Submitted by
Jon Sillito
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, UK
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2006
Strengths: Lightish, has stood up to my hardcore abuse.
Weaknesses: Suspension bushing system is crap! Parrallel mount disc frame is a faff.
Bottom Line:
Bought this bike as a XC bike, and just upgraded it to handle loads of freeriding and DH stuff. I suppose this frame has handled the abuse that I throw at it, it's seen some milage and some big drops and jumps. I suppose you shouldn't really take it down DH tracks, but I have, and the frame has held up. I suppose the best thing about this bike is that when I stick my skinnier tyres on it, raise the saddle and harden the suspension, it becomes a good XC bike. Stick the fat tyres on, unwind the shock and let some air out of the forks, and it becomes a freeride lite machine. If only the suspension didn't slop. Apart from that, I like riding it, and will still use it, even when I get a new freeride bike this summer.
Strengths: looks, weight, Homegrown name, suspension. Loved the way it rails and feels connected to the trail
Weaknesses: Bottom bracket pivot design = P.O.S
Bottom Line:
Bought frame used on e-Bay 2 years ago. Built up w/ XT components. Solid 26 lb. race rig perfectly suited for the rock gardens and twist singletrack on the Ringwood race course. Began to develop some slop in the BB pivot a year later. Pacific sold me some "new improved" BB pivot brackets with the bushings installed. I bought two sets along with a replaceable dropout. After a couple months, there was more play. Apparently the BB shell is worn so that even the new pivots have play. Frame over. Called Pacific and they no longer make the pivots as the older design Rockett 88 is the subject of some legal issues. Pacific offered a crash replacement of a New Delta 88 plus about $300. No thanks - done with Schwinn. Breaks my heart. Saving my money for a real frame. If anyone is interested in the replacement parts, let me know.
Strengths: Great suspension!! i love it. before i had a Gary Fisher with NO suspension at all. i love the schwinn, people are downgrading schwinn because they started selling in walmart. i love it. make sure u take a ride and bounce a lil on the rear suspension before u say it doesnt work, pushing on the seat doesnt apply enough pressure of enough area.
Just try it out, i think you like it
Weaknesses: i havent noticed ne yet, except the chain rubs on the bar in certain gears.
not too major
Bottom Line:
great beginners/intermeadite bike, i thought it was expensive, but im only 15. seems to hold up very well
you should save up to buy it, or on the other hand it could be your backup bike under a gt or cannondale
Strengths: Light but strong with it. Deore 9spd and hollowtech crankset Geometry'll fit a medium travel fork (100-123/130mm) nice 4-bar rocker, gives confidence down rocky stuff. Radially laced front wheel looks pimpy
Weaknesses: Jett fork, changed for a Marxocchi MXC. LX rear mech, swap for a deore or XT when the spring goes. Bar a bit narrow, but that's personal taste. Hubs not disc compatible, no-name front.
Bottom Line:
Top quality bike for the price I paid. Was at clearance in my workplace so I also had staff discount. Full sus with deore, marzocchi and a deluxe coil-over for about £600? doubt you'd get a better buy than that.
The bike rides well, is fast on the trail and gives lots of confidence. Despite being an XC bike it can take most of what you can throw at it, within reason (Josh Bender need not apply!)
Try and find one for about £500 and you'll be laughing, the fork is the only real weak spot (all the other mods were personal choice for me) but ride it until you kill it or can afford an upgrade (and it does look SUPERB with a black marzocchi on the front!!)
Overall, a top second bike, if you don't want to ride your racer everywhere, or a superb starter bike for those who want full sus and are prepared to pay the extra couple of hundred for a well speccd, lightweight bike.
Strengths: Light, good climber, execlent in down hill sections, cool looking can handle drops and free riding
Weaknesses: Stock seat post broke, stock wheels are flexy, stock seat broke ICBM isnt intergrated cups!
Bottom Line:
This bike is a great alaround bike, i have raced XC with it for 2 years now. I also raced some DS races with it. I did a lot of free riding and everyday riding on it my first year i owned it. It has never let me down and it always rides very nice. I lost a lot of wieght with these upgrades i did. I basically replaced parts as they broke. I recomend this bike for someone that isnt sure how they want to ride and want to do it all.
