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Le Tour (1980?)

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Wingslover

Look Ma, No Hands!
Aloha! Picked up a Le Tour on Monday and have been unable to locate straight info regarding country of origin of this one. I've got stone conflicting info on the serial and wondered if anyone can spot the odd with what I have.

Also, I dont see the Japanese disclaimer on the frame and wonder if this one may be a Chicago frame with Shimano bits?

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Re the serial, it looks like the Japanese system: from http://www.re-cycle.com/History/Schwinn/SwnB_Serial.aspx: "Le Tour and Super Le Tour models sometimes began with an 'S' followed by the Japan Made numbering system" Check that page and you'll see yours appears to be a 1980 model. It seems unusual to not have the made in Japan sticker, and I think that's usually on the headbadge too but not sure about Le Tours.

You can also check the headbadge for a 4 digit code - if there the first 3 digits indicate the production number (nth frame) and the last is the year, 0 being 1980. I don't think Schwinn moved Le Tour production back to the US (Greenville, MS) until 1983.

Handsome bike you have there regardless of origin.
 
I was goin to post my Le Tour's Head tube badge. On first inspection when purchased I thought it was stamped 1982 when looked at with the my bare eyes (And that seemed right). Once I took a photo it is definately says 1932.

IMG_6967.JPG


Cool, I guess I have a ultra rare 1932 Schwinn Letour. :cool:

I thought I had a positive date of 1982, but now I'm going to have to look up the frame numbers to identify. How common are mis-stamped badges? (Edit: I just figured out from the above post that the actual year is not stamped, and it was just a coincidence that it looked like it was mis-stamped,)

My Le Tour serial number starts in SF227 XXX. The numeric numbering is also similar to a 1982 Letour, but what does the "F" stand for?

I thought it was Chicago made, but now am not so sure. My previos Le Tour had a Japan badge on the headtube and i thought a Chicago badge indicated it was not made in Japan.

Mine looks similar in year to the one "Winglover" posted up above.

1.JPG


Winglover, does yours also have a Chicago headtube badge? As I know some years came with a Japan badge.

Here is another link with information about componetry, and colors that might help both of us.
https://bikehistory.org/bikes/letour/

We both have the 1020 Carbon Steel frames, many of the other years had Chrome-Moly frames. Maybe this will help determine country of orgin.
 
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1932 is the julian date. Your Le Tour was built on the 193rd day of 1982.


I was goin to post my Le Tour's Head tube badge. On first inspection when purchased I thought it was stamped 1982 when looked at with the my bare eyes (And that seemed right). Once I took a photo it is definately says 1932.

View attachment 1083792

Cool, I guess I have a ultra rare 1932 Schwinn Letour. :cool:

I thought I had a positive date of 1982, but now I'm going to have to look up the frame numbers to identify. How common are mis-stamped badges? (Edit: I just figured out from the above post that the actual year is not stamped, and it was just a coincidence that it looked like it was mis-stamped,)

My Le Tour serial number starts in SF227 XXX. The numeric numbering is also similar to a 1982 Letour, but what does the "F" stand for?

I thought it was Chicago made, but now am not so sure. My previos Le Tour had a Japan badge on the headtube and i thought a Chicago badge indicated it was not made in Japan.

Mine looks similar in year to the one "Winglover" posted up above.

View attachment 1083816

Winglover, does yours also have a Chicago headtube badge? As I know some years came with a Japan badge.

Here is another link with information about componetry, and colors that might help both of us.
https://bikehistory.org/bikes/letour/

We both have the 1020 Carbon Steel frames, many of the other years had Chrome-Moly frames. Maybe this will help determine country of orgin.
 
Head badge date is July 12, 1982. Your serial number format matches that of the Japanese system SF2XXXXX to me means S for Schwinn, F for June and the 2 for the year, 1982. I read somewhere that at some point some frames were imported and Schwinn assembled the bikes at the Greenville plant, but I take everything I read on the internet with a salt lick.

Is it Japan or USA made?
 
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Hello Wingslover,

working from your as found images the cycle is sending mixed messages as to origin

it exhibits fittings from both europe and asia so that if all are taken to be original it must be an example which was assembled (not manufactured) in the U.S.

note the Schwinn Approved Huret front mech paired with a Shimano rear one

Schwinn Approved Huret shift lever set

Suspect wheel hubs on as found bicycle to be of French origin since the quick release skewers are a Maillard model which launched in 1973

GT58 mentioned Greenville facility. perhaps i am in error but as recalled the Greenville facility did not open until 1986 and everyone seems satisfied that bicycle is earlier...

so, as suggested earlier, this may be a Chicago assembled bicycle


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Thanks, but a caveat.

This one isn't stock original: I switched out a lot of bits since (shifters, wheels, pedals) as the others didn't suit or were destroyed.

Just an edit to not be exclusive- I've switched a bunch of parts between the old and new photos. I'll say, the shifters that came on her alone made me think the same: she was put together in Chicago with whatever they had.
 
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