hsmith3660

Hello!
I'm looking at this Schwinn 564 for my first Road bike. Any advice on this model at this price? Are there still ample resources for parts or upgrades?
I did a sprint triathlon on a friend’s mountain bike last weekend. 15 miles in 58 min, never again!

Cheers!

https://cedarrapids.craigslist.org/bik/344883342.html

John W

If it's all you can afford - go with it regardless of parts availability. You can probably by another one to scavange parts off of. If you can afford a few more dollars, you would get into something a bit more modern with quite a few improvements and benefits.

Gonzo Bob

Looks like a nice ride as long as it fits. $225 sounds a bit high though. Here is what I would ask...

1) Is the rear hub HyperGlide cassette? You can't find much available for Uniglide cassettes anymore. If it's freewheel, that's probably OK cuz you can still get 7-speed freewheels although gear selection isn't the greatest.

2) Why are there toe clips and straps on clipless pedals? Are the pedals broken? Or are those the special inserts to be able to ride in your running shoes for very quick transitions (I haven't seen any of those in ages)?

fzrdave

As it turns out, I bought a Schwinn 564 way back in 1991 and I still own it. Back then everyone was crazy about MTBs and you couldn't hardly give away road bikes, so I picked it up for practically nothing.

The positives: it's very fast even by today standards (every bit of power seemingly makes it to the rear wheel); it has very good brakes that are just about on par with Shimano 105; they're beautiful bikes; they were made in the Schwinn Chicago plant; it's relatively light for an older bike; and friction shifters are easy to adjust. The negatives: it's a very, very, STIFF bike and you'll feel every bump in the road; it has old heavy, obsolete wheels; the shifters are on the downtube; I always liked friction shifters but almost no one else does today; it uses the older style quill stems; and it has a very high top tube.

With respect to the cassette, my 564 does have a HyperGlide cassette.

My general take would be that if you were looking for a bike to just ride around the block or maybe back and forth to school or a nearby job, then it would be an ok bike, but I don't think I would use it as any sort of triathlon bike. For the price that they are asking, you should be able to find a much more modern used bike that would be much better on the road or for the odd triathlon or two. BTW, my 564 still looks great in my garage and that's enough for me to keep the bike, but I doubt that I'll ever put another road mile on her again.

Snicklefritz

Good for you for just jumping in and doing a tri even on a borrowed bike. Anything with be faster than a mtb with knobby tires. I was at a tri a few weeks ago where a bunch of dudes were complaining about how slow they felt on MTB and complaining about people saying "on your left" every few seconds.

What is your budget? I can think of some other options if you are serious about the sport and would want to get something with more adjustability and compatibility with current bikes.

cjbruin

Not to one up you or anything but in 1984 I did a Bud Light Tri (a little longer than an Olympic distance) on my Schwinn Spitfire (cruiser).

Anyway, if that bike fits your budget and (more importantly) fits your body, go for it. Once you get addicted to this sport (and you will) you're going to want a new bike anyway. Good luck, have fun, and keep us posted on your progress!!!

Snicklefritz

You did the Bud Lite Tri on a cruiser??? You sir, are a stud.

+1 on the comment about fit. A $6000 bike will be worth nothing if you feel uncomfortable or sore on it.

cjbruin

I was 17 so it just seemed like a fun thing to do. I was a cross country runner & a surfer and I had been riding my bike everywhere since I was 7. It was the bike I had so I used it...it's great to be young and clueless. I had a blast. I still laugh when I think about passing this one guy on a hill and hearing him say, "Damn! Kid." You get pretty strong riding a 30 lb, single-speed monster with a coaster brake.

Too bad 23 years later I'm an overweight back-of-the-packer