1985 Schwinn Peloton
1985 Schwinn Peloton
There are a bunch of elements that go into making a great bike.
The creative spark that sets a company to build a new style of bike (like a snow bike or, in Schwinn’s case, the first Sting-Ray) is one element.
Smart design that takes an idea and engineers it so that the bike rides beautifully under the intended conditions is another component.
The artistic flair that makes a bike easy on the eyes is also an important part.
Production that is done well is the last part. Get the right materials and the right hands building the bike, and the finished product should be awesome.
Peloton frame detail
Dura-Ace calipers
Schwinn Made in Japan
Schwinn hit a number of these points when they made the Peloton, and unfortunately, what turned out to be a great bike just underscores that one of Schwinn’s (a brand synonymous with the term “Made in America”) best bikes came from overseas.
This Peloton has great frame geometry and fantastic ride characteristics that had previously only been found on bikes in their Paramount division.
Dura-Ace 7400 crankset
The New Dura-Ace 7400
Built from Columbus SL frame tubing and expertly constructed in Japan, the Peloton’s frame flexed in just the right ways, it was stiff in areas where it was supposed to be stiff, and it was aligned straight and brazed right.
The Italian Columbus tubing and Japanese production made a great quality frameset, and yet begged the question “Why couldn’t they have made this in America?”.
The styling, which was a bit understated for 1985, diverged greatly from what was happening with mountain bikes and kids’ BMX freestyle bikes that year. The traditional design suggested that Schwinn was not keeping quite in step with their market.
This particular bike is owned by our friend Mark Dankel. Mark outfitted his Peloton with Shimano’s new Dura-Ace 7400 component group instead of the stock Suntour Superbe Pro parts. The polished and precise 7400 components announced Shimano’s arrival to the top tier of road racing bicycle components.