caloso

I'm looking at a Schwinn Tempo frame and fork. Looks like it's in very good condition and from the description (126mm rear spacing, Shimano 600 headset and BB), I'm guessing that it's of mid-80s vintage. The headtube badge says "Schwinn Chicago." I'm tempted to bid on it. I was born in Chicago and it would be great to have a bike that was too.



I know very little about the Schwinn heirarchy but it seems to be a higher quality than the World Sport I had in college. Maybe high midlevel? Low highlevel? Maybe comparable to a Trek 600?

Can any Schwinnophiles place this in the lineup?

Scooper

It's a late eighties Tempo, so in spite of the "Schwinn Chicago" headbadge, it wasn't made there; the Schwinn factory in Chicago closed its doors at the end of 1983. The company maintained its headquarters in Chicago, so they continued to badge their bikes "Schwinn Chicago"...

The Tempo is a very nice bike, between the Circuit and the Prelude in the late eighties heirarchy. Below them were the Le Tour, Traveler, and World Sport which all used 4130 chrome-moly tubes.

Point

Looks late eighties to me. Check the 4 digit date code on the headbadge for the exact year. The last digit is the year.

Nice frame, looks in great shape. The Tenax Schwinns were (IMO) an underrated frame

caloso

Well, heck. A lot of the allure was a frame built in the City of Big Shoulders. But I still may bid on it, maybe sneak away with a bargain.

forensicchemist

I have a tempo in the same colors....picked it up for locally for like 40 bucks.....its a nice ride. Mine came in at about 23 pounds, with 105 sti group and some supergo wheels.....not bad considering it's 62cm. I think you'll like it......

mark

dck

+1

I've got an '86 Tempo that rides great.

Dogbait

+2.... '87 Super Sport

alanbikehouston

There was a thread on the "Super Sport" with the Columbus Tenax frame. No consensus on whether these frames were made by Panasonic in Japan, or by Schwinn in Mississippi. And, there was a vote or two for Giant in Taiwan.

The debate would be unnecessary if there was a country of origin decal on the frames. In that era, a "Made in USA" decal was normally placed under the clearcoat, so that it was permanent. "Made in Japan" decals were often stuck on with a short-lived glue...so they fell off somewhere after clearing customs in Long Beach, but prior to being displayed to customers in the bike shop.

The fact that no Bike Forum member has posted to say that his Schwinn Columbus Tenax frame has a "Made in USA" decal would cause me to vote: "Made in Japan" by Panasonic. And, Panasonic made nice bikes.

BobHufford

... or Bridgestone! Just to keep things dazed and confused. (Though I'd vote Panasonic myself as well)

Bob

caloso

Bridgestone made Schwinns? Wow. Who knew?

cuda2k

+ another. Schwinn Passage (touring frame)

oopfoo

Definitely a late-80's. Probably 87 or 88. I have a Premis from that time--another Tenax frame.

alanbikehouston

I just ran across a "test" of the 1985 Schwinn Tempo in an old issue of "Bicycling". It had a list price of around $360, but the reviewer said it felt as if he was riding a bike that cost three times the price. He thought the frame geometry and high quality Columbus tubing gave it exceptional handling at high speeds, and he said the light, fast Shimano shifting was far easier than the "Italian" competion. He said that with better tires and lighter wheels, it was a "race-worthy" bike. It was made by National/Panasonic in Japan, using the Columbus Tenax tubes for the main frame and Tange for the forks and stays.

Because the "Super Sport" was essentially the same bike, upgraded to a Shimano 600 drivetrain, it was also likely a Japanese-made Panasonic bike.

The Schwinn ad in the same issue made a point of the "Le Tour" being an "American-made" bike. That year, the "Le Tour" was a true touring bike, and was sold with a Blackburn rear rack and cantilever brakes. Of course, the ad did not mention where the "Super Sport" and "Tempo" were made.

cudak888 

While I haven't ridden one of these machines before, I did aquire a 64cm (if I'm not mistaken) Schwinn Prelude recently (in PINK of all colors), and I must say I'm impressed with both it's workmanship (lugged bottle cage eyelets!) and lightness. Not what I'd usually expect from something bearing the Schwinn name.

Can't say that pink is my color though...so if there's any tall folk out there who don't mind the color pink, I'd be willing to trade framesets. (Pic coming)

Take care,

-Kurt

Phantoj

I thought the consensus was that the late 80's Tenax-framed Schwinn Passage (like Cuda and me have) was made in Mississippi...

tolfan

reviving a thread. The tempo I just got has a made in japan sticker on it

cs1

My brother and I have Preludes with Tenax tubing. Nice bikes and they are very underrated.

Tim

tamaso206

I know this thread is long-dead, but I figured I would add this, for the record, since I found this thread looking for info on a 1988 Tenax Tempo frame I picked up. From a Bicycle Guide Magazine review of the 1987 Tempo:
"Schwinn builds and paints this frame in its Greenville, Mississippi plant."

Scooper

The article is correct.