1983 Schwinn Sierra

[Axlerod]

Here’s a throwback to the early 1980’s Schwinn mountain bike scene. I picked up this sweet 1983 Schwinn Sierra in chestnut brown. It looks like it was bought new then stored.

 

[Oilit]

Here’s a throwback to the early 1980’s Schwinn mountain bike scene. I picked up this sweet 1983 Schwinn Sierra in chestnut brown. It looks like it was bought new then stored. View attachment 1434832
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I don't even see rub marks from the brakes on the rims! Well, a little on the front. Still, Wow!

 

[Axlerod]

I don't even see rub marks from the brakes on the rims! Wow!

Yeah, it’s beautiful. I’m guessing a fat guy like me bought it in January for a new year resolution and discovered it’s too much work to pedal up the hills.

 

[RustyHornet]

What a gorgeous bike. These bikes are great riders!

 

[Santuri32]

Here’s a throwback to the early 1980’s Schwinn mountain bike scene. I picked up this sweet 1983 Schwinn Sierra in chestnut brown. It looks like it was bought new then stored.

I have a sister of yours in Midnight blue, these have several distinctions, are some of the last Chicago Schwinn-made bikes, with serial until DU (April '83), although EU and FU are possible since the factory closed in June 1983. They were also the only fully assembled MTB with cantilever brakes made by Schwinn as the King Sting and Sidewinder did not use those. They were still brazed at the headtube, the supporting details for being Chicago are among others, the marks of the electro forging in the seatstays near the BB and below the BB. Those made by Murray with Schwinn's equipment still had a EF mark on the BB, but these were either filed-off or nicer finished, in Chicago Schwinn's were rough.
Mine is a DU bike assembled late that year, but made in Chicago, it still has a QC sticker on the seat tube that may or not indicate assembled by Schwinn.

 

[Oilit]

I have a sister of yours in Midnight blue, these have several distinctions, are some of the last Schwinn made bikes, with serial until DU (April '83), although EU and FU are possible since the factory closed in June 1983. They were also the only fully assembled MTB with cantilever brakes made by Schwinn as the King Sting and Sidewinder did not used those. They were still brazed at the headtube, the supporting details for being Chicago are among others the marks of the electro forging in the seatstays near the BB and below the BB. Those made by Murray with Schwinn's equipment stil had a mark on the BB, but they were either filed off or nicer made, Schwinns were rough.
Mine is a DU bike assembled late that year, but made in Chicago, it still has a QC sticker on the seat tube that may or not indicate assembled by Schwinn.

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I've wondered about that as well, you can tell a Chicago-built frame from a Murray-built pretty easy, but I've never been able to tell whether the late Chicago frames were still being assembled in Chicago or shipped to Tennessee.

 

[Santuri32]

I've wondered about that as well, you can tell a Chicago-built frame from a Murray-built pretty easy, but I've never been able to tell whether the late Chicago frames were still being assembled in Chicago or shipped to Tennessee.

I imagine that would be very difficult to do, if even possible, its likely Murray was given specific instructions for the assembly etc. 1983 Sierras were a one year model that possible initiated in July or August of 1982 (maybe frames were even made before, since except for the fork they were basically a Sidewinder. I have a September 1982 (JT) bike and frame-wise the only difference from my April 83 (DU, August 27 build (Chicago plant no. 2?)) is the addition of an extra chainstay rear derailleur guide. The JT bike has an assemble date of April 7 1983, so its parts of the last batch moved from factory 4 to factory 1 before they closed. The JT bike seems to be completely original except the saddle. You may be aware of this timeline but, according to the USA trade commission in September 82 Schwinn's frame making plant #4 closed, and to some part that activity moved to assembly plant #1 that closed in June 1982, but even after then some activity moved to component manufacturing plant #2. Does anyone knows the closing date of plant no. 2? I hear late 1983, if we learn this date then we would know what the last Chicago assembled bikes are.

