Schwinn Le Tour Serial Number guide and Country of Manufacture

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 40^th 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.

Links

Schwinn Le Tour Guide and History

Schwinn Bicycle Company History

Schwinn Sting-Ray Guide

Schwinn Varsity Guide and History