Originally Posted by SkyDog75

It wasn't a high-end bike, so while the parts aren't generally top of the line, they weren't bad either. It's a solid, reliable bike, and there really isn't a small subset of components you can upgrade to make it into something more.

Looking at the specs from the '85 Schwinn catalog, the one thing I'd personally change out is the brakes. The Dia Compe 500 single pivot brakes listed in the catalog are pretty bad. Upgrading to something like an inexpensive set of Tektro dual pivot brakes would give you *much* improved stopping power.

Other than that, what upgrades are worth making is really a matter of personal preference. For example, I wouldn't be crazy about the narrow 39 cm handlebars, but they might work well for you. You might want comfier brake levers. (Tektro RL340 brake levers are cheap and comfy.) You may or may not like stem shifters.

One upgrade you might be wondering about is indexed shifting or integrated brake/shift levers. It's doable, but be aware that could be a costly upgrade because you'd need to replace the shifters, derailleurs, and freewheel.