Schwinn taps into its vintage catalog with the Collegiate a smooth-riding, beautifully built bik

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• To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Schwinn introduced a heritage, American-made bike that it made in collaboration with Detroit Bikes.
• Inspired by one of its iconic designs, the 2020 version has vintage touches like metal fenders, Chromoly steel, and a classic Campus Green paint job.
• The bike performs as well as it looks, offering a smooth ride experience that makes it a great option for commuting around the city or casual weekend rides.
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Schwinn is one of the original American bike brands and throughout the 20th century, the Schwinn name was synonymous with cycling. Although the brand's bikes haven't been manufactured in the United States for years, it's still ubiquitous in American television showing up in shows like Netflix's Stranger Things, and across the sports world.

To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Schwinn teamed up with Detroit Bikes to bring Schwinn back to its roots. Together they built a limited, 500-bike run of Schwinn Collegiates. 

Inspired by the iconic 1965 Collegiate Deluxe, the 2020 Collegiate features vintage touches like metal fenders, a 4130 Chromoly steel frame, and an iconic paint job in homage to Schwinn's past as a titan in the world of bikes. At just under $1000, it's the most expensive non-pedal assist Schwinn — and this functional work of art is worth it for any fan of the brand.

The Collegiate is simple and beautiful

Bikes have gotten complicated with dropper posts, pedal-assistance, and innovative materials. This bike instead uses traditional components and materials, including a steel frame and rim brakes, while the bike features a classic silhouette and basic functional parts.

For most of the Collegiate's history, it was made from steel. Steel gives a bike a ride quality that's solid and smooth, with just a touch of terrain-absorbing dampening to take the edge off rough roads. Chromoly steel, the material Detroit used to manufacture the Collegiate, has all the best characteristics of standard steel but with a better strength-to-weight ratio. This allowed Detroit to use thinner and lighter tubes — a lighter bike is easier to maneuver, too, whether you're getting it rolling from a stop, or carrying it up the stairs. 

Riding a hand-welded bike is a special experience. It's subtle, a little like drinking out of a handmade mug or wearing a jacket specifically tailored for you. As a person who appreciates craftsmanship, I loved this bike. Add the shimmering paint job, vintage badges, chrome accents and subtle details, like the reflective stars painted on each side of the fork, and I looked for every excuse I could find to take it out. 

The geometry of the bike is relaxed, too, and riding it was just as mellow. Smooth cruising was the vibe every time I rode this bike. No matter if I was pedaling along on a dedicated bike path, riding in the street, or just casually commuting through a college campus or a local park, it always delivered a smooth ride.

Modern drivetrain and shifters

Though the Collegiate looks vintage, Schwinn updated it significantly with a modern drivetrain including a single front chainring that shifts using a grip shifter. The 38-tooth chainring has a clean looking aluminum chainguard that not only kept the chain from falling off but kept my pants from getting caught and my leg from getting greasy. The eight-speed Shimano Altus 12-32 rear derailleur delivered clean shifting and had a good selection of gears for around-town cruising — which is what this stylish bike was built for. Its Tektro rim brakes weren't anything entirely special but they were good enough.

The Collegiate has highly cushioned seat but it's not overly heavy and was comfortable even when I took the bike for an extended tour. The kickstand helped preserve its paint job as I never had to lay the bike down or lean it on a post when running errands. It comes with pedals that I was able to use with sneakers, sandals, and even barefoot, too.

Cons to consider

Bikes don't like to be bashed, but sometimes it happens. That's why a lot of higher-end bikes have replaceable derailleur hangers. The derailleur stands proud on most bikes, and it's easy to knock it and your shifting out of whack.

The Collegiate's derailleur mounts directly to the frame which means you should never drop the bike on the derailleur side, or you could bend the attachment. When bent, it can only be situated back to its original shape so many times before snapping completely off. 

The bottom line

Schwinn's Collegiate is a beautiful throwback to one of the brand's iconic styles. The Detroit Bikes collab delivers a smooth ride experience, modern components, and a beautiful design that make it one of my favorite city commuters I've yet ridden. It's a bit on the expensive side at just short of $1,000, but Schwinn makes the investment worth every penny as the Collegiate is not only a fun bike to ride but it's one that's durable enough to last for many years if properly cared for.

• Should you buy it?  If you want to experience the sensation of riding a hand-built bike, or you want to add a townie to your quiver, then yes. It's functional artwork at its finest and it's a great excuse to slow down a notch and take in some sights.
• What are your alternatives? There are plenty of less expensive cruisers out there, like Brooklyn Bicycle Company's Franklin 3. It's more affordable and offers a similar ride, but is a touch heavier than the sub-30 pound Collegiate. It also has a more basic drivetrain, brakes, and other components. If you can, try before you buy.

Pros: Delivers a smooth ride, has a vintage aesthetic with modern components, a great around-town bike for casual weekend rides or trips to the store

Cons: Not intended for anyone who doesn't plan on taking extra care of their bike, expensive

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