# My 1989 Schiwinn Prologue



## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

I picked up a 1988 or 89 Schwinn Prologue this summer. I bought it from a guy I know who used it as his race bike when he was about 18. Personally this is a real prize for me as this is the bike I would have wanted if I could have had a race bike back then. My road bike was a used Sears and my dad threw away the toe clips that came with it. Back then I drooled over down tube shifter bikes. The bike has never sat in the rain but it does have some original character. It was laid down in a race on the non drive side. It came with a lot of the original Sante parts but I had to have a new rear wheel built. I had a Campy record front wheel on hand so I just used it for the front. In part I bought this bike also because it could take wide tires so it has a set of 28mm Clemente's.

That is the story on the bike. I am going to have to figure out how to post the photos. I hope to have them up soon.


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

The late eighties Prologues were built by National/Panasonic for Schwinn, and IMHO are world class steel framesets.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

Thanks for your input. I have been studying these since I found the bike was for sale. My research had indicated that these were made by Panasonic or Bridgestone. I was leaning more to Panasonic. Did you know about the Panasonic website and video? History of Panasonic Bicycles | Panasonic Bicycles Virtual Museum. On the left tab is a link to the 1989 PICS catalog and tied to that link is a video made in 1989 of the complete manufacturing process. The bike they build on the video looks a lot like the prologue. Especially the wrap around chain stays. I have long held a perhaps misplaced value on the mythical Italian artisan hand brazing and hand fitting lugs. Then you see Panasonic making these things with all brazing computerized and all miters cut to lazer precision. I was also doing some checking based upon the catalog you posted. 5.9 pounds frame, fork and headset. If you look on wrench science's site they post a Cinelli size 54 frame and fork as 5.04 pounds. I would say these were within 2 or 3 hundred grams of a modern steel lugged frame.

One more note, my photos were to high of resolution for the limits of the site I will redo on the weekend and get some pictures up.


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

You can resize jpg files on-line free of charge at Online Image Resizer - Resize digital photo, images or pictures online!.

What components are on your Prologue? Schwinn only sold them as framesets, and the customer purchased the components separately, usually from the Schwinn dealer. The late eighties Paramounts were also sold as framesets, with the customer selecting the components the dealer was to build up the bike with.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

The bike was specked with Sante originally. Somewhere along the way the wheelset went elsewhere. When I got the bike it was a seldom used single speed along with a box of parts. The biopace rings went away sometime long ago. Along with them all but one of the special chain ring bolts. I had it rebuilt with all of the available original parts. My local shop does a lot of bike recycling. They had a Mavic 126 hub on hand and built it on a DT Swiss rear wheel. They installed a modern 13-25 freewheel. I had a Campy Record front wheel on an open pro wheel already. The two match well enough unless you read the label on the rim. Do you know how to sort out the serial number? The owner told me it was an 89 but It looks to me like it could have been an 88 or 89. I ask because I saw you sorted out the serial on another Schwinn earlier. 

I am working on the software reference you sent me. I will get it sorted out at some point here. It may take me a couple days as I may not get back to this until Wednesday as tomorrow is bike night.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

89 Schwinn Prolgoue - Road bike photo Gallery

Here is a link to a couple photos. I now need to figure out how to drop them directly into the post. That is next.


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

I don't see any photos in your RBR gallery.

What is the serial number? Most of the Japanese made Schwinns have the serial number convention explained in Schwinn Bulletin 23:

_Bicycles from Japan 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._

The letter I is not used, so for the month: A=Jan, B=Feb, C=Mar, D=Apr, E=May, F=Jun, G=Jul, H=Aug, J=Sep, K=Oct, L=Nov, M=Dec.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

My photos finally hopefully uploaded. They are now in my album with the link above. I rode the bike for the first time to night. This is the smoothest riding bike I think I have ever had. I had a couple steel Bianchis years ago, one lugged and one welded. Found the ride to be smooth and unbelievably stable. However the wheel base is a tad longer than prior bikes I have owned. My bikes have all leaned toward modern racing geometry.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

My serial number is 7F01377. Which would make it a June of 87 built frame. Now I was told it was an 89 but that is probably just when the owner bought it. I purchased it from the original owner. I looked at the Catalogs and they do not show these in the 87 model year. Is this an early production frame?


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

cbk57 said:


> My serial number is 7F01377. Which would make it a June of 87 built frame. Now I was told it was an 89 but that is probably just when the owner bought it. I purchased it from the original owner. I looked at the Catalogs and they do not show these in the 87 model year. Is this an early production frame?


They were introduced in early 1987 after the catalogs were printed and distributed. On page 4 of the 1988 catalog, there's a blurb in the blue sidebar that starts, "*Prologue* - a 1987 World Champion in its very first year..."

1988 Schwinn Lightweight Catalog, Page 4 

Your bike is gorgeous.


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