What an amazing restore congrats on the amazing job you've done. That bike was bought and ridden by a single owner in a very small town called Lancaster in Wisconsin. Glad I could see the progress and story of the bike after myself. Enjoy the bike, it couldn't have gone to a better home!
Thank you Jacob! it thrills me that you were able to follow the restoration, I certainly appreciate the back story about the original owner and where the bike roamed when it was brand new. 43 years later she rolls again and gleams as she did in 1979. The bike will now live indoors next to my other vintage Schwinns. Thank you for making the bike available and shipping it with care👍
Superb restorations; your work is the highest inspiration to us all, sir. A few things I do: I toe-in the brake pads slightly to prevent squealing. I clamp the freewheel remover tool in a heavy vise, drop the wheel in, and turn the whole wheel like a steering wheel. I get really tight freewheels off that way, and even broke a vise once, but I got it off! The front derrailleur spec is usually 3 m/m above the sprocket. When I true wheels, I first take out the slack in the spokes, get them tight, and then I take out the hops & wobbles. On the Continentals, I had one that was lemon yellow, and it had original yellow Schrader valve stem caps! Try and find those today!
Thanks for sharing those great tips Joseph! I saw someone using the vise to remove the freewheel and loved the idea, those can be pretty hard to remove sometimes. I have a Lemon Sports Tourer and it came with the matching valve caps. Getting ready to finish my 1981 Le Tour restoration, she will be on You Tube by then end of November. Thanks for watching!👍👍🔧🔧
Absolutely 100% first class workmanship. I learn a lot from your videos and get inspired by them. You do a great job on theses bikes and also a great job teaching about what you are doing. Best wishes.
As a kid in the 60's and 70's, there was nothing to compare with owning a schwinn! These videos helped me restore my two Schwinn 10 speeds. Both '71s. Great job on this beauty!
@@that70sschwinn Always a good watch Oscar! Love the red. Looks brand new, as always! My latest project is a '73 Sears Gamefisher. Then I can take that and my Sports Tourer to the lakes. Both classics. Cheers!
@@brianchisnell1548 Cool! I googled it and sounds like a very cool fishing cruiser, Nice 👍🚤🍤 at ONLY 76 LBS., this is the LIGHTEST and most easily portable 10 foot jon boat you will find!
Stellar video. Thank you so much for sharing. It truly makes me want to pull my Old Chicago Schwinns out of the barn and get busy. (4). Collecting cob webs for several years.
Wow. You are a great bike mechanic, and your video covers everything. I had Schwinns in the late 1960's/early 1970's as my first bikes. I did a lot of bike wrenching back in the day and I still do to this day.
You've done it again! Amazing work!(Your standard of course) Thank you for letting me know that you had finished,It was worth the wait! Glad to see Back in action.Looks fantastic!
I was happy to finish the project and very happy you stopped by to see the reveal. Got a 1976 Chrome Super Le tour 12.2 , up next 🔧🔧 Stay tuned and thanks for watching👍
Great video! Im starting on restoring my dad's bike and its the exact year and model you are restoring. His has sat outside for far too long so its got a lot of issues hopefully i can make it ride again!
Thanks! yes, I have seen that position on some builds and did it that way on my latest project. I always look for as many examples to see how Schwinn intended the bars to hang. Based on their catalog pics and iconic logo it appears to be somewhere in between, but ultimately, it's the riders preference on how you grip the bars based on wrist angle comfort. Thanks for watching👍🔧
Amazing restoration! I recently found an abandoned 8-Speed Traveler Schwinn and would love to get it running to use in my daily commute. Do you have any recommendations for someone like me as to where to find the ordering info to replace the tires, chain, brake cables, and gear cables?
Thanks for watching! I usually go on eBay and take my time finding period correct parts, which can take time and be expensive based on multiple individual orders with shipping cost. If you just want to make the bike functional and a reliable commuter, I would take the bike to your local bike shop and let the shop guys recommend all the parts you need to make the bike a good rider. Good luck with your project.👍👍🔧🔧
Great video as always hope they keep coming. Watching your videos inspire me too keep working on my bikes. Quick question where did you order your bearings from. Thanks again for your video and keep up the good work.
Glad you find the content interesting! I definitely have more coming😏 I got the ball bearing set on Amazon see link below Thanks for Watching👍🔧 www.amazon.com/dp/B0953PZMS6?ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details&th=1
We were fortunate to be on the east coast of the Peninsula in South Florida and only saw some heavy rains before the west coast got hammered. Thanks for watching 👍👍🔧🔧
Thanks! these were the wheels that came with this bike, it appears the previous owner replaced the front Araya wheel with something very similar. You can find vintage wheel sets in decent shape on eBay from $100 to $200 plus shipping. Thanks for watching👍🔧
The Schwinn Approved Traveler III was a mass produced bike made in Japan at the Panasonic plant, same plant that made the Le Tour, World Voyageur and other models for Schwinn's import business in the US. In good original condition, these bikes can sell from $175 and up to $275. I got this one for $125 and would not sell it for less than $300 now that is has been fully restored. Thanks for watching👍👍🔧🔧
The Le Tour II had better components and alloy stem and handlebars, the Traveler III was a nice bike at a good price. 1979 Traveler III "X-tra Lite" series 10 speed. Imported from Japan. Stem shifters. 38 to 100 gear range. Shimano 400 front and rear derailleurs. Cotterless crank set with alloy arms. Chain wheel guard. 1020 steel lugged frame. Round head badge. Name on top tube. Alloy stem and steel Randonneur handlebar. center pull brakes with suicide levers. Chrome tipped tubular fork. Araya steel rims. 27 x 1¼ tires. colors were Pearl Blue and Scarlet Flame. Frame sizes men’s 19", 21", 23", 25"; women’s (straight bar) 19", 22". $159.95. 1977 Le Tour II "Super Lite" series 10 speed. Imported from Japan? Stem shifters. 38 to 100 gear range. GT-420 rear derailleur, GT-450 front derailleur. Alloy cotterless crank set. No chain wheel guard. Lugged frame with single butted top and bottom tubes (bottom tube not butted on 25" frame). Alloy stem and Randonneur handlebar. Round head badge. center pull brakes with suicide levers. Quick release hubs. Chrome tipped tubular fork. Araya steel rims with 27 x 1¼ tires. colors were Scarlet, Violet, and Pearlescent Orange. Frame sizes men’s 21", 23", 25"; . $164.95.
Does the bike have original paint and decals? if so, is it a Schwinn? If it is a Schwinn, the serial number can be found on the headtube near the fork. The made in Japan Schwinns will have the SN on the rear dropout if you can find a SN let me know what it is.
I think the Traveler and the LeTour had the same frame?? Either one would be my bike, if I could only own one bike.. However, I do prefer the Greenville Schwinns the most..
Getting a close look at the 2 frames, they are very similar to some Le Tour models as Schwinn offered several levels. The entry level Le Tour and the Traveler had the 1020 tubing steel frame construction and geometry, however the Super Le Tour 12.2 had the 4130 chromoly frame as seen on the higher end World Voyageur.
@@that70sschwinn Hi, I was getting my info from the 1989 catalog. That year the LeTour and the Traveler had the same frame. " The Traveler is designed for the serious sports rider for long and fast rides. It sports the same lightweight frame as LeTour. " Under the Traveler..
@@williamwood6795 I have every type of frame within my lightweight collection, 1020 Carbon steel was used on the Electro Forged Chicago Schwinn frames, example the Varsity, Continental, Suburban, Chromoly frames were offered on the Soper Sport, Sports Tourer, Superior, World Voyageur, the Reynolds 531 tubing was used on the 1977 and 1978 Volare a very rare Panasonic made for Schwinn import bike and the premier Schwinn in the lightweight category the Paramount. Steel 4130 Chrome-moly Tubing Advantages Excellent strength-to-weight ratio. High tensile strength, ductility, and toughness. Lighter and more robust than carbon steel. Easy to weld, form, and machine. Regarding strength and toughness, 4130 steel is the clear winner. It has a higher tensile strength and yield strength than 1020 steel, making it ideal for applications that require high-stress resistance and structural integrity. 4130 is a Chromoly steel which contains chromium and molybdenum as alloying elements. Mild steel is a low-carbon steel that does not contain any alloying elements. 4130 is stronger and more complex than mild steel. Reynolds 531 "was the standard of excellence for many decades" among bicycle frame-building materials. And because of the availability of a wide range of butting, diameters and thicknesses of tubes, along with different stays and fork blades, it became the tubing of choice for most frame builders.
@@williamwood6795 Yes, Schwinn offered upgraded versions of the lightweights in the late 80s to compete with the industry demands on lighter bikes with better components.
I have not sold any so far as they are all part of my Schwinn Lightweight Category collection. I may start selling some of the duplicates when I retire. I appreciate you stopping by👍🔧
I have what I think is a late 70's Le Tour that needs new rims where can I find replicas of what came on them? They're 32-630 27x1 1/4 with a quick release axle. Thank you, love the channel.
