# Schwinn Sports Tourer



## drglinski

Hey guys.

Long time lurker here.  Occasional poster.  I thought I'd update y'all on the latest purchase I bought, a 1973 Sports Tourer.  I've been working on restoring it to ride again.  Due to the length of the photos and the postings, I've been updating on another forum.  http://www.schwinnbikeforum.com/index.php?topic=34001.0  Nothing against this forum; there is too much content to start over and post in two forums.  I figured I owed it to those who put up with my complaining about not being able to find the bike for sale, and for the rumors about actually going through and buying one.  

Thanks

Daniel G


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## Metacortex

Congratulations, I know you were looking for one for quite a while. I thought you should know that one was produced in '74, as indicated by the Dia-Compe brake levers w/metal adjusters and curved skewer levers w/plastic wing-nuts, making it a '74 model. Check for date codes on the hubs, pedals, and especially on the fork steerer tube. Depending on when it was produced in '74 it may even have Weinmann rims with a hooked bead (if so look for a date code on the inside under the rim strip next to the valve stem hole). You can't just go by the serial number on these for dating purposes...

PS: According to what I think I see is a "P4" stamp on the bottom bracket shell the frame was built by Pioneer Products in Racine WI: http://waterfordbikes.com/now/faqshow.php?qandaid=91

Pioneer (featuring builder Don Mainland) was commissioned by Schwinn to build several of the high-end frames during the boom years including the Paramount and Sports Tourer.: http://journaltimes.com/news/local/...cle_c5bfe3a1-c6e6-5b1b-9aae-cb8e551e1555.html


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## RustyHornet

Love the yellow. I'm just getting ready to jump into the 70's Schwinn road bike game. Picking up a '75ish Voyageur II very soon. It'll be the first 10 speed road bike that I've actually set out to buy. Have had many varsities and such, but they always fell into my lap, never wanted them. I decided it was finally time to get myself one nice road bike. Now reading your thread has me thinking about the yellow Super Sport and brown Sports Tourer with factory painted fenders he's also got... I suppose it would only be right to have a Chicago built to go along with my Japanese built...


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## drglinski

73 or 74 who cares really.....I like it as it is.  I just find it funny that it's got a serial number that dates it as 73 but you are saying the parts date it as a 74.


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## rollfaster

Did someone say sports tourer? This 73 sunset orange example is available.


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## Metacortex

drglinski said:


> I just find it funny that it's got a serial number that dates it as 73 but you are saying the parts date it as a 74.




The more you learn about Schwinns, the more interesting it becomes.  The serial number date only indicates when the frame was made (or more accurately when head tube was stamped, see this topic for more about that), not when the bike (or maybe even the frame itself) was built. The fillet-brazed models are legendary for having serial numbers (head tube dates) that are *years* apart from when the bikes were built. Originally I thought they might have built and then stored the frames for years but in fact it seems more likely that they simply stored a bunch of pre-stamped head tubes, which for the fillet brazed bikes would have been simple straight tubes with no protrusions unlike the EF headtubes.

Check the component dates on your bike, perhaps the most telling will be the date stamp on the fork steerer tube. As an example, here is a 1975 Sports Tourer with a BJ (Feb. '73, five months earlier than your GJ July '73 stamp) and yet it is painted in Lime Green (a 1975 only color) and has a fork dated 5D (Apr. '75). Bottom line, you cannot go by the serial number alone when dating Schwinn bikes, *especially* fillet-brazed models.



 

 

The fact that yours is a '74 model does not diminish it in the slightest, in fact I might consider 1974 the overall peak for the Sports Tourer. For '75 they dropped the TA crankset and the Brooks saddle!! :o


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## Metacortex

RustyHornet said:


> Picking up a '75ish Voyageur II very soon. It'll be the first 10 speed road bike that I've actually set out to buy.




They are fantastic bikes, and were 2nd only to the Paramount at the time. The '74-'76 Voyageur II was the continuation of the '72-'73 World Voyageur and was virtually identical except for a few minor component updates/revisions, frame sizes and new paint colors/decals. I'd be interested in seeing the details of yours as I'm trying to compile more information about them.


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## RustyHornet

Metacortex said:


> They are fantastic bikes, and were 2nd only to the Paramount at the time. The '74-'76 Voyageur II was the continuation of the '72-'73 World Voyageur and was virtually identical except for a few minor component updates/revisions, frame sizes and new paint colors/decals. I'd be interested in seeing the details of yours as I'm trying to compile more information about them.



I will start a thread on it when I pick it up. Buying it from a good friend, he got it from the son of a Schwinn employee. It was his gift from the company when he left. The story he got was the components were hand picked, now that I read further into them I'm not so sure that's the case. It's the silver color, as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it, gorgeous bikes in that color.

