The Schwinn Le Tour was made in several different plants and countries during its long run. The first few years they are all made by Panasonic in Japan. Then they are briefly made in Chicago and then back to Japan. Later they would be made in the Mississippi Schwinn plant in the USA, Taiwan, and maybe China. Here is a guide to their serial numbers:
Production Month Letters:
Jan – A, Feb – B, Mar- C, Apr – D, May – E, Jun – F, Jul – G, Aug – H, Sep – J, Oct – K, Nov – L, Dec – M
Japan
Serial number is located on the left rear fork end. These have a production month letter in either the first or second position and a production year number in the other (first or second) position. Example: J677123 equals September 1976. 6J77123 is also September 1976.
USA
Also located on the left rear fork end. These have an S followed by the production month, the first number is the year of production.
Example: SC94653 = March 1979
Example: SG04653 = Jul 1980
Bikes made in the USA may also have a number stamped onto the head badge. First three digits are the ordinal day and last digit is the year. 0409 is the 40th day of 1979. This is the date the bike was assembled.
Taiwan
These should have a date code on the right rear fork end. These include the letter G followed by the two-digit month code(01=Jan, 02=Feb) followed by two digits for production year.
Example: G02953 = February 1995.
Where was the Schwinn Le Tour made?
1974 – Japan
1975 – Japan
1976 – Japan
1977 – Japan
1978 – Japan
1979 – Chicago, USA
1980 – Chicago, USA
1981 – Japan
1982 – Mississippi, USA
1983 – Mississippi, USA
1984- Mississippi, USA
1985- Mississippi, USA
1986 – Mississippi, USA
1988 – Mississippi, USA
1989 – Mississippi, USA
1990 – Mississippi, USA
1991 – Mississippi, USA
1992 – Taiwan?
1995 – Taiwan?
1997 – Taiwan?
2007 – Taiwan/China?
2008 – Taiwan/China?
2009 – Taiwan/China?
2010 – Taiwan/China?
2011 – Taiwan/China?
Notes:
1982 Chicago manufacturing plant closed.
1991 Mississippi manufacturing plant closed.
1992, 1995-1997 – I have not confirmed these are Taiwan, but it is my best guess for the Le Tour. I have confirmed other Schwinn road bikes were made in Taiwan during this time period.
2007-2011 – I’m not where these were made, but Taiwan or China are most likely.
Check out our other Le Tour guides:
