Hey Ray ,
Sounds like a really cool ride you have there !
The stem shifters are not as heavy as they look . Yes , they are heavy . But , they are much lighter than they look . And those frames , with their brazed-on cable-stops , are practically crying out for handlebar end shifters - or even - modern brake-lever / shifters ( brifters ) !
And if you want to instantly lose a few pounds , carefully remove the solid forged steel kickstand . I mean carefully extract it from the chainstay bridge . This does NOT mean use a saw ! You'll want to carefully set aside that kickstand , and it's internal spring mechanism . Yes , they are valuable , and not so easy to find anymore .
You probably don't need the chainguard on the crankset . But again , set it carefully aside . And you can always try replacing the chainguard with another chainring !
And modern , high-quality , high-pressure , light-weight , rims and tires and tubes , could add some more speed and liveliness . You could save those original rims , and spokes , and the tires too if they are vintage ! Or , you could simply build up another pair of wheels . With two sets of wheels and tires , you could swap between original & modern at a moments notice .
If you can live with the looks , a modern Kalloy ( Laprade ) seatpost might save some additional weight .
And brand-new MKS pedals ( $40 at Harris ) weigh either 300 grams , or 350 grams , or 400 grams , depending on style . And still look appropriate . As a matter of fact , the MKS Touring look like stock replacements !
Happy Cycling .
Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas
> I read with interest this posting and the follow ups. I am finalizing a
> restoration of a Schwinn Sports Tourer which was second to the Paramount
> line for Schwinn for that same time period. The Sports Tourer only lasted
> for a few years but had very similar drive train to the Paramount.
> Specifically the Le Tour and the Gran Tourisimo. The front rings and
> cranks are Nevar. The bike is Cro-Mo but weighs a ton. I cannot get over
> the stem shifters on my Sport Tourer are the same as on the Paramount.
> They are so heavy that one could not imagine these as serious components
> of the day. These frames came in some pretty unusual opaque colors. Right
> now I am attempting to retro-fit the LeTour with the Gran-Tourisimo just
> for looks and to see how it will ride. So far I am having trouble as I
> guess I am missing the frame stop from the GT so the cage hits the funny 1
> inch pitch cogs. I say funny because only 1st and 2nd were one inch pitch
> while the rest were standard 1/2 pitch. I wonder if the LeTour frame stop
> will work on the GT? Will have to scope it out to see if it will.
>
> Ray Homiski
> Elizabeth, NJ