1990 Schwinn 594 - Rare Variant?
#1
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1990 Schwinn 594 - Rare Variant?
Perhaps file this under "who cares, anyhow?" based on the general disdain bike folks have for vintage aluminum bikes, but... Here's my 1991 Schwinn 594, the last USA made bike they made. It's very light, fast as hell and joy to ride, listed in the catalog as a triathlon bike and designed by the famous Paramount Design Group. So to my question: is this a rare variant or even prototype, insofar as the rear brake cabling goes through the frame?? Catalog images and every picture I found online has the cable on the outside. Any info. would be appreciated.
[Correction - 1990, not 1991, according to date code on head badge. Post titles not editable.]
MOD EDIT: Title corrected
[Correction - 1990, not 1991, according to date code on head badge. Post titles not editable.]
MOD EDIT: Title corrected
Last edited by Horochar; 07-07-16 at 03:23 PM. Reason: Mistake in heading.
#2
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1. Welcome to the forums, and to C&V, in particular.
2. Not too much disdain for folks around here, regardless of what their bike's frame material is, we are equal opportunity here.
3. Scooper, of one of the other Schwinn guys, will be along and they can tell you more details about your bike that you wanted to read.
4. Very nice bike, that looks pristine.
One note, take pictures from the drive side, and get the components as much as possible.
Welcome aboard!
Bill
2. Not too much disdain for folks around here, regardless of what their bike's frame material is, we are equal opportunity here.
3. Scooper, of one of the other Schwinn guys, will be along and they can tell you more details about your bike that you wanted to read.
4. Very nice bike, that looks pristine.
One note, take pictures from the drive side, and get the components as much as possible.
Welcome aboard!
Bill
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I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
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1. Welcome to the forums, and to C&V, in particular.
2. Not too much disdain for folks around here, regardless of what their bike's frame material is, we are equal opportunity here.
3. Scooper, of one of the other Schwinn guys, will be along and they can tell you more details about your bike that you wanted to read.
4. Very nice bike, that looks pristine.
One note, take pictures from the drive side, and get the components as much as possible.
Welcome aboard!
Bill
2. Not too much disdain for folks around here, regardless of what their bike's frame material is, we are equal opportunity here.
3. Scooper, of one of the other Schwinn guys, will be along and they can tell you more details about your bike that you wanted to read.
4. Very nice bike, that looks pristine.
One note, take pictures from the drive side, and get the components as much as possible.
Welcome aboard!
Bill
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If I recall correctly, the only significant problem with the Schwinn 594 Aluminum Paramount was that it uses an oddball seat post size with an internal expander (works like a quill stem), and replacements are either nearly impossible to find or they cost nearly what the bike sells for.
Last edited by D1andonlyDman; 07-07-16 at 04:51 PM.
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I think it's probably rare in the sense that not a lot of people bought one :-D
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Toss a 1990 Klein Qunatum in there as well, and have a three-way competition.
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Perhaps file this under "who cares, anyhow?" based on the general disdain bike folks have for vintage aluminum bikes, but... Here's my 1991 Schwinn 594, the last USA made bike they made. It's very light, fast as hell and joy to ride, listed in the catalog as a triathlon bike and designed by the famous Paramount Design Group. So to my question: is this a rare variant or even prototype, insofar as the rear brake cabling goes through the frame?? Catalog images and every picture I found online has the cable on the outside. Any info. would be appreciated.
[Correction - 1990, not 1991, according to date code on head badge. Post titles not editable.]
[Correction - 1990, not 1991, according to date code on head badge. Post titles not editable.]
#13
Senior Member
I had two Schwinn 564 bikes pass throuh my hands in the last couple months. One of the quill seat posts was fine and one was cracked. I built a replacement for the cracked one that worked just fine. I used an expander and bolt from a stem and cut the seatpost at an angle. Drilled down from the top of the post set it up just like a quill stem.
If I recall correctly, the only significant problem with the Schwinn 594 Aluminum Paramountl was that it uses an oddball seat post size with an internal expander (works like a quill stem), and replacements are either nearly impossible to find or they cost nearly what the bike sells for.
#14
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Thread Starter
Another view
Honestly, it's probably my favorite bike. It FLIES and is super light. I think I prefer it to my 1985 Bianchi Specialissima (all Campy), 2000-something Bianchi Eros (all Campy) and 1979 Trek 910 (Campy-less). The stiffness of frame clearly transfers energy to the wheels. I have a hunch some day in the not too distant future the thinking on these bikes will come around the true worth will be reflected in prices. Full disclosure, though. I don't go on very long rides so it doesn't get to really punish my body. Here's the infamous seat post (no problems to date). But nobody answered my question about the cable going through the frame. Please look online. I dare you to find another example with this construction detail. What gives?
Last edited by Horochar; 07-12-16 at 09:20 AM.
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#17
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Bill, that's my guess. A previous owner thought internal cable routing for the rear brake cable looked cool and decided to take it on as a project. The question I have is did the modification involve installing an internal tube in the TT connecting the entry and exit holes, or is it just the entry and exit holes drilled for the cable? The former option is typically used by framebuilders to prevent the cable from flopping around inside the top tube as well as preventing water from getting into the frame; it also makes cable replacement easier.
This is Darrell McCulloch's internal routing on a steel frame.
This is Darrell McCulloch's internal routing on a steel frame.
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I'll confess. I had one of these a couple of years ago and I hated the damn thing. That aluminum fork rattled my brain.
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#21
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Thread Starter
Definitely not. Original construction. You can tell the way it gently flares out and by the paint, same as entire frame (inconceivable it would be drilled with that level of care, then stripped down to the aluminum and re-painted and re-decalled). It's also worthy to note that DIFFERENT models of aluminum Schwinns of that era had internal cabling. I'll find one and post later today.
#23
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Thread Starter
The mystery thickens. As I noted (based on memory), they had a cable-through-frame model. But not in 1990, the year of my bike (as per date code on head badge). None of the three aluminum bikes that year had this construction detail. However, a DIFFERENT model from the NEXT year, 1991, used this construction detail. Here's the 354. Interestingly mine, the 594, didn't in 1991, as per the Schwinn catalog. Weird.
#24
Senior Member
What month does the date code indicate? My 'Dale was welded up in September of '90, but painted in 1991-only Guard's Red.
#25
Decrepit Member
It's not clear from the '91 Aluminum 354 catalog page that the rear brake cable has internal routing, only that it doesn't have the top tube cable guides.
However, the 1991 High Plains Aluminum MTB catalog page makes a point of hyping the internal cable routing on that model as "...a feature found only on expensive, custom mountain bikes", so clearly some early nineties Schwinn aluminum frames had internal routing for the rear brake cable.
However, the 1991 High Plains Aluminum MTB catalog page makes a point of hyping the internal cable routing on that model as "...a feature found only on expensive, custom mountain bikes", so clearly some early nineties Schwinn aluminum frames had internal routing for the rear brake cable.