Similar Products Used: Giant XTC, Fisher Sugar, FSR, I drive
Bike Setup: Sid XC, Avid flak jacket cables, LX shifters and levers, Xt dehrailers, Mavic 138 on Lx hubs, Michelin comp s tires, Sellaitalia flight trans am seat, KORE post, Stock bars and stem.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Henry
a Weekend Warrior
from Greenwich CT
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2002
Strengths: Great handling, doesn't pogo on climbs.
Weaknesses: The seat that comes with it stinks, so I put on a specialized body geometry. Shocks squeak on little hits
Bottom Line:
For all day weekend excursions it's an excelent full suspention bike that climbs really well and soaks up small to medium hits. All of the components work well enough, so all that needs replacing is the crappy seat. Great bike, I highly recomend it.
Bike Setup: All of the origional components accept for the seat, wheels, rims and tires. I got mavic tubeless tires put on it and they grip well.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mr. B
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, Ca, USA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2002
Strengths: Very Plush ride, climbs like a goat, strong drive train all around excellent set up. 2001 model
Weaknesses: Seat and seat post are first to go, and a quick release for the seat post would be nice to have.
Bottom Line:
I bought a 2001 model that was on clearance and have been surprised by how it handles and feels going though rock gardens and fire roads. The Fox Float in the rear is stiff and feels simular to a hardtail until you hit a serious rut or some good size rocks. This bike is super fast and fun to ride. The seat is the only thing I really have to complain about, for me it's to narrow and hurts like hell on the long rides. The rear shock holds up even when doing 3 foot jumps, very easey to adjust for your weight. This is my first full suspension bike and have founf it to be an all around kind of bike. I don't do lots of crazy down hill and free riding, this bike isn't for that. But it does handel good going down the hill just as well as it does going up.
Similar Products Used: GT, Trek Fuel (what a pig), Gary Fisher, Spealized, all these bikes cost more and had less to offer
Bike Setup: 2001 set up/ LX/XT drive train with deore shifters, Fox Float rear with Manitou fork
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
martin mills
a Weekend Warrior
from chesterfield, derbys, england
Date Reviewed: December 23, 2001
Strengths: Lightness, general ride, looks and price
Weaknesses: Front derailer, plastic bushes, low bb. Schwinn has gone bust and parts are impossible to obtain. Magnet for thieves.
Bottom Line:
Brilliant bike that really took some hammer. Constant niggles with useless front chainguide. Low bb really is a pain for following rutted tracks. Rear shock pivot came out which meant 2week off road to get aluminium bushes made by BETD - advise that you just upgrade all the cheap plastic bushes as soon as practicable ($20 each!!!). All round superb package at low cost but as mine has been nicked I am looking for something else (Jeckyll, Treck Fuel, Marin Wolf Ridge)and this is not easy. Unaware of any UK stock existing December 2001
Similar Products Used: canondale f600 kona king kingkikapu
Bike Setup: full xtr group set rock shox boxxers halo combat wheels hope disks
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ray Cash
a Cross Country Rider
from Argyle, Wi USA
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2001
Strengths: This bike climbs great, no bob once you get the SID rear shock tuned in. The brake pads wear very quickly, but that is because I ride in a lot of wet areas. I weigh 175 pounds and taken it off some four foot dropoffs and it hasn't come close to bottoming out
Weaknesses: The BB pivot needs to be greased after long muddy rides.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike if you can get your hands on one cheap and be sure to get the BB pivot replacement kit from schwinn
Similar Products Used: None, this is my first FS bike
Bike Setup: Stock execpt for bar ends and computer
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnetka, IL
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2001
Strengths: Good on the trails, but also great for jumps and drops. It is an all around good bike, with great components. Virtually no bob whatsoever, except for the fork which could be upgraded if you have the money (I would recommend getting a new fork). Easily adjustable rear suspension. Climbs like a hardtail but really dampens the fall off of mediums/high drops and jumps.
Weaknesses: -Brakes dont perform well when wet or muddy -pinch flats occur very easily -front fork should be upgraded
Bottom Line:
it is an all around great bike, rides well, climbs well and jumps well. Good for free style as well. Light and durable with nice components.