Likely, all frames made until late June (date code FU) were assembled by Chicago, and perhaps it's safe to assume frames GU (and HU if made) for the Sierra builds were possibly assembled by Murray, although is not clear if there was a back and forth movement of bikes to be assembled by Chicago.

I notice the OP bike has 1984 tires Panaracer?, perhaps he wants to share both stamps and pictures of the welds if it belongs to the mysterious fabrication period. Schwinn Sierra bikes from that/those last months is/are still USA-made bike/s with quite an special history.

 

[Oilit]

I imagine that would be very difficult to do, if even possible, its likely Murray was given specific instructions for the assembly etc. 1983 Sierras were a one year model that possible initiated in July or August of 1982 (maybe frames were even made before, since except for the fork they were basically a Sidewinder. I have a September 1982 (JT) bike and frame-wise the only difference from my April 83 (DU, August 27 build (Chicago plant no. 2?)) is the addition of an extra chainstay rear derailleur guide. The JT bike has an assemble date of April 7 1983, so its parts of the last batch moved from factory 4 to factory 1 before they closed. The JT bike seems to be completely original except the saddle. You may be aware of this timeline but, according to the USA trade commission in September 82 Schwinn's frame making plant #4 closed, and to some part that activity moved to assembly plant #1 that closed in June 1982, but even after then some activity moved to component manufacturing plant #2. Does anyone knows the closing date of plant no. 2? I hear late 1983, if we learn this date then we would know what the last Chicago assembled bikes are.

Likely, all frames made until late June (date code FU) were assembled by Chicago, and perhaps it's safe to assume frames GU (and HU if made) for the Sierra builds were possibly assembled by Murray, although is not clear if there was a back and forth movement of bikes to be assembled by Chicago.

I notice the OP bike has 1984 tires Panaracer?, perhaps he wants to share both stamps and pictures of the welds if it belongs to the mysterious fabrication period. Schwinn Sierra bikes from that/those last months is/are still USA-made bike/s with quite an special history.

Has anybody seen a Chicago frame dated later than April 1983? I've got a Varsity dated June 1983 and it's a Murray built bike. I've yet to see a bike with an EU serial (May 1983), so I wonder if the tooling wasn't being moved to Tennessee that month, but I don't know. It would be interesting to get the details nailed down, if it can be done.

 

[Axlerod]

I imagine that would be very difficult to do, if even possible, its likely Murray was given specific instructions for the assembly etc. 1983 Sierras were a one year model that possible initiated in July or August of 1982 (maybe frames were even made before, since except for the fork they were basically a Sidewinder. I have a September 1982 (JT) bike and frame-wise the only difference from my April 83 (DU, August 27 build (Chicago plant no. 2?)) is the addition of an extra chainstay rear derailleur guide. The JT bike has an assemble date of April 7 1983, so its parts of the last batch moved from factory 4 to factory 1 before they closed. The JT bike seems to be completely original except the saddle. You may be aware of this timeline but, according to the USA trade commission in September 82 Schwinn's frame making plant #4 closed, and to some part that activity moved to assembly plant #1 that closed in June 1982, but even after then some activity moved to component manufacturing plant #2. Does anyone knows the closing date of plant no. 2? I hear late 1983, if we learn this date then we would know what the last Chicago assembled bikes are.

Likely, all frames made until late June (date code FU) were assembled by Chicago, and perhaps it's safe to assume frames GU (and HU if made) for the Sierra builds were possibly assembled by Murray, although is not clear if there was a back and forth movement of bikes to be assembled by Chicago.

I notice the OP bike has 1984 tires Panaracer?, perhaps he wants to share both stamps and pictures of the welds if it belongs to the mysterious fabrication period. Schwinn Sierra bikes from that/those last months is/are still USA-made bike/s with quite an special history.

I’ll post pics of the numbers later this week when I get home.

 

[schwinnderella]

Here is my 83.