General Info on Schwinn Voyageur Touring Bikes

1985 Schwinn Voyageur SP
1985 Schwinn Voyageur SP

When I started looking for a Schwinn Voyageur I couldn’t find much information on the web about this touring bicycle. This page attempts to collect useful information of the vintage touring version of the Schwinn Voyageur. Schwinn still makes a bicycle called “Voyageur”, but it’s a comfort oriented hybrid bicycle.

Schwinn started selling bicycles simply labelled Voyageur after the success of the World Voyageur, Voyageur II, and Voyageur 11.8. The original “World” label denoted imported frames used on all these lightweight bicycles. As far as I know all vintage Voyageur & Voyageur SP frames were sourced from Panasonic in Japan, but the later years (1986-1991) might have been sourced elsewhere.

Starting in 1982 Schwinn sold the first Voyageur that came with triple chainrings–the Voyageur SP (as opposed to 11.8 which retained the previous years’ double gearing). Triple chainrings allow gearing over a larger range that becomes useful when engaged in long-range touring — hauling camping gear up long mountain passes makes for tough going. Starting in 1983 all Voyageurs would sport triple chainrings, and starting with that year’s SP they would also feature cantilever brakes allowing additional fender space.

1982 Schwinn Voyageur S/P

While all of the touring Voyageurs are wonderful bicycles; the most desirable versions are probably the 1983 1985 Voyageur SP’s. These bikes feature the most sought after touring features (except 24-speed gearing which can be retrofitted), as well as the best craftsmanship and quality of the series. The 1982 SP lacks certain amenities, and the 1986+ Voyageurs seemed to have suffered from cost-cutting measures (possibly due to the decline in popularity of bicycle touring). Even among the 1983-1985 SP’s, the 1983 is a decidedly odd duck. It uses the somewhat less prestigious Tange Champion #2 tubeset (versus the Columbus SL/SP tubing used on the ’84 & ’85), and has a non-standard rear derailleur cable arrangement (courtesy of the Suntour Superbe Tech II). Additionally, the 1983 comes with braze-ons for high-mount front panniers. Once common, these braze-ons were supplanted by low-mount “blackburn” braze-ons to lower the center of gravity to near the wheel axle. To it’s credit the ’83 is the only Schwinn Voyageur to have a braze-on to support the rear brake cable stop.  From 1984 onwards all Schwinn Voyageurs would come with Blackburn front pannier braze-ons and omit the rear brake cable stop.

1983 Schwinn Voyageur SP

1980-1991

1985

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75 Comments

  1. I own a mint 85 sp. I did some mods to it. Custom gearset, seat, tires & deore xt short throw rear. I bought it new in 85. Out of all my bikes it was truly a favorite. My other bikes include my street racer an 88 Pinnarello frame with c record group. My road racer an Eddy Mercx orange fade with campy group. (Sold it) My 85 stumpjumper completely customized. My trek aluminum with campy group. (Sold it) My 84 high sierra customized (traded it) So i have 3 of the bikes. Voyageur, Pinnarello & Specialized.

  3. I have been reading the posts on Schwinn Voyageur SP and was wondering how much a 1982 Sp in very good condition all original would sell for. Any help would be appreciated.

  4. Do any of the ’83, ’84, or ’85 Voyageur SPs have horizontal dropouts?

  5. The ’83 has horizontal (or at least semi-horizontal) dropouts. The ’85 is vertical. I’ll have to double check the 1984, but I’d guess it matches the ’85. I can post pictures of them if you’d like.

  8. I have an ’89 voyageur. I commute on it and do loaded tours every year. Love these bikes, see them around occasionally. Thanks for the site and info.

  11. I have a mid 80’s Voyageur that I ignored for many years while my kids were growing up. I only recently started riding it again. After riding a hybrid bike for the past 5 years I have really enjoyed getting reaquainted with this great bike. I may swap out the saddle for something a little more accommodating for my aging backend, other than that I’ll leave it as it is. This bike is however, only original in the frame itself. It was resurrected from a car accident which entailed new crankset, bottom bracket, wheels, and brake levers. It has survived two long tours without a problem.

