Schwinn High Sierra: 30 Year Old Bike Review

It fit all my criteria so I took a little drive to check it out. The bike looked like it had been sitting around unused for quite a while but was in excellent condition for its age. The Schwinn High Sierra was produced from around 1984 until around 1996. Most frames were made by Giant in Taiwan and sold under the Schwinn name.

Schwinn’s new company coincided with a sudden bicycle craze in America. Chicago became the center of the American bicycle industry, with thirty factories turning out thousands of bikes every day. Bicycle output in the United States grew to over a million units per year by the turn of the 20th century. Like all the Schwinn bikes, it’s made on aluminum and is going to be relatively lightweight and super strong. This is a bike that is going to be at home more in the mud than on the road but will be able to go anywhere. They all use 27.5″ tires which makes the bikes fun and agile to be off-road, and they are also equipped with 2.25″ grippy tires to help control.

Usually, this type of gear configuration is widely available in high-end models priced at more than $5,000. The fact that the Schwinn Boundary contains this feature makes it worth buying. Most entry-level riders will appreciate this characteristic as it turns complexity into simplicity. Overall, the upgrade in the fork suspension enables you to tackle more rugged trails easily. The 70mm alloy rod and conical head tube create a 70-degree fitting for mountain trail movements. This gives the bike a good turn radius, which is what you want for trail riding.

schwinn mountain bike

By 1950, Schwinn had decided the time was right to grow the brand. At the time, most bicycle manufacturers in the United States sold in bulk to department stores, which in turn sold them as store brand schwinn mountain bike models. F. Goodrich bicycles, sold in tire stores, Schwinn eliminated the practice of producing private label bicycles in 1950, insisting that the Schwinn brand and guarantee appear on all products.

The Standpoint is a Schwinn® Signature mountain bike that features an aluminum mountain frame with Schwinn suspension fork for controlled riding on the trail. 21 speed twist shifters provide quick gear changes, while front and rear v-brakes deliver crisp stops. Plus, 27.5 x 2.2-inch all-terrain tires give you go-anywhere traction. No matter which option you choose, though, you can rest assured knowing you’re getting a solid bike. Another problem was Schwinn’s failure to design and market its bicycles to specific, identifiable buyers, especially the growing number of cyclists interested in road racing or touring. Instead, most Schwinn derailleur bikes were marketed to the general leisure market, equipped with heavy “old timer” accessories such as kickstands that cycling aficionados had long since abandoned.

The 250-watt pedal assist motor can boost your speed up to 20mph for an extra push when you need it most. A multifunction control unit on the handlebar allows you to select the amount of boost while also indicating battery reserve. An LED indicator on the downtube shows the amount of remaining power. Schwinn mountain bikes are probably some of the best entry-level bikes. Although they might be cheaper than most brands, the quality is still there. Schwinn Traxion is an absolute beast, and this bike has some excellent capabilities.

For now, he will just use the bike at school, so will probably be ok for a while. But since you seems to know these bikes pretty well, I wanted to see what you think. You’ll also want to inspect the wheels to make sure they’re in decent condition. The focus of Mongoose has always been more of an extreme sport supporting company, whereas Schwinn is the family-friendly centurion catering to families and light use cyclists. The one on your left from seat position should be your front derailer.

A cycling community enthusiastic about mountain biking and all things related. Schwinn Signature bikes are available only at independent bike schwinn bicycles shops, we invite you to see for yourself, the best of Schwinn. Reliable Brakes Brakes are one of the most important components of a bicycle.

Zell moved Schwinn’s corporate headquarters to Boulder, Colorado. This feature, attractive to older riders, soon found its way to other Schwinn models, especially those intended for senior citizens. The 2022 Schwinn Ridgewood electric mountain bike makes uphill climbs easier and riding on level surfaces faster and more fun.