Nice! finding vintage rims can be tricky, you can do a daily search on eBay with key words that may pull up something close. I did a quick search just now and got several options for that size rim with QR. The Le Tour came with Araya steel rims in 1974 and Weinman alloy rims by 1976 , the example below appear to be in pretty rough shape but could clean up okay. www.ebay.com/itm/134010535610?hash=item1f33a67eba:g:RgYAAOSwv7Jh97aF This wheel set could work, they are the same that came on my 1972 Paramount, it has Campy hubs www.ebay.com/itm/134010535610?hash=item1f33a67eba:g:RgYAAOSwv7Jh97aF You may be able to get a news set from your local bike shop for less. Good luck with your search and thanks for watching 👍🔧
I appreciate your question, I restore and collect bikes as a hobby, which requires finding parts on eBay, I have found just about anything by typing the part needed in the eBay search bar, sometimes it takes a while but I seem to find them at some point. Thanks for Watching! 👍🔧
What an amazing restore congrats on the amazing job you've done. That bike was bought and ridden by a single owner in a very small town called Lancaster in Wisconsin. Glad I could see the progress and story of the bike after myself. Enjoy the bike, it couldn't have gone to a better home!
Thank you Jacob! it thrills me that you were able to follow the restoration, I certainly appreciate the back story about the original owner and where the bike roamed when it was brand new. 43 years later she rolls again and gleams as she did in 1979. The bike will now live indoors next to my other vintage Schwinns.
Thank you for making the bike available and shipping it with care👍
Tenho uma dessa 1979, perfeita original e nao vendo ❤
👍👍🔥🔥❤❤
Superb restorations; your work is the highest inspiration to us all, sir.
A few things I do: I toe-in the brake pads slightly to prevent squealing. I clamp the freewheel remover tool in a heavy vise, drop the wheel in, and turn the whole wheel like a steering wheel. I get really tight freewheels off that way, and even broke a vise once, but I got it off! The front derrailleur spec is usually 3 m/m above the sprocket. When I true wheels, I first take out the slack in the spokes, get them tight, and then I take out the hops & wobbles.
On the Continentals, I had one that was lemon yellow, and it had original yellow Schrader valve stem caps! Try and find those today!
Thanks for sharing those great tips Joseph! I saw someone using the vise to remove the freewheel and loved the idea, those can be pretty hard to remove sometimes. I have a Lemon Sports Tourer and it came with the matching valve caps.
Getting ready to finish my 1981 Le Tour restoration, she will be on You Tube by then end of November.
Thanks for watching!👍👍🔧🔧
Absolutely 100% first class workmanship. I learn a lot from your videos and get inspired by them. You do a great job on theses bikes and also a great job teaching about what you are doing. Best wishes.
Thanks 👍 I appreciate your comment and thanks for watching 👍🔧
As a kid in the 60's and 70's, there was nothing to compare with owning a schwinn! These videos helped me restore my two Schwinn 10 speeds. Both '71s. Great job on this beauty!
Thanks Brian! Glad you found the content helpful and thanks for watching 👍🔧
@@that70sschwinn Always a good watch Oscar! Love the red. Looks brand new, as always! My latest project is a '73 Sears Gamefisher. Then I can take that and my Sports Tourer to the lakes. Both classics. Cheers!
@@brianchisnell1548 Cool! I googled it and sounds like a very cool fishing cruiser, Nice 👍🚤🍤
at ONLY 76 LBS., this is the LIGHTEST and most easily portable 10 foot jon boat you will find!
@@that70sschwinn If you google 1970 gamefisher you will see it. 12 ft fiberglass. 120 lbs. Rated for 14hp. Stout!
@@brianchisnell1548 Nice! I saw a few examples, tan with green seemed to be a default color scheme 👍
Stellar video. Thank you so much for sharing. It truly makes me want to pull my Old Chicago Schwinns out of the barn and get busy. (4). Collecting cob webs for several years.
Nice!, you will certainly rediscover their vintage beauty as they gleam in the sunlight once again!
as a Schwinn fan, I love watching these videos, thank you, no BS, just clean camera work and a really thorough job, great collection
Thanks! I appreciate your comment and thank you for watching 👍🔧
Doc Brown just dropped us off in 1979! Looks great, Oscar!
One thing though...it's NOT cold in south FL! ;)
Nice😂 I thought you cold weather guys would get a kick out of Florida cold ❄🌬🥶⛱
I've been away from Kansas too long⛄🏡
Nice Job!!!!
Glad you liked it and thanks for watching 👍👍🔧🔧
Another very nice looking Schwinn. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Thomas! glad you liked it and thanks for stopping by 👍🔧
Wow. You are a great bike mechanic, and your video covers everything. I had Schwinns in the late 1960's/early 1970's as my first bikes. I did a lot of bike wrenching back in the day and I still do to this day.
