Heaviest road bike you've ever seen? Any benefits
07-17-15, 03:05 PM
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I don't know if I would call the bike in the original picture a road bike. I would call it a city bike. Benefits of a heavy bike? That bike has fenders and a rack which adds weight so I would think that is a benefit.
I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28
I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28
Sweet Free Spirit! I've got one from that era. Only orig parts are frame/fork/headset, though.
07-18-15, 01:00 PM
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My first (business) trip to China in '92 included a short, daily commute on a Flying Pigeon single-speed road bike. The bikes were courtesy loaners, owned by the hotel. The ride was totally flat, so I wasn't aware of the bike's weight until, one day, I picked it up to carry it across a section of sidewalk. I nearly threw my back out! It must have weighed close to 50#.
Benefit? Theft prevention.
Benefit? Theft prevention.
07-18-15, 02:30 PM
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I don't know if I would call the bike in the original picture a road bike. I would call it a city bike. Benefits of a heavy bike? That bike has fenders and a rack which adds weight so I would think that is a benefit.
I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28
I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28
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07-18-15, 03:11 PM
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Back in the 70's my brother bought a new Schwinn Continental, if mem serves it was heavier than a Varsity by a few pounds. Large frame and maybe 40 or more pounds.
The benefit?
Fun. We enjoyed the bike and that era was not that concerned with too many details amongst us recreational riders. Schwinn was a mark of quality and we all had fun riding his new steed.
If I could I would trade everything I have and go back to that era and sweeter times. The Schwinn frames were quite durable and made in USA, what a loss when the company couldn't shift gears and compete. They had a good dealer network and good name recognition.
Schwinn knew how to do it right, witness the Paramount and today the surviving Waterford. Today my Schwinn bikes from that era still are intact and being used. My tandem bicycle is a Schwinn Duo sport, a tandem built right with solid cromoly Paramount tubing, bar end indexing shifters and alloy components. My Schwinn old mtb still almost as good as the day I bought it.
Every now and then my neighbor takes their Schwinn heavy out for a cruise, never says a word about the weight. They don't have too, after 40 years of use, no apologies are needed; by the looks of the thing it will probably bring another 40 years of happiness.
And that I guess is the 'benefit'.
The benefit?
Fun. We enjoyed the bike and that era was not that concerned with too many details amongst us recreational riders. Schwinn was a mark of quality and we all had fun riding his new steed.
If I could I would trade everything I have and go back to that era and sweeter times. The Schwinn frames were quite durable and made in USA, what a loss when the company couldn't shift gears and compete. They had a good dealer network and good name recognition.
Schwinn knew how to do it right, witness the Paramount and today the surviving Waterford. Today my Schwinn bikes from that era still are intact and being used. My tandem bicycle is a Schwinn Duo sport, a tandem built right with solid cromoly Paramount tubing, bar end indexing shifters and alloy components. My Schwinn old mtb still almost as good as the day I bought it.
Every now and then my neighbor takes their Schwinn heavy out for a cruise, never says a word about the weight. They don't have too, after 40 years of use, no apologies are needed; by the looks of the thing it will probably bring another 40 years of happiness.
And that I guess is the 'benefit'.
Last edited by Duo; 07-19-15 at 06:29 AM.
07-18-15, 10:21 PM
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Schwinn used to have a lifetime warranty on their frames... And, weighing a TON, I think they meant it.
As far as beasts.... can I count my cargo bike. It is at least half "road bike"
I haven't weighed the bike... I'm a bit scared to do so. However, the load in the photo was 100 lbs, I think. And it has towed a heck of a lot more. It could probably carry more too, but I need to make some panniers to get the load lower as 100 lbs on the bike was pretty awkward.
As far as beasts.... can I count my cargo bike. It is at least half "road bike"
I haven't weighed the bike... I'm a bit scared to do so. However, the load in the photo was 100 lbs, I think. And it has towed a heck of a lot more. It could probably carry more too, but I need to make some panniers to get the load lower as 100 lbs on the bike was pretty awkward.
07-19-15, 09:17 AM
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OP, instead of that thing, why not get a vintage Schwinn? It would likely be a few pounds lighter; would be cheaper; and of much higher quality than that POS.
If you want to play with Schwinns, do it right!
If you want to play with Schwinns, do it right!
07-19-15, 02:36 PM
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A Five Year Old is Smarter Than All of Us
Now here we are debating how heavy the bike is and my five year old pointed out that Target also sell bathroom scales. I was back there today and tried to measure it on a scale and it came in at 40.4 pounds with me supporting it a tiny bit.
The tubes did not have a hollow sound so perhaps that's where all the weight is.
07-19-15, 02:45 PM
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Heavy and Schwinn just go together.
07-19-15, 03:23 PM
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My 1971 Paramount is nothing at all like the Varsity or the Continental. Sheldon Brown has a couple of nice articles about the Chicago Schwinns and "ElectroForge" technology.