    1. There shouldn’t be any such thing as a 1985 Voyageur Sport. The Voyageur Sport was a hybrid bike released much later by Schwinn. It doesn’t share anything in common with the touring bikes except the first part of the name.

  13. Do you have any info on the 1988 Voyaguer, besides the catalog info. Looking for
    Top Tube Length
    Rear Dropout spacing
    Catalog shows a 6 speed shimano freewheel.

    Looking at a 1988. I am original owner of a 1975 Voyaguer II. Nice bike once I got the bars up above seat with a Nitto Technomic. Wish it had rack mounts.

    John Hawrylak
    Woodstown NJ

    1. I can’t say about the top tube length; I would assume that it varied with the frame size.
      You are correct about the freewheel size. When I made the comparison sheet I must have missed the change. 1987-1989 are listed as: Shimano Z-series 6 (14-16-19-22-26-30). I’ll update the sheet as soon as I track down the source file.

      As far as rear drop-out spacing. It should be 126mm, which would have been the old 6-speed spacing. I don’t recall Schwinn using the ultra-6 stuff at that time.

  14. Sorry about not specifying the frame size when asking for top tube length.

    21″ Frame, 1988 Voyaguer, top tube length

    TIA and fro quick response

    John Hawrylak
    Woodstown NJ

  15. I just bought what i believe is a 83 Voyaguer but the derailleurs are Shimano Deore SP and
    I don’t see that model anywhere on the chart on this site . Anyone have any idea why ?

    1. There are several reasons that there might be a discrepancy between the chart and your bike. The ’82 and ’83 voyageurs would have come with Shimano Deore groupo, but the specific variety might have varied depending on the the exact build date or the shop that assembled the bike. Or it might have been that the catalog entries were inaccurate or just written before the specs were finalized. Finally, a previous owner might have changed them out by preference or due to damage. In any case, I’d distinguish your new bike based on the frame color and other part specifications.

  16. Aloha Sandro,

    Thanks for sharing your detective work. I have a 1991 bike and a 1985/6 frameset and have enjoyed your discussion of the touring Voyageurs. Yes the Voyaguers are a unique timeline of product availability, currency devaluation (Dollar to Yen 200%), technology changes, and the last gasps of several family bike dynasties (Suntour and Schwinn, etc.). It is too bad the new ‘Schwinn’ has cheapened the model name by making it a badge engineered comfort bike now. Perhaps this has made this model less cult like (Trek etc.).

    It is surprising how the later models put on so much weight (2+ pounds or 10%) in a single model year. It would be interesting if folks could sent in their frame set weights for different years and we could see if was the tubing or the specing of accessories that caused the product obesity. (Cost savings and a lower desire for quality drove this.) The early weight savings would be a split of both issues.

    I have my 1985/6 frame stripped for repainting and was surprised at the mix of quality of the chrome work under the paint. On the fork (and frame dropouts) it is almost nice enough to leave the fork all chrome…except it gets a bit foggy halfway up. So I only left the ends unpainted for a bit more vintage look/ durability. I have not stripped the 1991 frame yet…probably not since it is a complete bike, frame work may not be as nice, and I am not putting S&S couplings on it.

  17. Took the 1991 Voyageur out today for a cleaning and inspection – as the last owner took it mountain biking. Cleaned it up. Except for the new stem and aero bars it looks in original spec – even the dry grease looks original. Tires look new for a pair of 20 year old model. Everything rode neutral and solid after cleaning and lube. Took off a set of hammered Honjo mudguards and blue Blackburn lowriders and a Brooks off other bikes and set it up for a tour. Rear rack might go on tomorrow if the Carradice transverse bag comes off. May be set up a dynamo lamp. Threw on a pair of 700 wheels. They fit better than on my 86 voyageur. Perhaps Schwinn adjusted the brake location to fit either wheel diameter. The drop bars may go since Schwinn cut a corner there – their chrome section ends where the tape ends. The chromed frame and fork of earlier models does not seem to be done in 1991. The frame has a sticker stating made in Japan – no Tenax left. The Barcon shifters are Suntour and not Shimano as the spec sheet says. No Shimano parts at all on my 1991 Voyageur.

