scob89
12-24-04, 12:34 PM
What is everyones opinion on the schwinn sting rays?
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Opinion please
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SamHouston
12-24-04, 01:22 PM
buy me one and I'll let you know.
oh and I want it all original too
with a license plate, from a box of Honeycombs circa 1977
honeycombs big, yeah yeah yeah
oh and I want it all original too
with a license plate, from a box of Honeycombs circa 1977
honeycombs big, yeah yeah yeah
junioroverlord
12-24-04, 04:49 PM
I have a Stingray saddle and its pretty bling bling...thats about all I can say
progre-ss
12-24-04, 05:15 PM
You mean the "New and Improved" OCC ones seen at Target and Walmart? They're kinda cool. Probably nice to cruise around in. I can see it now...me on the adult sized one and my 4 boys sporting the mini versions. We are gonna rule my neighbourhood!
catatonic
12-24-04, 05:55 PM
What is everyones opinion on the schwinn sting rays?
I'm talking the new ones:
Great looks, bad build.
Look at the rear wheel sometime :(
The classics....now those are pretty sweet.
If the new one was made to schwinn standards and not pacrapic bike's standards, then it very well could have been a new classic....
I'm talking the new ones:
Great looks, bad build.
Look at the rear wheel sometime :(
The classics....now those are pretty sweet.
If the new one was made to schwinn standards and not pacrapic bike's standards, then it very well could have been a new classic....
manboy
12-24-04, 08:45 PM
you mean they have the new one in an adult size?
catatonic
12-24-04, 08:59 PM
I was just looking at a kids model. The rim had a nearly 1/8" discrepancy with the point where the rim was glued to itself (yes, they glued it...)
There was a few other flaws I caught on that one, but they seemed to slip my mind since that seam was so freaking huge that I coudlnt help but sit there with the kind of horrified look that a kid has who just got peed on by a dog bigger than he is would have (sorry for the visual, but anyhting less would have been too nice to the bad job on that rim).
There was a few other flaws I caught on that one, but they seemed to slip my mind since that seam was so freaking huge that I coudlnt help but sit there with the kind of horrified look that a kid has who just got peed on by a dog bigger than he is would have (sorry for the visual, but anyhting less would have been too nice to the bad job on that rim).
OneTinSloth
12-24-04, 09:06 PM
my opinion: omg yuo aer teh dumbZ0rz!!!!
Rex
12-25-04, 12:56 AM
They're f-ing collector's items! Are you kidding me? So, what's the going price on them?
glowingrod
12-25-04, 06:25 AM
You mean the "New and Improved" OCC ones seen at Target and Walmart? They're kinda cool. Probably nice to cruise around in. I can see it now...me on the adult sized one and my 4 boys sporting the mini versions. We are gonna rule my neighbourhood!
Target & Walmart? Make your local Schwin get em for you. Then buy some gasoline and go to the Walmart
Target & Walmart? Make your local Schwin get em for you. Then buy some gasoline and go to the Walmart
OneTinSloth
12-25-04, 02:06 PM
bike shops still actually deal with schwinn?
what's the point?
what's the point?
BostonFixed
12-25-04, 03:09 PM
gasoline for what?
why go to walmart?
why go to walmart?
catatonic
12-25-04, 03:16 PM
schwinn's high end stuff are still LBS grade. It's like GT with their I-drive and Mongoose with whatever their sweet bike is called.
For example, their 2005 Rocket LTD has shimano hone on it (basically Saint light), and an overall pretty respectable component set. May be a bit overpriced at $1700, but that's just an MSRP number anyways.
For example, their 2005 Rocket LTD has shimano hone on it (basically Saint light), and an overall pretty respectable component set. May be a bit overpriced at $1700, but that's just an MSRP number anyways.
BostonFixed
12-25-04, 03:23 PM
Yeah it is still technically high end, but both schwinn and mongoose have soiled their name and reputation by making total POS bikes to sell to walmart/target/etc.
I guess the bottom line is that yea the bikes do have high end XTR components on them, innovvative new suspesion, but who wants a bike that is sold in walmart? I know i-drives aren't sold in walmart, but you get it.
I certainly don't want one.
I guess the bottom line is that yea the bikes do have high end XTR components on them, innovvative new suspesion, but who wants a bike that is sold in walmart? I know i-drives aren't sold in walmart, but you get it.
I certainly don't want one.
catatonic
12-25-04, 06:07 PM
I don't buy into that name tarnishing crap. Some companies are known for garbage though, and those I stay clear from.
Heck even for cars, Hyundai doesnt really have a good name, but they have one of the best handling FWD sportscars in the world right now. Then you have Peugeot, who is not a good name here in the states, but has made some rather impressive cars.
