Since discussing fillets brazed Schwinns, including my own projects, here s everal times, I've been surprised to see these bikes fetching some pretty respectable prices lately, whereas for a couple of decades one could scarc ely give them away. For example, this Sports Tourer stands at $425 with 9 1/2 hours to go:
http://ebay.com/
Granted, that isn't exactly Confente money, and this is a very clean exampl e, but even a few months ago, even really nice 70's fillet brazed models, including the two I bought, went for under $300, the Super Sport often under $200. In fact, I couldn't spend more than $300 if I tried, since I won the Sports Tourer for I think about $320 plus shipping, only to have the seller say that was too much money, and insist on I think $260 INCLUDIN G shipping. I did in May of 2007 pay Tom Sanders $550 plus shipping for a 1962 Superior, but that bike was a decade older than this eBay one, a bet ter known, if stll not widely known model, near mint condition and almost 1 00% original even including Goodyear 27" tires. And finally, it is all c hrome, the only such fillet brazed all chrome Schwinn I have seen.
Perhaps just by discussing the fillet brazed models here, I've "talked up" the price, which might be nice if I intended to sell mine, but I don't. And I may now have rasied my cost if I want to pick up another one. I mu st say, though, that these bikes deserve their recent higher prices, as the ir quality is equal to European bikes going for similar prices, despite the ir higher weight at near 30 lbs for the Sports Tourer and a bit over 30 lbs for the Super Sport. And they are a significant chapter in the history of American cycling.
This list has now grown to the extent that it probably now includes the maj ority, although certainly not all, of the most avid classic lightweight col lectors in North America, plus a good number from around the world. So i t may well be that discussing here a previously little known model is suffi cient to significantly raise collector interest in it, and as a result it s price on eBay.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA