RoadWearier

Would need new tubes and tires, rear brake sticking. Rims somewhat out of true. No rust. When I went to meet the kid selling it. Really bad neighborhood he was riding it. He said the last owner told him it was from the 1960s then corrected himself and said 50's....uh...ok...



The good...Chromoly frame. Forgot to bring a magnet so I don't know if the rims are steel or aluminum.

I'm guessing it would cost me $60 for new tubes and tires. I'd have to farm out the rim truing ($40?). The brakes and derailleurs I can fix.
Am I underestimating prices? Would it cost more? Of course that's just to make it rideable. This winter on swap cables and regreased bearings.


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RobbieAG

I have a similar Schwinn World from 1986 which I still ride. I believe they were made by Giant at the time. It's a pretty good bike and I certainly would pay $20 for it (is that a typo?). Those look like alloy wheels (mine are Weinemann) and the bike looks to be from the mid 80s.

RoadWearier

Good to know. I was on the fence because I really wanted something to ride this weekend and getting tubes and tires will take me past that time frame. How much to true the wheels?

Also do you have tire recommendations? Obviously 27 inch but what width can I put on the rims?

SoCaled 

What's wrong with your Panasonic touring deluxe?

RoadWearier

Nothing, it was a fine bike. However I'm still too bent over with my neck extended. I've played with seat height, and moving it for and aft. I also noticed that the stem had been raised past it's max. Lowering it just made the problem worse. But no, it's a wonderful bike. If I got the Schwinn, I'd probably try an adjustable stem although I know people on here universally hate them. Or tidy the bike up and sell it.

Aubergine 

Nothing wrong with an adjustable stem, RW. They can be a useful tool for a rider who needs to try different angles and heights.

As for the Schwinn wheels, why not try truing them yourself? It's a really good skill to have and is not that hard to do. Plus you'd save $.

Eyes Roll

It's a steal for $20.

I ride a World Sport from the 1990 with 32mm tires, and it's a great bike. It's indestructible, and I call it the "Toyota Corolla" of the bikes.

What do you get for $20? The other day I ordered a set of 20 spokes to build a wheel, and it costed me about $20. What do you lose in $20?

If you have space in your home, go sprint and get it, before someone else gets it.

RoadWearier

​​​​​​You have a good point. Can one do a good job without a truing stand? It killed me to watch this kid ride over to me on completely flat tires. And he wasn't a small person. Probably over 200lbs

You guys have talked me into it.

Eyes Roll

Continental Ride Tour, 32mm. Great tire, you won't have flats until the tire gets to the end of its life. That's what I use on mine. You could use 28mm or 25mm too.

RoadWearier

Yeah you are right. Dunno what I was thinking. If nothing else that's a nice frame and if the wheels are alloy. The bike isn't going anywhere. This kid has been trying to sell it for months. He's in a REALLY bad neighborhood. At least I don't have to sit in a liquor store parking lot trying the blow-up blown tubes like I did this morning. Amazing how many people are buying whiskey at 9:30

StarBiker

And you will be with most vintage road bikes. I rarely turn one down for a flip, but after riding a Bianchi Eros, Trek 1200, Centurion Dave Scott Ironman, and Trek 660 over a 12 year period they all were neck brakers. In the mid eighties I had a Univega bought new for me. Same thing. And all of these bikes fit. You need an old mountain bike, or a newer road bike.

RobbieAG

I put 32mm (27 x 1 1/4) Michelins on mine. They work very well.

RoadWearier

I thought lower end vintage road bikes had had the rider sitting up more. Made less for racing and more for neighborhood riding.

Anyways I may just buy this Centurion for $60 and swap out the rims.


He's even throwing in a trainer!

Aubergine 

You can use the seat stays and fork as the stand. Tape or tie a pencil or Nail to one side to use as the guide. There are surely videos of the process on line.

abdon 

I would take the time fixing the superior Panasonic over a $20 bike. Unlike too tall, too short a frame is often fixable. I like to stretch out on my bikes so on most I need get the saddle as far back as possible, even if I have to swap the seat post for one with more rearward adjustment. A Nitto technomic stem is super tall, I think they come in up to 120mm length?

I'm in Alaska. anchorage has a horrible and well deserved reputation for petty theft; This Schwinn is the perfect match for a cheap Kryptonite chain. Lots of people don't realize that Kryptonite makes cheap versions of their better stuff but the name alone deters casual thieves. And if it gets stolen, well it would be annoying but it could be replaced with another $20 bike.

rustystrings61 

It's a steal for $20; the wheelset will be alloy by this point in time, and the one I owned for a while had Maillard hubs with Weinmann 27-in alloy rims. Trueing it up as described above works and I have done it several times. Consider Panaracer Pasela 27 x 1 1/4-in tires, and the traditional tire pressure of 70 lbs psi which will NOT blow the tire off the rim. I kinda liked mine, but it was way too big for me - it was initially a parts donor for another bike, then was reassembled and sold for $60.

Aubergine 

I helped a friend with back issues set up a bike with a tall stem, and it did just what she needed. Besides the tall stem, perhaps you would be better served by a cow horn type handlebar that puts the grips closer to you.

RoadWearier

Well the kid isn't answering me. So he either sold it or changed his mind. But I found another World Sport! It's $100. Looks like a later model year. Maybe mid 80s?

RoadWearier

Actually according to the interwebz it's a 1990 based on decals. So Chromoly triangle but Hi-tensile stays and forks. Indexed friction shifters which for me is neither pro nor con. Is that Electrical tape in the handlebars? Ugh. Maybe knock $20 off for that alone.

Including "spare tires" which is good because the ones in the picture look a bit dry-rotted. The fenders are cool but I might very well take them off and sell them. Also comes with lights, which probably just cheap blinkys.

Still for $250 I'll be back home with a Zizzo Via and the Schwinn.

VtwinVince

Looks like a DA rear mech.

RoadWearier

What's a DA mech?

The guy selling it was really unpleasant and wouldn't let me ride it. I offered $75 and he declined. Oh well. It's kind of a meh bike. Not sure it's really any better than a World. Plus I think I need to stick to hybrids. Well I got out of the house anyway.

Eyes Roll

Mine is a 1990 bike of the same color, but without the fenders. The serial number is on the head badge. If you could get a picture of the head badge/serial number, I can confirm if it is, in fact, a 1990 bike.

1985-1995, around that time, it was a great era of Schwinn bikes, or any bikes, in general, for that matter.

abdon 

Your neck of the woods must be very different than mine. Here $100 bucks buys you a much better bike than this type of Schwinn. At the very best it would be a $50 and it would have quickly go down to $0 if the guy was a dick. Heck if I couldn't even test ride it I would have offered $20 just to make a point.

alcjphil

Shifters are either indexed or friction in the rear with the ability to change to friction if the lever has that option. Front lever shifters are almost always friction only.

bboy314

Pretty sure it’s just a cheap “Shimano SIS” branded derailleur, similar to this: