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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | NS | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Coopers Bicycle Center, Stillwater, OK | | Bottom Line: | Ok, I know its been a few years since this bike was manufactured, but I need to pay hommage to little buddy. I rode my EP'd S95.1 for 11 years, and retired it just recently. This was the first year of the boulder bikes. I put a flite and onza clipless pedals on it the day I bought it. I replaced the stock Judy XC fork with a Manitou after it blew up in year 8, it didn't have a cable hanger, so I upgraded the canti brakes to v-brakes. I replaced the stock grip shift x-ray shifters with XT rapid fire pods when the right shifter body cracked a year later. Otherwise, the rest of the bike was stock except for consumable parts (tires, chains, cassettes, rings, and cables/housings). The wheels, derailures, sugino cranks, tioga headset, tioga stem, bar, and bottom bracket are original. Yes, I rode the same wheels for 11 years, I estimate somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 offroad miles.
I now ride a blinged out Kona Explosif, and I miss my little buddy (sniff). It would be difficult to beat my overall avg cost/mile with this bike.
Anyone else out there ever ride a S95.1? Did you get as much use out of yours as I did mine? | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
FrankenBike
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX Date Reviewed: January 15, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Johnson Branch State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | used form a friend | | Strengths: | For the little $ I bought a very tough old bike that still jams! I am having a blast and my skills have grown considerably. | | Weaknesses: | Kinda heavy...upside down on my bathroom scale I read 28.5#'s. Actually, i don't think that's too bad? | | Bike Setup: | The previous owner had upgraded it over the years. He had a Manitou FSti "Palmer" fork, silent hub, XT front and back, WTB wheelset, Shimano brakes/levers and riser bars.
First to go was the hard factory seat...I now have a titanium railed Specialized (20$ take-off bargain basket!), next the old worn out and weather worn WTB Velociraptors went in the can replaced by some mucho better Hutchinson Pythons (run at 38-40 psi!). And finally adding a SPD clipless pedal system (Shimano's) superchatged the combo. | | Bottom Line: | For the money I could have bought a dept. store clunker and not gotten addicted to this sport!
For about 400 smackers I have a fun and very stout ride that works well in the tech stuff, climbs fantastic and takes a beating.
I replaced the bottom bracket (had play in it) but...the Cane Creek AD-4 was still on it (OEM!) and it is a piece of junk that has made my FS bike into a lowrider and ruined the ride on too many occasions. It finally broke altogether today so will be replaced.
Bottom line...I keep the fast guys in sight (well sometimes??) and leave many behind on very nice rides with this rolling piece of MTB history!
Honestly I do look forward to upgrading to a lighter and more fluid bike.
In the meantime i kinda like my "FrankenBike"....
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bruce Ricks
a Weekend Warrior
from Akron, Ohio, USA Date Reviewed: August 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | ??? | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1250.00 | | Purchased At: | Eddys Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Stiff frame. Good for heavier riders. Holding up very well. | | Weaknesses: | Lx crank and front der. Q21 fork is flexy | | Bottom Line: | This is my first mountain bike and in have been very pleased so far. I've changed several things on the bike. Wheels with XT hubs, LX V brakes, Scram Plasma shifters, Continental tires, XT rear cassette, seat, bar ends, Rock ring and brake boosters. I just like to upgrade when i can. I really like this bike and I've seen it advertised for much less since my purchase. You'll note I added this review in August of 2001 to let you know that this bike is holding up very well. No signs of frame problems and I weigh 320 Lbs. I would welcome any comments from other owners of this fine machine. This is an excellent bike for a heavy rider. I would have liked this bike to come complete with XT components for the price. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry Johnson
a weekend warrior
from Long Beach, CA Date Reviewed: March 1, 1999 | | Bottom Line: | I am a proud owner of a s96.1. I bought it about a year ago. I am sure it was one of the last one's left. I paid $500 for it, which I thought was an outstanding deal. The only thing I am not 100% satisfied with is the shocks. They are not very effective on really bumpy trails, and became very loose. All and all the bike is very much upgradable. I would could see this bike lasting a long time, and keeping up with all of the new bikes on the market, just with simple upgrades. The bike is a definite winner! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marco
a cross-country rider
