Is Schwinn still a respected name by most bicycle enthusiasts? I ask this because they are selling a lot of entry level bicycles for recreational bicyclists.

Not since they went Bankrupt and got purchased by Pacific - purveyors of Wally World garbage. They may have some decent bikes at the LBS level, but they get no respect from those who know the history.

Chicago Schwinns on the other hand have a cache all their own

Yes, it's sad to reflect on Schwinn's rich history and where they are now. That being said, I do own two post Pacific buyout Schwinns (Fastback CX, and Madison), and they've both been sweet bikes. In fact, I'm tempted to consider the '08 Madison.

My commute also brings me past Pacific's world headquarters every morning, although I'm mostly riding my Bianchi fixed conversion.

I think there are two divisions. One for cheap and one for the more expensive version. Mongoose is the same way. Go to Wally world and look at a Mongoose MTB, then go to the Mongoose website. Not listed. I think the more expensive bikes that Schwinn produces are not bad bikes though. Good prices also.

Waterford makes some nice bikes.

You can thank Ed Jr. for that one.

Doesn't Pacific also own Cannondale now or is my memory playing tricks on me? Anyways, I have a Schwinn and the crap they sell in Walmart is different from some of the higher end stuff. But yeah, even my LBS laughed at my Schwinn til I showed them the 853 sticker.

I wouldn't buy a Schwinn anymore, not because the upper level LBS Schwinn is a bad brand (can't really say that it is, since I haven't tried them - probably just about the same stuff as any other large scale manufacturer), but from the principal that i'd like to support a respected and independent bicycle manufacturer over the business machine that is Pacific.

Buying Pacific = more manufacturers going "The Pacific Way"

Your memory is playing tricks on you. Yes, Cannondale got bought out, but not by Pacific.

OK. I knew I read they got bought about by someone that made low end cycles.

Schwinn, unfortunately, has a line of bikes...errr toys that have their logo stamped on it. They are nothing like the Schwinn found in Bike shops (not department stores).

It was bought out by the parent company of pacific cycles. AKA dorel.

Means the same thing to me, not that I liked Crack-n-fail to begin with, but now the name seems so much more appropriate.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. Means the same. So much for cannondale.

I have a DBX and really like it. Only complaint is I got the wrong size,otherwise I'd be putting serious miles on it. I don't see anything wrong with the higher-end LBS bikes.

I won't buy a Pacific / Dorel brand bike based on principle.

What do you have against Canadians?*

*Dorel's based in Canada.



This is not a serious question.

Not to hijack this thread, but I had a Schwinn Typhoon back in the '60's---(remember the kind of bike in the movie, Sandlot?) The thing must have weighed like 300 lbs---I swear that it was made out of a melted-down Sherman Tank from WWII. I t had the side baskets on the back---carried my glove, my catcher's mit, etc. in it---later on it served a purpose when I had a paper route. Later on, in HS---I had a Schwinn Varsity...rode that thing to death.

It really is a sad thing to consider what happened to a marvelous company.

Tim C.

Hey guys, it's certainly not a great bike and I only have a few hundred miles on it so I can't assess how it will hold up, but for $200 bucks, this thing really isn't bad.

$200!! How can they build, package, ship and retail that for $200!

Twelve year old kids getting paid $0.03 an hour I guess....

I had no idea who, where and how my bike is built until only about a few months ago. Did this change my mind about my Fastback? NO! The bike is a very good and durable bike. I paid approx 3 times more than the above varsity but its worth every penny I paid for. Its been reliable, smooth riding and fast.

I checked other brands before purchasing the Schwinn. For the same price I paid I can get a bike that has lower end components. For bikes with the same components I have to pay $$+ more. I am not the least bit sorry for my purchase.

Here she is in commuting form:

How is this bike standing?... It's as it it's levitating...

During the Nostalgic Times when Schwinns were Schwinns, the company was selling/making both utterly mediocre and very nice, classic, bikes.

I was going to ask the same thing...

Tim C.

blah, blah, blah.

Am I the only one who thinks the trash talkers have not ridden or inspected the new Schwinns?

I am a an old-Schwinn enthusiast. Back in the "made in the USA" days, Schwinn was a good bike for the common man. They weren't the best bike you could buy if money was not an object, but for the middle-class, Schwinn was top of the line. I was saddened that the USA factories were closed and the production went overseas, but hey, what the heck. Things change.

Schwinn has changed names and owners several times, but I give the new owners credit for holding true to what Schwinn has always been - top of the line for the middle-class buyers. In fact, Schwinn is offering some higher quality bikes in addition to their Wally-World stuff that is worthy.

I work on a lot of bikes. My neighbor kid bought a Schwinn which he proudly rides. I looked it over. I do a lot of work for the whole neighborhood - heck, maybe the whole city. I do it for free and I see a lot of bikes. I never had a new Schwinn roll into the garage for anything except from some shock-faced pappy who drove over his kid's bike in the driveway.

Bottom line- the new Schwinns are fine. In fact, they are good. They are better than all the other made in China Wally-World bikes. The better grade stuff we are seeing at the sports shops are especially worth the money.

That, my friends, is the real deal. I have checked them out. If you buy a Schwinn today, you get your money's worth. Dollar for dollar, component for component, I think the new Schwinns are the best value for the market they serve.

Rock on, New Schwinn owners.