JohnsWorldSport

Hi everyone!
This is my first contribution so I'll first start with a personal introduction. I'm a midwesterner, (so I have to make the best of my bike riding during the spring to fall seasons) in my forties, and am married with a 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. I am the most avid bike rider in the family with my daughter being the second. I'm am not a bike expert or bicycle "fanatic", just someone who likes biking on long rides and biking f-a-s-t.

Just a warning, my writings tend to be very lengthy!

Anyway, I just purchased an 80's, black with silver lettering, 14 speed, Schwinn World Sport and I love it! It is in like-new, excellent condition and was just tuned up at a local bike shop where they did some minor adjustments and lubed it. The only change that I had done was to have them replace the rear knobby tread tire that came with the bike, with the same smooth-style type like the front tire. I have owned three mountain bikes, an 80's Schwinn Mesa Runner, an '03 Diamondback Outlook and an '03 Mongoose MGX and after riding in two MS Bike Tours down Lake shore Drive (this annual bike ride was discontinued) I knew that I really wanted a lighter weight road bike instead of a mountain bike. In one of the tours, I borrowed my brother-in-law's lightweight Trek mountain bike and realized that I could really "fly" with the lighter bike and it was less tiresome. I used the steel framed Mongoose with dual suspension on my very first ride and it was a total bear to ride! It must weigh over forty pounds! Anyway I decided that I didn't want to spend $$$ on a brand new road bike at a bike shop so I looked into the Schwinn Prelude and GMC Denali from Target and Wal Mart. It was either this or buying a used road bike either from local ads or from the classifieds in Craigslist. I knew that any used biked from a bike shop would cost way above my budget. After reading forums like this one I steered away from the department store bikes and concentrated on looking for a decent used road bike. I only considered the store bikes because I had gift cards from both stores that would put them within the budget I had to purchase my future bike which was $100 or under. My brother-in-law found one on Craigslist and test rode it for me. He is a veteran triathlete so I trusted his opinion. He said it rode well and that the frame and components were in great shape except for the worn out after market seat. From the condition of the bike I think maybe the seller switched the seats because I don't think that the bike was ridden as long and as hard as the seat's condition would indicate. Anyway, I knew I had the an after market, Schwinn, split racing-type seat that I had on my Mongoose to replaced the worn out one. It is silver and black so I knew that it would also match the bike's color scheme perfectly. My brother-in-law wound up buying the bike for me for only $40! He had bargained down from the seller's asking price of $80. Even with the tune-up my brother-in-law suggested that I have done, the total cost of the bike was definitely within my bike budget!
Like I said earlier the tune up came out to be less than I thought so even with the new tire my "new" vintage Schwinn World Sport was a bargain at under $90! I have attached a photo comp of it for you all to check out. Being my first ever road bike, I am totally happy with the bike and its performance!

But now I would like to know more about its history and specifications and that's where I know this forum
was the right place to find out. I don't know anything about the bike other than what I have already written here. I know it has a chrome-moly 57cm frame which has written on it "Made in China." I was a little apprehensive when I saw this but seeing that he bike has lasted this long and is still in great shape, no matter where it originated from, it's definitely well-made. Could somebody give me an idea around what year the bike was actually produced and other specs like its weight and reliability. I know all of this is "after-the-fact" and doesn't really matter because there is no way now that I am giving up the bike, but I would just like to know more about the background of my new "ride."

Thanks in advance for your input and help!

JohnsWorldSport

East Hill

Oh! Another future haunter of the Classic & Vintage forum!

We'll need photos. Also, what's written on the headbadge?

Welcome to BF!

East Hill