Mountain Biking - my bike was stolen....but there is some good news

:(
Hello all!!

This is my first post on this site... Looking to get some feedback on a situation.
Okay here's the sad story in short:

My cruiser was stolen outside of my house... however, the fools left behind their Schwinn S-20 full suspension mountain bike with a broken spoke.
After reading some stuff on the web, it appears there are plenty of knockoffs from what used to be the original Schwinn model. I was wondering how to tell whats a cheap copy, and what may be an original?
I am wanting to tune this said bike up and sell it so I can get another cruiser.
Any help would be most appreciated. I find a huge range of prices for a used S-20, but I have been outta the mountain bike loop for a few years now, and wouldn't be able to confirm with any confidence what this thing is, exactly.


Thanks!!
Spencer

I'm no expert on Schwinn S-20's, but I'm going to guess that if it was left behind, it's no prize. You may be able to use it for what you are hoping, though.

I have a Schwinn S-30 from the late 90's - the $999 MSRP version, not the $200 Wal-mart version. You should be able to tell just by looking at components. The S-30 had reasonable components, nothing great, but at least Shimano STX RC and some other Shimano parts, Rock Shox Judy XC fork, stuff that a $200 Wal-mart bike wouldn't have.

Take a look at the components on the bike, get some model numbers from them if you can, and post them on here - people should quickly be able to tell you if the bike is crap or not.

my bike was stolen from my house a month or two ago. it sucked. sorry to hear about your sad situation. i can't help with advise about your schwinn but i found my bike in a pawn shop about 2 weeks after it was stolen. so i guess my advise to you is to check out your local pawn shops.

:(
Hello all!!

This is my first post on this site... Looking to get some feedback on a situation.
Okay here's the sad story in short:

My cruiser was stolen outside of my house... however, the fools left behind their Schwinn S-20 full suspension mountain bike with a broken spoke.
After reading some stuff on the web, it appears there are plenty of knockoffs from what used to be the original Schwinn model. I was wondering how to tell whats a cheap copy, and what may be an original?
I am wanting to tune this said bike up and sell it so I can get another cruiser.
Any help would be most appreciated. I find a huge range of prices for a used S-20, but I have been outta the mountain bike loop for a few years now, and wouldn't be able to confirm with any confidence what this thing is, exactly.


Thanks!!
Spencer

Spencer,

There is a chance that the bike they left was stolen from someone else. You may want to find the original owner. Just my $.02.

Spencer,

There is a chance that the bike they left was stolen from someone else. You may want to find the original owner. Just my $.02.

That's what I was thinking. You may bring trouble on yourself trying to sell.

thanks everyone for the words of wisdom.
i hadn't even thought about the possible victims before me.
this thing is in pretty good shape and has a lot of shimano parts.
how would anyone prove they are the owner i wonder.

-spencer

Look on the top of the BB for a small sticker that says pacific bicycles. If you see that its trash. I've seen that model at target though. Probably junk.

it might be pre pacific -

http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Bike/product_18790.shtml

Most of the s-20's I am seeing on mtbr reviews look pretty decent...

pics to be sure.

I was thinking you saved money on your car insurance by switching to geico.

thanks everyone for the words of wisdom.
i hadn't even thought about the possible victims before me.
this thing is in pretty good shape and has a lot of shimano parts.
how would anyone prove they are the owner i wonder.

-spencer

Serial number.

thanks everyone! word here is that its crap. just won't carry 30 tecates like my faithful cruiser did. but heres some pics for fun... i will now be attending the weekly swap meet where cruisers have been know to turn up.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike7.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike6.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike5.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike4.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike3.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike2.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/spencypoo1/bike1.jpg

whoa! hold on a second man. it turns out that you have a legit schwinn on your hands. the rock shox rear shock and the avid brake lever (Good stuff) prove it--its an older model, but back in its day it was a nice bike.

Presuming you called the cops to report your bike stolen, you should have mentioned "the trade". There might be another victim, however if they tell you it's your's - get it in writing.

whoa! hold on a second man. it turns out that you have a legit schwinn on your hands. the rock shox rear shock and the avid brake lever (Good stuff) prove it--its an older model, but back in its day it was a nice bike.
+1
keep that if you can