SamSpade1941 

Last September we moved from Salem to the Tulsa Area . Sunday I found this nice old Schwinn High Sierra its got a lot of grime and has sat for years so it will need a complete rebuild all the components though are in fine shape so it should clean up and make a wonderful rider. My only complaint are the roller cam brakes but I can live with them given the triple butted tubing and that wonderful Deore drive train.

the previous owner installed a quill extender but otherwise the bike is all original and the extender will be going away. This should make for a wonderful gravel touring rig I hope.

tmnguuyen 

Let me know if you want to swap/trade the roller cam with shimano canti. Thanks

SamSpade1941 

Cantis and Roller Cams don't use the same studs and placement of the studs IIRC or else I would do that in a heart beat, the only thing you can replace the roller cams with are Dia Compe 990 unless I am mistaken .

tmnguuyen 

I see, may be some other folks with better insights will chime in to set us straight. Meanwhile, i'll be following your progress with making this HS road worthy again. I got one earlier this year with roller cam and XT biopace drive train and the cool fork but not the nice chrome finish like your.

SamSpade1941 

Thanks I just double checked and you can use the U brakes, depending on what I ultimately decide I may see about getting some Deore U brakes from fleabay or I may just keep these on there . Roller cams seem to be a love hate sorta thing, this bike just sat in a storage building and deteriorated from the best I can tell, there is no wear on the drive train components or pads the lady who sold it to me said she bought it new 38 years ago . As soon as it stops raining I will wash the grime off and do an inventory of items to replace , but it appears for now to be the usual suspects . I was surprised at how light this bike is

madpogue 

The roller-cams are MUCH easier to dial in than all the nay-sayers claim, and are yummy in operation, and absolute eye candy.

The Thin Man 

Totally agree with this as I've used a High Sierra as my main commuter for the last 5 years or so. When I was in Portland, I had people ride up behind me, more than once, and say, "my god, those brakes are incredible looking! They l are stout!". When polished, they are a thing of beauty! Stopping power seems to be a nothing burger when set up properly.

OTS 

I'm a High Sierra fan.
Black chrome and roller cams A++
I think you will like it a lot once you give it a go thru.
Happy Trails.

Desert Ryder

One of my favorite bikes was my early 80's black chrome High Sierra.
Mine had the chainstay U brake. It was upgraded through the years with LX drivetrain, XT thumb shifters, and a Trek DDS3 suspension fork.
I rode it all over SoCal and Kauai.

Looked similar to this one when I bought it.

tmnguuyen 

Interesting that they had so many configurations in presumably a short production life span.

zookster 

Love my 87 HS, I went through it last December. It is a favorite, rides very smooth.

About a month ago I picked up it's twin,and it is in line for a turn on the repair stand.



87 High Sierra #1



87 High Sierra #2, waiting patiently for a refurbishment.

Chicago Al 

I spotted a black chrome High Sierra on FB Marketplace a few days ago...actually the FB algorithm highlighted it, which was a surprise. Not sure of year and no listing of components, though I can see roller-cam brakes, nont on chainstay. Condition looks great except for a kickstand, but it's priced pretty high at $350, and I wouldn't have time for the 3 hr trip to get it for at least a week.

Also, I already have two disassembled mtn bikes in mid-project mode, plus a Cimarron I need to either sell or fix up as a keeper. And my wife's Bridgestone needs some changes to suit her better.

But that black chrome sure is cool...

I don't need it, right? RIGHT?!?

tmnguuyen 

Beside the roller cam being a love it or hate it feature of this bike, what do you guys think about the various forks they used over the years, lugged fork, unicrown, unicrown lug? I was thinking about selling my HS but seeing this thread, i'm having second thought..

Ironfish653

Late 80s was the first real evolutionary shift from early ATBs and their touring-bike DNA to the “proper” MTBs of the early NORBA era. Lots of changes in form and function.
My 89 Klein MTB probably has more in common with my 74 Bridgestone tourer than my 96 Cannondale XC bike


Dia Compe 990 is THE u-brake, but it’s not the only one. ( still in production, though). U-brakes are still common in BMX; Dan’s Comp BMX has several kits at a range of prices (and colors). If the RollerCams are in good condition, I’d keep rolling with those, but one advantage to new brakes is that they come with new pads, straddles and hardware, so there’s no faffing about, trying to make 40-year old parts work.