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