mtnbud

I'm wondering if the Schwinn frame would be lighter than my Diamondback Ascent Frame?

The seller wants $50 for the bike, but they're elusive. I've been trying to look at it for 2 weeks now, but the seller doesn't respond. They responded "yes" when I posted "?". Any query longer than my question mark isn't answered.

Is the Schwinn worth my persistence? It looks like it'd make a good touring bike conversion.

I noticed there might be something strange going on at the frame where it connects to the rear derailleur.

bark_eater 

I have 2 Diamondback Ascents and they are very different bikes and I have one of the Schwinns a PDG 20 the pile as well. The PDG 40 is the next step up. Assuming you have a 90's era Diamondback, Id say the Schwinn is a bit higher end than the Acsent , and probably lighter. My Diamond back is set up as a single speed so I can't get a proper comparison for you. The dropped chainstay is a "feature" and is supposed to avoid chain slap. The geometry's are quite different though. The Schwinn is a lot longer in the head tube length. I thing both bikes have that same seat tube length, but the Schwinn is a much "bigger" bike, long and low. If I give it another chance it will be with a short hi ride stem and swept back bars.

mtnbud

Thanks. It does look like it has a longer top tube. It might feel a little better than my Ascent. As it always takes me a few moments to adjust to the way the Ascent feels when I hop on it. I'm assuming the chainstays are long enough on the Schwinn for panniers. They look a little shorter than my chainstays on my Ascent, but 90s mtb geometries all seem.to have good length chainstays for panniers.

t2p

I don’t recall a Series 40 ??? hmmm

we have three PDG series Schwinn Paramounts - TIG’d Series 70 and lugged Series 70 and Series 90 (currently being rebuilt) … also BITD had a TIG’d Series 30 and Series 50

many of our friends also had or still have PDG Series Schwinn Paramounts

the TIG’d Series 50 and 70 frame / fork are a good step up from the Series 30 - higher quality / lighter gauge tubing and weigh less … how much ? can’t recall … unfortunately did not weigh the frames or forks at the time … the lugged frames weigh less than the upper level TIG’d frames - and the forks equipped on the lugged frames also weigh slightly less (approx 100 g) than the forks equipped on the TIG’d frames

The Golden Boy 

IMO- the mid/late 80s ATBs are the ones to go for. They'll have fender and or rack mounts on the dropouts and the stays, sometimes a pump peg, dual eyelets on the fork ends and mid-fork rack braze ons in addition to 2 bosses for water bottles. After you hit 1988 or so, the wheelbases start getting shorter and the rack mounts start disappearing- as the bike was transitioning into "racing" rather than "bike packing." By the 90s the ATB was a thing of the past.