Bike Forums - Is this One of the "Good" Schwinn World Sports? (2024)

That's even worse, he really has to make this decision count ;)

The ****astic bike I'm sorting out for somebody (daughter's friend). In a heartbeat I would have recommended a Schwinn sports over that pile of crap. But when the OP tries the bike and found it lacking, you can tell he's looking for something better.

Entry level 80's bike are a dime a dozen if not free. They have their place but it just didn't sound it was what the OP was after.

Right, it's a life changing decision for $60 ;)

he probably "found it lacking" because it needs work, like most vintage bikes do

That's my point, they are abundant so there will never be a shortage of parts

The OP is looking for "one of the good ones" which tells me he doesn't really know what he is looking for

You would be amazed at what I have found for $60.

We can ask him, he's right here on this thread.

My only point is that there is much better bang for the buck. If you need transportation, exercise, and to learn the ropes, a entry level 80's bike beats the living **** out of a modern entry level bike. Heck I'm downright offended by working don't this piece of **** Roadmaster Granite Peak, it would be quite enjoyable to work on the Schwinn World Sports. But for me? As I said, I picked a $105 Bottecchia in great shape, where if I sell the vintage specialist TA water cage, Campagnolo branded vintage pump, and vintage tire savers, I could get all of my money back and still have a Campy dressed Bottecchia.

no, I wouldn't be "amazed", been buying, selling and restoring vintage bikes for about 50 years

Yes.

If someone is asking about a bike and they don't know the difference between steel and alloy rims, recommending a French bike with hard to find parts doesn't make sense. The OP is much better off with the Schwinn he posted and "upgrade" it to his heart's content.

He already stated he likes "turkey levers"

...and he already stated that he "read a lot", I'm thinking he read too much. He basically parroted some of the opinions held by many bike enthusiast that you have to have "this" and you have to avoid "that".

My suggestion to the OP is to buy the bike, work on it, upgrade it or whatever and form your own opinion.

After all, he's not going to use the bike to compete in road racing or a triathlon, it's a bike to get around on and have some fun with.

To the title premise that there are "good" Schwinn World Sports, I doubt it. The vintage market has softened, making full cromoly frame vintage bikes with good component groups very affordable.

In the recreational bike segment, I continue to prefer the rigid frame MTBs from the 1980s. They can handle racks, tires of almost any width, for people who hate DT shifters many have robust thumb shifters, very good brakes, easy gearing. With a couple of simple changes, they will be lighter than the World Sports. And a lot of recreational riders prefer the upright riding position.

With a $50 to $100 budget, you can find some nice vintage bikes in my market. Sure, the top of the line stuff will be a lot more.

I agree. Although people in my neck of the woods think anything old is "vintage" and therefore worth $250. I Found a Giant Sedona with a rack for $100. Assuming my size and in pretty good shape I may take a look at that.

Here, say a $200 bike could go for anything between $0 and $200. It is not unusual for somebody to ask $500+ for them but those are the ads you see posted forever. The longer you scan and wait, the better deal you'll find.

Heck not a bike but yesterday I went to pick up a Yakima Super Joe 3 car rack for $10. I felt weird paying that little for it but that's what they wanted. Currently, the next cheapest Yakima trunk rack is an inferior model listed at $85.