RoadWearier

IOW, is this one of the later year models with the chromoly frames and Aluminum wheels or one of the boat anchors with hi-tensile steel frame and steel rims? I can get it for $60 and supposedly 100% rideable as is.



It will be a bit of a hassle getting it so if it's a cheapie I do t want it.

cb400bill

Looks like either an 84 or an 85.

Here's a link to the history of the World Sport. Do your own research and determine if you want it.

The Schwinn World | 1950 to 1988 (bikehistory.org)

Binky

As a general rule... bikes that have those "turkey wing" brake lever extensions, sidestands, stem shifters, and stamped steel rear dropouts are NOT the cream of the crop.

Sorry.

Bink

RoadWearier

Oh I know this is no Paramount by any means. FWIW I LIKE turkey levers! Weird, I know but they are a comfortable way to slow stop the bike without being in the drops. And I know stem shifters are a turnoff.

But I'm specifically asking if the frame is chromoly and the wheels are aluminum. I know at some point in the mid 80's this model had both. If this is an 85 or 86 then I believe it is a chromoly frame

RoadWearier

Thanks for that link. I couldn't find it but I knew it existed.
If it IS a 84-85 then it's a winner (to me). Thanks!

zmotonmesa

Wow those inner brake levers really takes me back

bboy314

If it’s a hassle getting it, I’d pass and wait for something else to come along. Bikes like this are a dime a dozen.

zukahn1 

This one has cheaper 27inch alloy wheels and a basic chro-mo frame. Still a lesser bike just OK rider looks to need tires and a service. Unless it is easy to get and fairly cheap I would pass I wouldn't go more than $100.

RoadWearier

​​​​​I'll ask a stupid question....I'm assuming alloy wheels are what people refer to as *steel?". I liked that it's not a hi-tensile frame. He says there's just dirt on the tires but they look rough to me. He would take $60 which seemed fair.

We actually don't have a lot of old ten speeds around here. Most cheap bikes here are mountain bikes and hybrids with cheap front suspension.

RB1-luvr

those appear to be aluminum rims. Hard to tell, but the rear wheel looks to be bolted, not quick release. That bike is def worth $60. You could ride it as is or upgrade it a bit.

bboy314

Alloy = aluminum when talking about bikes

zukahn1 

The alloys on this are better than plain steeel rims but still fairly low end single wall plain 27inch most riders prefer nicer 700c rims which have a lot more tire choices. The bike is a fair deal for $60 which leaves you some room to get some nicer tires and new consumables and not be under water value wise.

RoadWearier

Yeah I agree on the 700c conversion. It would be great. I may take a 700c off my other bike to see if I can make the brakes work. I've read enough to know that sometimes you can and sometimes you can't.

Chombi1 

Bikes like these Schwinns were really made for people to start their cycling experience on and eventually, grow out of the bike and Schwinn is hoping they buy their better models to replace it. Exactly what "Entry model" means.....
if you want a really good Scwinn bike, there are other for sale in the market at prices now much lower than they had been just a few years ago. Very good mid level bikes like the Scwinn Peleton are now selling for affordable prices because of the depressed C&V bike market. So before deciding to get this one, check those out as they can provide a much better riding experience than this World Sport.

plonz 

Those graphics in black match the 1984 catalog. ‘85 had the same graphics but came in blue or charcoal.

Spec sheet weighs in at 29lbs and lists the 3 main tubes as chromoly. Need to move up to LeTour to get full chromoly. Wheels are Araya 27” aluminum.

Nothing wrong with $60 for this bike IMO. I would not invest in any upgrades though. If it fits your budget, I’d look for a LeTour for $80-$100. Seems to be a lot of those available.

RoadWearier

Thanks for the Advice! I test ride it and found it kind of uninspiring. I just sold a 2008ish Trek FX 7.3 so maybe that's why. I guess I just didn't feel the magic. Plus the brakes were more for slowing down than stopping. I know I can put on new pads and adjust but it just didn't seem worth it.

I'm looking to get either a 1978 Grand Jubilee Touring with front and rear racks and a Brooks Seat for $180 OR a 2019 Specialized Sirrus 1.0 for $125

zukahn1 

Both of those bike are way better bikes at good prices. I would go with the Jubilee if it fit's and the parts are good it should take a somewhat modern 700c wheel 7speed rear conversion fairly easy if you go that way.

plonz 

Those are two very different bikes. To go with the Motobecane, it would be a deliberate decision to want a vintage bicycle. One I’ve made multiple times!

