THIS CHART APPLIES TO CHICAGO SCHWINN`S ONLY.
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How To Read A Schwinn Serial Number Chart
Or you can go to that old Angelfire website. Just don't click on any of the pop-up ads. Recorded on after the sun kinda went down, which is why th. Dating these bikes is usually the first step toward proper appraisal of a vintage Schwinn machine. 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. I need some help on a serial number. The bike has a head badge that says Shwinn Chicago. It is a Cruiser 5. The serial number is BV 10052. I can not locate BV serial numbers and for all purposes the lists stop at 1982. If it was past 1982, I thought Chicago was out of business. Any help or direction would be great.
SERIAL NUMBER LOCATION:
NUMBERS ARE NOW LOCATED ON THE LOWER LEFT OF THE HEADTUBE(By The Schwinn Badge On The Front OF The Frame)
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NUMBERING SYSTEM:
THE FIRST 'LETTER' IS THE MONTH, THE SECOND 'LETTER' IS THE YEAR.THE LETTERS ' I ' and ' O ' ARE SKIPPED
TO AVOID CONFUSION WITH NUMBERS 'ONE' and 'ZERO'.
Examples:
AF***** = Jan. 1970,..... ('A' = Jan., 'F' = 1970)
GL***** = July. 1975,..... ('G' = July., 'L' = 1975)
MR***** = Dec. 1980,..... ('M' = Dec., 'R' = 1980), etc.
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JANUARY, ---------------------------- AF*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BF*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CF*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DF*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EF*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FF*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GF*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HF*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JF*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KF*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LF*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MF*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AG*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BG*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CG*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DG*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EG*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FG*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GG*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HG*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JG*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KG*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LG*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MG*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AH*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BH*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CH*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DH*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EH*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FH*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GH*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HH*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JH*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KH*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LH*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MH*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AJ*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BJ*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CJ*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DJ*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EJ*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FJ*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GJ*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HJ*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JJ*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KJ*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LJ*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MJ*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AK*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BK*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CK*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DK*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EK*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FK*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GK*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HK*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JK*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KK*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LK*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MK*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AL*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BL*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CL*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DL*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EL*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FL*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GL*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HL*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JL*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KL*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LL*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- ML*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AM*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BM*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CM*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DM*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EM*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FM*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GM*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HM*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JM*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KM*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LM*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MM*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AN*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BN*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CN*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DN*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EN*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FN*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GN*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HN*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JN*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KN*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LN*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MN*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AP*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BP*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CP*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DP*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EP*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FP*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GP*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HP*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JP*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KP*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LP*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MP*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AQ*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BQ*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CQ*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DQ*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- EQ*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FQ*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GQ*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HQ*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JQ*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KQ*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LQ*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MQ*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AR*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BR*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CR*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DR*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- ER*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FR*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GR*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HR*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JR*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KR*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LR*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MR*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AS*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BS*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CS*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DS*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- ES*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FS*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GS*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HS*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JS*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KS*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LS*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MS*****
JANUARY, ---------------------------- AT*****
FEBRUARY, -------------------------- BT*****
MARCH, ------------------------------- CT*****
APRIL, --------------------------------- DT*****
MAY, ----------------------------------- ET*****
JUNE, ---------------------------------- FT*****
JULY, ---------------------------------- GT*****
AUGUST, ----------------------------- HT*****
SEPTEMBER, ------------------------- JT*****
OCTOBER, --------------------------- KT*****
NOVEMBER, ------------------------- LT*****
DECEMBER, ------------------------- MT*****
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THIS CHART APPLIES TO CHICAGO SCHWINN`S ONLY.
During the 1980s, Greenville used the old letter-digit(e.g. F8 = June 1988)system which Chicago abandoned in 1965,
when it changed to the two-letter system.
ON NEWER BIKES:
you can find a 4 digit serial number lightly stamped onto the headbadge.
The first three digits are the numerical day of the year,
and the last digit is the last digit of the year.
EXAMPLE:
3654 is 12/31/84 or 94 or? you determine decade.
How To Read A Schwinn Serial Number Decoder
Gene from genesbmx.com web site provided this great info on figuring out your old trusty Schwinn;
Schwinn Bike Dating After 1965,
Schwinn serial number sequences, while appearing to be
confusing on first sight, follow several general rules. If the
first letter is a 'A' through 'M' it refers to production month
('A' = January, 'B' = February, etc.).
The letters 'I' and 'O' are not used, to avoid mistaking
them for numbers. If there is only one letter in the first two
positions, the first number or two numbers refer to production
year. Date Codes occupy the first two, three or four positions
in a serial number.
Mass produced Schwinn bikes have been followed
by a production month letter and several numbers, the
first two signifying year of production (81 = 1981, etc.).
Example: D72130 = April 1972. LeTour (and Super LeTour)
numbers (1978-80 and 1982 on) include the letter 'S'
with year of production (8 = 1978, 0 = 1980). Example:
SC94653 = March, 1979. Sting 20' racing bikes have a
production month letter 'T' signifying that it is a tri-oval
frame (with three frame tube ends ovalized). Example:
F1T20404 = June, 1981.
Imported Schwinn serial sequences depend upon country
of origin. 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. Taiwanese imports have a
separate date code number on the right rear fork end that
includes the letter 'G' followed by a two-digit month code
(01 = January etc.) and two more digits for the production
year (80 = 1980 etc.). Example: G04813 = April 1981.
Also Note that if your bike is after year 2001 the
Schwinn/Questor bankruptcy, It has been found
that ( Pacifc Cycle ) bikes do not use this dating.
Also See: The Schwinn BMX Catalogs Time Line Web Page:
( http://genesbmx.bmxair.com/schwinn/catalogs/bmx.html )
CC - Gene`s BMX Schwinn Page
http://www.genesbmx.com/SchwinnPage.html
Frequently Asked Questions About Schwinn BMX Bicycles.
02 - What Year Is My Schwinn BMX Bike?