from Lappland Date Reviewed: July 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is about the real(?) 96.1,an aluminium hardtail with Quadra21R...Bought mine about a year ago, a good deal since was previous years model, the ride is good (when I get a decent fork and tires), here's some of my opinions on the specs: + the frame is good, even if it is stiff as most alu frames + the ball-burnish finish is cool and holds well + the '96 LX group works ok, but no V-brakes (went to gym instead) btw, what is the front hub, it doesn't look like LX? +/- GripShift shifters, hmmm.. I'm still missing top-mounts from my previous bike- RockShox Quadra21R, flexy and has actually no suspension effect, even with coil-spring upgrade, to be changed - Schwinn Moad 1.9 tires do not roll well and corner badly in all conditions (flexy side lugs), with Quadra fork the steering is sketchy and the rear tire tire does not take the edge out of the terrain. 2.1 is a must - Bar Ends have really odd shape, e.g. Onzas are far more comfortable - The Schwinn saddle _was_ really worthless (thrown away) - The seatpost, seatpost binder and handlebar do look strange but they have worked, so far - The Schwinn grips were painfully thin and put a schwinn logo on my palms on rides (And I do use gloves)It may seem like there were a lot of negative things but considering the price I paid, the upgrades don't add much | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Blaine
a cross-country rider
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: April 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a 96.1 Hardtail while living in the Last Frontier(Alaska). It came with a Judy XC front fork and velocity Rims. This bike is a real winner in that I virtually beat this baby to death and she is still out there kickin' & grinnin'. So far the bike has held up beautifully, the only problem has been the shifter cable came off track inside the gripshift housing and after dismantleing the thing got it working smoothly again. I give this puppy 5 chillies | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
burner
a racer
from Hell Date Reviewed: March 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought the bike for $800. Upgraded to a Cane Creek and a Manitou FS Ti. New brakes and full XTR. Fully active when sitting, and good and stiff when you stand up and pound. Best XC racing bike there is for west coast. Great for racing, climbs like a goat on crack. Only problem is it doesn't hop well. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ripass
a cross-country rider
from Minnesota Date Reviewed: March 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought mine for a $1000 w/ a Judy XC and a Fox Alps 4 rear shock and I'm in the process of upgrading to all XTR and XT parts. Sure with the URT the bike may not be fully active but who needs to ride a marshmellow. This bike has saved my life and limbs lots of times would not trade it for anything. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
nickster
a cross-country rider
from collins, ohio Date Reviewed: February 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
looking at these reviews, it looks like i got a damn good deal on mine. It's a 1996 model but i got it for $500 ($700 off). haven't rode it yet because its on layaway (i'm strapped for cash, but couldn't pass it up). i can't wait to be able to take on the trails. sorry, can't judge the ride yet, but the overall appearance, component package, and apparent value force me to give: | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lancer
a weekend warrior
from Northridge, CA Date Reviewed: January 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
A few months ago I did a very favorable post about the Schwin S96.1. I have made another upgrade that other 96.1 owners may be interested in which was the headset. I reviewev the Chris King and Syncros and chose the Syncros because of a better fit for the S96.1. Now, more eye appealing and steering 100% better. If you haven't already, you may want to consider dumping the SA headset. All mfgrs cut corners here. Again, I wish only owners of the S96.1 would post here, rather than anyone who owns a Schwin. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Duster
a weekend warrior
from PENNSYLVANIA Date Reviewed: January 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike rules, it's less then the Homegrown but still has the silky smooth ride.I just got the Cane Creek AD-10 which makes the ride one of the best ever. I bought my bike for $800 which I think was I pretty good price and have upgraded to a mean racing machine. Oh the bike just rules because its a SCHWINN and SCHWINN BIKES RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KENNETH M. SCHILLING
a cross-country rider
from DUNCAN, OK (U.S. ARMY - KOREA) Date Reviewed: January 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased a S95.3 about two years ago. I paid about $800 for the bike. Having looked at about every different type of full suspension bike on the market, I have to say that the URT system is the route to take. The bike prior to this one was a hardtail, an older model PDG 70 series, I brought when I was stationed in Germany. I picked it at a great price also. Needless to say, when the full suspension craze hit, I wanted to look at all the options. I'm also a Bike Patrol Instructor for the US Army and I'm very active in the Testing and Eval of new equipment which could be used by the Military Police as well as other Law Enforcement Agencies. During the first few months of my new ownership, I was in heaven. That's when things started going bad. The first thing that went was the Grip Shift. What a piece of junk. To this day, I still don't like the damn thiings. I have not seen a version yet that has worked. Think about it, if you have to thread your cable through a rubber hose to help the rear derailleur shift (Bass Worm), then the shifter should have never been used to begin with. The next thing that went was the rear shock. Cane Creek should have never made the