Just about anyone who’s been around cycling for any length of name will recognized the name Schwinn. Schwinn and Raleigh are likely the most recognized brands in cycling regardless of age or interest.
I’ve owned two Schwinns since getting back into cycling in May of 2005. In fact a Schwinn was the bike that got me back into cycling in a big way, road biking anyways. It was a 1980 Schwinn Traveler, one of Schwinn’s lower end road bikes of the time. It was built of Hi-Ten steel, also known as Carbon Steel. It had all the marks of a mass produced (by Panasonic in this case) imported “Bike Boom” bike. Stem shifters, steel rims, those “turkey wing” additional brake levers, low end Shimano parts. Thing thing was a beast, and it was a wreck when I got it. Not knowing any better, but eager to learn I tore the thing apart, upgraded it far beyond its worth, and rode it every chance I had. Even rode my first Metric Century on it (62.4mi). But it was also something else: BIG. Too big for me. Buy at least 4-5cm in the seat tube big. So I stripped it down, and sold the frame to another local cyclist.
Eventually I got the urge to get a “commuter” bike. I had the grand plan of riding for more than just enjoyment, but to the store, to school, to work. All I needed was the right bike. At the time I had two bikes. I had my Gazelle, a very nice rare steel frame that would be next to impossible to replace if stolen, and it wasn’t exactly commuter material being a racing frame. I also had my Barracuda Mk.I, which I had labored for long hours to paint and build, and was in no hurry to get scratched. So, I decided I needed another bike. A touring bike! And the search was on.
That search ended with the purchase of a Schwinn Passage from a local reseller of used bicycles. It was perfect for my needs, well, maybe too perfect. I put a little money in equipping it with racks, fenders, a mirror and lights. New tires, cables and such came too. And soon I had a full out touring rig with no where to go but a short jaunt over to school and over to work. At 4mi and 6mi each way, neither of these rides were anywhere close to as long as this bike was designed to go at a time. And now classes are later at night, and the roads around work have become a construction zone I don’t care to drive in my truck let alone by bike.
So there’s somethin about a Schwinn. Instantly recognized, but never long for my collection of bicycles. The Passage is up for sale, and I can only hope I can get what I paid for it after the fixing and adding and such. I’d keep it if I thought I had a need for it. But for every other type of cycling short of multi-day unsupported tours, I already have a bike I would rather bike riding. The Barracuda and Gazelle both perform wonderfully on the open road on the long rides. So she goes to someone that I hope will find far more use of what is a great riding, well built, and worthy of the open road bicycle.
Do I have any plans to replace the Schwinn with something else? Maybe. But only if I have a real need for the bike. Of course, I will always have a real ‘need’ for a vintage Colnago, Pinarello, RIH, Jan de Reus, or any other of a dozen different high end vintage steel frames with all the trimmings labeled with that magical Italian name, Campagnolo.
