# near mint '85 or '86 Schwinn High Sierra



## leightonwalter (Dec 25, 2006)

If anyone's interested and in Southern New Jersey, there's what looks like a near-mint 1985 or 1986 Schwinn High Sierra on eBay. Have no connection to seller; would just like the bike to go to the right person.

http://tinyurl.com/369rr8

I'm looking for a Sierra myself, but have a fatal fondness for the 1984 model (it has the killer fastback seat lug), thus this post.

Leighton


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## 82Sidewinder (Jun 28, 2006)

I think it's an '86 model, or possibly an '87, with rollercam brakes. Looks like a great bike. I would grab it myself since I'm in NJ but I'm running out of space. 


Craig


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## leightonwalter (Dec 25, 2006)

You're right on the possible date range, at least per First Flight Bikes:

http://www.firstflightbikes.com/schwinn_specs.htm

They list '86 and '87 being the only roller-cam years, and the bike seems pretty much identical to the bike shown in my '86 catalog. Sure you can't make some room in the bike corral?


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## 82Sidewinder (Jun 28, 2006)

I wish I could spare the room, but with about 40 bikes kicking around, I have to be selective in what I buy. (BTW, the winning bid was only $36) The '86 and later High Sierras are great bikes but I find the '84's more interesting like you do.:thumbsup: The sloping crown forks are very cool and only available on the Sierra/High Sierra for 1984. 

I'm surprised you haven't had any luck locating one by now. I'll let you know if I come across anything.


Craig


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## leightonwalter (Dec 25, 2006)

*Understand*

Thankfully, I have a potential source for a 23" '84 High Sierra. The frame is hacked, but everything else is right, and there's no point in being picky given my situation. Will let you know how things turn out. In the meantime, if any others show up, let me know. I'm fan of multiple backups, so if I can get another one of the same -- have to admit a fondness for the maroon paint scheme as well as the midnight blue of the bike I lost -- let me know. Lock your bikes -- however many you may have -- well, L.


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## stan4bikes (May 24, 2006)

and to think I gave away two nearly mint ones last year. They had been sitting in my garage since 86 and I was tired of looking at them. All original, midnight blue, bullmoose bars.....


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## leightonwalter (Dec 25, 2006)

*such is life*

When you have something, you don't want it, and when you want something you can't find it.

Weirdly, I got two near-mint matching '84 Sierras off Craiglist last fall. One was 21", the other 23". Rebuilt the bigger of the two, got it just right, then made the mistake of locking it up with a cable lock. I must have done a really good job rebuilding the bike, because it was gone when I came back 20 minutes later. So I still have the smaller of the two, with all the components I need. It's just the frame I lack.

Hmmmm ... Come to think of it, getting an original 23" blue '84 one would save the time/trouble/cost of having the one that's coming repainted. If one or both of yours were 23" -- the biggest Schwinn made -- and think the people who got the bikes might be willing to sell one of them, let me know. The two of you could split the money, whatever. Am motivated, to say the least.

Thanks for any assistance you can offer, and all the best no matter what. If they're gone, they're gone, and one way or another, I'll get my Schwinn back.

Take care,
Leighton


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

leightonwalter said:


> getting an original 23" blue '84


You sure that it's original paint is blue for the '84? I remember that only 'smoked pearl' (i.e. metallic gray) was available for that year.

'guin


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## leightonwalter (Dec 25, 2006)

I believe you're thinking of the High Sierra, which was top of the line in 1984, with the Sierra second in line. The HS came in "smoky pearl" or black in 1984, while the Sierra was either midnight blue or maroon. The HS had different colors for 1985, while the Sierra had the same choices. Then there was the Cimarron, which arrived in '85 in forest green and took over the top spot.

All this info comes from First Flight's Schwinn specs sheet:
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/schwinn_specs.htm

It's all I've got, but squares up with what I've seen on the street and various websites.If you have other sources, definitely let me know. Always interested in learning more.

L.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

leightonwalter said:


> I believe you're thinking of the High Sierra, which was top of the line in 1984, with the Sierra second in line. Then there was the Cimarron, which arrived in '85 in forest green and took over the top spot


Yes, yes, you're correct. Since I had a High Sierra as my first mtb, I automatically thought of it. I distinctly remember the 87 Cimarron in 'sunrise red' as my beloved High Sierra had been stolen and was looking for a new bike. The Cimarron had externally butted tubes that stuck out in my mind. I ended up buying an '87 Trek 850 that year.

Penguin


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## 82Sidewinder (Jun 28, 2006)

leightonwalter said:


> I believe you're thinking of the High Sierra, which was top of the line in 1984, with the Sierra second in line. The HS came in "smoky pearl" or black in 1984, while the Sierra was either midnight blue or maroon.


 That agrees exactly with the specs in the '84 catalog. In '85, the High Sierra came in black and forest green. I have both an '84 and '85 High Sierra. The '84 seems to have a better frame, with the fastback seat lug, sloping crown fork, and rear dropouts with axle adjusters.

Looking through the '85 catalog, Schwinn used super hi-rise bars and stems on all of their mountain bikes, except for the Sierra which came with bullmoose bars. They seemed to be offering them more as cruisers/comfort bikes than real off-road bikes. It's another reason why Schwinn continued to fall behind companies like Specialized and Ross in mountain bike sales.

Craig


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## leightonwalter (Dec 25, 2006)

For what it's worth, my '86 catalog shows the Cimarron with oversize tubing "ovalized" and filletted to the head tube; there's an external lug at the seatpost, while the fork has a unicrown (unlike the '84 Sierra's forged, sloping fork crown) with external butting. Interesting mix.


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