AD4, the AD8 or the ADX8. They are all junk. After going though 2 AD4's and 1 AD8, I finally said screw it. I loved the entire shock, but the damn thing kept blowing seals and would not hold any air, beside the lack of adjustability. The third thing was the tires. Who came up with those things (MOAB's). At first they worked great, then I started ripping knobs off the side of the tires. The next was the front shock. I have never been impressed with Rock Shox's, mainly because of their over priced name which you end up purchasing. It sure is not the product. The bike came with a Quad 21R. Not to bad of a shock, but the steering was just different. The shock felt too flimsy. The rims and hub were also very low end products, but worked ok.So, what did I do to fix this problem? I trashed the Grip Shift and put on a set of LX Rapdi Fire Plus. The next thing was the rear shock. After arguing with both Cane Creek and Schwinn, Schwinn finally came through. I purchased a Rock Shox Super Deluxe for dealer price and installed it on my bike. I know, a Rock Shox. It was the best price available. The next was the tires. One word....Maxxis! The next thing was the front shock.......RST Mozo Pro 3.5. It's as simple as it gets. And finally, the rims and hubs........One word.....Spin. How does the bike run now? Like a dream come true. It's a bit heavy, but then I'm out to have fun. Is that not what mountain bike is all about? The bike is damn near bomb proof. The only problems I have now is getting enough time to ride and keeping chains. I eat them like crazy. That's ok, I'd rather change a $15 chain then a $150 crank set. The bike is a killer. Several people from my classes have asked if it would work as a patrol bike. Yes, it would but a patrol bike is a different animal. If I had rated this bike after the first few month it would have received a 2. After the work on it, it's a 5. The URT is wonderful.
| Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert Barnett
a cross-country rider
from Los Angeles, California Date Reviewed: December 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got the Schwinn from SuperGo here in LA for only $679. I think it is a great bike. I don't really have any complaints except that the breaks could stand to be a little better, but they are easily upgradable and for under $700 who am I to complain!!! A huge step up from my old Diamond Back bike, I highly reccommend it to anybody who needs a good solid bike but doesn't have that much money. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J.D.
a weekend warrior
from California Date Reviewed: November 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Excellent bike and well worth the money. Quality components and a good stiff ride. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sal
a cross-country rider
from Fairfax, VA Date Reviewed: November 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've ridden this bike for almost two years. After a lot of tweaking and learning how the URT works on hills, I enjoy it more now than when it was new. She is a bit heavy, but that helps on the downhills. I never descend anything I haven't climbed up, so this is no ski area only ride. Out here we don't call it freeride...I call it trippin'...this is a trippin' bike. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lancer
a weekend warrior
from Northridge, CA Date Reviewed: November 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I agree with Eric in his analysis and I always purchased my bike from Supergo for the same amazing price. A great complete machine. I did add an Azonics downhill double-wall handlebar. Bottom line this model is five chilis and I wish those owners who do not own a Schwin S96.1 would put their review and comments in their particular model. All they have to do is look at the bike in picture at the top of the page!!! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric Manacsa
a weekend warrior
from CA Date Reviewed: September 8, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Funny how there is about only one review here for the S96.1. Everyone else is talking about a S96.xx. I just got the S96.1 at SuperGo. I think they're the only store that carries them. The bike sells at $679 over there with alot of LX components, RockShox Quadra-21r, and Sun CR-18 rims. The only thing I upgraded were the brakes. The bike had LX conti-style brakes. I told SuperGo to slap on XT-V brakes and LX-V brake levers for another $90. The critique I received from my friends were on the old shocks. I was also told that the shocks are quite upgradable. The bike rides very well and is not heavy at 26lbs. I spent about $769 for a bike with a aluminum frame and lx/xt components. I really couldn't find anything like it. The 97 models have stx components and they throw in a Indy shock for the same price. The bike is great and I feel that I got a good deal. Next upgrade would probably be the shock's guts. Here is the full desciption of the bike, . | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RBuckman
a cross-country rider