  18. An update on the 1991 Voyaguer above:

    The 700c rim with a 622mm x 32mm Schwalbe Marathon fit well with the medium Honjos and the canti brakes took only a little adjustment before they braked well. (They were much easier to readjust to a 700c rim than my 86 Voyageur.) The bike now has a LED lamp and dynamo hub working. The rear is still a 27 inch for now.

  19. What is the widest tire you could fit on one of the Le Tours? I need more than 32mm or my huevos will be scrambled

    38? 43?

  20. I love these early 80s bikes (and 80’s heavy metal). I have a 83 stumpjumper that has head and seat tube angles in the 60s. Seems excessively laid back. I see that the Le Tour is around 72 head and seat tube but the voyageur has a 74 head tube and a 72 seat tube.

    I don’t really understand what the angles do to the ride. Can someone describe the ride characteristics between the bikes? Advantages disadvantages? I’m an urban trail, path rider…. Don’t ring your bell when you pass me, I won’t hear it.

    1. All other things being equal a steeper head tube shortens the wheelbase and makes the bike less stable but improves handling. In the case of comparing a Le Tour with a 72° head tube to a Voyageur with a 74° head tube, one needs to account for other overall changes in the frame geometry. Notably, the Voyageurs had longer top tubes and chainstays. The overall effects was a longer wheelbase (and more stable bike), with a riding position that improved comfort over aerodynamics.

  21. Thanks for this site. I own a 1988 Voyageur that used for heavy duty touring for years, and recently have pulled out again for daily 20-30 mile runs.

    I love that bike. Love love love it. Bought it new off the dealer floor when it was new, and only this year overhauled bearings, etc., replaced the original chain & cables (!!), and rewrapped the handlebars with leather. It rides as smoothly and powerfully as it did on day 1. Can’t wait to take it out for a long tour in the next year or so.

    My only concern at this point is that eventually I probably will need to convert to 700 wheels and when the cassette/gears start to go, I’m going to have trouble retrofitting something for that frame.

    If I can get around that, though, I have bought my last bike. I’ll stay with this one forever.

    Cheers.

    James
    Asheville, NC

  22. James…not sure about the 1988 year, but my 1991 Voyageur converted to 700 rims without much effort vs. my 1986 voyageur – that took a mechanic some effort to adjust it. The brake arms are not at their best angle. It can be done. Borrow a friend’s rim to see how close it is before you invest in 700.

  23. im wondering how much i could sell my schwinn voyageur sp for … it has been sitting for a while and tires+tubes are crap and maybe braces too, i dont want to fix it i just want to sell it, but i dont know what a good price is?

  24. The value of a Schwinn Voyageur SP is going to depend on which year it’s from, its condition, and what part of the country you’re in. Generally, later years are worth more. In the case of tubes/tires/grips/other wear and tear parts, those matter less since they all need to be replaced eventually. I don’t know what you mean by braces, if you mean spokes then that’s a bigger deal, as far as value.

    People will generally pay more for a bike that’s ready to ride. Based on eBay sales, I figure the value of a SP is between $150-$550 depending on the factors I’ve already pointed out.

  25. Hello, I was wondering if anyone knew what the serial numbers on the voyageur sp decoded to- i.e. manufacturing dates, places. I own the same exact blue model displayed up top. Thank you all!

    1. Until 1982 Schwinn punched the serial numbers into the lower left of the head tube itself The first two letters indicated the month/year or production. The first letter (A-M, excluding I) correspond to January-December. The second letter indicates year — R,S,T corresponding to 1980, 1981, and 1982, respectively.

      As of 1983, Schwinn stamped a 4 digit code into the head badge. The first 3 digits represented the day of the year, and the fourth is used to specify the year of the decade (here mostly the 1980’s). So serial number 1005 would indicate April 10, 1985. You can decode the Panasonic serial numbers sometimes stamped into the lower head lug using the information at the Panasonic Bicycles Museum FAQ page: http://panasonicbikemuseum.info/faq.

