Schwinn Fastback Pro followed Me Home
06-07-16, 06:09 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Schwinn Fastback Pro followed Me Home
So I picked up this 2003 Schwinn Fastback Pro last night thinking the parts would transfer over to my sons 1997 Klein Stage that came with Shimano RSX triple components. I figured I could just switch components and sell the Fastback Pro with RSX for what I paid for the Fastback. Then I rode it. Seems to be a very good bike for a Taiwan Schwinn? I know neither bike is what we consider vintage but enough people here have a good mix of bikes and experience. Does anyone here find the Fastback Pro to be a quality keeper? The Ultegra 9 speed Triple group with Dura Ace RD is original. Everything is original but for the seat post and seat. From my research, the MSRP was $1500 new.
__________________
My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
06-07-16, 06:15 AM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The Klein ..
__________________
My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
06-07-16, 07:24 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I guess I was under the impression that Schwinn was masking department store bikes at this time. This bike kind of shocked me a bit hashing this level of components. It got my attention.
Last edited by Steve Whitlatch; 06-08-16 at 10:21 PM.
06-07-16, 08:02 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,895
Bikes: to many to list
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 296 Post(s)
Liked 1,064 Times
in
262 Posts
Funny. I didn't even know what a fastback was. I was thinking a fastback is a 20 inch wheel five speed bike from the 70s.lol
Nice Bike
Nice Bike
__________________
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
06-07-16, 08:09 AM
#5
Senior Member
Interesting... by contrast, the most expensive road-ish bike noted on the Zombie Schwinn website is an $880 hybrid. I wonder if Doral cut out the higher-end of the lineup when they bought Pacific Cycle...
06-07-16, 08:25 AM
#6
Senior Member
That's not a Taiwan Schwinn, it is the ultimate sleeper bike. It was made by Sapa in Portland, OR and Sapa makes frames for Spooky nowadays, among others. I've been passively hunting for one, you should keep it.
06-07-16, 09:00 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,783
Bikes: Bianchi San Mateo and a few others
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
9 Posts
Last I understood, Sapa stopped making frames a few years ago.
06-07-16, 09:56 AM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Interesting. Thank you for the information. Seemed like a quality frame. I will clean her up and take her for a long ride befire I decide. I always look past Schwinn bikes made after the early 90,s.
06-07-16, 09:59 AM
#10
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
If @jet sanchEz had not started gushing about the frame, I'd have thought it just a perfectly mainstream Ultegra-level road bike, equivalent to any other at the price point. All Ultegra and Ritchey Pro, seems nice.
Bikepedia link
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...l=Fastback+Pro
Bikepedia link
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...l=Fastback+Pro
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
06-07-16, 10:04 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Schwenksville, Pa
Posts: 2,772
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 276 Post(s)
Liked 339 Times
in
179 Posts
I have that Ultegra 9 speed triple group on my Serotta and love it. It has been very reliable.
__________________
80 Mercian Olympic, 92 DB Overdrive, '07 Rivendell AHH, '16 Clockwork All-Rounder
80 Mercian Olympic, 92 DB Overdrive, '07 Rivendell AHH, '16 Clockwork All-Rounder
06-07-16, 10:12 AM
#12
Senior Member
This era of Fastback was built when the Schwinn name was being bought and sold and they were outsourcing their builds.
I guess it would be like the Waterford era of Schwinn Paramounts or when Yoshi Konna was building Allez framesets for Specialized, you were getting a lot of bang for the buck.
edit: Steve, is there a "Made in U.S.A." sticker anywhere on the frame? I could be entirely wrong about the frame's origins, this is just stuff I've gleaned from the internet over the years
I guess it would be like the Waterford era of Schwinn Paramounts or when Yoshi Konna was building Allez framesets for Specialized, you were getting a lot of bang for the buck.
edit: Steve, is there a "Made in U.S.A." sticker anywhere on the frame? I could be entirely wrong about the frame's origins, this is just stuff I've gleaned from the internet over the years
Last edited by jet sanchEz; 06-07-16 at 10:40 AM.
06-07-16, 11:24 AM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I assumed it was made in Taiwan. I really did not get a chance to look closely. I snapped a free pictures before leaving for work. I will check tonight.