from Texas Date Reviewed: July 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased my first mountain bike in April '96. It is a S95.3 My LBS special purchased a number of these leftover '95 models with ridgid forks and replaced the fork with their leftover '95 Judy XC fork. I gave $899 for the bike equipped with LX canti brakes, LX derails, Grip Shift 600 shifters. The frame is 7005 series alloy. All in all I am pleased with the bike with only a few complaints. Schwinn's spec book called for the bike to have LX hubs front and rear. I did get the LX rear hub with LX cassette but the front hub was some no name. I let that go since the LBS had installed a Judy XC fork. The tires on this bike were another story. Rims were low end Mavics which I could live with but the tires were (as I later discovered) real cheezy Moabs. I frequently ride an area called Dinosaur Valley. This area has a great deal of rocky climbs and decents. After only three rides there the rear Moab began to show signs of outer knobs peeling off. I took the bike back to the LBS and they were more than happy to give me credit ($10-does that say anything about the Moab) and fitted a Continental Cross-Country which has proven to a tough sob and highly recommended by my personal tastes. No rubber peeling off the Continental over rocks,roots and you name it. It was some time before the front Moab began to peel. I replaced it with a Specialized Team Control S purchased through Supergo for $21. I never new what I was missing in a navigational tire until I switched to the Specialized. My opinion...the Moab tire is the pits. And to think of the terrain where it got its name. Other than tires, the seat was real cheezy. I ride a Trek 730 hybrid around my neighborhood for exercise. The Trek cost $395 but its seat is comfortable after two years riding. The first thing I did after test riding the Schwinn was have the LBS do a trade out on the seat. I got $7.50 allowance toward purchase of a steel rail WTB at $19.95. That stock seat must have cost Schwinn every bit of $2.00. I was disappointed that Schwinn would cut corners by including such a cheezy seat on an otherwise nicely equipped entry level bike. Other replacements of cheezy parts: I didn't want to see how well the Sugino 300 crankset and off the wall bottom bracket would hold up at Dinosaur Valley so I replaced the crankset with the Supergo Sugino 700 (have heard both good and bad about the crankset)and the bottom bracket with an LX. Amazing how bike manufacturers will cheeze you on components you can't see such as bottom brackets. I also replaced the IG 50 chain with a Sachs M55 as a precaution. I ran into an unusual deal, a Mavic 217 Sunset rim with XTR front hub that was built for a customer but never picked up. Cost for the built wheel- $75. I figured nobody could pass up a XTR front hub on a Mavic 217 Sunset rim for that price. Besides, it gave me a good excuse to set the low end Mavic rim and no name front hub aside for emergency use. Heaven forbid I taco my prized 217. Wish I could find a similar deal on a 217 with XTR rear hub!! Other than the above changes, I felt that Schwinn should have put a higher rise and shorter stem on this bike as I felt I was stretched out too far for my style of riding. Even the LBS admitted Schwinn was bad about stem selection. I suppose my arms are not the amazon length of Schwinn's test riders. I replaced the stem with one offering some rise and feel much more comfortable. I now have invested almost $1200 in this bike. Based on my investment I give the bike a 4. Based on the stock bike, not taking into consideration the Judy XC fork installed by the LBS, I would only give the bike a 2 primarilly because of the cheezy seat, no name bottom bracket, no name front hub, Sugino 300 crankset and pathetic Moab tires. Those tires are a disgrace!!! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Voyles
a weekend warrior
from Rockford, Illinois Date Reviewed: June 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just plunked my money down on a 96 S-40. My brother-in-law bought one four weeks ago for $575! I got mine for $650. Rode his a little last weekend and I was very impressed. Still owe on mine and won't pick it up until after the 4th of July, I CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!! Anyone out there have one and and opinion or any tips on improving performance. (I know, I know, upgrade the fork) Well, I'm probably going to get Englund air cartridges for the Quadra 5 and see how they work for awhile. This is my first suspension (full or otherwise) so I'll need some time to get used to not having my bones jarred to pieces. Rode a Parkpre for four years...which is for sale if anyone is looking for a good entry into the world of mountain biking. Drop me a line, it has great components and I'll let it go cheap!!!! Later! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
clayton ludwick
a downhiller
from salamanca,ny,usa Date Reviewed: May 28, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
i think that the frame is built sturdey and it should be made of aloumium and the only thing that i waold be paying for if i baught that bike would be the schwin name!!!!! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ralph
a weekend warrior
from Jersey Date Reviewed: May 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought the 96 3.0 used for $600. It came with stx deraillers and shit Acera hubs hubs and brakes. The grip shift also is lame. Quadra 21 front shock is great. Listen up, the rear shock the Cane Creek(Dia-Compe) AD-4 sucks and will rocket you out of your seat. They have had problems with this shock so Dia -Compe will trade it in for one of there top of the line shocks, ADX-8 for only $40! So, after upgrading the shifters to XT Rapid Fires and V-Brakes and getting the new shock (total about $200) this is just about the ultimate machine for the price.I just can't see spending all this extra dough on a big name bike that gives shitty components and performs about the same. From what I understand, the new models have greatly increased the component quality.
| Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Devan
a cross-country rider
from RI! Date Reviewed: May 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought what must be one of the best deals around. Schwinn s96.3. Aluminum Frame. All STX components. Quadra Five Rock Shox (I know they're not that good but...) Phatty deal for $499! I test rode it today and am buying it in a couple of days. Only four Stars since I couldn't upgrade the fork. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from SOME WHERE NORTHERN,NJ Date Reviewed: April 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have ridden quite a few bikes the last 9 yrs from specialized to trek to gt to canondale and I have to say this is th best single track handlin,hill climbin,technical riden bike I have ever ridden ! THE SCHWINN S95.1! same frame as the s96 but the 95 came with much better parts. bike mags and retailers will tell you 96 was the worst yr for parts . My sweetheart contains the S95 frame w/xt fr + rear der. xtr v brakes ,conti cross country tires mavic 217 rims w/dt spokes and sachs extreme shifters (a big improvement over those crap gripshift x-800)only thing i need to upgrade is cranks so if anyone out there has a suggestion E-MAIL ME . SO TO ALL THOSE GEAR HEADS OUT THERE HOLD ON AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!
| Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a cross-country rider
from New York Date Reviewed: March 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike design is amazing. I just recently bought a 1996 S-10 at a close-out and I love it. It performs like a hardtail on climbs and a plush dualie when seated, so esentially you're getting the best of both worlds. I love the way the bike handle's and would recommend it to anyone who wants a dual suspension that doesn't rob your power. Schwinn has come a long way in the past few years, and this model proves that Schwinn is making a raging come-back. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan
a weekend warrior
from New York Date Reviewed: March 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This is a great bike, I would recommend it to anyone who wants a dual suspension bike. Good job schwinn!! :) | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
E Elakman
a weekend warrior
from gordon co, GA Date Reviewed: February 22, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
i an looking for some reviews of schwin starter bikes, specifically the mesa series, any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks erik | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert S. Davis
a weekend warrior
from Northampton PA Date Reviewed: February 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have read the reviews regarding th S96.1. The S96.1 is a hardtail, not full susp. The S96.10 is full susp. I own an S96.1 17 and think it is a very outstanding bike. Very stiff and one of the best climbers that I hav ever ridden. Very nimble and quick. I rcomnd any Schwinn mountain bike due to the quality of the product and the below average pricing. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
keith dawson
a cross-country rider
from edinburgh, Scotland Date Reviewed: December 9, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have recently acquired a beautiful red 96.10 and have been giving it a testing time in my local hill and forest tracks. I was a bit concerned about the full suspension geometry whilst climbing, fearing it would waddle too much up my steep home trails (loose gravel surfaces). After a little change in riding style moving through the gears and pedalling more steadily it climbs beautifully and the feel once out of the saddle is stiffer than expected. Downhill it is a real beauty, even making me feel like I am flying. The Judy Xc forks are excellent and the adjustability of the rear shock is useful for my riding which is on a variety of surfaces. I recently spent nine hours non stop in the saddle on a trailquest event (MTB orienteering) and my back felt a lot better than my front suspension Giant. The icing on the cake was when I knocked 5 minutes off my PB on my hour loop in the Pentland Hills, involving a 35 minute continious uphill and some tricky single track. Its a killer! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert Sanders
a weekend warrior
from Morristown, Tennessee Date Reviewed: April 1, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The new s96 series Schwinn put out really impressed me being a intermediate rider adn really loving the sport. The bike has ridden great so far on some petty rough singletrack.. It's 7005 Butted Aluminum Frame with epicenter seatstays, forged dropouts, and replacable derailleur hanger are just a few things that came on this bike. It came equipped with a Rock-Shox Quadra 21R which I think is a great fork. It has Deore LX components mainly except for a Deore XT rear derailleur. It has Grip Shift SRT 600i shifters and a 8-speed freewheel. My gosh, it even came with Wellgo 96A clipless pedals! Kevlar bead Trail tires, Easton Seat Clamp, Alloy Bar Ends, Clear Coat, and a Chainstay Protector. All this for around $1100. It was well worth buying for having everything I wanted on a mountain bike. Go see it and compare it to others and see the difference. I think Schwinn is making a strong comeback and are appealing to consumers with less cash in their pockets and giving them more.
| Overall Rating: |
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