It's not too late - they still do. Actually, that's only $97.26 in 1987 dollars. Kinda ugly though, if you ask me.

I think if the OP was looking for premium performance level, he wouldn't have specified either a 1987-specific frame or DA 7400.

Nor would I place the mentioned frames in a strictly utilitarian subset. Awesome value for the money, sure.

Don't get me wrong, I own multiple Tempos, Circuits, Prologues, Pelotons and Merckxs and have a whole closet full of 7400, but we're clearly in a sentimental zone here.

This is sort of off-topic for the subject of this thread, but since the subject of Columbus Tenax has come up, I'll share my thoughts FWIW.

Most of the "research" regarding Tenax seems to have been from a 1987 Bicycling article about the then-new Schwinn Prelude. The article stated that "Tenax, used exclusively by Schwinn, is Columbus's production-grade version of its SL and SP professional series."

A couple of years ago, I e-mailed Richard Schwinn, who managed the Greenville facility in the mid-to-late eighties where the bikes with Tenax frames were made. Here is my e-mail and his response:

"Richard, I hate to bother with this stuff, but there doesn't seem to be anybody else around who has an answer.

A 1987 Bicycling magazine article on the Schwinn Prelude says that "Tenax, used exclusively by Schwinn, is Columbus's production-grade version of its SL and SP professional series."

Questions about exactly what Tenax is keep popping up, and some say it's straight gauge while others say it's double-butted, and some say it's seamed while others say it's seamless.

Do you have any insight about it? I've assumed it's Cyclex like SL and SP, and that it is double-butted with butting profiles similar to SL and SP, but that's just a guess.

I'd appreciate any light you can shed on this.

Thanks."

Richard's reply:

"Hi Stan,

We don't have the detailed answer. It was a lower grade of Columbus tubing - likely a non-seamless (welded/re-drawn) non-double-butted chromoly. That would make it affordable on the $5-800 Schwinns built at the Mississippi factory.

Columbus branding belies the fact that they made (and make) cheap as well as expensive tubing.

Thanks,

Richard"

After receiving Richard's e-mail, I began to think Tenax is a label used by Schwinn for a variety of Columbus tubing, some seamed, some seamless, most double-butted, and possibly (because of Richard's e-mail) some straight-gauge. The catalogs clearly say that some models using Tenax are seamless and double-butted (1988 Tempo, Premis and Prelude, for example), while other Tenax models say custom blend double-butted, but not seamless (1985 and 1986 Super Sport and Tempo).

What is pretty clear from the catalogs is that Tenax is different from either SL or SP because the seatpost size for the 1988 Circuit with SL (or SL with SP down tube for 23" and larger frames) is 27.2mm, while the seatpost for the Tenax frames is 26.6mm.

The Nova Cycles Supply (a long time Columbus dealer) website page for 2010 OS Classic Cromor states, "This tubeset, Cromor/Thron has a long history that includes Touring frames for Schwinn in the 80s and 90s with Prelude and Tempo models. Schwinn manufactured approximately 25,000 of these frames during this time using the name Tenax. We sold Cromor and later Thron as Columbus entry level pro tubes just below SL/SP."

However, the 1980s Cromor seat tube has the same wall thickness as SL (0.6, 0.9), so perhaps the "blend" Schwinn used had a straight gauge seat tube.

SL is seamless and Cromor is seamed, but the Cromor seam weld is so homogeneous that after drawing and butting, there is virtually no difference.

Cromor:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ps279fb994.jpg

SL:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...Buttingmed.jpg

Based on the 1987 Bicycling article, the data in the Schwinn catalogs, Richard's nebulous answer to my e-mail, the Nova website statement, and the contemporary Columbus catalog specs for SL, SP, and Cromor, my more-or-less educated guess is that most Tenax tubing is double-butted seamed Cromor, probably mixed with some other Columbus tubing with straight gauge 0.9mm walls for the seat tube.

Just MHO.

Here's the 1987 Bicycling article on the Prelude.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ps1642ca22.jpg

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=338764
sorry, bad pic

Not a dura-ace natural, but still a nice ride from '87

Best frame of 1987? I can help. I tried them all. Every one. The best was the one made on Thursday, the red one.

But depending on what you mean by "best", one or two of the others were pretty good too.