Submitted by
L8APEX
a Racer
from College Park, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2001
Strengths: -relatively light weight frame -4 bar linkage=neutral handling -It's a Schwinn!
Weaknesses: -Schwinn is now under Huffy or Pacific
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the 2001 Rocket 88 Stage 3. This bike was configured as an all around trail bike that can also handle the occasional urban assault and dual slalom race. Compared to the 4 Banger, it's definitely much more efficient through pedalling sections, though not quite as direct as the Sugar. Handles just about all the hits, except for the realy monstrous ones that the 4 Banger can get a way with and the Sugar can't even come close to. Traction in the turns, traction in the climbs, and a nice balanced chasis. If Schwinn were still in business, I would give it five stars.
Similar Products Used: -1999 Schwinn 4 Banger -2000 Gary Fisher Sugar 3
Bike Setup: Manitou X-Vert Super fork, Kooka Forged crankset, MRP Long Range Patrol chain tensioner, XT, LX, and Deore parts mix.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Malcolm Lester
a Cross Country Rider
from Christchurch Newzealand
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2001
Strengths: Stiff,nice geomtrey,well finished.Fast around corners. Descends well and inspires confidence.Doesnt Bob on the climbs.
Weaknesses: Alittle bit heavier than I hoped.
Bottom Line:
I brought this frame only and built it up from a hard tail that I hated. It weighs 27Lbs all up, and is a couple of pounds more than I wanted(frame is heavier than stated) but I got a killer deal on the frame and added some really nice bits to it.Could lighten it up a bit more with lighter wheels- further down the track.Bike owes me a fortune but is a really great ride and really great downhills and inspires confidence.It doesnt bob up hills and I have passed many NRSs and such like, and blow them on the fast downhills.Being a bit heavier makes it very stiff.I have had no problems with bottom bushes, even after many muddy rides, but are getting some new lower links made up that uses a sealed bearing around the bottom bracket and this will take the potential problem awat and make it vertually mtnce free, and probably stiffer than the 2001 model.Buy this bike because the rear really works and it makes you a more confident rider.
Bike Setup: 2000 stage 3 frame. XTR Cranks,XT rest.Magura Clara disks.Easton CT2 Bar and post. Sella Italia Flite with cutout,Sid adjust rear shock.Time pedals.Thomson stem,Manitou Mars Super fork.Mavic X223 Rims, Maxxis Mimo tyres, with lite tubes.Odi grips, Coda bar ends.
Strengths: This is a follow up review after a year and a half of riding.
Weaknesses: I have to maintain the bottom bracket pivot point after 4-5 rides (dry conditions) or it will begin to squeak. My LBS did replace the pivots with the new (and hardly) improved pivots to no avail. I have tried just about every type of grease, including marine, but with so little tolerance around the pivot, the grease works its way out. Also, the "sealed" bearings in the pivot points would hardly spin. I always maintain my bike after every ride but this is ridiculous. I contacted Schwinn customer service...what a joke..they would not take care of it. No wonder the new 88's don't have a bottom bracket pivot point...it sucks!
Bottom Line:
Stay clear of the 2000 and get the 2001 model if this is the bike you are looking at. Even though the 2001s have a integrated head set, the linkage (pivots) are designed better.
Submitted by
Mike Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Buffalo Grove, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2001
Strengths: for a FS, this thing can climb. good system. combo of ok components and an ok frame make a learner bike. great for cross country. climbs like a hardtail, but whenever you might come by a drop, its nice to have a FS.
Weaknesses: ive had some problems with the drivetrain. derailleurs could be more responsive. brakes arent the best for quick stops, but they work good. it is a bit heavy... but hey, it does the job.
Bottom Line:
i havent had any serious problems with this bike. it has defenitely been its worth. it kicks but on XC trails. it keeps up with other, lighter hardtails. great learner bike. i wouldnt go downhill with this bike, but its great for a technical XC trail. it gives the support you need to kick some @$$. i wouldnt recommend this bike for racing, theres always a lighter.. and more efficient FS out there. i would recommend the cannondale jeckel, or the trek fuel.
