A World Voyager came in for repair today. Have not laid eyes on one of these since the late 70's. What a treat! Chrome head lugs, fork ends, rear drop outs. Shimano bar end shifters and Crane drive train. Wanted to take the bar ends off for a restoration I have going! Everything other than the tires was original on the bike, even the saddle. Shimano large flange hubs with those very large and beautiful triangular shaped cutouts in the flanges. Thought about offering some money for the bike, but the guy is using it for commuting this summer so it will be honored by being used for a good purpose.


Besides, I need another resto project like I need another hole in my head.

I have a '72. Far from original though. Only the frame set.

Pity you couldn't take a few snaps of it! I would love to own one of those myself. What front DR was the rear Crane paired with? Titlist?

Panasonic did a fantastic job on the World Voyager for Schwinn back then, opening the flood gates for imported models.
A high spec frameset in fashionable Kool colors w/ with the 1st DA crankset, slick Crane GS derail and QC/QA unmatched by the Euros at an unbeatable price.

Good to hear that one is still in regular service.

-Bandera

Awesome frame. Completely chromed under the paint. I had an orange one and I liked the handling a lot. It was heavy though, and my 53cm frame had a 57cm top tube. I figured it was perfect to use with north road bars and a normal length stem.

That is very surprising. The original Fujita Seamless Super Y.F.C saddle rarely survives on these!

The wheels were likely replacements as the original hubs had oval cutouts:

That bike was a beauty. Beautiful Japanese workmanship and a bike built to last.

That sounds perfect for a "city" "cruising" bike. I always feel goofy on a square frame (like 53 x 53).

The weight has been primarily what keeps me from hunting down a World Voyageur or fillet brazed Super Sport or Sports Tourer.

I have a frame set waiting to be built up. Mine has a dent in the top tube where the bars hit.

Fitted out for racing w/ tubulars, close ratio gearing and a few other appropriate race spec mods my '73 weighed ~ the same as my '68 Paramount race bike or '74 Internat'l.

-Bandera

Lucky me! The owner asked us to toss the wheels!! I now have those beautiful Shimano large flange hubs with an oiler hole in the middle. Just wish he had left behind the bar ends.

I have an opaque blue one I picked up a few years ago. It was 100% original when I got it. It had been stored in a shed for many years and I'm embarrassed to tell you what I paid for it. The original tires still had the vent spews from casting. I guess it had less than a thousand miles on it. The tires and seat were hopelessly dry rotted from the Texas heat and the East Texas humidity had rusted the chrome. I greased all of the bearings, replaced the tires and tubes. Did the aluminum foil trick on the chrome. Put on a saddle from a later model Schwinn Voyageur and started riding it. It still has the original cables although they were removed and greased. I love it.

So does mine. That's why I couldn't say no to the asking price.

I would love to find one of these in this color and condition. At which point I could build an exact replica of the bike I used for touring in the Erie/upstate New York/southern Ontario area back in the 70's. Mind was essentially stock, except that I replaced the clincher rims with sew-ups, added black Blumel fenders, and everything on the bike was either opaque blue or black. Brooks Swallow saddle. I was using the first generation Cannondale panniers back then, which were rather radical compared to what preceded them.

You're very lucky! It sounds like a previous owner swapped out the original Shimano hubs for even better 1st gen. Dura Ace hubs.

They could also be the first generation 600 hubs - very similar, but not finished quite as nicely. The color of the oil hole clip is the giveaway. The Dura Ace clips are chrome, vs black oxide on the 600 hubs.

The hubs are Duran Ace for sure. Very rough so I suspect cone damage. Any clues for replacement source?

Spokes are very corroded. Perhaps stored in a shed. The chrome lugs were rusted as well. Happy to have the hubs and will come up with a project for them.

I would check Wheels Mfg.: https://wheelsmfg.com/products/hub-parts/all-cones.html

Once you measure them please post which Wheels Mfg. part number (if any) matches the originals.

Thanks, I will look at them. One more thing, the wheels are 4 cross. Good old fashioned touring wheels.