Thanks! glad you enjoyed the content, I appreciate you comment and thank for watching👍🔧
Love your video. We love old Schwinns. We have learned a lot watching your videos.
Good to see you, Thanks for stopping by to watch the vid👍🔧
So beautiful restore
Thanks! Good to see you and thanks for stopping by👍🔧
I got one that was sitting for years with no dmg
I can't believe it every time I see it
This is Al Japanese well made
Nice 👍👍🔧🔧
You've done it again! Amazing work!(Your standard of course) Thank you for letting me know that you had finished,It was worth the wait! Glad to see Back in action.Looks fantastic!
I was happy to finish the project and very happy you stopped by to see the reveal. Got a 1976 Chrome Super Le tour 12.2 , up next 🔧🔧
Stay tuned and thanks for watching👍
Part II was worth the wait! That Traveler traveled in a time machine back to 1979⚡🚲
Great work my friend, another exceptional restoration 👍
Thanks Mark! good to see you, thanks for watching👍🔧
Great video! Im starting on restoring my dad's bike and its the exact year and model you are restoring. His has sat outside for far too long so its got a lot of issues hopefully i can make it ride again!
Beautiful.
Thanks for watching 👍
The flats on the handlebars are supposed to be pretty parallel with the *top* tube. Nice build!
Thanks! yes, I have seen that position on some builds and did it that way on my latest project. I always look for as many examples to see how Schwinn intended the bars to hang. Based on their catalog pics and iconic logo it appears to be somewhere in between, but ultimately, it's the riders preference on how you grip the bars based on wrist angle comfort. Thanks for watching👍🔧
Amazing restoration! I recently found an abandoned 8-Speed Traveler Schwinn and would love to get it running to use in my daily commute.
Do you have any recommendations for someone like me as to where to find the ordering info to replace the tires, chain, brake cables, and gear cables?
Thanks for watching! I usually go on eBay and take my time finding period correct parts, which can take time and be expensive based on multiple individual orders with shipping cost. If you just want to make the bike functional and a reliable commuter, I would take the bike to your local bike shop and let the shop guys recommend all the parts you need to make the bike a good rider. Good luck with your project.👍👍🔧🔧
Bike looks mint. Good job.
Glad you liked it, Thanks for watching 👍🔧
Keep these videos coming you can always sell
Thanks! yes I have plenty of content coming.
Thank for watching👍
Great video as always hope they keep coming. Watching your videos inspire me too keep working on my bikes. Quick question where did you order your bearings from. Thanks again for your video and keep up the good work.
Glad you find the content interesting! I definitely have more coming😏
I got the ball bearing set on Amazon see link below
Thanks for Watching👍🔧
www.amazon.com/dp/B0953PZMS6?ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details&th=1
Thank you very much for replying with the link I really appreciate it.
Anytime, glad to help
Which one of those vintage schwinn is the best of the version in size XL?😂 I try to have the best one to ride around..
😀Love your Video's how did you hold up from Ivan?
We were fortunate to be on the east coast of the Peninsula in South Florida and only saw some heavy rains before the west coast got hammered.
Thanks for watching 👍👍🔧🔧
Great video. Where do you get the oem wheels ?
Thanks! these were the wheels that came with this bike, it appears the previous owner replaced the front Araya wheel with something very similar. You can find vintage wheel sets in decent shape on eBay from $100 to $200 plus shipping.
Thanks for watching👍🔧
How valuable is that brand? Could you tell me? I have one.
The Schwinn Approved Traveler III was a mass produced bike made in Japan at the Panasonic plant, same plant that made the Le Tour, World Voyageur and other models for Schwinn's import business in the US. In good original condition, these bikes can sell from $175 and up to $275.
I got this one for $125 and would not sell it for less than $300 now that is has been fully restored. Thanks for watching👍👍🔧🔧
What is the difference between this bike and my 1977 letour 2?
The Le Tour II had better components and alloy stem and handlebars, the Traveler III was a nice bike at a good price.
1979 Traveler III
"X-tra Lite" series 10 speed. Imported from Japan. Stem shifters. 38 to 100 gear range. Shimano 400 front and rear derailleurs. Cotterless crank set with alloy arms. Chain wheel guard. 1020 steel lugged frame. Round head badge. Name on top tube. Alloy stem and steel Randonneur handlebar. center pull brakes with suicide levers. Chrome tipped tubular fork. Araya steel rims. 27 x 1¼ tires. colors were Pearl Blue and Scarlet Flame. Frame sizes men’s 19", 21", 23", 25"; women’s (straight bar) 19", 22". $159.95.