Sorry for the thread jack OP....


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## RustyHornet

Oh man. This color. Not exactly a deal price wise, but the color.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/5510309625.html


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## Schwinn499

RustyHornet said:


> Oh man. This color. Not exactly a deal price wise, but the color.
> 
> http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/5510309625.html



Yes yes yes! Just found a minty one! Ive bought three Sports Tourers this year already after quite a few years of searching unsuccessfully.


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## RustyHornet

Schwinn499 said:


> Yes yes yes! Just found a minty one! Ive bought three Sports Tourers this year already after quite a few years of searching unsuccessfully.



That's a great color. I wish I had more money and more space... I've never been a road bike fan, but wanted one nice one to round out my growing collection. Never thought I'd want any more after that... The more I read into them and more I learn, the more I want. :eek:


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## Schwinn499

RustyHornet said:


> That's a great color. I wish I had more money and more space... I've never been a road bike fan, but wanted one nice one to round out my growing collection. Never thought I'd want any more after that... The more I read into them and more I learn, the more I want. :eek:







Careful, youll get hooked.


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## RustyHornet

Schwinn499 said:


> Careful, youll get hooked.



I'm not listening. lalalala


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## Schwinn499

RustyHornet said:


> I'm not listening. lalalala



You were warned!


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## RustyHornet

Schwinn499 said:


> You were warned!



Do road bikes and prewar ballooners play nice with each other when left alone?


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## Schwinn499

RustyHornet said:


> Do road bikes and prewar ballooners play nice with each other when left alone?



Couldn't tell ya, been a lighweight guy since day one. Had a middleweight or two, those had to go tho...


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## island schwinn

I can tell you they seem to get along fine.my roadmaster has been playing with a super sport for a while now.other than a little soreness,it seems OK.


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## Schwinn499

island schwinn said:


> I can tell you they seem to get along fine.my roadmaster has been playing with a super sport for a while now.other than a little soreness,it seems OK.



Thats not nice.


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## drglinski

This is fascinating reading about the differences in how the EF frames were made vs.  the fillet bikes.  Stuff I am new to learn and enjoy reading about it.


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## Schwinn499

island schwinn said:


> I can tell you they seem to get along fine.my roadmaster has been playing with a super sport for a while now.other than a little soreness,it seems OK.



The soreness was your back after you tried to ride the SS.


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## RustyHornet

drglinski said:


> This is fascinating reading about the differences in how the EF frames were made vs.  the fillet bikes.  Stuff I am new to learn and enjoy reading about it.



Indeed. A week ago I knew nothing about Schwinn lightweights. Now after committing to buying that Voyageur II, I have learned so much and it's opened up a new part of the hobby for me. I love all aspects of this hobby, except middleweights. Those things are evil.


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## drglinski

That's funny..I love the Middleweights the most.  The simplicity of the operation w/ no cables, and the curvature of the frames.  Never been a fan of the sting rays/krates.  They look OK and I get why they are important in history, but they are small, not comfortable to ride and expensive.


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## RustyHornet

Has anyone here ever seen a sports tourer with factory painted fenders? Same friend I got my Voyageur II from has a Sierra brown sports tourer with factory painted fenders.


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## rhenning

Sports Tourer's didn't come from the factory with fenders.  Any dealer would be more than happy to add them to your bike to make a sale.  They mostly likely would even paint them the color you wanted also.  Roger


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## RustyHornet

That's what I kind of figured. I think I'll pick it up after I recover from the voyageur II I just brought home. I'd like a fillet brazed Chicago bike to go along with my lugged Japanese bike. He's also got a really nice opaque blue super sport, but I like the classy Sierra brown with the fenders and I don't need or have room for both.


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## Schwinn499

RustyHornet said:


> That's what I kind of figured. I think I'll pick it up after I recover from the voyageur II I just brought home. I'd like a fillet brazed Chicago bike to go along with my lugged Japanese bike. He's also got a really nice opaque blue super sport, but I like the classy Sierra brown with the fenders and I don't need or have room for both.



Id possibly be interested in the brown one if you end up passing. Id go nice next to this.


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## RustyHornet

Schwinn499 said:


> Id possibly be interested in the brown one if you end up passing. Id go nice next to this.



I'll keep this in mind, he doesn't want to ship bikes anymore. I want one of the 2, I am leaning toward the ST, there is a set of opaque blue suburban fenders on eBay so the option to put fenders on his SS is there. I like the fact the ST has 3 piece crank over the SS and I happen to have a can of Schwinn Sierra brown touch up spray paint.


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## HARPO

Here are my two! Hard to find in the 26'' frame...


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