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With efforts like this, it is easy to see why Schwinn didn't do too well with their early "mountain bikes". Nothing too high end but it sure is clean.
1982 Schwinn Sidewinder
- Thread starter FirstFlight
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I'm not sure why you think that this is an MTB offering. it has BMX written all over it! :wink:
that's strange bike. it looks like a 10 speed frame with bmx forks and bars. i'm feeling those blue rims...
That Sidewinder is a real beauty.
Gotta love Schwinn's entry into the world of MTBs.
Bike would look killer with a blu ano set of Team Schwinn cranks and a blue Tuff Neck stem.
Kind of like the King Sting.
Gotta love Schwinn's entry into the world of MTBs.
Bike would look killer with a blu ano set of Team Schwinn cranks and a blue Tuff Neck stem.
Kind of like the King Sting.
While the geometry of the frame may be similar or even dead-on, I'm pretty sure it might be a bit difficult to squeeze that tire/wheel combo into a Varsity frame.
...theyll fit a Varsity :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
So your going to tell me those are 2.125 tires? And no, its definately not the same frame. You can easily tell the geometry is way different.But really doesnt mean to much to me either way,I really started losing interest in bicycles when "Diamond" frames became the norm.It was like they lost all their sole and distinct characteristics when the curves dissapeared! Gears and colors were nice but not enough to keep me seriously interested for long. :wink:
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The Varsity frames would accept some of the 1.75" on the markets but most of the 2.125 tires would rub. Most folks would just heat up the stays and bend them to gain tire clearance and replace the fork with a 26" wheel model.
Dude it is essentially the same frame, really the only difference is slightly more tire clearance and a beefier brake bridge.Slick Rick said:
It started off life as a varsity, then after 95% of the work was done on the assembly line, they plucked it and did slightly different stuff to the frame, added different decals, and put on a different fork and components.
I'd imagine same can be said of a king sting except it started as fillet brazed frame, even though the brazed frames weren't made in the kind of numbers as the electroforged bikes, so that could have started destined to be a king sting.
I have a King sting and use it on trails. It is a nice riding bike, very solid. I event hit a truck while bombing an access road and I tore the guys bumper up pretty good along with my foot but the bike was still in good shape. Schwinn was late inthe mtb game. I'd love another king sting with anodized parts, they look cool and ride nice. Riding long distances with the bmx bars makes for a really comfortable ride.
perpetuating the myth......
late into the mtb game? their 'klunker 5' predates the stumpjumper by a couple seasons. bikes like the sidewinder show schwinn correctly believed the potential of the sport extended well beyond a handful of norcal enthusiasts with 4 figure budgets. in the fall of 83 they introduced the [84 model year] high sierra which was perhaps the first truly trail worthy $350 mountain bike.
rev106 said:
late into the mtb game? their 'klunker 5' predates the stumpjumper by a couple seasons. bikes like the sidewinder show schwinn correctly believed the potential of the sport extended well beyond a handful of norcal enthusiasts with 4 figure budgets. in the fall of 83 they introduced the [84 model year] high sierra which was perhaps the first truly trail worthy $350 mountain bike.
Re: perpetuating the myth......
Yes, late. It has bmx bars and the klunker 5 was just a cruiser with gears. True mtb's started to come about in the late 70's, I figure you know this. Specialized came out with the rock hopper in what 82, 83? It's the frame geometry and the use of a flat bar that made them purpose built, not converted cruisers or some varsity looking thing with bmx bars. Schwinn's were too heavy and they did'nt get into light weight luged frames until it was too late. Late in the mtb game. Too late. bye bye Schwinn.
Bendix said:rev106 said:
late into the mtb game? their 'klunker 5' predates the stumpjumper by a couple seasons. bikes like the sidewinder show schwinn correctly believed the potential of the sport extended well beyond a handful of norcal enthusiasts with 4 figure budgets. in the fall of 83 they introduced the [84 model year] high sierra which was perhaps the first truly trail worthy $350 mountain bike.
Yes, late. It has bmx bars and the klunker 5 was just a cruiser with gears. True mtb's started to come about in the late 70's, I figure you know this. Specialized came out with the rock hopper in what 82, 83? It's the frame geometry and the use of a flat bar that made them purpose built, not converted cruisers or some varsity looking thing with bmx bars. Schwinn's were too heavy and they did'nt get into light weight luged frames until it was too late. Late in the mtb game. Too late. bye bye Schwinn.
sigh.....
again, unless you were a norcal enthusiast with deep pockets for a breezer or early ritchey/fisher mountain bike 70's mtb's WERE cruisers with gears. sinyard brought the stumpjumper to market in what, 81? it was still an $800 dollar bike. the rockhopper was several years later- you're probably thinking of the stumpjumper sport. i'm not saying schwinn got everything right, i'm saying they were the first major company that tried to make something happen at the popular price points, the key to growing the sport. like the bikes or not, they were THERE
again, unless you were a norcal enthusiast with deep pockets for a breezer or early ritchey/fisher mountain bike 70's mtb's WERE cruisers with gears. sinyard brought the stumpjumper to market in what, 81? it was still an $800 dollar bike. the rockhopper was several years later- you're probably thinking of the stumpjumper sport. i'm not saying schwinn got everything right, i'm saying they were the first major company that tried to make something happen at the popular price points, the key to growing the sport. like the bikes or not, they were THERE
That Sidewinder is very nice.
A.S.BOLTNUT
He who dies with the most toys ,still dies No Fear
i just found a bike exactly like this one anyone know what it might be worth ,i think i gonna flip it..
Depending on condition of details and timing of sale, $50.oo to $150.00 would be my guess. :|
