1983 Schwinn Sierra

[Axlerod]

Here is my 83.View attachment 1506605

That’s clean, nice bike

 

[Santuri32]

Here is my 83.View attachment 1506605

Nice!, it seems I'm the only one stuck with the small frames . I wonder which month they started adding the anterior chainstay RD cable guide. What's your frame's month of fabrication on the headtube?

 

[Santuri32]

Nice!, it seems I'm the only one stuck with the small frames . I wonder which month they started adding the anterior chainstay RD cable guide. What's your frame's month of fabrication on the headtube?

Correction...the anterior chainstay RD cable guide is also on the early frames but is closer to the BB and can't be seen from behind the chainrings as in the later frames (yellow triangle).

 

[Axlerod]

Here is the head tube and badge serial number from mine

 

[Axlerod]

It’s a May 12th, 1983 build according to the headbadge number.

 

[Santuri32]

It’s a May 12th, 1983 build according to the headbadge number.

A true Chicago bike, built assembled in plant 1. I don't really understand how things happened in plant 1, whether the frame headbadge stamp was applied after forming it or whether they were able to move the electroforging equipment to plant 1 from 4, or whether simply plant 4 closure meant the gross of the operation ceased but some minimal operation remained on plant 4. So th tires on your bike could have been replaced by a previous owner looking for a smoother ride on the street. And the pedals are sought after by BMX enthusiasts and is a common part taken from these bikes. I think the stem on my April bike assembled in June is ACS stamped instead of Schwinn , so that may have been the cutoff date on those.

Anyone knows about the headtube stamp sequence?, I imagine it could have followed an all model sequence, I doubt a factory in trouble was cranking 500, 000 Sierra models a year. or does the 52 is a day (Feb 21?) then no. 4748 bike of that day?

 

[Axlerod]

A true Chicago bike, built assembled in plant 1. I don't really understand how things happened in plant 1, whether the frame headbadge stamp was applied after forming it or whether they were able to move the electroforging equipment to plant 1 from 4, or whether simply plant 4 closure meant the gross of the operation ceased but some minimal operation remained on plant 4. So th tires on your bike could have been replaced by a previous owner looking for a smoother ride on the street. And the pedals are sought after by BMX enthusiasts and is a common part taken from these bikes. I think the stem on my April bike assembled in June is ACS stamped instead of Schwinn , so that may have been the cutoff date on those.

Anyone knows about the headtube stamp sequence?, I imagine it could have followed an all model sequence, I doubt a factory in trouble was cranking 500, 000 Sierra models a year. or does the 52 is a day (Feb 21?) then no. 4748 bike of that day?

Interesting. I wonder if the pedals were just left over from 1982 bikes and installed on some Sierras? I’ve seen them on the ‘82 sidewinders. I would rather rob the Schwinn stem than the pedals if I were a BMX guy. It’s definitely plausible that the tires were changed out by the shop or him for a smooth ride.

 

[Oilit]

A true Chicago bike, built assembled in plant 1. I don't really understand how things happened in plant 1, whether the frame headbadge stamp was applied after forming it or whether they were able to move the electroforging equipment to plant 1 from 4, or whether simply plant 4 closure meant the gross of the operation ceased but some minimal operation remained on plant 4. So th tires on your bike could have been replaced by a previous owner looking for a smoother ride on the street. And the pedals are sought after by BMX enthusiasts and is a common part taken from these bikes. I think the stem on my April bike assembled in June is ACS stamped instead of Schwinn , so that may have been the cutoff date on those.

Anyone knows about the headtube stamp sequence?, I imagine it could have followed an all model sequence, I doubt a factory in trouble was cranking 500, 000 Sierra models a year. or does the 52 is a day (Feb 21?) then no. 4748 bike of that day?

By headtube stamp you mean the serial number, correct? As far as I can tell the serials were sequenced across all the electroforged models, cruisers, lightweights, Pixies and these early ATB's, so it would be 500,000 of all models, not just Sierras. And @GTs58 has convinced me that the date (first two letters) is just the date the headtube was stamped, the tubes often sat around a while before they were welded up into frames. The four-digit stamp in the headbadge tells when the bike was assembled as far as anyone knows, and it looks correct although I don't know where that information came from.

 

[Santuri32]

By headtube stamp you mean the serial number, correct? As far as I can tell the serials were sequenced across all the electroforged models, cruisers, lightweights, Pixies and these early ATB's, so it would be 500,000 of all models, not just Sierras. And @GTs58 has convinced me that the date (first two letters) is just the date the headtube was stamped, the tubes often sat around a while before they were welded up into frames. The four-digit stamp in the headbadge tells when the bike was assembled as far as anyone knows, and it looks correct although I don't know where that information came from.

Thank you for sharing this info. I have heard that before but that will still remain to be the only way of dating frames.

Thanks

 

[mgy41512]

I have been looking for this very bike for years. My mom gave me this same bike in 1983 for Easter and she died that Septembner. When I moved to another town it was stolen from my apartment never to be seen again. That color is amazing. Great shape! Keep it that way