Buzzard,
Good point about the liability disclaimer.
Nolan,
I agree regarding the varying degrees of quality in Chinese products. Much is so poor that you tend to lump it all together as being inferior. My impression of the Schwinn Jaguar I looked at a year ago was that it was a lot of bike for the money and seemed to be much better quality that the Huffys and other cruisers for sale at discount stores. I respect the opinions of builders here like 2door and azbill who both had Jaguars and liked them. I don't think they are on a par with what Schwinn used to be when it was made in Chicago, but I do think that an attempt has been made to keep up some level of quality in recognition of the selling power of the name Schwinn. Whoever bought it no doubt paid dearly for the right to that brand name. At the local transer station (what I still call the dump) I found a Mens Schwinn Cruiser in remarkably good condition... not rusted up and still functional. I put air in the tires and rode it around and it feels like a pretty solid bike even thought there is a sticker saying "Taiwan" on it. The quality of the chrome is still good, spokes are still tight and the wheels true. I'm guessing it comes from the 70's or early 80's. Wide seat is comfortable. I don't know, other than it being pink (faded red?) I kind of like it. Don't know what I'll do with it, but...
it is a whole lot better bike than a newish Huffy I got at a yard sale last summer. So i think you need to get past some bias against everything made in China and take a hard look at things. I remember a time when "Made In Japan" meant junk. Not anymore...
SB
Good point about the liability disclaimer.
Nolan,
I agree regarding the varying degrees of quality in Chinese products. Much is so poor that you tend to lump it all together as being inferior. My impression of the Schwinn Jaguar I looked at a year ago was that it was a lot of bike for the money and seemed to be much better quality that the Huffys and other cruisers for sale at discount stores. I respect the opinions of builders here like 2door and azbill who both had Jaguars and liked them. I don't think they are on a par with what Schwinn used to be when it was made in Chicago, but I do think that an attempt has been made to keep up some level of quality in recognition of the selling power of the name Schwinn. Whoever bought it no doubt paid dearly for the right to that brand name. At the local transer station (what I still call the dump) I found a Mens Schwinn Cruiser in remarkably good condition... not rusted up and still functional. I put air in the tires and rode it around and it feels like a pretty solid bike even thought there is a sticker saying "Taiwan" on it. The quality of the chrome is still good, spokes are still tight and the wheels true. I'm guessing it comes from the 70's or early 80's. Wide seat is comfortable. I don't know, other than it being pink (faded red?) I kind of like it. Don't know what I'll do with it, but...
it is a whole lot better bike than a newish Huffy I got at a yard sale last summer. So i think you need to get past some bias against everything made in China and take a hard look at things. I remember a time when "Made In Japan" meant junk. Not anymore...
SB
Attachments
-
273.6 KB Views: 149
-
275.5 KB Views: 119