Mooo

Mini rant … At that size and at that time, *in general* sport wheelbases were around 40 inches or about 1020mm. Touring were a couple inches/~5cm more, and racing were about 39” or roughly 1000mm. Over a set of years, like 1977-87, the percentage of wheelbases _under_ 1000mm went from “few” to “probably most” largely IMO due to how lively the bike felt on a 5 block test ride. A longish wheelbase bike, with 27x1 1/4 inch tires (or 700x32) just isn’t going to feel the same over half a mile, or even 5 miles as a bike designed for criteriums.

I recall test riding a touring bike once and thinking it was a pretty dull ride. So I bought it. Because if the bike is mostly going to be used for short rides, or you’re body is used to the particular demands of an exciting bike over long distances, then the Schwinn doesn’t add a lot of value. But if you are thinking rides closer to 100 miles than 10, maybe with racks and some baggage and in the rain, the predictable bike is a winner. This one was probably made by Giant (serial number will start with a G I think, or it’ll say “made in Taiwan”).

I don’t want to use 27” wheels, but right now they’re easy to find at our coop, and as long as Panaracer keeps making Paselas in that size, they’re cost-effective. My latest project is a barn-worn Motobecane Grand Record with 27” wheels which I was going to replace. But they’re true, they have very nice stainless spokes, and they are shining up very nicely and have minimal signs of use. I’ll use them until they wear out, I think.

The Motobecane, as someone mentioned, is a commitment to a certain lifestyle - the pursuit of unusually sized parts and elusive tools - and thus not for everyone. Same is true for Nottingham Raleighs. That Taiwan-built Schwinn is kind of a modern bike to some of us. It’s not a bad thing at all, but it doesn’t have the same challenges as Whitworth threads or a 22mm stem. If it was old cars, it’d be like when they went from 6v positive ground to 12v negative ground, but still pre-computer, if that makes any sense.

abdon 

Mid-level and even some higher-end bikes of the time are dirt cheap nowadays. Back then anything with stamped dropouts was an entry-level cheap bike. Well, if the better stuff is dirt cheap now, price the entry-level accordingly.

If you are into vintage bikes, it is close to worthless. If you are looking for reliable transportation and exercise, it beats the living **** out of big box store budget bikes. Pricing as such, it is about $100; the cost of most ****tastic new budget bikes. Case in point I'm sorting out a Roadmaster Granite Peak for somebody, and oh boy oh boy; it is garbage. The rear dropouts were bent, they straightened with little effort and no petal spring, they are soft steel. One of the V brake arms was twisted, made of similar soft stamped metal. Heck at this price point they didn't even put skewer hubs on the bike.

branko_76 

Not a "boat anchor".

I would certainly buy it for $60 if I were not already backed up with projects.

branko_76 

The beauty of these 1980's Japanese road bikes is in the quality of workmanship, ease of repair/restore and abundant availability of parts in the used market for very little money.

I have a Schwinn Traveler from the same year as this World Sport and I plan on restoring it with a very few minor modifications, new brake levers (without the safety levers), replace stem shifters with DT shifters, new saddle and new tires.

I'm expecting a nimble ride due to the frame geometry

branko_76 

I am "into vintage bikes" and I find the 1980's Japanese road bikes to be very worthy candidates for restoration, even at the lower end of the spectrum.

Not only are they good quality bikes, but they are easy to repair and find parts for. Anyone who wants to learn how to restore vintage bikes would gain a lot of knowledge and skill from working on these not-so-desirable bikes

abdon 

Yes, they are great for learning, but beyond that it is not about 'worth', it is about reality. If I picked every single $50 80's bike I saw, in short time my entire property of 1+ acre would be overwhelmed. Heck just yesterday I picked a new bike, a Bottecchia with first generation Campagnolo Nuovo Record and brooks saddle for $105.

We all have limits on time, space, and money. Every cheap bike I pick, even for free, is a better bike I can't afford to enjoy.

branko_76 

The OP is looking for ONE bike, not a herd