      The blue bike you have is likely a 1984 or 1985 Voyageur SP. An easy check might be to examine the make of the handlebar and stems. In 1984 they would have been from SR, in 1985 from Cinelli.

      Since production year didn’t always line-up with the actual catalog year you might find that 1985 models were produced during the later months in 1984. It is probably more reliable to use evidence based on the table I have at: http://sandro.knot.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/voyageur-comparison.pdf

      All Schwinn Voyageur SPs should have come out of the Panasonic factory located in Kashihara City, Osaka, Japan.

      1. I brought my Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 in May 1983. The code stamped on my badge is 3100. Which i believe is Nov 5, 1980.

  26. I have one of the british racing green Voyageur’s. Definitely my favorite bike, and my stable includes a custom track bike.

    Picked it up at a thrift store next to my work for ONLY $15 back in 2004. Looked to have a fairly new Brooks saddle on it and some vintage Campy derailleurs. It’s been through a lot of upgrades and took me across the United States in summer 2008. Still ride it to work almost every day. If it were ever destroyed I would hang it on my wall and commence looking for another one, or if I got a sweet settlement have a custom built with the same geometry haha

  28. New to me is a 25″ 1984 SP. It seems to be all original and in good condition.
    I will grease it up and true the rims in the next couple of days. A friend loaned me some bags. There should be some short tours on the horizon. Has anybody stretched their low gear to a 24/32?

  29. The picture on the top of the site looks very familiar to me. Where did you find/get it?

    Great info BTW! Thanks.

  30. I have a 1980 Voyager 11.8 in good condition that I just started riding again. My wife said it was a junky bike, but when I put new tires on it and my 16 year old took it for a ride he was surprised how smooth and fast it rode. I am looking to see what the availability of a hub type generator for the front wheel so I can start using the bike to commute to work…any information about this would be great. Also, just wondering what the bike is worth. It is all original except a new seat I put on last year, and it is scarlet red in color. Any info will help. Thanks!

    1. I also have a 1980 Voyageur 11.8. People often tell me nice bike. Mine is the black with gold and red trim. Stickers almost worn off but found a site that sells replacements.

  31. Just finished the Trace, from Nashville, to Natchez, on my ’83 Voyageur. The bike is completely as I purchased it new in ’83. The only exception being a Brooks B72 saddle.
    Trip took 8 days, averageing 55.5 mi. Bike performed flawlessly.

  32. I need to replace the fork on my 85 SP, and im not sure of what size i should get… i was thinking about an Origin8 carbon cross for with canti bosses… comments?

    1. I’ve heard disturbing things about carbon forks, but I have never ridden one myself. Rivendell has an article on frame materials that sums it up nicely.

      If you do decide to switch to the Origin-8 fork here are a couple things to know. It’s designed to fit 1-1/8″ steering tubes. AFAIK, the Voyageurs all take 1″ steerers, so I don’t think it will fit. It’s designed for a threadless headset/stem, so you’d need to switch from the threaded headset and quill stem on the Schwinn. Finally, it doesn’t not have rack bosses, so if you use a front rack, you’d need to make some kind of accommodation for that.

      You might check out the Cross-check/Traveler’s Check fork from Surly, it’s probably a better fit for a Voyageur.

  33. Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of praise for these pages. I recently purchased a 1990 Voyageur in mostly-original condition as my first “road” bike. I ride it on my short commute 3 or 4 times per week, and long rides on the weekend. rode an MS150, and getting ready to attempt the HHH100 in Wichita Falls (though I’m probably going to stick to 100K this first year).

    Mine is the 19″ frame, which is probably a smidge on the small side for me, but the LBS sold me a long, positive-rise mountain bike stem and now the bike fits wonderfully. Mine came with front and rear racks which were purchased at the same time as the bike (original owner kept ALL the paperwork) from Nashbar.

    If anyone is reading these comments trying to decide whether to pull the trigger on a Voyageur, even the ones called less desirable, I say DO IT! I’m really enjoying mine.

