asgromo info! - my bike

my bike

A red Schwinn road bike. On it is attached fenders/mudguards, a handlebar bag, a rear rack, and, on top of the rack, a basket with a blue net to hold stuff in. There are folded shopping totes and a helmet in the basket. The bike is on a stationary trainer that applies friction to the rear wheel.

My current bike is a "cardinal red" Schwinn LeTour. It's a steel road bike from the bottom of their 1980 lineup that I found at a secondhand store for $25 several years ago. Being the cheap one, it's plain old 1020 carbon steel, not the nice chrome-moly. Before anything but the kickstand is bolted on, it's 30 pounds, which is too heavy. But if I don't drop it into a volcano, it will probably outlive me.

To this I have attached:

Pletscher Model C rear rack (found as purchased)
silver Wald 1392 Basket mounted to the rack with zip ties (purchased as the "Huge" basket from Rivendell Bicycle Works) with a blue net to hold stuff in (also from RBW)
black Cannondale handlebar touring bag 1995 vintage (purchased from R Community Bikes for $5)
silver SKS P45 fenders (last item from that RBW order)
a couple of lights
a little saddlebag with a patch kit, multitool, and tire levers
a mini pump
a bell (I have a classier brass one, gifted by my sister, and a subdued black one. I go back and forth.)

This has made the bike approximately 1 metric ton and the steering could stand to be more lenient. Nevertheless, it rides beautifully at speed and fits a lot of groceries.

I may further adjust it for a more upright and casual ride, but that'll mean a new stem, handlebar, or both. And I need to rewrap the present handlebar. And then it will be perfect.

The following table, amended for my particular bike, was sourced from a Schwinn catalog scan, credited further down the page.


Frame Size	23"
Frame	Schwinn-Built X-tra Lite Torch Brazed Lug Frame, 18 gauge 1020 carbon steel tubing
Fork	Tubular with chrome-plated crown cover and 6" chrome trim on fork blades
Handlebar	SR alloy Randonneur bend drop style with a double sleeve
Stem	SR alloy with recessed Allen head bolts
Saddle	Avocet Touring II
Crankset	Supino Super Maxi alloy cotterless with 39 and 52 tooth chainwheels with chainguard and chrome-moly steel spindle. 120 mm crank arms
Freewheel	Schwinn-Approved Maillard gold finish, high-gear chainguard, built-in dust seal and 14-17-20-24-28 tooth cogs
Chain	Sedia 3/32 x 1/2-inch
Hubs	Front—Schwinn-Approved alloy large flange with quick release and positive wheel retention Rear—~~Schwinn-Approved alloy large flange with quick release~~ replaced with... something
Rear Derailleur	Shimano 400
Front Derailleur	Schwinn-Approved GT-295 with exclusive two-piece chain guide for jam-free shifting
Shifting Levers	~~Schwinn Twin Stik stem mounted~~ mismatching levers mounted on the down tube instead, for some reason. i intend to put them higher up somewhere again.
Brakes	Schwinn-Approved alloy center pull with extension levers [replaced the rear shoes/pads only with Shimano 105s]
Rims	UKAI narrow section steel 27 x 1¼-inch
Tires	~~Schwinn High Pressure Sports Touring gumwall 27 x 1¼ inch~~ Schwalbe Road Cruiser gumwall 27 x 1¼-inch
Spokes	.080 gauge bright finish
Pedals	KKT RT-E steel rattrap [one replaced with.... something]
Color	Cardinal Red
Accessories	Kickstand
Weight	30 pounds with kickstand

a scanned page from a Schwinn catalog, titled "Schwinn X-tra Lite Models, 1980 Specifications

(Schwinn catalog page scan from Anna and Patrick Sexton's "Bike History" site