vonfilm 

How desireable is a Schwinn Super Sport with Columbus Tenax tubing? When was this made?

robtown

I'd find it very desirable. It's probably from 86 - 88.

wrk101

Its a very good, mid level bike.

Bianchigirll 

I think alot of the members here refer to them as 'sleepers', I you happen to know they are Columbus they can be a great deal. I had too small Tempo slip my hands awhile back. it was a real nice bike for the price of a huge bottle of fancy gin

vonfilm 

How much does one weigh? What kind of frame geometry, racer, sports touring, touring? Does this take a 126 mm rear hub?

tugrul

22lbs

23" model: 73 degree head tube, 74 degree seat tube, 39.5" wheel base, probably 22" top tube.

It's 126mm.

thenomad

very nice. ill jump on one in my size.

sold a time capsule one for $500 + last year

mazdaspeed

Yeah they're really nice riding frames. Not the lightest or stiffest out there but they feel really good.

realestvin7

Great bikes. Some had a sweet pink and white paint scheme, too.

sjpitts 

Yes, you can't let the Miami Vice Ironman have all the fun:






And speaking of the Super Sport/Centurion Ironman comparision, I have both this bike and an 85 ironman (the non miami vice version). I really can only keep one. Having a hard time deciding . . . .

bikenut2011

I wouldn't say they were super desireable or worth that much money (to mainstream buyers that is), but they are nice riding bikes, my Tenax Prelude is anyway and the SS is pretty much the same with forged dropouts. As far as being relabeled SL tubing... I'm not buying that one...too heavy and I'm pretty sure the seatpost dia. is 26 something instead of 27.2

andy

Michael Angelo 

Seat post is 26.8, they are wonderful mid level bikes, Should have a Shimano 600 SIS group set. I just sold one a bit small for me (58cm) that was in like new condition. Rode nice but I found the top tube was too short for me. If it would have been a 60cm, I would still have it. I sold it just like you see it for $300. to a family member.

rccardr 

Highly under-rated in my opinion and generally a great deal. Also they are usually either so beat only the frame is worthwhile or almost brandy new- people either kill them or put them in the basement. Go figure.

I use an '87 Tempo as a daily rider and trainer- updated with Ultegra/105 9 speed with a compact crank and DA downtube shifters- and it rides very nicely (see pic below). I've got about a half dozen squirreled away in storage (including that sweet, sweet one I got from BG a year and a half ago- hope you enjoyed the gin!), and unless Cannondale or one of the other sources we're working with can develop a replacement top tube cable guide, I'll be building those as massive upgrade customs all next winter instead of Cannondales.

Next one I have in the pipeline is a cream colored powder coat 57.5cm (23") with all Shimano 600 tricolor, Brooks B-17 in honey with matching leather bar wrap, brown cable housing, gumwalls and custom cut brown decals. Very classy.

southpawboston

It's relabeled SP, not SL. SP is the touring grade tubing, also found on the Schwinn Voyageur. It's about 1-2lb heavier for a frameset than SL. It's listed as having 1.0/0.7/1.0mm butted wall thickness, which is pretty thick. I also think that folklore has it that Tenax was relabeled because Schwinn bought up a huge lot of SP that didn't pass Columbus' QC, so essentially it's B-grade SP.

The tubing may very well be nice and have good ride characteristics, but I wouldn't know. I have a Tenax Voyageur frame waiting to be built up, and I have to say that although it's Japanese-built and the lugwork is above average in terms of brazing cleanness, the mitering is downright sloppy. In fact, some tubes aren't even mitered, the walls are just hammered down to clear the joints!

jeebusaurousrex

From what I can tell from the catalogs and anecdotal stuff in the forums, toward the end of the Tenax frame run they started to mix in SL tubing too. I've also read that there may have been a few SLX and SPX tubes thrown in for good measure depending on model, size, year. Whatever they're made of, they're nice riding frames. Pretty typical road race geometries (except for Prelude and Voyageur models).

jeebusaurousrex

Hey, that's the same bike I commuted into work with this morning (mine has 9spd Ultegra brifters)!

tugrul

There was a Tenax SL in 1989, which took a 27.2mm seat post instead of 26.6mm.

bikenut2011

Nice. What bike is that?

tugrul

Tempo in 1989.

It has the same cataloged weight as in 1988. Maybe the switch to a mangalloy fork from CRMO gained whatever the frame lost...

jeebusaurousrex

And Bigfoot has been verified!

Were the '89s Panasonic built or a Greenville built? I noticed on a few later year models the headbadges were "Schwinn Tempo" instead of the "Chicago" badges.

southpawboston

Ah, I see now. Thanks.

BobHufford

I'm picking up an '85 SS for my daughter on Sunday. It's the same model that I had back in '88 - '98. I loved it!

Bob

realestvin7

Gold Arayas?

mazdaspeed

Tenax is heavy. You're deluding yourself if you think it's made from SL. Also depending on what model you get, the fork can be a tank too. My 1989 prelude (the one that came with the non-high ten fork mind you) frameset with a tange levin headset weighs about 7lbs. the 26.6 seat post size is annoying, and it uses a JIS headset which is also annoying.

Anyway... I did have a super sport once and it was awesome. The fork felt a little bit different than the prelude's and was lighter, and it also didn't have fender eyelets. It was a nice riding bike and was pretty light since it had full shimano 600. Around 22.5lbs.

jamesj

My wife keeps telling me not to ever get a purple or pink bike, but i think they are awesome!