Price Paid:
$650.00
at Schwinn Dealer Model Year:
2005 Favorite Ride:
Training Bike Setup:
An upgraded, nicer road frame, plus basic carbon forks, and a herd of pointless technology upgrades--when compared with the basic model of this bike. Still a very good product, very comfortable, very fast--features promised and delivered.
This model is more handsome and perhaps doesn't look quite as silly at the head of the pack as the basic model.
I have not used one of these for any distance without an upgrade 20 spoke race/trainer wheelset, race/trainer tires (Serfas or Michelin), and flipped (dropped-upside down) & wrapped narrow, alloy North Road style bars with controls across the front, road style.
The bike is fast and enjoyable right out of the store with a durable, derring-do, speedy character that makes you wonder just how far and just how fast; and, it makes it all fun. Summary:
This is for the 2005 model.
One can't help but notice on a comparison between the GS and the basic model that the most useful upgrades were not met.
The model needed a super-nice wheelset and any crankset with high-strength all-alloy chainrings. Those would increase efficiency.
The large collection of technology added to this model does absolutely nothing to enhance performance.
Yet, we've still got to give it top marks as a more-handsome model of an already very good product.
This is not quite the exciting bang for the buck as the lower model, yet it is capable of performance similar to the less comfortable bikes in the same price range--much added comfort a no cost to speed.
While drop bars can be fitted, Nitto's alloy 19" Albatross (North Road) gives a very inexpensive areo speed boost while preserving the shifters, character and comfort of the bike. On this bike, these bars would belong "upside down" (dropped) and wrapped just like drop bars. Narrower is more areo. Tilt the bar ends downward for best wrist angle. Controls go across the front, road style.
Racing tires fit as do Kenda Kross so that the bike can be operated all-year long and on a variety of surfaces.
Long distances are covered quickly and with added comfort.
In situations where ergo power is paramount, the bike can outperform more traditional designs. Hills are especially noticable, as one of the many conditions where leverage is more useful than areo, and the Schwinn delivers with a strong, quick boost. Strengths:
Easily, the fastest flat bar bike.
Long century rides, and racing potential for long distances, women's needs, spine/neck needs, and people with short arms--are all difficult conditions where this bike suddenly makes an excellent and astounding performance boost.
Quicker, lighter, and more comfortable than the Trek Pilot that is at the same price point.
Carbon forks are more agreeable to using an upgrade racing wheelset, because of the vibration absorbing effect of the carbon fork upgrade. Weaknesses:
Cheap brake pads need replacement with Kool Stop in order to preserve wheels.
Otherwise, same weaknesses as other bikes in this price range--no surprise that it is crankset with steel chainrings (easy to change), and a basic Alex road bike wheelset (easy to change). This makes the difference of speed like a $700 road bike or speed like an $1800 road bike.
While the bike has a nicer frame and carbon forks when compared to the basic model, the rest of the upgrades make little sense except for appearance, still, on a bike that is such an example of "technology trickle down" where the frame alone is worth the entire price tag, it is hard to say that there are any weaknesses whatsoever.
It is advertised fast and comfortable, and it does exactly that, with little to no drawbacks at all. Quite an accomplishment! So, one should not complain about nit-picky issues such as flat tires or inner tubes (as in an earlier review).
Alex wheels, as any road bike in this price range, you should have the wheels trued and tightened up after the first hundred miles, because econo spokes loosen at first (same as the entire price range that all come with these wheels). Similar Products Used:
Trek Pilot promised comfort and speed, but did not deliver on either, and it was heavier.
Diamondback promised comfort and speed, but did not quite deliver on speed.
Trek and Specialized make similar flat-bar products; but, Specialized was the only one to keep the Schwinn in sight on testing. The more expensive Trek 7000 series model is very handsome, but can't quite catch up to the Schwinn for speed.
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