Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Buyers' Guide -- 3 Touring Models
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Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Buyers' Guide -- 3 Touring Models
Bicycling magazine's 1987 Buyers' Guide contains road tests/reviews of 9 featured bikes (3 Racing, 3 All-Terrain [ATB], 3 Touring) and a Table of Specifications for 189 bikes total.
In the Table of Specifications, Touring is divided into Sport Touring and Loaded Touring.
This post presents the featured three Touring models -- SHOGUN Alpine GT, SCHWINN Prelude, and TREK 400T.
1987 Buyers' Guide featured Racing models were posted here: Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Buyers' Guide -- 3 Racing Models
1987 Buyers' Guide featured ATB models were posted here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...tb-models.html
In the Table of Specifications, Touring is divided into Sport Touring and Loaded Touring.
This post presents the featured three Touring models -- SHOGUN Alpine GT, SCHWINN Prelude, and TREK 400T.
1987 Buyers' Guide featured Racing models were posted here: Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Buyers' Guide -- 3 Racing Models
1987 Buyers' Guide featured ATB models were posted here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...tb-models.html
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Seems like a weird grouping but I guess there weren't that many $400 touring bikes around in '87. I might have picked the Volpe over the Prelude simply because it had more brazeons
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I didn't even see the Volpe in the 1987 Buyers' Guide Table of Specifications, but it seems to me that section omits quite a few bikes each year.
Too bad we don't have a retired bike magazine writer who frequents C&V to provide insight about the business.
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BG, I'd be surprised if you missed it, but just in case you did...https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...chi-volpe.html
I didn't even see the Volpe in the 1987 Buyers' Guide Table of Specifications, but it seems to me that section omits quite a few bikes each year.
Too bad we don't have a retired bike magazine writer who frequents C&V to provide insight about the business.
I didn't even see the Volpe in the 1987 Buyers' Guide Table of Specifications, but it seems to me that section omits quite a few bikes each year.
Too bad we don't have a retired bike magazine writer who frequents C&V to provide insight about the business.
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One frustrating thing is it mentions the headtube angle for the Shogun and the Schwinn, but not the Trek!!! I want to know why the cornering is rated so much higher. I suspect the head tube angle is much steeper.
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Table of Specifications shows the head tube angle is 73 degrees on a 22.5" TREK 400T frame.
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She's like that Yvette Amos who got interviewed on the BBC with... one of those type things... on the bookshelf behind her...
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There’s been lots of speculation on this forum over the years as to what Columbus Tenax tubing is. The Prelude review states it’s a “production grade” version of SL and SP. Hard to see how SL and SP themselves were not production grade, since they were used on many thousands of bikes.
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I suspect it was above what seems to be a $375-430ish price range
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Schwinn: Literally has a touring bike in 1987 called the Voyageur. Also has a Le Tour model aimed at this kind of riding (certainly more than the entry level sport/racing Prelude).
Bicycling: "This Schwinn Prelude is a touring bike."
Bicycling: "This Schwinn Prelude is a touring bike."
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If you believe the writers are strong bike people as they seem to be, they have to be frustrated too with some of these selections for the same type of reasons you've given.
Some manufacturers' bikes seem to get more face-time in feature articles than others.
As the magazine grew in size and the issues became glossy and packed with advertisers through the 80s, it just seems that other forces were at work at this magazine concerning bikes selected for various articles....perhaps accounting, marketing, or industry politics just to name a few.
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I would no look much in to the rating system. The Trek scored higher in shifting than the Schwinn, but their shift group is nearly identical!
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Death fork? Naaaah!!
There’s been lots of speculation on this forum over the years as to what Columbus Tenax tubing is. The Prelude review states it’s a “production grade” version of SL and SP. Hard to see how SL and SP themselves were not production grade, since they were used on many thousands of bikes.
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For all the discussion about the odd groupings and strap ons, I am not surprised to see the Trek 400 Elance get good press and evaluations.
My 400 Elance is actually my most aggressively angled bike (not that I have a lot of "go fast" type bikes)- but it also has those slightly longer chainstays to smooth that ride out and give some pannier heel clearance.
My 400 Elance is actually my most aggressively angled bike (not that I have a lot of "go fast" type bikes)- but it also has those slightly longer chainstays to smooth that ride out and give some pannier heel clearance.
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I have a rather tired Prelude from this year that I picked up as a 650b candidate. I got it home and realized that the bottom bracket was really low. There are a couple threads about tire clearance that suggest that this was last years 27" frame fitted with 700c wheels. This article has a certain "Its not a Bug, its a Feature" vibe, about the BB height. They may have been on to something with the grouping of like bikes, because I ended up with a 1986 Trek Elance 400t being the right frame to convert.
PS. I'll also add as part of a long term review, that this bike has the worse case of rustworms under the paint of any of the the bikes I've handled. If I keep this one its going to need powder coat.
PS. I'll also add as part of a long term review, that this bike has the worse case of rustworms under the paint of any of the the bikes I've handled. If I keep this one its going to need powder coat.
Last edited by bark_eater; 02-02-21 at 12:45 PM.
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I know what it’s for I want to how long it is
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Bicycling magazine's 1987 Buyers' Guide contains road tests/reviews of 9 featured bikes (3 Racing, 3 All-Terrain [ATB], 3 Touring) and a Table of Specifications for 189 bikes total.
In the Table of Specifications, Touring is divided into Sport Touring and Loaded Touring.
In the Table of Specifications, Touring is divided into Sport Touring and Loaded Touring.
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I haven't taken it down yet.
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Sure. The cloud link to the full table pdf was posted here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...fications.html
I haven't taken it down yet.
I haven't taken it down yet.
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I'm sorry, I thought it had a couple more days.
Here's a fresh link: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AgHfxA8atbGnln5b...JOVnE?e=UPYHki
Weird. I just tried the link from the article and it still works on this end, and it's a different URL than this new one.
Issue might be on your end if this new one doesn't work. If that's the case, PM me and we can work something out.
Here's a fresh link: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AgHfxA8atbGnln5b...JOVnE?e=UPYHki
Weird. I just tried the link from the article and it still works on this end, and it's a different URL than this new one.
Issue might be on your end if this new one doesn't work. If that's the case, PM me and we can work something out.
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Last edited by SpeedofLite; 02-09-21 at 02:58 PM.