it plus what ever you want.

likebike23

I'm just about done with the 1970 SS I picked up about a month ago, the pedals need to be cleaned up and regreased, but that's about it. The bike came to me with some non original parts and I made a few changes, but tried to keep it true to the original spirit of the bike. The derailleurs are an era correct Suntour GT rear and a Suntour Spirt front. The Spirt derailleur took a bit of dremelling and filing of the clamp to fit, and I must say it shifts pretty well with it's funky high normal design. I went for an hour long ride last night and my first impression was that it was faster than such a heavy bike should be. I'm not saying it's a speed demon, but it moves along quite well, I think I'm going to like it.

pastorbobnlnh 

Beautiful!!!

likebike23

Thanks PB, yours isn't too shabby either.

schwinn499

Reading through this tread again, some more really cool bikes. Want to contribute some new stuff and hopefully spark some new interest in the thread as its one of my favorite subjects...

My finished 1968 Sierra Brown Super Sport


And my current project is a 1964 Radiant Coppertone Super Sport

daf1009

Both are BEAUTIFUL bikes!

Sierra

Yup...beautiful!
The fork on the '68 is to kill for! Seems like the chrome forks on these earlier fillet brazed bikes is a real weak point with them. I probably have close to ten of them, and not one has good chrome on it.

Fissile

I have a Superior frame made in 1978, the last year they were made. I could never understand why Schwinn made the Super Sports. They hung the really horrid Varsity/Continental components on a really good handmade frame. I'm surprised they sold any. A serious cyclist would not be interested in such a beast, but to the Varsity/Continental buyer it would have appeared no different except for the higher cost.

Metacortex

When the Super Sport replaced the Superior in '64 it fit perfectly within the Schwinn product line in-between the Sierra (aka Super Continental) and the Paramount. While they didn't sell nearly as many as the electro-forged Varsity and Continental, the fillet-brazed Super Sport was clearly a successful model for Schwinn:



When first offered I do believe the Super Sport was a bike a "serious cyclist" would have been interested in. However during the model run from '64 to '74 the Super Sport was not significantly changed except to be made heavier by adding a chain guard, kickstand, stem shifters and brake extension levers. By 1974 it was bloated and long in the tooth, which is undoubtedly why Schwinn replaced it with the Le Tour that year. Similarly in '76 the Sports Tourer was de-contented (kickstand, chain guard, extension levers deleted and shifters reverted back to the downtube) and renamed as the Superior.

Most would agree in hindsight that Schwinn should have been more proactive about reducing weight and building mass-market lugged frames, but the '60s and early '70s were boom times and the success they had during those years was not conducive to making changes, at least not for Schwinn.

BFisher

November of 72 Super Sport:
_UXPpktbkg8Gttrdr3pG0V1uIB8NMj2ck_Vd2nPOTug=w980-h652-no
Kjo4sYAyTuXrsz5Ibrvab20GqAIHEjRj0Jh_ievj42k=w980-h652-no

Original frame, fork, headset, seatpost and clamp, Weinmann center pulls, stem and bars.
New Weinmann LP18 700c Wheelset w/ Sunrace 7sp. freewheel.
Sunrace 7sp. rear index DT shifters, Shimano Light Action RD, LeTour FD (from a '78 LeTour III).
Truvativ BB adapter with a Sugino Mighty Comp. crankset w/ BB.
Ideale No.45 saddle, Fizik perforated bar wrap, Weinmann drillium brake levers with new VO white hoods.
Cables are Jagwire (housings are a tad long, but i like them and function is smooth).
The indexing works great, so far. The color theme is hot fudge sundae with a cherry on top. The ride is sweet!
Enjoy!

Darth Lefty 

Bumping this thread to ask a question. How long are these bikes? I've read about the frame size "change" where they just changed the nomenclature from center-center to center-top, and I've read about the 73-deg angles and 2" rake. But I can't find anything stating how long they are. I now have a 56cm, 73-73 Cannondale that seems like it ought to sit just like the 22" Super Sport that I used to have, but it seems longer than my SS did, even with a shorter stem.

Hudson308 

Are you asking about wheelbase length, or total length including tires?

Metacortex

There never was a change in measuring, they were always c-t. Some of the EF models changed size designations (without changing actual size) in '71, perhaps that is what you were thinking about.

The fillet-brazed models had a 41" wheelbase* (22" and 24" frames). The 22" and 24" frames had 22.5" top tubes, while the 26" frames had a 24.5" top tube, so the wheelbase on those would be about 2" longer.

*As indicated by Schwinn (May '73 Reporter), however I measured 40-3/4" on mine, and 42-3/4" on the 26" frame models.

Darth Lefty 

Top tube. @Metacortex got it as usual. Thanks! But it doesn't explain my dang Cannondale Maybe it's the seat post topper.

Parabolous

I'll have to add some pictures of my '76 Superior to this thread soon! Subbing for now!

Jeff Wills

I have two projects in the works:
The 26" Superior has a 24" top tube
The 24" Super Sport has a 22" top tube
Both measured center-to-center.