# Keep or Replace Schwinn Sprint 10 Speed?



## Resist (Sep 17, 2008)

So I have this old Schwinn Sprint 10 speed that I bought new around 1986, I think for a few hundred dollars. It has served me well over the years but has sit in the garage most of its life. Some parts on it are rusting and the chrome on the rims is starting to peel. I am trying to decide if it is worth fixing up or should I just buy a new bike? I have never repaired a bike other than changing tires. But I can learn. I was thinking about a Trek FX, Giant FCR or a Specialized Sirrus. I don't really want to spend more than $1000 as I already have a new mountain bike that I spend a lot of time on, but want to also do some road riding for exercise.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Black hole for money*



Resist said:


> So I have this old Schwinn Sprint 10 speed that I bought new around 1986, I think for a few hundred dollars. It has served me well over the years but has sit in the garage most of its life. Some parts on it are rusting and the chrome on the rims is starting to peel. I am trying to decide if it is worth fixing up or should I just buy a new bike? I have never repaired a bike other than changing tires. But I can learn. I was thinking about a Trek FX, Giant FCR or a Specialized Sirrus. I don't really want to spend more than $1000 as I already have a new mountain bike that I spend a lot of time on, but want to also do some road riding for exercise.


As a general rule, for a bike like this you should only consider new tires, cables, and maybe brake pads. If it needs more than that, you should consider the alternative of a much newer used bike. For $1000, you could get a pretty nice new bike that would be SO much better than your Schwinn. Chrome plated rims says that it was a low-end bike in the first place. Don't spend any significant $$ on this bike.


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## Resist (Sep 17, 2008)

Yes, I already knew it wasn't a high quality bike back when I purchased it new. I'm just trying to decide whether I want to keep it around or not. It's not an easy decision because although the new bikes these days are really good, they cost a lot more.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I agree with Kerry but I'll just add a bit more.

That Schwinn Sprint wasn't even a good bike when it was new. Every manufacturer needs to have something as their least expensive model and Schwinn at the time was trying to have a line that could compete with big discounters selling toy quality products marketed as "Bicycles". But bike dealers had (and still do have) larger overheads than the big discounters plus they assemble, service and warranty their products which costs a lot of money.

Bottom line is that your bike was bottom of the barrel when it was new and bike quality and function have improved by leaps and bounds since then. Plus steel rims with bad chrome=brakes that will not work safely.

You need a different bike.


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