kf6gsd

Years back, completed my 20 in the Navy, ended up doing clerk work (chose the wrong profession). Married,
my wife had a sister, Sister and I about same age. my spouse 10 years younger. Sister had a husband (I shudda married sister).
We were all in San Diego
Husband bought a Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2 from then-operated Zumwalts. Wife decided I needed a Schwinn
Super Le Tour 12.2. Why? Anything my sister-in-law's family could do, we could do, without having to go through
all they did to get where they were. (Trying to impress moneybags mother). We bought the identical black Schwinn
from the same place.
They bought a new truck (Ford Courier) with Camper package. We did too. (I don't know why...it was this
"Mother look at me!" thing.
I got talked into the regional Tecate-to-Ensenada 75-mile "fun" ride. He was going, I was expected...Mother's watching.
First long haul (for me) I ever done. This kid was working on hyper-drive adrenilin my first time out. Blew him and
his every-week 40-miler buddies out of the saddle. Weather great and following winds. Blondie was estatic. Mother
hated dusty Ensenada and all those beer drinkers.
He went on to a top-of-the-line Masi. Blondie said NO!!!! Schwinn ended up my sole transportation from out near
La Mesa, California, to downtown San Diego on a daily basis. Rode the bus on rainy days. Blondie need truck for her
transportation needs. 12 miles one-way. On the Schwinn.
Left the downtown "white collar" for a waterfront blue collar. Better pay, all things considered. Now we have
two young-uns. Found out aggressively I could not ride directly to the new job. Some neighborhoods just had a
nasty outlook on passers-through. Especially on the Schwinn.
Ride followed that same path as the downtown job, detouring to the waterfront/embarcadero to continue on to work.
15 miles one way. We moved up to another area known as Serra Mesa. Job hours moved to night shift. Job started at
3pm I left home at 12noon. Off at 11pm home between 2:30-3am. Rain or shine. On the Schwinn.
Made the second Tecate-Ensenada run. Winds were non-existent first half of run. After climbing up a stretch some
called the "8-mile grade to hell" we encountered head winds. The down slope normally is a virtual kamikazi suicide-run
with potential speeds between are-you-crazy and can-you-still-breathe. This event now seriously demanded feet on the pads
and strain to pedal into head winds that strong all the way down the grade. It was not abnormal for some venturers to
walk a piece on the uphill grade. This time, it was not surprising to see some walking down the hill leaning into the wind.
No more runs for me. On the Schwinn
Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2? Like the Model A, it did NOT know when to stop working.
We went our separate ways. I got to keep my military retirement and the Schwinn. Now, 25 years later, still have
my military retirement. You may never know how much I miss that Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2

East Hill

kf6gsd, you obviously have the heart and soul of a Classic & Vintage kinda guy. In fact, you can go over there and ogle all sorts of Super Le Tour beauties, so I would recommend that you immediately head over that way .


Welcome to BF, and feel free to PM me with any questions !

East Hill
Forum Moderator

GT2005

That Super LeTour must have been a nice bike! What size was it? I had a Schwinn Varisty that I had to part ways with a few years ago and while I enjoy the bikes I ride now, I still miss it. Welcome to Bike Forums! As East Hill suggested, you will like (or should anyway) the Classic and Vintage forum. -GT2005

kf6gsd

GT2005 IS ASKING ME WHAT SIZE THE SCHWINN SUPER LE TOUR 12.2. CAN'T TELL YOU. I'm 30" in
the middies off the ground. Dealer said this size will work. Ya know, both feet on the ground and no pain in the middle.
Unit was jet-black in color and never upgraded parts other than tires.
I see here a cryptic name oglala1927 has a silver mist. How do I manage a hello to find out more?
Raggy2

East Hill

Oglala_1927 has not been around for a while, but you can try sending him a PM here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/private.php?do=newpm&u=27956.

You could also throw up a thread in C & V, and see who responds.

East Hill