1977 Le Tour II
"Super Lite" series 10 speed. Imported from Japan? Stem shifters. 38 to 100 gear range. GT-420 rear derailleur, GT-450 front derailleur. Alloy cotterless crank set. No chain wheel guard. Lugged frame with single butted top and bottom tubes (bottom tube not butted on 25" frame). Alloy stem and Randonneur handlebar. Round head badge. center pull brakes with suicide levers. Quick release hubs. Chrome tipped tubular fork. Araya steel rims with 27 x 1¼ tires. colors were Scarlet, Violet, and Pearlescent Orange. Frame sizes men’s 21", 23", 25"; . $164.95.
Can you send you a picture of a bike and you let me know how old it is
Does the bike have original paint and decals? if so, is it a Schwinn? If it is a Schwinn, the serial number can be found on the headtube near the fork. The made in Japan Schwinns will have the SN on the rear dropout if you can find a SN let me know what it is.
I think the Traveler and the LeTour had the same frame?? Either one would be my bike, if I could only own one bike.. However, I do prefer the Greenville Schwinns the most..
Getting a close look at the 2 frames, they are very similar to some Le Tour models as Schwinn offered several levels. The entry level Le Tour and the Traveler had the 1020 tubing steel frame construction and geometry, however the Super Le Tour 12.2 had the 4130 chromoly frame as seen on the higher end World Voyageur.
@@that70sschwinn Cool. So 4130 is a better steel than 1020? How do these compare to 531??
@@that70sschwinn Hi, I was getting my info from the 1989 catalog. That year the LeTour and the Traveler had the same frame. " The Traveler is designed for the serious sports rider for long and fast rides. It sports the same lightweight frame as LeTour. " Under the Traveler..
@@williamwood6795 I have every type of frame within my lightweight collection, 1020 Carbon steel was used on the Electro Forged Chicago Schwinn frames, example the Varsity, Continental, Suburban, Chromoly frames were offered on the Soper Sport, Sports Tourer, Superior, World Voyageur, the Reynolds 531 tubing was used on the 1977 and 1978 Volare a very rare Panasonic made for Schwinn import bike and the premier Schwinn in the lightweight category the Paramount.
Steel 4130 Chrome-moly Tubing Advantages
Excellent strength-to-weight ratio. High tensile strength, ductility, and toughness. Lighter and more robust than carbon steel. Easy to weld, form, and machine.
Regarding strength and toughness, 4130 steel is the clear winner. It has a higher tensile strength and yield strength than 1020 steel, making it ideal for applications that require high-stress resistance and structural integrity. 4130 is a Chromoly steel which contains chromium and molybdenum as alloying elements. Mild steel is a low-carbon steel that does not contain any alloying elements. 4130 is stronger and more complex than mild steel.
Reynolds 531 "was the standard of excellence for many decades" among bicycle frame-building materials. And because of the availability of a wide range of butting, diameters and thicknesses of tubes, along with different stays and fork blades, it became the tubing of choice for most frame builders.
@@williamwood6795 Yes, Schwinn offered upgraded versions of the lightweights in the late 80s to compete with the industry demands on lighter bikes with better components.
Do you sell any of your restorations
I have not sold any so far as they are all part of my Schwinn Lightweight Category collection. I may start selling some of the duplicates when I retire.
I appreciate you stopping by👍🔧
I have what I think is a late 70's Le Tour that needs new rims where can I find replicas of what came on them? They're 32-630 27x1 1/4 with a quick release axle. Thank you, love the channel.
Nice! finding vintage rims can be tricky, you can do a daily search on eBay with key words that may pull up something close. I did a quick search just now and got several options for that size rim with QR.
The Le Tour came with Araya steel rims in 1974 and Weinman alloy rims by 1976 , the example below appear to be in pretty rough shape but could clean up okay.
www.ebay.com/itm/134010535610?hash=item1f33a67eba:g:RgYAAOSwv7Jh97aF
This wheel set could work, they are the same that came on my 1972 Paramount, it has Campy hubs
www.ebay.com/itm/134010535610?hash=item1f33a67eba:g:RgYAAOSwv7Jh97aF
You may be able to get a news set from your local bike shop for less.
Good luck with your search and thanks for watching 👍🔧
Do u restore bike for people do u sale parts
I appreciate your question, I restore and collect bikes as a hobby, which requires finding parts on eBay, I have found just about anything by typing the part needed in the eBay search bar, sometimes it takes a while but I seem to find them at some point.
Thanks for Watching! 👍🔧
How money is this bike