Corben

Hi folks.
I acquired a 1990 Schwinn Voyageur and would like to swap out the original 27 in. wheels with a set of 700s ( PX-645, 36-hole ) IWith a little muscle I was able to get the 700s on and it didn't even require any adjustment for the rear dérailleur.
The original tires I had on the 700s were 700x38c. Now I have some narrower 700x28c's and the ability to choose many more brands and sizes then I had with the 27's. I mean I had like two choices at my LBS for 27" tires! And a million for 700c!
So I was wondering what the hell my point is because after a couple quick drinks I totally lost my desire to continue on with this post and I'm pretty sure I had something important to ask but dang! I can't remember.
Was it.....
Is the Voyageur a good touring bike?
Are these 700s too wide for touring?
Should I get fenders?
Has anyone else here toured on a voyageur?
Am I even spelling "voyageur" correctly?

CliffordK

V'ger??? Oh, wait, that was from Star Trek. Are you blasting any Klingons out of the sky?
It looks like Schwinn called it the Voyageur.

It should be a nice bike. I have as much respect for the old steel classics as the new steel bikes.

Fenders would depend on where and when you're riding it.

indyfabz

Get fenders or you will die a slow, painful death. It will not be pretty.

bikemig 

Not really that slow,

bikemig 

This is a useful table on the different voyageurs:

https://sandro.knot.org/blog/wp-conte...comparison.pdf

Your bike should be a fine touring bike.

One important variable on touring bikes is how wide can you go with a tire and a fender. Some folks like 28c and fenders; I prefer 32c and fenders. Everything else being equal a little wider tire is a bit cushier and does a better job with different road surfaces.

Tourist in MSN

Were you going to comment on brakes with a different diameter rim?

Or, was your hub a different width than your frame dropout width?

Those are the first things I thought of when I saw the topic was swapping wheel sizes on a 25 year old bike.

Or maybe it was an indexing question?

robert schlatte

Yes, the Voyageur is a very nice bike for your purpose. 1990 or 1991 is probably the last year Schwinn produced the Voyageur touring bike. Mine is a 1980 which I modified with 700 wheels. I've taken several longish tours on it and it has performed flawlessly. Fenders are great if you run into rain.

badger_biker 

The Voyageur is an excellent touring bike. I have a 1987 and it is a great work horse when loaded. I don't have the picture available now but I did have issues with the fenders clogging with mud on a wet rail trail with a little too much clay. I still have the original 27" wheels with 1 1/4 inch Continental Gatorskins with SKS Longboard fenders and there is a fair amount of clearance. You will gain a little more space going with 700c wheels. It is really only an issue if you plan to ride off paved surfaces and then only rare that you hit sticky mud. Even with the problem I had it is still a big benefit to have fenders IMHO.

mstateglfr 

28s are great for touring. 38s are great for touring. 32s are great for touring. Its all just preference, as long as the tire size fits.
I have an '80 Voyageur 11.8 that I changed basically everything on and never installed fenders. Its a tight fit, but ive seen others make it work. I think your model has more space built in. Go for em if you want em.
The stock components on your bike are excellent. The gearing may not be low enough, but that's an individual decision. I have a FD and RD on my Voyageur that are one step above the XCE that came stock on your bike- they shift great, aren't lead weights, and look fine.
I have toured on mine, but haven't done anything multi-week. I can say that it more than capably handles me plus rear panniers, stuff on top of the rear rack, and a handlebar bag. In total its probably 275# of rider and gear. And the bike only improved in quality over the years.

Corben

I only got to go on a test ride for a few minutes and haven't tried the indexing. Seemed okay in friction though.