"That would make it affordable on the $5-800 Schwinns built at the Mississippi factory."


So the Panasonic Schwinn's used SL/SP and the US bikes used Tenax? My '85 Prelude is SL/SP as is the '87 Circuit and others are SL/SP. As were the US Paramounts, right? Interesting.

Howdy,

There was no Prelude in the '85 Schwinn catalog, but the 1986 Prelude used Tenax.

1986 Specs

It's difficult to generalize, because many of the National/Panasonic built Schwinns (Prologue and PDG Series Paramounts among others) used Tange tubing. You really have to look at the specs for the models/years of interest.

That really is quite fascinating and I thank you very much for posting it! But it also raises more questions than answers.. at least for me.

Sorry, I meant my '85 Peloton has SL/SP. I understand this is a Panasonic-built Schwinn, no?

One of my Tenax schwinns for sure was built in Greenville and I'm fairly sure the other was as well ;) But yes I think you're correct that yours is a Panasonic manufactured bike.

I think it's safe to assume National/Panasonic built the '85 Pelotons. This article in a 1985 Schwinn dealer newsletter lists lightweight models scheduled for 1986 production in Greenville. The '85 Peloton was a world class bicycle in its day IMHO.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...Production.jpg

1985 Specs

Me too! :)

A Team Miyata http://www.miyatacatalogs.com/2007/1...alog-1987.html

This!

Maybe this is a contender?? 1987 Raleigh Team Professional in Reynolds 753r.

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3e74d3f4.jpg

In '87, one of the "IT" bikes to have growing up and racing in So Cal was a Land Shark.

I already suggested a Serotta-built Huffy as a dream bike. It occurs to me that, while many of the 7-11 riders used bikes built by Serotta, the "Huffy" which Andy Hampsten used to win the '88 Giro d'Italia was actually built by John Slawta, who founded Land Shark in 1986. Some people are turned off by the flamboyant paint jobs on the Land Sharks. If you aren't one of those people, I would definitely consider putting Land Shark on the list. Plus, DA 7400 would be perfectly appropriate on it.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...y-giro-ditalia

http://vimeo.com/20666012 (The Land Shark Huffy is featured in this video, along with other cool bikes, too.)

Well it's from 1985, not 87, but... this one!:

http://torontovintagebikes.com/wp-co...7-1024x682.jpg

If you have a great group and are looking for a frame to hang it on, I'd look at the custom US builders of the time like Pino Morroni, Cecil Behringer, OR equally a vintage Canadian like a Mariposa, Marinoni or Cyclops. I think you're more likely to get something more interesting than one of the big name frames and at a better price. You can't have my Strawberry, though, because I'll be building it up myself.

If not T-mar's Kestral choice I would go with this. 1987 seems was a period of progression. 753 is a crazy awesome tube set that goes as well as CF for this era of transition. I would avoid tru-temper or any DOM (seamed, drawn over mandrel) tubing regardless of who made it. Cromor and Tenax are heavy duty kits for demanding situations or extended service, not really race bike tubes.

I think this era of bikes are fascinating because so many of the technologies were emerging at that point. With a fine group like you have, find something special to hang it on.

I kinda like my '87 Paramount with D-A 7400. It's SL with an SP down tube.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ramountmed.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ameandFork.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...untLugsmed.jpg

how'bout the so-self-claimed-in-the-catalogue "World Champion in its first year", PROLOGUE?
fits '87 + best + DA7400* (* to its Japanese origin), no? :)

the finish quality—lug works, paint etc—of the frame is abso-spark-rutely second-to-none top class, btw, IMHO.

Yes! Another world class bike from National/Panasonic for Schwinn.

I would love to get a quality frame from a custom US builder! The problem is that I don't know what names to look for. Are there any others that I should keep an eye out for?

Thanks!

A few:

Albert Eisentraut
Bruce Gordon
Matt Assenmacher
Richard Sachs
Curt Goodrich
Brent Steelman
Steve Potts
Tom Kellogg
Paul Sadoff
Roland Della Santa

And Don't forget about Mike Terraferma, he lives right down the street from me. He's a great guy, very talented, and really knows framebuilding. I was over his shop the other day watching him with use his Henry James Frame aligning machine. For those that have never seen one in action, it's a sight to behold.

http://www.terrafermacycles.com/index.html