After its asphalt-centric beginnings, Sierra was reinvented in 1983 as the cornerstone of Schwinn’s All-Terrain Bike (ATB) lineup. By 1984, the Sierra and new High Sierra were officially rebranded as mountain bikes, becoming the flagship off-road models in Schwinn’s catalog, with the High Sierra sitting at the top of the MTB category. Schwinn reverted to the ATB terminology a year later with the introduction of the Cimarron as their premium 1985 off-road offering. Despite this shift, the High Sierra remained a staple in Schwinn’s lineup from 1984 to around 1996, typically positioned as the second or third tier schwinn mountain bike model in the range.
Fortunately for me, this particular 1988 High Sierra was in pretty good shape and 100% rideable when I bought it for $150. There really wasn’t any need for replacement parts, although I put a set of larger knobbier tires on it for aesthetics and proper toughness. That being said, it’s worth highlighting my thought process when sourcing a used bike. To address the elephant in the room, I’m well aware that our Budget Bikepacking Build-Off is somewhat silly. Since all of us participating already own a bike (or several) and a full complement of bikepacking gear, we’re essentially buying equipment we don’t need just to make content for this site. To show options when budgetary constraints are the hurdle prohibiting people from trying a multi-day bike trip.
Thankfully, the seller was incredibly patient and held onto the bike for me until I could make the journey nearly a month later. This 22” Black Chrome beauty was in great condition, considering its vintage, and it’s a great representation of the long history of off-road adventure cycling, a perfect canvas for a Build-Off bike, in my eyes. Around town or across the country, these lightweight road bikes are designed for distance and speed. Perfect for the experienced fitness-minded rider who wants to push their limits and set a new personal schwinn bike best. It works well for them, with an adjustable seat that fits their height.
They were leftover from projects I worked on in 2013 and included scraps of X-Pac, wax, webbing, buckles, etc. The general consensus with the team was that this shouldn’t go against budget since I was using leftover material, but I went ahead and assigned some value to it based on research. For me, the most difficult part of the Build-Off was getting started. Living in the small town of Brevard, North Carolina, the local pool of used bikes—whether at thrift stores or on Facebook Marketplace—is fairly limited. Plus, older mountain bikes from the ’80s and ’90s are often on the smaller side, and tracking down a frame in the XL-XXL range proved to be especially challenging. To complicate matters, Hurricane Helene struck just as I finally found a contender.
Power up your adventure and turn your everyday ride into something extraordinary with an electric bike. With pedal assist and throttle, you can go farther, faster, and have more fun doing it. Don’t sweat the hills – just charge it up, get on, and go. Customers have different views on the comfort of the stationary bicycle. Some find it comfortable and well-padded, while others feel the seat is uncomfortable for them.