Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I have a love affair with the 62'-63' Schwinn Superior. I've been totally infatuated with them for a long time now. I've never ridden one, never even seen one in the flesh but I think they're the bee's knees.

Can you help satisfy my craving and show me your 60's Schwinn Superior?


70's Superiors are neat, but Need not apply here.

Ciufalon

I've never seen one either, but they look like nice bikes. The thing I find odd is that the 1962 catalog list the Superior as having 15 speed gears! Did they even have triple cranks back then? Did it have an IGH?

Scooper

They used a Huret long cage RD and a five cog freewheel. The triple crank x 5 cogs = 15 speeds.

dck

Here's my '63 Superior. I'm the original owner.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Oh sweet lord YES.

I love that Triple one-piece crankset.

Maddox

There was one on my local Craigs for $100 for about a day, and it was snatched before I could get to it. From the photos (which I regretfully failed to save) it appeared to have the original saddle and bartape.

One of the few near misses which have stuck with me...I really wish I'd been on it quicker.

Maddox

Sweet jebus that's a beautiful color. Is it original or a repaint?

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I saw a purple one with a full chrome fork a while ago. I didn't know if it was a replacement fork or original.

Rabid Koala

Mmmmmmm, I love the chrome rear stays on anything, but they look so GOOD on a Schwinn!

JunkYardBike

What's the matter, don't like how drop bars look on them either?

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

nah, i just don't wanna see any wannabe paramounts.

dck

The paint and decals are original. The only modification are the rims and tires. I re-laced the wheels for sew-ups shortly after I got it. Those were the first wheels I built almost 50 years ago. The '60's Superiors came with an aluminum spoke protector the same size as the 28 tooth cog in the back. I also removed that when I re-built the rear wheel. Other than that the only stuff that was changed was brake pads, cables, bartape, hoods, etc. Saddle is original. I ran a Suntour RD for a while, but put the Huret back on.

Roll-Monroe-Co

Sweet mother is that ever beautiful.

Roll-Monroe-Co

Is that really just, like, an Alvit on that amazing bike?

pastorbobnlnh 

I'd settle for a '60s Superior, but I'd trade my '66 Paramount straight up for a pre 1960 Superior. I don't know why, I just would.

Roll-Monroe-Co

I loooove lugs. Don't get me wrong.

But those fat, voluptuous fillets with the mouthwatering schwinn paint colors somehow fill me with an unwholesome desire to spend my wife's paycheck.

Scooper

It's called a "Huret Deluxe Allvit" rear derailleur in the 1962 Parts & Accessories catalog.

pastorbobnlnh 

Were these pre-Suntour? At least in the U.S.?

Roll-Monroe-Co

Not in listed in Disraeli Gears. Just marketing fluff?

schwinnderella

I had a new deluxe allvit,it had more chrome and the chrome seemed to be of a higher quality.Mine was missing a small part and it still sold for around $160.00 on ebay.

Scooper

I believe so, Bob. According to several sources, Suntour invented the slant parallelogram RD in 1964, and I believe that's when Schwinn and other U.S. bike manufacturers took notice. Before 1964, U.S. manufacturers were buying mostly Simplex, Campagnolo, and Huret.

noglider 

Um. Do I see tubular tires on a bike with a one-piece crank? That's a first for me. But yes, it is beautiful. I didn't know about these. And that derailleur is special.

Sierra

Stan,
The r.der. on mine is not a long cage. It's just the standard Allvit. The long cage is not needed as the "granny" ring has 40 teeth(40/47/52).

Here is one of my '62 in Radiant Gold. Not the same as Coppertone if you look at them side by side. Note full chrome fork which is correct for '62. The '63 model like member dck's bike had the chromed "socks" and they seem to be much more rare for some reason. Bar & stem on this bike are not original but everything else pretty much is. Forgive the chain sag but I store my bikes in the small/small combo to relieve tension on the r.der. and forgot to move out of that when I shot the photo.



Here is another '62 model in Terra Cotta(same color as his '63)that I bought from member dck. Regretfully it is the 24" frame, a bit too big for me although I can ride them ok, and is still hanging as a frameset awaiting reconstuction with more correct parts. This is dck's photo of the bike from when I bought it from him.



I also have a '62 frameset(22") in Violet that will by next project. I plan to use a bottom bracket converter and replace the godawful heavy steel one piece triple crank with TA Pro 5 vis triple rings mounted to Stronglight 49 arms. Rings will be 47/52 with either a 28t or 32t granny(they are what I have on hand). I will graft the long cage from a later Allvit onto the earlier model to achieve the needed chain wrap capacity. Haven't checked yet to see if the original Huret 600 f.der. will handle the smaller granny ring.

JohnnyBee

Very nice ! It looks just like my 76 Superior except mine came factory with a 3-piece crank.


Johnnybee.

Scooper

You're right, Eric. Mea Culpa.