Chicago Schwinns
Inside the Varsity
I refurbished a Schwinn that sported FFS and Positron indexed shifting. Loads of fun to take apart, clean and reassemble. But, it worked good as new once I was finished. Man, was that bike heavy.
Chicago Schwinns
Inside the Varsity
I refurbished a Schwinn that sported FFS and Positron indexed shifting. Loads of fun to take apart, clean and reassemble. But, it worked good as new once I was finished. Man, was that bike heavy.
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07-19-15, 03:48 PM
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Hey @Stucky. I have no intention of buying such a heavy bike I was just at Target and noticed it. But at some point I will buy a Steel frame classic and try to repair it.
Now here we are debating how heavy the bike is and my five year old pointed out that Target also sell bathroom scales. I was back there today and tried to measure it on a scale and it came in at 40.4 pounds with me supporting it a tiny bit.
The tubes did not have a hollow sound so perhaps that's where all the weight is.
Now here we are debating how heavy the bike is and my five year old pointed out that Target also sell bathroom scales. I was back there today and tried to measure it on a scale and it came in at 40.4 pounds with me supporting it a tiny bit.
The tubes did not have a hollow sound so perhaps that's where all the weight is.
5 year-olds are definitely smarter though! They just ride their bikes, and don't worry about all the BS that we're always on here arguing about!
If you've never ridden steel, yes, you owe it to yourself to give it a try (But not a 40 lb. one! -a Good-quality one, preferably under 22 lbs).
Hmmm...I'm getting an idea here: If the price of scrap is still high, we could buy 40+ lb. bikes at Target or Walmart, and scrap 'em for a profit!
(Coulda used a few bikes like that to put in the trunks of light cars when I used to be in that business!)
07-19-15, 04:03 PM
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Schwinn Varsinentals - that brings back memories.
Those bikes were built like tanks and you could feel the weight when you rode one.
Not for weight weenies.
Those bikes were built like tanks and you could feel the weight when you rode one.
Not for weight weenies.
07-19-15, 04:17 PM
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Back in the day, Schwinn couldn't take full advantage of the light alloys just coming onto the market.
The Japanese built the first true light weight bikes in the mid 1970s.
Today, cromoly steel is ubiquitous. Back then it was an expensive novelty.
The Japanese built the first true light weight bikes in the mid 1970s.
Today, cromoly steel is ubiquitous. Back then it was an expensive novelty.
07-19-15, 04:22 PM
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Why not? It's a cheap department store bike likely made out of low-quality steel (thus very thick tubes/piping needed to get reasonable strength), with all kinds of extras thrown on.
If your reference point is CF and aluminum, or even half-decent vintage steel made from butted chromoly tubing, you need to adjust your expectations.
If your reference point is CF and aluminum, or even half-decent vintage steel made from butted chromoly tubing, you need to adjust your expectations.
The department store bikes were bottom of the barrel landfill junk. The brand name bikes like Raleigh were this side of acceptable because their quality construction was obvious.
07-19-15, 04:25 PM
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I don't know if I would call the bike in the original picture a road bike. I would call it a city bike. Benefits of a heavy bike? That bike has fenders and a rack which adds weight so I would think that is a benefit.
I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28
I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28
07-19-15, 05:02 PM
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My 1971 Paramount is nothing at all like the Varsity or the Continental. Sheldon Brown has a couple of nice articles about the Chicago Schwinns and "ElectroForge" technology.
Chicago Schwinns
Inside the Varsity
I refurbished a Schwinn that sported FFS and Positron indexed shifting. Loads of fun to take apart, clean and reassemble. But, it worked good as new once I was finished. Man, was that bike heavy.
Chicago Schwinns
Inside the Varsity
I refurbished a Schwinn that sported FFS and Positron indexed shifting. Loads of fun to take apart, clean and reassemble. But, it worked good as new once I was finished. Man, was that bike heavy.
07-19-15, 06:02 PM
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My 1971 Paramount is nothing at all like the Varsity or the Continental. Sheldon Brown has a couple of nice articles about the Chicago Schwinns and "ElectroForge" technology.
Chicago Schwinns
Inside the Varsity
I refurbished a Schwinn that sported FFS and Positron indexed shifting. Loads of fun to take apart, clean and reassemble. But, it worked good as new once I was finished. Man, was that bike heavy.
Chicago Schwinns
Inside the Varsity
I refurbished a Schwinn that sported FFS and Positron indexed shifting. Loads of fun to take apart, clean and reassemble. But, it worked good as new once I was finished. Man, was that bike heavy.
07-19-15, 06:48 PM
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So I was in target the other day and came across this bike Schwinn Men's Gateway 28" Hybrid Bike- Grey : Target I thought it must weight 40 pounds and sure enough the website says its 46 pounds! That's 46 pounds of smooth velvety steel.
Can anyone top that?
I'm curious is there absolutely any reason to have a heavy bike? Perhaps for stability whilst touring?
Can anyone top that?
I'm curious is there absolutely any reason to have a heavy bike? Perhaps for stability whilst touring?
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