Originally Posted by
bnot
What is the advantage of shedding ~9 pounds? How would that be accomplished anyway? Carbon frame and wheels or maybe just carbon spokes? The chromoly frame has some desirable qualities though. It's tough and plush. I can see some advantage getting away from the steel spokes in the reduced rotational inertia, but would that really be noticeable in the seat of my pants or just in measured seconds over several kilometers?
How many gears is enough? I do live right up against 10,000 ft mountains and the bike is not geared for the passes. But I could put a different chainwheel on it and then it would be. How does 24 gears really benefit my riding?
Price is not really an object as much as benefit. How much would I have to spend to make a big difference? I figure if I spend less than some $ amount, it's just a parallel move. If I spend more $$ I may start to see some benefit. If I spend $$$$, there are probably diminishing returns especially if I don't assign value to a slim competitive edge that I'm not able to attain due to my limitations as a rider.
Everything you say has "some" merit. Your Schwinn Traveler is on the lower end, kind of like my wife's 1986 Univega Viva Sport. You can upgrade it, but it will probably not worth it unless you really love the bike. The reason to make a change is because you want a better riding or handling bike or want to run a triple with more gears, and you really don't like the friction DT shifters and 52/42 (assuming) chainrings. But your bike is simple to work on and ride with no concerns about indexing, etc. It probably doesn't stop too good either.
There is not one particular thing that makes a new, or newer bike better, but it is a whole bunch of things. I'm riding a 1988 Cannondale with an "upgraded" drivetrain that runs mtb derailleurs and an Ultegra triple as a 3x8. It weighs in at 21.5 lbs. I have 2 steel mtb's that weigh 27lbs with front suspension. While I admire you, I would not ride a 29lb road bike unless I loved it more than life itself.
If I had $$$$ in my thread, I would look for a grail bike, maybe not new, but newer and lighter. I've always wanted a titanium frame, I'm fine with 8/9/10 speeds, I like having a triple so I can ride each ring a bit like a 1x with gearing overlap. If I was willing to spend $$$$ I wouldn't think of going into an LBS, I'd get a custom setup how I wanted it. Then I would put flat bars on the Traveler and use it as a town bike and never look back.
John