Hello! I am looking to get a lightweight bike to commute between my university and my apartment quickly and occasionally go on bike rides on the weekend. I found a couple on Facebook Marketplace that were refurbished, and I've always loved vintage bikes.
- 1984 Trek 560 – $235
- 21” Reynolds 501 Cromalloy Frame, 700c Matrix Strada Wheels, 12 Speed, Suntour Cyclone M-II Components, MKS Esquartz 102 Pedals, Continental Sport 1000 Tires, Specialized Saddle
- 1971 Schwinn Super Sport – $165
- 24” Frame, 27” Wheels, 10 Speed, ALL ORIGINAL Schwinn Components, Brooks Saddle, Pletscher Rack
- Schwinn Le Tour II – $165
- 23” Frame, 27” Made In Japan Araya Wheels, 10 Speed, Schwinn GT-420 Components, NEW Tires
The commute is mostly road with a little gravel patch. I am 6'1 tall. I prefer lighter bikes so I can carry them up to my apartment.
Thank you for the help!
by LivinLikeWalker
4 Comments
I can’t help w/ the specs, but the orange one looks the coolest imo
Sizing is everything on a road bike. If these have all been measured correctly (big if sometimes), you’ll probably fit best on the 23″ (58cm). But as they’re all from the same seller, you could probably sit on/test ride them to see how they feel – last thing you want is too much of a reach to the handlebars.
If you start to go on longer rides you’ll probably find those vintage brake hoods get uncomfortable on your hands, you can get some pretty cheap Tektro levers which help a lot.
The geometry on the last two look better suited as a commuter especially with a backpack since they have a more upright position. I understand your affinity for retro bikes, but bikes have changed a lot since then and usually for a good reason. Easier to shift, more comfortable, more reliable, lighter weight and better braking. I think the best bike for the task would be an aluminum road bike from the last 20 years that still fits in your budget, and then when you have some cash in the future, find a retro-mod bike that has the aesthetic you like with more modern features. But it’s your life, do what makes you happy!
The Trek is easily the best, decent midlevel parts and frame. Weight might be ~24ish lbs? I’d guess around 1985 or so. Unfortunately 21″ is too small for someone 6′.
The LeTour would be next-best. More entry-level, but not bad, it has low-midlevel Shimano parts from around 1980. I’m not sure if the frame was high-tensile steel or if they had moved to chromoly steel by this point? I’d guess weight may be in the upper 20’s, like 27-30 ish lbs.
The super sport- not sure on the age, but its older, likely 70’s, with pretty low-end parts and likely a heavier frame. After a quick read-up, it appears this is not one of the very low-end “electroforged” Schwinn’s that were so heavy they could double as an anchor. Instead its fillet-brazed chromy steel which is kind of cool… but still apparently a bit on the heavy side and the lower end parts and Ashtabula crank don’t help. Weight would probably be mid-thirties?? Again its a bit neat, but at the same price as the LeTour, I don’t see much appeal.