basscyclist thread picture thread

[Crawforde]

Concept for my KHS frame.
I still need some headset parts and a 26mm seat post, and a chain. I am tempted to put a BMX stem and klunker bars too.

 

[J_Bass]

A little ride at lunch, just to clear my head. This will be my relaxing bike:

And the Stash Handlebar is working great:

 

[4Mal]

Cool fixie but what a view! Beautiful. Relaxing ? I'd be flat on my back being put to sleep by the surf ;-)

 

[turf3]

Wasn't Schwinn, kinda like Raleigh and CCM, actually a pretty respectable builder some years ago?

Not to say that they don't make a decent bike for the price, I'm just tracking they may have operated at a much different level some time ago.

Schwinn's position in the market has changed over the years.

From the 1930s through the 1970s they basically made the same thing: heavy as hell bikes that would stand up to pretty much anything. They also had the "Paramount" line of fine handmade frames, but the vast vast vast majority were what I call "Gaspipinentals". When ten speeds first came out, Schwinn created the Varsity. It still used the same gas pipe frame style, but it had ten speeds and a dropped handlebar, so it was well ahead of the balloon tire tractors. Because Schwinn was such a well known American name, the Varsity sold like hotcakes even though by modern standards it was a real pig.

In the 1970s, the bike-boom ten speeds from Europe and Japan started showing Americans what an actual lightweight bicycle was (what, you mean it's possible to have a durable bike that weighs less than 40 pounds???) and Schwinn introduced some actual lugged and brazed frame bicycles with aluminum components, as for example the Le Tour which was a decent bike. But by that time the connection of Schwinn with heavy unresponsive bikes with crappy steel components like the dreaded Huret Allvit derailleur, was ingrained, and serious American customers went for Fuji and Peugeot and Miyata and Raleigh and Gitane and Frejus and Takara. And it's about this time that American companies like Trek and Specialized started making high quality lightweight bicycles as well. At that time, too, Schwinns were rarely sold in all-makes bike shops, they typically had their own dealerships, which were often combined with lawnmower stores. So if you wanted a serious bicycle were you more likely, in 1977, to go to University Cycle where they would have Raleigh Professional, Alan, Mercian, and Hetchins along with the more quotidian offerings from Trek, Gitane, etc.; or would you be more likely to go to Scott's Lawn Mower and Schwinn Bicycle Shop?

In the 80s Schwinn promoted the Paramount much more heavily (and it was a damn good bike) and introduced a number of good mid priced bikes with butted lugged brazed frames and good Shimano or Sun Tour components, but the image damage was largely done.

I lost sight of the bike market after about 1990 but apparently Schwinn are now owned by a big overseas conglomerate and focus on department store bicycles. They probably still make a couple decent models, but amongst serious cyclists Schwinn is not even on the radar.

 

[Crawforde]

That’s even prettier in the wild.

 

[4Mal]

After the sale of the Schwinn name to Pacific Rim Bicycles, Richard Schwinn Jr bought the Paramount production line in Waterford, WI. This was the genesis of Waterford and later his non-lugged, tig welded line Gunnar. Those were some of the best steel bikes available at the time. On par with Colnago and other boutiques. I owned 2 of them and they were sweet rides.

I had a chance to chat with Richard. He was (or hopefully is) an interesting guy.

 

[turf3]

At any rate, MY Schwinn is an $89 "Gambit" single speed that had been put out on the curb for anyone to take. I put a track cog and lockring on it, a quality saddle, and I'm back in the fixed gear business. It's still heavy as hell. But it rides surprisingly nicely for what it is.

 

[pie_man_25]

Schwinn's position in the market has changed over the years.

From the 1930s through the 1970s they basically made the same thing: heavy as hell bikes that would stand up to pretty much anything. They also had the "Paramount" line of fine handmade frames, but the vast vast vast majority were what I call "Gaspipinentals". When ten speeds first came out, Schwinn created the Varsity. It still used the same gas pipe frame style, but it had ten speeds and a dropped handlebar, so it was well ahead of the balloon tire tractors. Because Schwinn was such a well known American name, the Varsity sold like hotcakes even though by modern standards it was a real pig.

In the 1970s, the bike-boom ten speeds from Europe and Japan started showing Americans what an actual lightweight bicycle was (what, you mean it's possible to have a durable bike that weighs less than 40 pounds???) and Schwinn introduced some actual lugged and brazed frame bicycles with aluminum components, as for example the Le Tour which was a decent bike. But by that time the connection of Schwinn with heavy unresponsive bikes with crappy steel components like the dreaded Huret Allvit derailleur, was ingrained, and serious American customers went for Fuji and Peugeot and Miyata and Raleigh and Gitane and Frejus and Takara. And it's about this time that American companies like Trek and Specialized started making high quality lightweight bicycles as well. At that time, too, Schwinns were rarely sold in all-makes bike shops, they typically had their own dealerships, which were often combined with lawnmower stores. So if you wanted a serious bicycle were you more likely, in 1977, to go to University Cycle where they would have Raleigh Professional, Alan, Mercian, and Hetchins along with the more quotidian offerings from Trek, Gitane, etc.; or would you be more likely to go to Scott's Lawn Mower and Schwinn Bicycle Shop?

In the 80s Schwinn promoted the Paramount much more heavily (and it was a damn good bike) and introduced a number of good mid priced bikes with butted lugged brazed frames and good Shimano or Sun Tour components, but the image damage was largely done.

