loading
reading
writing
saving
searching
A Newly-Re-imagined, Cyclotouring-Ready '84 Schwinn High Sierra (Lg) - $320 (Pittsburgh)
North Millvale Ave. near Dearborn St.
QR Code Link to This Post
Here's Schwinn's 1984 top-of-the-line, 26"-wheeled, steel-framed ATB (All Terrain Bicycle), the High Sierra, newly and expertly rebuilt and outfitted for long distance cyclotouring. It's thoroughly tested, ready to ride, and needs only your front and rear panniers, loaded for the destination of your choice...and you...with a sense of adventure.
FEATURES:
-A super wheelset with Nashbar cartridge bearing hubs and robust Weinmann XTB-26 Dual-wall eyeletted alloy rims with stainless steel spokes. They're newly trued to a high degree of refinement and the bearing feel is silky smooth.
-A super tire set: puncture-resistant Michelin City 26 x 1.6 with an 87PSI max. Despite the name, they are ideal for hard-packed trails.
-Soma Oxford mustache bar with bar end shifters and clamped-on climbing extensions, the latter, newly taped with the same velvety rubberized cork tape as the main bar. They offer a grateful change of hand position which many riders find a blessing.
-Nitto Technomic extra-tall stem, enabling a upright riding posture while preserving the classic look. Shown raise to its minimum insertion mark here.
-Drivetrain is 3 x 6 =18 speed, lightly-used, and features a beautiful Sugino 48-38-28-T alloy triple crankset and modern SRAM X-9 rear derailleur.
-Heavy-duty deluxe Axiom luggage racks front and rear. Installed with great care and attention to detail: to never shake loose and to handle all the weight you could ever wish on them. The low-rider fronts are new and have been given an arching connecting brace to prevent even the slightest wobble over rough terrain.
-Planet Bike full fenders.
-Front clamp-on accessory T-mount. And on it....a Cree Solar Storm 5000: a powerful 3 brightness-level light for night driving. Its rechargeable battery pack is mounted under the bike saddle in included Avenir bag as seen (charger included and also fits in the bag).
-Front & Rear blinking lights: Knog, front, Cateye, rear.
-Bontrager touring saddle with permanent, stylish, heavy-duty lycra cover as shown and S-R Laprade alloy micro adjust seat post.
INCLUDED BONUS EXTRA! A fine (lamentably named, especially if you live in the Ukraine or Gaza) Bell "Air Strike 950" air pump. A great, lightweight high-volume, frame-mountable (sorry no bracket included) pump in overall excellent condition (see final images)
CONFESSIONAL:
-The original finish has endured a LOT of scraping and scuffs. No beauty prizes here. The frameset and rear rack are newly cleaned and touched up by hand to achieve a decent look from a normal viewing range an to retard rust, nothing more.
-The front and rear V-brakes don't match. Both work great.
-The left and right bar-end shifters don't match. Both work great.
NOTES:
-The bar-end shifters have been given very neat Avid inline barrel adjusters, installed just forward of the frame's head tube. A nice touch, since neither derailleur has any adjuster nor do the shifters.
-The Sugino triple is running on a silky-smooth top-of-the-line Shimano UN-72 hollow spindle cartridge bearing square-taper bottom bracket upgrade.
-The included cassette of the 3 x 6=18-speed drivetrain has seven cogs, but the bar-end shifter can only pull enough cable to do six and so as set-up and presented, the smallest cog is eliminated and no great loss with a triple crankset.
SIZE: this is a large-framed bike measuring 58cm from the bottom bracket center to the extended centerline of the top tube where it intersects the seat tube. Standover height is 33". A rider will most likely need to stand AT LEAST 6' tall to be comfortable.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Cyclotouring is not for everyone yet if you're in love with it but felt your last bike came up short, this may be what will do it for you. Front and rear loading makes a big difference.
ATB's prefigured the all-out mountain bike but largely retained touring bike geometry. The High Sierra is one of the best of the breed and this one is newly overhauled and upgraded with no turn left un-stoned. It's a bombproof 26"-wheeled touring machine, and arguably the template for Surly's wildly successful Long Haul Trucker. You may find it a true pleasure to ride....like on the road from Pittsburgh PA to Washington, DC via the GAP and C&O Towpath trails....aka...."The Ride Of A Lifetime".
Thanks for viewing. Your questions are welcome. Offers? Don't bother. Happy Cycling!
***SPECIAL NOTE: INTERESTED? PLEASE RESPOND AS USUAL VIA THE EMAIL LINK--DO NOT USE THE NEW CHAT FEATURE. THANKS!