PRESERVATION BICYCLE #27: The 1988 Schwinn Premis
Plus 2 Preservation Bikes Still on the Shelf
About the Bike:
Preservation Bike #27 (2021: 4/12) is a Columbus-Tubed 1988 Schwinn Premis, one of their famous pretty-painted 80s lightweights. Look at that blue-to-pink-to-purple fade! The striped block lettering! The matching white component group-o! I’ve never seen a 32-year-old bicycle so easy on the eyes! While this was intended to be a performance-based (racing) bicycle, it could certainly fit some larger tires and become one of the sharpest looking commuters in town. Everything on this bike is totally rad, totally rebuildable/customizable, and totally worth preserving.
#27 Facts and Figures:
MAKE: Schwinn MODEL: Premis
YEAR/AGE: 1988 (the year Jamaica debuted their bobsled team, inspiring the movie Cool Runnings).
SIZE: 59cm (If you’re around 5’10 to 6’2, you’re probably within the range)
ADOPTION FEE: $175, and we’ll throw in a $50 BBP gift cert to help with used parts.
OG Catalogue: See the sweaty image to the right. https://bikehistory.org/catalogs/1988.html
RECOMMENDED REPAIRS:
BASIC: Air in tires, lube on the chain, an adjustment here and there… and you’ve got a rad bike on skinny tires. With $175 adoption fee and the $50 gift certificate + 3 hours of minimal work, you shouldn’t have to spend another dime.
BETTER: I think this would fit 700c x 28 tires, maybe 32s, and it’s absolutely worth making that change. We should have those available used or new. Maybe add a taller stem and/or an upright handlebar, which will likely trigger a need for longer cables and cable housing and maybe some different brake levers. Your $50 gift cert will cover a lot of this, but maybe add an extra $60 and invest in new puncture-resistant tires.
BEST: If you invested an extra $300-400 into this bike, you’d really have something that could suit all your paved road riding needs. If it were me, I’d get a new and slightly beefier wheelset, the biggest tire I could fit without rubbing the frame or brakes, the curviest swoopiest handlebar that Nitto makes, and some really classy matching handlebar/saddle bags. With all these upgrades, you’d still be under $600 for an unbelievable bike.
BICYCLE HISTORY:
This beauty was made with Columbus tubing from Italy, but I believe the bike was welded together in Japan. I could be wrong about that. It was originally sold at Jerry and Sparkey’s Bike Shop in Davenport, Iowa. And then I guess they rode it all the way to Boise?