Porschefan

Hi,

I'm a complete newb, but interested in learning more about vintage bikes.

This '89 Schwinn Circuit just appeared on my local Craigslist and it looks gorgeous (to me). Any comments as to value, collectibility, etc?

TIA for opinions.

STP

tmh657

If it's your size go buy it now. A complete Sante group in VGC would be worth the price of the complete bike. I have owned several Circuits. A very nice riding bike. Rolls saddle = a nice extra.

I did notice it has been listed for 13 days. Is your market that soft? You would need to check it carefully to make sure the seller's idea of VGC is accurate. Where I live I would have bought it even though it's too small for me if the Sante bits look good.

zukahn1 

Not so much collectiable as it is just a great basic rider road bike wise. Likely worth about a $100 less than asking. But if you really just like it with the pretty chrome and red paint and everything is good $300 is a OK price.

Scooper

If it is an '89, and it certainly appears to be an '89, it isn't Tenax; it's SL. Frames 23" and larger have an SP down tube.

If it were my size and listed here in SF instead of ABQ I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.

1989 Specifications

1989 Circuit catalog page:

Scooper

BTW, FWIW the MSRP for the Circuit in 1989 was $869.95.

b dub 

$300 too much? No way! This is a nice bike. I hope it's in your garage at this point?

Porschefan

First--I seemed to have inadvertently double-posted this. I deleted the other thread--but thanks to those who commented there also.

I'm tempted to just pick it up! But I really am a newb and it would probably be foolish (not that that's ever stopped me!) to do so. I just sold a 2010 Fuji and have purchased a Trek Domane for riding. Both those bikes are 58 cm so a 56 is probably a little small. I just really like the looks on this one though! If the specs posted by Scooper (thanks!!) are correct, this bike is actually probably very close to the Fuji and even the Trek in overall weight.

I have contacted the seller and may just go visit it.... If anyone here is really interested in it, I'd be happy to report back and help get it to you if I end up doing the right thing and passing on it.

RE the "market" here in ABQ--I dunno. This is a pretty bike-happy town with tons of riders both roadies and mountain bikers (lots of nice trails), so I would be surprised if there are not a lot of people who appreciate classics. I'll be checking them out and posting here for advice. Thanks again!

STP

Scooper

My sister lives on the west side off of Coors, and my brother-in-law regularly does Ironman triathlons and racks up lots of miles on his road bikes. Albuquerque is a nice town.

Steve Whitlatch 

That bike would not last a day on the market in Chicago at that price.

Scooper

From the man that owns one and knows how great they are.

jjames1452 

A little late to the party, but that is what I was going to say.
As stated before, make sure everything works, and there are no dents, bends, etc in the frame.
Small paint chips can be touched up.

Porschefan

Hi Stan,

Small world. We moved to ABQ from L.A. about 4 years ago. I'm semi-retired and hadn't even THOUGHT about riding a bike since I was in high school. When I got here and started hiking in the mountains/foothills I saw all these bikers and got bitten. I have a long way to go before I'm a good cyclist, but I have fun trying. Now I'm starting to get interested in these older bikes--just because some of them just look great to me.

STP

Porschefan

Hi all,

I've tried to contact the seller, but haven't heard back from him yet. From the response here, I'd like to go see it in person at least. I'll keep the forum posted on what I find. Don't know exactly what I'd do with it, or where I'd put it, for that matter, but it sure does appeal to me on some level. What's the saying about the proper number of bikes---"N + 1" ????

If seller responds and the bike checks out, I'll probably get it.

STP

turky lurkey

+1

This is something I've started doing recently and I believe it has helped me secure bikes that may have very well have gone to someone else. If I see a bike that I desperately want to purchase and I am confident a bunch of other people will be trying to purchase it as well, I state right in the subject line my intentions. That way the first thing they notice when they open their email is that somebody is ready to buy rather than just look. I also keep the email short, but friendly and enthusiastic. .

Fahrenheit531 

I'm looking at that ad from Tucson and thinking, "Albuquerque isn't so far."
Buy that sucker! Very nice looking bike.

Porschefan

Better hurry. I heard from seller and am going to check it out tomorrow!

STP

howsteepisit

Good luck!

db130

Good luck! Sold listings for Schwinn Circuits on ebay indicate that $300 isn't outrageous. If your wallet can take the hit and you have room in your garage for another bike, go for it!

Porschefan

Got it! Super stoked--what a SWEET bike!! I think it's a little small for me, but it's still fun to ride. Will post pix a more info later--got to finish up some work and then get back to it.

STP

Steve Whitlatch 

Its a great bike to ride. Super fun. Handles great. Here is mine with some upgrading.

Porschefan

Steve,

Looks just like mine. When I saw the bike live, I couldn't believe how good it looked -- I mean it looks like a 2-3 year old bike. All the running gear seems to be in perfect shape. I think there are a couple loose spokes and maybe the wheels need truing--dunno yet.

I'm going to wait till daylight and take some pictures to post--I have a fairly crappy camera and indoor shots get washed out in flash or are too dark.

I've got a lot of questions about fit--as I mentioned it's probably a little small--it's certainly smaller than my other two bikes (Trek Domane and Yeti ASR5), but it felt great riding around the parking lot. The frame on mine looks identical, but I don't have any "Schwinn" on the fork--I think I see that on yours?

Anyway, I'll post questions and details when I get some pix.

STP

Porschefan

Thanks for the tips, guys. I don't know how far I'll get into this and I don't think ABQ is going to be a place chock-full of great deals on nice old bikes--but who knows? And since I'm a complete newb, I had no idea whether this was even worth pursuing before I posted here. I guess I was lucky on this one since no one had snapped it up and it had been on CL for a couple weeks at least.

Here's how this one went down: I met with the seller in the parking lot of local restaurant. The minute I saw the bike I was amazed at how nice it looked. I rode it around and verified that everything was in working order (as far as I could tell). It IS smallish for me and I told the seller that I would have to check with my bike fitter to see whether it was really out of the question and he agreed and started putting the bike back in his vehicle as I walked to my car. On the way to my car I thought "What the helll...." and turned around and made him an offer for an immediate sale. We dickered a bit, agreed on a price and it's mine. It is a sweeeet looking and riding bike and I'm just amazed by the quality of a 25-year-old bike, even compared to my brand-new Trek!

STP

Steve Whitlatch 

I purchased mine as a frame set. The guy I bought it from had turned the bike into a fixie with high end fixie parts. He was trying to sell it on CL or $700 for a very very long time. One day I contacted him with an offer on the frame fork bars and bottom bracket only. The paint is not so good but the bike rocks. If a nice mint one came up on my local CL in my size, I would buy it. I am considering having mine painted.

Fahrenheit531 

In my limited experience I've found too small is much more forgiving than too big. My Tempo is, according to conventional fitting, "a little small" for me. It's a 21" (53.3cm), and I'm 5'10. I've had no issues at all and actually found I prefer the slightly more compact positioning. The numbers are what they are, but what counts is how it feels when you're riding.

garyus

Sweet bike! I just picked up a 88 Tempo (not the Ford) and was extremely pleased with the ride quality. But its better buy a little smaller. Its easier to adjust up than down on a bike thats to big.