Vintage Questions

[Jeff J.]

Two unrelated questions:

1. A recent thrift-store acquisition came equipped with a 5-speed Shimano FREEHUB. That's freehub,
not freewheel. It has a nifty 14-34 (5-speed) cogset, with the small cog being the only threaded
one, the others having the older-style splines (all the same size). My question is, when did
this get produced? It must have been one of Shimano's earliest freehub designs.

2. Another thrift-store find: a nice Schwinn Letour, from around 1990, I'm guessing. Suntour Blaze
components, GPX downtube shifters, Sun "Levanter"(?) 700c rims, True Temper double-butted frame,
and NO "made in Japan" sticker. Was this a USA made Letour? Could this one have been made in
Wisconsin?

As usual, I did some searching in the archives, but didn't find the answers I was looking for.
Thanks in advance,

--
Jeff ([email protected])

 

[A Muzi]

"Jeff J." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Two unrelated questions:
>
> 1. A recent thrift-store acquisition came equipped with a 5-speed Shimano FREEHUB. That's
> freehub, not freewheel. It has a nifty 14-34 (5-speed) cogset, with the small cog being the
> only threaded one, the others having the older-style splines (all the same size). My question
> is, when did
this
> get produced? It must have been one of Shimano's earliest freehub
designs.
>
> 2. Another thrift-store find: a nice Schwinn Letour, from around 1990,
I'm
> guessing. Suntour Blaze components, GPX downtube shifters, Sun "Levanter"(?) 700c rims, True
> Temper double-butted frame, and NO "made in Japan" sticker. Was this a USA made Letour? Could this
> one have been
made
> in Wisconsin?

The cassette hub is mid-seventes through about 1982? 83?. The cassette body is stamped onto a
two-piece hubshell.

If USA, your LeTour was most probably built at Greenville, Mississippi. Dates will be stamped on the
Sakae seatpost and stem near the limit marks.

(I believe only the Paramount shop, which became Waterford, was here in WI.)

If you're interested in the story of Schwinn's last gasps, get the book "No Hands", an excellent
account. It's well-researched and exhaustively thorough.
http://www.hallbusinesses.com/biographies_primers/378.shtml

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[Stever]

Hi Jeff, I bought a used Schwinn LeTour 3 years ago for $75. It has the name plate riveted to the
front, and it says Schwinn-Chicago. It is an awesome bike. It has the shifters on the down tube
also, which I got used to. I put about 1300 road miles on it and it is still in excellent shape. I
will never sell it.

SteveR

"Jeff J." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Two unrelated questions:
>
> 1. A recent thrift-store acquisition came equipped with a 5-speed Shimano FREEHUB. That's
> freehub, not freewheel. It has a nifty 14-34 (5-speed) cogset, with the small cog being the
> only threaded one, the others having the older-style splines (all the same size). My question
> is, when did
this
> get produced? It must have been one of Shimano's earliest freehub
designs.
>
> 2. Another thrift-store find: a nice Schwinn Letour, from around 1990,
I'm
> guessing. Suntour Blaze components, GPX downtube shifters, Sun "Levanter"(?) 700c rims, True
> Temper double-butted frame, and NO "made in Japan" sticker. Was this a USA made Letour? Could this
> one have been
made
> in Wisconsin?
>
> As usual, I did some searching in the archives, but didn't find the
answers
> I was looking for. Thanks in advance,
>
> --
> Jeff ([email protected])

 

[Menotomy]

Try posting your questions to our Discussion Area under the "Vintage Lightweight" topic. There are
some experts there.

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc. http://OldRoads.com

>Two unrelated questions:
>
>1. A recent thrift-store acquisition came equipped with a 5-speed Shimano FREEHUB. That's freehub,
> not freewheel. It has a nifty 14-34 (5-speed) cogset, with the small cog being the only
> threaded one, the others having the older-style splines (all the same size). My question is,
> when did this get produced? It must have been one of Shimano's earliest freehub designs.
>
>2. Another thrift-store find: a nice Schwinn Letour, from around 1990, I'm guessing. Suntour Blaze
> components, GPX downtube shifters, Sun "Levanter"(?) 700c rims, True Temper double-butted
> frame, and NO "made in Japan" sticker. Was this a USA made Letour? Could this one have been
> made in Wisconsin?
>
>As usual, I did some searching in the archives, but didn't find the answers I was looking for.
>Thanks in advance,