  34. Just bought a 1984 Voyager for 140, mint, with all the original parts including bar tape. Shimano components. Shimano 600 freewheel. Champion tubing. Excited to see Grand Compe brake levers! Hoods with no cracks! I hope ya’ll know that Armor All or such products rejuvenates and protects those things , btw. Nice spacing around the wheels. :))

  35. I have a 1984 Voyager SP in excellent condition. This is a marvelous touring bike. I weigh 240# and tour with 4 Carradice Nelson bags, fully loaded. The bike has very little use in its history. It had less than 200 miles when I acquired it. I only had about 300 miles on it when I began touring with it. I have put on 2500 touring miles. Denver to KC, KC to St Louis twice, upstate NY circuit. Experience on the bike caused several upgrades. Handlebars were widened to 48’s. Cyclocross interupter brakes were added for slow speed control. Regular brakes were replaced with climbing pegs. Brake levers were placed at the bottom of the drops which gives excellent control loaded downhill. SIS bar end shifters were added. Chainwheels are 24-30-50 Biopace. (Rings from memory, may be different) Rims replaced with Sun CR-18’s. Tires Schwalbe 32’s with reflective sidewalls. Front Shimano hub generator and those good German lights that Peter White sells. Aero bars to drop down in strong headwinds and rest the arms on long straightaways.
    There is some frame flex fully load, but there is a lot of weight on the bike. Had an aft CG due to wet tent and gear which caused front wheel to shimmy. Balanced load and all was fine. Brooks B-17 seat. A wonderful touring machine.

  36. Hi, thanks for the site. I especially liked the photos and the chart. I ran a Schwinn shop in suburban Philadelphia from 1974-80. We had a Voyageur 11.8 come in with a warranty problem– the little brazed on spacer between the chainstays near the bottom bracket had a bad brazing. The Schwinn rep replaced the frame under the warranty and instead of destroying the frame (like I was supposed to), I held on to it and later had a friend that worked in a car recon shop did the brazing repair, sand blasted the frame and painted in a nice british racing green. I put on Universal side pulls, an Avocet triple chainset, an old Brooks saddle I had salvaged from an old Schwinn Superior, bar end shifters (remember them?) and a Huret Alvit rear deraileur and Schwinn (Huret) front derailleur. I planned on doing a bunch of touring with this bike but I never really ended up fulfilling my plans. Now, 33 years later, I still have the bike and just replaced the rims with some 27″ alloy rims I was able to find on the internet. I would really like to do some touring and like the front rack on one of the bikes in the picture. Hopefully I will get it together sometime soon! Thanks, again.

  38. I have an 83 Schwinn Voyager SP that the frame has cracked on and I am looking to either replace the frame or find someone in the Chicago area that can rebuild it. Does anyone have any ideas. Thanks!!

  39. I purchased a 91 voyageur frame and fork and retrofitted the rest. Deore LX and XT deraileurs and hubs, sun cr18 rims and DT spokes, Suntour barcon bar end shifters, SAKAE crankset, SRAM 8 spd cassette, FUJI bars, profile threadless stem adapter, Ritchie stem, vittoria Rando tires and sks fenders. I also have an eclipse rear rack and Blackburn low front rack. This bike is my daily commuter and touring bike and I absolutely love it.

  40. I purchased a Voyageur last night and have the serial # is 6B21351 stamped in the bottom center of the headset. Its 15 speed with canti’s and front/rear braze-on’s for pack frames. Rear dropout appears to be semi horizontal but more vertical. Wondering about the year and could’t decipher based on the above coding explanation. Thanks for any assistance.

    1. With 15-speeds, it should be 1982-1985. Color is the easiest way to tell these apart. Which color is it?

  41. Hi,
    I’m trying to find a front rack like the one seen in the picture of the 1982 Schwinn Voyageur S/P at the top of the page. Any info you can provide about such a rack will be GREATLY appreciated!

    1. Those kinds of high front racks are always a bit hard to source. Velo Orange makes something similar: . So does Soma Fabrications:

    2. Art,
      A bit tardy on a reply about your question concerning a front rack for the Voyageur… Actually this is my first post, but I was able to purchase a Soma brand front alloy rack recently on eBay. A variation of this rack is also available on Amazon.com.