06-07-16, 11:36 AM
#14
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
There are Reynolds 853 bikes from around this era too.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
06-07-16, 11:41 AM
#15
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,328
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3898 Post(s)
Liked 4,833 Times
in
2,229 Posts
What characteristic of the ride made it seem great?
At the $1500 price point there could be some good products made in Taiwan. Component prices for volume mfgs in Asia were not expensive.
edit: Campy was several years into 10sp by '03, not sure when Shimano made the 9-10 shift.
Glad to see this post = 'moving toward vintage' category.
At the $1500 price point there could be some good products made in Taiwan. Component prices for volume mfgs in Asia were not expensive.
edit: Campy was several years into 10sp by '03, not sure when Shimano made the 9-10 shift.
Glad to see this post = 'moving toward vintage' category.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Last edited by Wildwood; 06-07-16 at 11:50 AM.
06-07-16, 11:46 AM
#16
Freewheel Medic
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: An Island on the Coast of GA!
Posts: 12,882
Bikes: Snazzy* Schwinns, Classy Cannondales & a Super Pro Aero Lotus (* Ed.)
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1452 Post(s)
Liked 2,195 Times
in
962 Posts
Last I understood, Sapa stopped making frames a few years ago.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater
The Mulholland Race Frame
__________________
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!
Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!
Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com
06-07-16, 11:49 AM
#18
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
06-07-16, 11:57 AM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The auto correct mode on my phone sucks. Looking through my posts with reading glasses on now. Oh my. Lol
06-07-16, 11:57 AM
#20
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,328
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3898 Post(s)
Liked 4,833 Times
in
2,229 Posts
But we need a forum for the 'tweener generation of bicycledom - on the 41 you get shamed for 9 or 10 sp. Especially if the frame is steel.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
06-07-16, 12:01 PM
#21
Aspiring curmudgeon
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Saint Louis
Posts: 2,486
Bikes: Guerciotti, Serotta, Gaulzetti
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 26 Times
in
13 Posts
That Dura Ace triple RD is worth the price of admission just by itself. Those things command a fortune on eBay.
__________________
"Party on comrades" -- Lenin, probably
"Party on comrades" -- Lenin, probably
06-07-16, 12:02 PM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I am happy with 9 speed. The 9 speed veloce on my 1969 Witcomb steel frame looks great and works perfectly. I would be styling next to all those beauty challenged carbon fiber bikes. 
06-07-16, 12:09 PM
#23
is just a real cool dude
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Thumb, MI
Posts: 3,165
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 32 Times
in
14 Posts
Sapa also made some of the Homegrowns for Schwinn besides being overshadowed by the Yeti built models. I had a Sapa built Homegrown and was an amazing bike and barely tipped the scales at three pounds. So Besides being aluminum it's a pretty darn US built Schwinn just before they went tits up. I had a Waterford built Paramount just around this time period also that was made with 753 Reynolds. Was like Schwinn was pulling out all the stops hoping to stray afloat and kicking out some pretty darn nice bikes.
06-07-16, 12:10 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Schwenksville, Pa
Posts: 2,772
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 276 Post(s)
Liked 339 Times
in
179 Posts
I agree, either Post C&V or Pre-Modern for the bikes of the 00's.
__________________
80 Mercian Olympic, 92 DB Overdrive, '07 Rivendell AHH, '16 Clockwork All-Rounder
80 Mercian Olympic, 92 DB Overdrive, '07 Rivendell AHH, '16 Clockwork All-Rounder
06-07-16, 12:16 PM
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The bike is pretty light. The welds look good. Just not what I expected from a 2003 Schwinn. The bike feels like it wants to go fast with little effort. Aluminium frames I have had in the past cause me to have lower back pain from vibrations. This bike seems to soak up the road vibrations better than my old Trek 1400 did.
I purchased the bike for its parts, but was surprised by its ride. Not sure what to do wit it now. I will take it out this weekend and see if it gets me up hills any easier. I will at least get the experience riding one of these modern geometry contraptions with the crazy top bar.
I purchased the bike for its parts, but was surprised by its ride. Not sure what to do wit it now. I will take it out this weekend and see if it gets me up hills any easier. I will at least get the experience riding one of these modern geometry contraptions with the crazy top bar.