I lost sight of the bike market after about 1990 but apparently Schwinn are now owned by a big overseas conglomerate and focus on department store bicycles. They probably still make a couple decent models, but amongst serious cyclists Schwinn is not even on the radar.

Thanks for that brief history, I'll be looking up some of this stuff for personal knowledge.

That said, I can't say I look down on Superstore bikes that much, given that I currently ride one. I may have lucked out though - I haven't had to do much past replacing basic wear items on it.

Definitely not as light or as nice as a good road, gravel, or mountain bike - I won't even try to make that argument. I think the only race I'd win on that bike is the one where the guy in the fancy bike didn't realize I was trying to beat him. But like @turf3 says, nice for what it is.

 

[fdeck]

Just to bring the history up to date, there's Pacific Cycle, taken from a bike bridge that goes over our local freeway... my route to work every day.

 

[fokof]

Got the road bike out.
A lot of work in may , didn't have time to ride much

 

[2saddleslab]

Last weekends Memorial Day ride. The River was high and so were the temps.

 

[Crawforde]

I’ve built up the old KHS frame with parts I had on hand. It rides really nicely and is a blast on the levee paths and dirt roads. now I just need some bars and grips, (or I could fix these up and paint them) some pedal straps, or brakes, and maybe a rack so I can commute with it if I ever feel like it.
It is a comfortable and cushy ride. My neck and hands appreciate the more upright posture, and it’s responsive if I feel like getting a little stupid.

 

[elgecko]

View attachment 4707586 I’ve built up the old KHS frame with parts I had on hand. It rides really nicely and is a blast on the levee paths and dirt roads. now I just need some bars and grips, (or I could fix these up and paint them) some pedal straps, or brakes, and maybe a rack so I can commute with it if I ever feel like it.
It is a comfortable and cushy ride. My neck and hands appreciate the more upright posture, and it’s responsive if I feel like getting a little stupid.

Love that chrome! That head angle looks freakishly relaxed for a bike of that vintage.

 

[pie_man_25]

Just to bring the history up to date, there's Pacific Cycle, taken from a bike bridge that goes over our local freeway... my route to work every day.
View attachment 4697489

I'm not going to lie I think that's pretty cool. Pacific designs a lot of bikes, they don't have to be specialized to be cool IMO.

View attachment 4707586 I’ve built up the old KHS frame with parts I had on hand. It rides really nicely and is a blast on the levee paths and dirt roads. now I just need some bars and grips, (or I could fix these up and paint them) some pedal straps, or brakes, and maybe a rack so I can commute with it if I ever feel like it.
It is a comfortable and cushy ride. My neck and hands appreciate the more upright posture, and it’s responsive if I feel like getting a little stupid.

That's a pretty sweet ride, also those tires look pretty fat. I dig it, and that headtube angle does look really... Relaxed? Slack?

The one on my bike is pretty close to perpendicular to the ground I think, yours makes a pretty obtuse angle. It's interesting.

 

[Crawforde]

I really don’t know much about the frame. I really just bought it because it had clearance for tires up to 2.5” and I liked the chrome.
Put together, between the fat tires and the geometry, the sprung saddle and the steel it’s a comfortable ride. my Google fu failed me when searching for images / information on this frame in chrome.

 

[pie_man_25]

I really don’t know much about the frame. I really just bought it because it had clearance for tires up to 2.5” and I liked the chrome.
Put together, between the fat tires and the geometry, the sprung saddle and the steel it’s a comfortable ride. my Google fu failed me when searching for images / information on this frame in chrome.

Honestly, I'm sure there's a reason behind all of their design choices. I don't pretend to know why they made it like that, but it looks cool.

 

[HOOLIGAN]

My fixed/ss ‘08 Schwinn Madison.
Built when you could still get a nice bike from a Schwinn dealer, before they went to only much less quality ones at Wal-Mart:

My ‘87 Schwinn Paramount (Waterford-built, Dura Ace equipped) & ‘68 Schwinn Paramount track) ( obscured by my ‘78 Ibanez ((hey, this is a bass forum)) ):

My ‘70 Schwinn Krate “Cotton Picker”
My Holy Grail, too nice to ride, unfortunately!

 

[pie_man_25]

So there's a trek 830 frame for sale locally - he's soliciting for offers. It's old enough to have cantilever brakes instead of v-brakes. There's a complete one in purple for a hundred even, I just might offer him forty to see what he says.

Honestly, my only thing is that I'm currently moving. Not far at all, literally about a kilometre and change, maybe as much as a mile, but it's still plenty to keep my head busy between moving things, working, and looking at appliances.

 

[Crawforde]

My favorite bikes are restomodded old MTBs. A Haro Escape and the chrome KHS. Comfortable rides on bombproof frames. My Haro is rigged for commuting/ camping and the KHS for fun.

 

[fdeck]

So there's a trek 830 frame for sale locally - he's soliciting for offers. It's old enough to have cantilever brakes instead of v-brakes. There's a complete one in purple for a hundred even, I just might offer him forty to see what he says.

Honestly, my only thing is that I'm currently moving. Not far at all, literally about a kilometre and change, maybe as much as a mile, but it's still plenty to keep my head busy between moving things, working, and looking at appliances.

A nice thing about those old Trek frames is that they fall into a large swath of years when components were relatively standardized, and a lot of replacement parts such as bottom brackets are still available. I've got a 1982 Trek 311 frame that's unfortunately too big for me (60 cm, I'm 5'10") but would be lovely to build up. And they have the classic aesthetics too. They make great single-speeds.