  42. I have a 1985 vouageur. Need to purchase a hhk “z” chain or anything which will work. Who sells this width of chain today?

    1. Most 5/6/7/8 speed clusters can use the same chains — 3/32″ width between the plates. The difference between the old “wide” and “narrow” widths has to do with the overall width of the chain from outer edge to outer edge. The “narrow” chains were manufactured to be thinner overall, but these chains will still work in the wider spacing on a Voyageur.

      Note: modern 9 and 10 speed chains are different, and are not appropriate for our older drivetrains.

      Trusted source — Harris Cyclery recommends SRAM PC-870. Rivendell Bikes uses the same or similar.

      I suspect that KMC Z33 chains are as close to our old HHK-Z that are still sold. This is also available in nickel-plated (for extra bling): here.

      HHK still makes roller chains, but I don’t think they do retail sales to consumers.

  43. Thanks so much for the spreadsheet. I just bought a 1981 voyageur 11.8, chrome, 25 inch, in decent shape. Almost all of the clear coat is still on the chrome. I now know it is all original except for campy 700/25 rims. I see this was Arnie Schwinn’s top bike back then, at $399 retail. A lot of money back then! The frame is too tall for me or my children, this is up for sale in Colorado.

  44. I have a schwinn voyageur 11.8 #2F04947. It is the dark blue color bike, 12 speed. I have owned it for 25 years or so and ride it a lot. It is the 63cm bike, Shimano which is maybe June of 1982. Just looking to confirm this info and maybe get a better feel for value. Thx

  45. This page is full of super useful Voyageur info. Thanks for that. I purchased a 1984 Voyageur SP some time back. The guy spray painted it orange. It is the only bike I own that has sever finish problems. That being said, it is in fantastic shape. One day I hope to get caught up enough to have the rattle can blasted off of it. I know that I can sink a ton of money into this bike. I pray that I don’t just sell it to someone who does not recognize what a world class bike it is. I think it is better than my Paramount. P is a seriously fussy bike.

  46. I have a 1980 11.8. Black with orange graphics. This one appears to either be completely restored, or it has lived in a cocoon for the last 35 years. I can’t say enough positive things about this bike! It has a 25″ frame and at first I was worried that it might be too big for me, but with 1″ to spare, the seat is finally low enough. It isn’t the best solution for group rides, what with the beautiful downtube shifters, but most of my riding is solo anyway. It is, in my opinion, a testament to what this great bicycle company was able to do before the MBAs took over and deleted the word “craftsmanship”. The Japanese frame just shouts quality. I’ve been riding a Cannondale hybrid for the last couple of years, since getting the 11.8, the hybrid has been fitted with knobbies for trail riding (also fun!)

  47. I have my dad’s 1989 Voyageur 21 inch and its a fantastic bike. I recently bought a really rough 1988 19 inch that I am going to have to paint it and was wondering if anyone knows of a source for color match paint ?? I found a forum mentioning Sherwin Williams Auto Paint supplied the org paint anyone know if thats true ??

    Great site for a great bike

    Cheers

  48. Thanks for hosting such a useful website. I return to this often to read through the comments and the information. I am the original owner of a 1984 warm grey Schwinn Voyageur. All original except the clamp on the FD broke a couple of years ago and the brake hoods wore through. Fortunately I was able to source an identical Shimano AL-11 (same as the original), so back to it’s original state. I just picked up a new Brooks saddle recently and looking to put it on and break it in. Certainly a lot of memories with this bike – – – from pretending to be a racer in American Flyers to being the “real Dave Stoller” many many many decades ago. All fun . . .

  49. I own a 1984 wine red Voyageur which I toured across the U.S. on in 1985. It’s a wonderful touring bike and is still as capable today as it was back then when I bought it new. The original paint still looks mint and it’s by far the most comfortable bike I’ve ever owned. I did modify the seat with Sorbothane inserts prior to my trip, which helped a lot.

  50. I am the proud owner of a 1985 mint condition Schwinn Voyageur. He bike has been house keep its entire life. I just finished a complete overhaul of the bike. All new bearings, new cables, bar tape, new tires and the rest original from 1985. This bike looks awesome. I only wish I could be restored back to what I looked like in 85. In addition to the restore, the project brought back great memories of when I toured.

  51. Information at your site is much appreciated. It is great that someone does these good deeds.
    Based on the chart for the 1985 series, I’ve verified to my satisfaction that I the bike I purchased at a garage sale last year is the vanilla Voyager (not an SP) in British Green, apparently the only color for that line that year. It is only lightly used and has the original PASSAGE tires on WOBLER 58 wheels. Given the still excellent rideable condition of both those tires suggests to me that it was stored someplace air conditioned for a very very long time.
    SEKINE (World Finest) bikes built in Japan and later in Canada in the 1970’s have a very similar history to the Schwinn Voyager. They were very high quality and few in number. Now rode bike buffs seek them out. Google them and see what you can learn about them.
    Thanks again and here’s hoping that your health is back and your voyaging again.
    Best 2U

  53. I have a Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 . trying to find info on it. its in good condition.
    on the name plate on front of bike it has a # 1080, below the seat on a plate it say 4130 chrome moly lugged tubing. on bottom below the pedals has a number stamped in D023117

    What do I have when was it made etc..?

    any help please

    thanks

    rick

    /

    1. Rick, I don’t really know that much about the 11.8, but here’s what I can tell you. The date code on the name plate puts that bicycle as made on March 21, 1981 (19*1 – 080th day, since the 11.8 was only made in the late 70s-early 80s, that is easy). Beyond that I don’t have any information, but a quick Google search returns this page: http://schwinncruisers.com/catalogs/1981.html#voyageur

  54. I have an 85 SP frame without the fork. I managed to order a substitute, but it is a generic one (Dimension 700c w/round crown area). Can you recommend a proper replacement fork with, canti posts,. braze-ons and eyelets? Any substitutes out there from other bikes which will come close to the original geometry? How about a Surly?

    1. Don – I just bought a ’85 VSP and noticed the fork is almost exactly the same as a spare Fuji fork I have. Only the Fuji is branded Fuji on crown, but it is beautiful and looks like never used. Let me know if you want to see a pic or are interested.

  55. Hopefully someone is still reading this site. I was wondering which is the better bike in stock factory condition, a 1983 Schwinn Voyageur (not the SP), a 1985 Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, or a 1981 Schwinn Super Sport?

    I can’t find anything really glaring difference between the three. In 85 Schwinn vastly improved the Le Tour Luxe, but there is no catalog or specs on the 81 Super Sport.

    Any insight between the 3 models would be appreciated. The bike will be used for some touring if that matters. I guy a know has all 3 of these bikes, the Le Tour Luxe and the Super Sport seem to look like their in showroom condition, the Voyageur appears to be in excellent condition but not showroom condition. He only wants $250 for either, my pick. All come completely factory original including the racks.

  56. I have the one year only (86) little brother of the Voyageur – the Schwinn Passage which I just finished building up, a very nicely crafted bike I am betting was built by Panasonic in Japan, the original hubs sport the “Schwinn approved” label.

  57. I have a 1983 Schwinn Voyageur (not SP). I found this bike in a dumpster covered with some sort of unknown blackish grey sticky goo that covered the paint, so at the time of the find I had no idea what condition the paint was in, I had to wash it about 3 times to get the crud off, and lo and behold it’s not in bad condition at all, the paint is pretty darn good, about a 8 out of 10. All factory original components were (and still are) in place and also in very good condition. I still have to do more cleaning in crevices of the frame and components, but haven’t had the time to attack it real well but I like what I found. It is rideable, tires held air so I took it out for a ride after the 3 cleanings and seem to ride great. I am surprise that someone would dump a bike like that in the trash, just weird to me.

    The other odd thing to me is why these Voyageurs, even the SP model, go for so little? They were very confident touring bikes, maybe among the top 3 or 4 of touring bikes that were made back then, and they were very popular in the day to tour on.

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