The Schwinn Bicycle Co. is an American bicycle company and a bicycling history icon. From 1948 to 1982, Schwinn pioneered its own models of cruisers, touring bikes and three-speeds, fabricating their own frames and components in-house. After the 'Bicycle Boom' of the 1970s, however, Schwinn's proprietary frame-building technology and heavier bikes became less economically viable in an increasingly weight-obsessed industry--resulting in millions of unique vintage and antique bikes that can be identified by their serial numbers. Dating these bikes is usually the first step toward proper appraisal of a vintage Schwinn machine.
Later Schwinn serial numbers / years made. Bicycles from Japan made in the 70’s have a production month letter in either the first or second position and a production year number in the other (first or second) position. Examples J677123 = September, 1976, 6J77123 = September, 1976. During the 1980s, Greenville used the old letter-digit. Distinguish Le Tour or Super Le Tour Schwinn models by looking for the 'S' in front of the serial number. These bikes were produced between 1972 and 1986. The serial numbers will have a letter in the second position representing the month it was produced, and a number in the third position representing the year.
Find the serial number. Upon production, all Schwinns had a serial number stamped in one of three places on the frame.
The first possible location is on the underside of the bottom bracket. Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary defines the bottom bracket as 'the part of the frame around which the pedal cranks revolve.' Turn the bike upside down to view it better.
The second possible location of the serial number is on the left rear dropout--the 'fork end that allows the rear wheel to be removed without derailing the chain first,' according to Brown's Glossary. Look for the left dropout on the same side as the chain.
The last of the possible locations is on the head tube, which is are on the very front of the bicycle (between the handlebars and the fork) on which the Schwinn logo badge is affixed. Look below and to the left of the badge to find the serial number.
Visit the Schwinn Date Codes website--this is the 'cheat sheet' for identifying Schwinn serial codes on the Internet, and it contains many other related resources and facts.
Follow the appropriate link. The Date Codes website has a link for each of the three places mentioned in Step 1 where you might have found the serial number. For example, if you found your code under the bottom bracket, click the link below the line on the website that says, 'IF THE SERIAL NUMBERS ARE FOUND UNDER BOTTOM BRACKET.'
Match your serial number and find out the exact year, month and day your Schwinn was made. For appraisal purposes, this date will be helpful in determining your bike's collector value, though it is not a definite rule. Generally, the value is determined by what those within the community of Schwinn collectors would pay for that specific model and year. Some models are rarer and would command more value than others. Research auction and collector websites for more information.
For enthusiasts, finding vintage Schwinn bicycles is an exciting hobby. Schwinn bicycles are easy to identify by the Schwinn logo displayed on the bike. But you can also look for the serial number to identify an authentic Schwinn bike. The serial number will also indicate when it was made, which can help you estimate the value of the particular Schwinn bike.
Step 1
Look for the balloon frame. Schwinns are best known for the arched bar in the middle of the frame, also called the balloon frame. Not all Schwinns are made with this frame. Some Schwinns follow other popular design models such as 10-speed or mountain bikes.
Step 2
Look for balloon tires. Balloon tires are bigger in diameter and can be wider than most other bicycle wheels and are made to go over sand. That is why Schwinns are also called beach cruisers.
Step 3
Look for a wide seat. The balloon frames will have a wide seat that is meant to accomodate most of the average bottom size. The seats on Schwinn beach cruisers can be approximately 10 to 12 inches wide.
Step 4
1980s Schwinn Serial Numbers Lookup
Find the serial number on the bicycle. Schwinns produced between 1960 and 1969 have serial numbers on the right rear axle mount (this mount keeps the wheel in place). Look for the serial number on the lower head tube (right above the wheel on the front of the bike) for Schwinns produced between 1970 and 1979. Those produced after these dates will usually have a serial number stamped on the bottom bracket shell (the rear axle hanger holding the wheel in place).
Step 5
Identify Schwinns produced before 1948 by looking for either of these serial numbers: B12818 or Z12993.
Step 6
Interpret the serial numbers of bikes produced between 1959 and 1964. Those Schwinn bikes produced before 1959 have no real system to numbering but the serials typically contain six or seven numbers or letters. (Go online to Re-Cycle.com for a list of serial numbers between 1949 and 1959.) Those bikes produced between 1959 and 1964 typically start with a letter representing the month it was produced (A=January, B=February, and so on) followed by a digit representing the year (9=1959, 0=1960, 1=1961, 2=1962, 3=1963, 4=1964).
Step 7
Schwinn Serial Number Book
Read the serial numbers of bikes produced between 1965 and 1982. The numbering system changed. The first letter still represents the month the bike was produced, and the second letter now represents the year. For example, a serial number starting with AA means it was made in January 1965, BA corresponds to February 1965, CC corresponds to March 1967, and so on.
Step 8
Distinguish Le Tour or Super Le Tour Schwinn models by looking for the 'S' in front of the serial number. These bikes were produced between 1972 and 1986. The serial numbers will have a letter in the second position representing the month it was produced, and a number in the third position representing the year.
Step 9
Take the date of production gathered from the serial number, the model printed on the bike itself, and the overall visual design and compare it to a Schwinn pricing table like that found at OldRoads.com. OldRoads.com will provide some information about Schwinn bikes and pictures of them.
Step 10
Do a quick search online at sites like eBay.com or SchwinnBike.com to find other photos of that particular bike model to compare to the bike your interested in. SchwinnBike.com, however, does not have a huge classic bike index to compare older models with. On eBay, look closely at bikes that have a clear number of the serial number so that it will increase the likelihood that you are using an authentic Schwinn as a comparison to the bike you are interested in.
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