I have accumulated five bikes that needed some work, and now I have them all in good (original) operating condition.They are: Schwinn Crossfit, Schwinn Crisscross,Trek 3700 (disc), Specialized Ariel,and GT Outpost.
The bike will be used for some gravel FS roads, greenways, and easy mountain bike trails.I live in the mountains of NC, so every kind of riding includes a lot of climbing (and I am not a strong rider). I think all of them will work for the intended use, so it may just come down to which one is the most comfortable or which one I decide I like best. I would like to hear what others think about the choices, though; hence my post here. Which one would YOU choose?

these two are the better bikes...
https://www.yobicycle.com/hybrid/sch...ss-50152/specs
the crisscross has n=maintained price well, and is a fine bike deserving of better parts being added .
the crisscross has an almost cult-like fan club....

https://www.yobicycle.com/mountain-b...isc-4790/specs
the 3700 is a nice bike, light aluminum frame, modern handling, and also responds well to upgrades... stock, the drivetrain is not high quality, but can be upgraded easily... the fork is heavy, but functions ok.. etc.

the crossfit is heavy and has all low end parts... not a fav of most folks..

the ariel is ok, more modern, but not holding value.. it is targeted at women and will have a shorter reach and some heavy parts, being a low end offering..

the GT outpost is a 26" wheeled MTB, and geared for offroad-ish riding... it won't handle big jumps or thrashing thru the rock gardens, but is fine for gravel roads and an occasional muddy trail.
they respond well to upgrades like a better fork and derailleurs... i've rescued a few of them over the years.

the Trek is the best one to invest money into (Disc Brakes help sell bikes, Period.)... the Schwinn Crisscross is the coolest one... the GT is not a bad choice, either.... i'd shy away from the other two unless they fit you really well, frame size-wise, and the other three don't.
Suspension forks are only good to have if you hammer offroad fairly frequently... the add weight and cheapo suspension is always on the heavier side... 5 lbs. compared to 2lbs for a rigid fork... suspension also eats your pedaling power, especilally cheap forks with no lockout feature.

your riding style is the determining factor... easy trails and road? the crisscross or trek... more offroad/gravel/hills/mud? the gt....

it all comes down to the fit.
and pictures of the bikes always help us immensely. A good Right side pic, derailleurs and gears, and the view you have of the cockpit.

Which ONE? No, no, no, my man. "One is none and two is one." as the saying goes. (guys, don't tell him about n+1 just yet...) You need a back-up bike in case one is down for maintenance or needing parts.


I'm not familiar with any of those models and don't want to take the time to look them up, you should at least post links to them if you want a proper response. maddog34's response is quite helpful though, seems based on good experience.

I'd keep the Trek for Bike 1, as disc brakes and front suspension make a lot of sense on mountain bikes. (mud, snow) Then, GT as the back-up. You could fit it up with street tires and have a faster option. GT just went out of business too, so it might have some sentimental value to someone later.

See my revised response in Post #8 below.

Many people enjoy the contrast in rides among their stable/quiver/assortment of bikes. Unless space is critical, my advice would be to keep them all.

Here are pictures of the current fleet. And thanks for the comments!

Schwinn CrissCross: well used

Trek 3700:

Specialized Ariel

Schwinn Crossfit

GT Outpost: like new condition

I wouldn't say that any one specific bike in your fleet stands out as a superior machine. Were it me, I'd keep all of them and regularly rotate riding them until one stands out as the best fit, function and performance. I would also keep at minimum two, probably 3, possibly 4, probably not all 5. As others have mentioned, it's good to have at least two bikes (if storage space allows) even if they are similar machines in case one has a mechanical issue that is not quickly fixable, that way you can keep riding.

*I'll add that I am rather fond of GT's and vibrant 80's and 90's paint schemes so my vote on the one to keep would be the GT.

nice collection!
i'd just upgrade some cranksets to HT2, maybe a couple forks to air/modern, and ride the snot out of them all!

one concern seen... Check/verify that the steering Stem/gooseneck is not too high... it may be above it's safe limit, and is. most likely, too high anyway.

Thanks for uploading the pix, ncsteve ; that makes a difference in my thoughts. The GT has fat tires just like the Trek, so a revised choice to give you good coverage in the range of talents.

Keep the Trek for the MTB with modern components, then the CrissCross, with its cool lugged steel frame. Treat the CrissCross to

• a new saddle,
• pedals,
• ergonomic grips,
• street tires
• clamp-on bar ends installed inside the grips could make it reasonably aero.

like this:

This bar end installation makes the bike noticeably faster downhill or into a headwind.

I would keep and refurbish/upgrade the Crosscut

If you like/need front suspension I would ride the Ariel and 3700, until you decide which you like better and keep that one

The Trek for sure is the best of the bunch. Don't try to upgrade it, just ride and repair as you go. I would hang on to the GT also, because I like rigid bikes, and the color is nice.

Exactly! I mean, what if you have 4 buddies who suddenly want to try a ride with you?

Thank you for all the input! After lots of measuring, I have concluded that the Criss Cross is too big for me, so I will be (sadly) selling that one on soon. The Trek fits me the best, so I will make that number 1, at least for now. I'm going to keep the Ariel for awhile just because I think it is graceful and elegant. And I don't know if I will ever be able to get rid of the GT because it is in perfect condition and because I love the splatter orange paint job!

Trek 3700
Reasons: Disc, MTB

Ditch the rest
(MAYBE keep the Specialized as a spare)