Some like ford, have cheapened their stuff over the years, but the SVT Cobra is still one hell of a nice car.
My point is, Schwinn did cheapen their name, but the overall build is still there with exception of a few very low end bikes.
DB and Raleigh has went through this too, and to tell you my Raleigh takes hell and back, and aside from a few pounds of weight, is everybit comparable to any other bike in it's pricerange. Oh, and nearly forgot about my post-buyout Motobecane, that bike kicks much butt as well, despite being made god know where now instead of france(dont they make them in canada or something?).
Basically who cares about prestige, if it's good, it's good.
Heck even for cars, Hyundai doesnt really have a good name, but they have one of the best handling FWD sportscars in the world right now. Then you have Peugeot, who is not a good name here in the states, but has made some rather impressive cars.
Some like ford, have cheapened their stuff over the years, but the SVT Cobra is still one hell of a nice car.
My point is, Schwinn did cheapen their name, but the overall build is still there with exception of a few very low end bikes.
DB and Raleigh has went through this too, and to tell you my Raleigh takes hell and back, and aside from a few pounds of weight, is everybit comparable to any other bike in it's pricerange. Oh, and nearly forgot about my post-buyout Motobecane, that bike kicks much butt as well, despite being made god know where now instead of france(dont they make them in canada or something?).
Basically who cares about prestige, if it's good, it's good.
HereNT
12-25-04, 06:51 PM
gasoline for what?
Moltov Cocktails, of course.
why go to walmart?
It's an excellent target. Actually, so is Target...
Moltov Cocktails, of course.
why go to walmart?
It's an excellent target. Actually, so is Target...
gally99
12-25-04, 07:50 PM
i read on some schwinn message board a while back that this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/gally99/029f30a7.jpg
was the prototype for the adult size stingray (not the adult size crate reissue, but whatever the other one's called)
never looked into it again after i got the picture...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/gally99/029f30a7.jpg
was the prototype for the adult size stingray (not the adult size crate reissue, but whatever the other one's called)
never looked into it again after i got the picture...
bostontrevor
12-29-04, 10:37 PM
A while back I saw some kids in my neighborhood who had a new Stingray. My impressions: a) cool! b) The kid riding was having a hard time steering. It *is* a chopper, after all. c) He was *****ing because it was so heavy. As I recall, it's like 60lbs.
PhattTyre
12-30-04, 09:41 AM
Choppers should not be bought, they should be made by the rider with the help of some beer and some friends.
OneTinSloth
12-30-04, 11:19 AM
schwinn's high end stuff are still LBS grade. It's like GT with their I-drive and Mongoose with whatever their sweet bike is called.
For example, their 2005 Rocket LTD has shimano hone on it (basically Saint light), and an overall pretty respectable component set. May be a bit overpriced at $1700, but that's just an MSRP number anyways.
LBS-grade or not, if my shop started carrying schwinn, GT, or mongoose regularly, we would lose business. a lot of our customers don't distinguish between the quality of a $90 bike and a $300 bike. to a lot of them, a bike is just a bike, so if we carried those brands, they'd just go to walmart or target and buy the same brand for less, and to them, it's still a schwinn. a lot of people now regard schwinns, and GTs and all the other bikes that used to be great, but are now crap as crap, and bikeshops that carry those brands aren't taken seriously.
in the same vein, we carry raleigh, diamondback, and fuji as our main brands. all three of those companies have done a great job of getting their stuff into the respectable range again. fuji, while they maintained quality, went to a mail-order-only strategy for a time and paid for it with respect, and dealerships. now, they're back to dealing strictly with real bike shops, and their annual sales figures have gone through the roof compared to the figures from when they were mail-order. the raleigh MTBs are great, great bikes for the price. the more i look at them, the more i realise that, and they're really great to deal with.
companies like schwinn and GT (or, rather, their parent companies) want it both ways. they want to make tons of money in the big box stores by producing crappy bikes, and they want to be respected and have high-end bikes in the bike shops. they can't. before they were bought out, the founders of both companies worked very hard to build up the respect that they had, and they did that by not compromising quality for profit.
For example, their 2005 Rocket LTD has shimano hone on it (basically Saint light), and an overall pretty respectable component set. May be a bit overpriced at $1700, but that's just an MSRP number anyways.
