I like quality vintage things and getting something on the cheap is always a bonus. As a kid in the 1970’s I could never afford expensive bicycles. Expensive meaning: bikes that were not sold in the local department store. Consequently, I grew up riding Huffy’s which were definitely better than no bicycle at all, but I always admired my wealthier friend’s higher-end bicycles: Cannondale’s, Raleigh’s, Fuji’s, Schwinn’s etc. Then along came age and Craigslist and suddenly my dreams of owning some of those coveted bikes from my childhood became possible. This is one of my first and favorite Craigslist finds. It was advertised as a “vintage adult Schwinn road bike ready-to-ride” and the asking price was $10. The ad had been online for only a few minutes when I called and the seller noted that he had already had several inquiries, but wary of the sincerity of would be buyers, he said first come, first serve. As soon as I finished my workday, off I went. Needless to say, I was the first buyer to arrive and slapped a crisp 10 dollar bill into the seller’s hand sight unseen as a couple of other would-be buyers pulled up to the seller’s home. I probably saved this beautiful 12-speed from becoming a fixed gear several times over. As it turned out, the bike was this mid-range Schwinn Le Tour Luxe day touring bike and in great original condition. There was not a spec of rust and the bike had been recently serviced, so everything functioned as it should.

I have had the bike for several years now and can’t seem to part with it as I have many other Craigslist finds since then. The bike is a near perfect fit for me and a very comfortable around town bike. While I have not exactly restored it, I have upgraded the bike: Brooks B17 saddle, Brooks leather bar tape, vintage Jim Blackburn pannier rack, new Kenda K85 tires/tubes and new brake pads. Love this bike…