# Help identifying Schwinn



## troywest (Jan 6, 2016)

I need some help on a serial number. The bike has a head badge that says Schwinn Chicago. It is a Cruiser 5. The serial number is BV 10052. I can not locate BV serial numbers and for all purposes the lists stop at 1982. If it was past 1982, I thought Chicago was out of business. Any help or direction would be great.


----------



## island schwinn (Jan 6, 2016)

Look for a 4 digit number on the headbadge.the last digit is the year.pics would be a tremendous help too.


----------



## rhenning (Jan 6, 2016)

It may or may not be Chicago built but my guess it is probably a Giant or Murray built bike.   Chicago stayed on the headbadge for years after bikes were built there because that was where the company head quarter/offices were.  The headbadge date would be more clear.  4 digit number with the first 3 the day of the year and the last number the year.  1234 for example would mean 123 day of a year ending in 4.  Most likely 1984.  Roger


----------



## Metacortex (Jan 6, 2016)

Schwinn made bikes in Chicago through mid-'83. Your BV serial indicates an '84 model made for Schwinn by Murray in TN. The '85 and later Cruisers were made in Taiwan.


----------



## Rivnut (Jan 6, 2016)

I to have a Schwinn Cruiser 5 with the BV serial number.  That along with the 4 digit number on the head badge helped me identify it as an '84 model.  As mentioned above, in '84 the critical parts were built by Schwinn in Chicago then shipped to Murray in Lawrenceburg, TN for wheels, etc and final assembly.

Here's a picture of mine.  Since I took the pictures, I've removed the dealer installed fenders.  I'm keeping the rack though.  The previous owner replaced the pedals; can anyone tell me what the original pedals should be?

Ed


----------



## troywest (Jan 7, 2016)

Thanks all,  

Rivnut - mine is fairly identical without fenders though.


----------