LBS-grade or not, if my shop started carrying schwinn, GT, or mongoose regularly, we would lose business. a lot of our customers don't distinguish between the quality of a $90 bike and a $300 bike. to a lot of them, a bike is just a bike, so if we carried those brands, they'd just go to walmart or target and buy the same brand for less, and to them, it's still a schwinn. a lot of people now regard schwinns, and GTs and all the other bikes that used to be great, but are now crap as crap, and bikeshops that carry those brands aren't taken seriously.
in the same vein, we carry raleigh, diamondback, and fuji as our main brands. all three of those companies have done a great job of getting their stuff into the respectable range again. fuji, while they maintained quality, went to a mail-order-only strategy for a time and paid for it with respect, and dealerships. now, they're back to dealing strictly with real bike shops, and their annual sales figures have gone through the roof compared to the figures from when they were mail-order. the raleigh MTBs are great, great bikes for the price. the more i look at them, the more i realise that, and they're really great to deal with.
companies like schwinn and GT (or, rather, their parent companies) want it both ways. they want to make tons of money in the big box stores by producing crappy bikes, and they want to be respected and have high-end bikes in the bike shops. they can't. before they were bought out, the founders of both companies worked very hard to build up the respect that they had, and they did that by not compromising quality for profit.
SpiderMike
12-30-04, 12:31 PM
The LBS I go to carries Schwinn still.... mostly selling the cruisers and the new line of stingrays.
As for the new adult version - Stingray Spoiler, don't waste your money on it, get the Nirve chopper. http://www.nirve.com/main/cruiser/product.asp?cid=580.02
The spoiler still sits on 20" wheels, but got to hand it to them on the front fork, it set up to run dual disk brakes, but comes with one.
As for the original the clamps for the triple tree are stamped metal, within a month of selling em, the guys at the LBS had one come in where the bottom clamp bent.
But over all I agree with PhattTyre - Build your own, it more rewarding Just check these handbuilts/restokustoms http://bikerodnkustom.homestead.com/
As for the new adult version - Stingray Spoiler, don't waste your money on it, get the Nirve chopper. http://www.nirve.com/main/cruiser/product.asp?cid=580.02
The spoiler still sits on 20" wheels, but got to hand it to them on the front fork, it set up to run dual disk brakes, but comes with one.
As for the original the clamps for the triple tree are stamped metal, within a month of selling em, the guys at the LBS had one come in where the bottom clamp bent.
But over all I agree with PhattTyre - Build your own, it more rewarding Just check these handbuilts/restokustoms http://bikerodnkustom.homestead.com/
ch0mb0
12-30-04, 12:55 PM
ecch! that photo is funky...tho it reminds me of the Giant Stiletto, but with more..stuff on it somehow
bottom-bracket
12-30-04, 01:22 PM
i'll stick with my 1969 Stingray full street custom. it's a real chopper, the only thing stock on it is the frame.
Guest
12-30-04, 01:28 PM
I got one for my youngest nephew. I was delighted to see number one on his list to santa was a Schwinn Sting Ray. So I immedately went out and got it still in the box, then put it together Christmas Eve.
My impression was that the bike was well built, easy to assemble, sturdy, and a nice looking bike. I took it for a spin and enjoyed riding it (I got the 20 in wheels because my nephew is about 4' 2" at 5 years old). My brother took it for a ride, and at 5' 10" and 185 pounds, he also felt the bike was supportive of his weight. My nephew, who is a klutz and has balance issues (he's a sissy boy) rode it in the parking garage on Christmas day and loved it. Because the bike is a lowrider, it's easier for him to handle and balance, and he's less likely to fall now. His other bike was a Mongoose, and he hasn't been able to ride it yet because again, he has balance issues.
I can't say much more, since I only rode it once for a few minutes, but when I head back out there in the spring for our rides, I'll see how sturdy and how well it rides.
Koffee
My impression was that the bike was well built, easy to assemble, sturdy, and a nice looking bike. I took it for a spin and enjoyed riding it (I got the 20 in wheels because my nephew is about 4' 2" at 5 years old). My brother took it for a ride, and at 5' 10" and 185 pounds, he also felt the bike was supportive of his weight. My nephew, who is a klutz and has balance issues (he's a sissy boy) rode it in the parking garage on Christmas day and loved it. Because the bike is a lowrider, it's easier for him to handle and balance, and he's less likely to fall now. His other bike was a Mongoose, and he hasn't been able to ride it yet because again, he has balance issues.
I can't say much more, since I only rode it once for a few minutes, but when I head back out there in the spring for our rides, I'll see how sturdy and how well it rides.
Koffee
SpiderMike
12-30-04, 01:56 PM
Hey bottom-bracket, just how custom is it?
I Kustomized my Beach cruiser, http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=13660 Since the pic I changed out the rigid for for a chromed out springer and finished the pinstripin. I have to wait til I finish rebuilid my fiance's bike before I Kusto my 71 Schwinn Manta Ray
I Kustomized my Beach cruiser, http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=13660 Since the pic I changed out the rigid for for a chromed out springer and finished the pinstripin. I have to wait til I finish rebuilid my fiance's bike before I Kusto my 71 Schwinn Manta Ray