# Let's see them Aluminum Frame Panthers



## OC54 (Jun 12, 2020)

Let's see your 2000 - 2007 Aluminum frame Panthers

I have had 2 hanging in my shop and having a renewed interest in them.
Can't believe their almost 20 years old. If you dig the classic canti look you
will love them their Lite, fast and just a fun bike to use as a cruiser.







From what I was told the first year they were designed and built in
Bolder Colorado after that Schwinn had them made in Taiwan.

If you have one post it. let's see any changes that were made.


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## Oilit (Jun 13, 2020)

I've never had one of these, but what I've heard sounds interesting. I hadn't heard that the first ones were made here, but Boulder had the factory in Durango CO so it's possible.The catalogs also mention that the Paramounts were made in the U.S, but I don't know if they were in Durango or somewhere else. Anybody know of any good source of (reliable) information?


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## sworley (Jun 13, 2020)

Great idea! I’ve always loved these bikes and I’ve owned two of them. Unfortunately no pictures...

My first experience with these bikes was seeing it in that really cool 2000 Schwinn catalog. I thought the pictures and write up in there was great. Not long after that, I recall seeing one in the flesh at a bike shop in Bloomington-Normal, IL while visiting family. 

The first one I owned was a fenderless '01 I bought new in spring or summer of 2003. It was new old stock still sitting on the dealer floor in Scottsdale, AZ. My dad could sense my enthusiasm - I think he knew I was not leaving that shop without it! It was also pretty heavily discounted. I loved the heck out of that bike and brought it back to Iowa when we moved. It rode amazingly - smooth and FAST! Sadly, I sold it along with several of my other bikes when I started college in 2004, doh!

Fast forward to 2014 and I bought another (though I think it was an '07 model) out of Minneapolis. My goal was to make a sub 15lbs. Schwinn cantilever frame bike. I bought a carbon fork, weight weenie modern components, etc. Well, as best I could do to find a matching carbon fork the trail was still off and the bike handled like crap. I put it all back to stock and sold it. I wish I still had it!

I think these will always be bikes that most don't get or don't care about, save for the few that have been fortunate enough to have ridden one.


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## rickpaulos (Jun 16, 2020)

Did ragbrai on mine one year.  Photo of it on my final ride on it last year. Then sold it. The brown gorillas ruined it and bike flights refunded the buyer.

This bike always irked me. Sold with a single cog freewheel but the frame had cable guides and a hanger for a der and the fork had welded on canti mounts with a plastic cap to hide the threads. Make up your mind manufacturers!  Sell it without the extra junk or put a der on it. Or offer two models. Having the option to "upgrade" just doesn't cut it.

The solo u brake was barely adequate. Nearly no tire clearance at the chain stays.  I added a half-link to keep it from rubbing. A full link put the rim out of range of the pads.  Had to replace the left crank arm as the surface where the pedal axle flat met the arm was so crooked the pedal kept creaking and working out.


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## OC54 (Jun 16, 2020)

Well I guess that's why they never were a big hit. They were not for everyone.
Got to remember what was out their in 2000. As a klunker or cruiser their a blast.


I like the idea of being able to play around with different options. Makes it fun. Build it
the way you want it and have a good time with it.

Also never had a problem with the BMX center pulls mounted down by the bottom bracket.
Sure not the best. But for what was available at the time for the price. They work fine.
Just takes a little common sense to adjust. I have had different size sprockets, different
chain lengths. As with any brakes the pad mounts are slotted so adjust accordingly.


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## sworley (Jun 16, 2020)

That’s right, I recall the single U brake barely being adequate. As for the braze-ons, nice to have them vs. not. Gives the customer many more options! 

I recall hearing the figure of only 414ish of the 2000-2001 made but that figure seems low. Anyone know for sure?


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## 1motime (Oct 10, 2020)

How many of these were produced?  Anyone have an idea of current value?


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## Pedals Past (Oct 10, 2020)

Chris Miller Walt Disneys grandson had a bike business 20 years ago in Colorado i believe he waa building touring bikes I am not sure where exactly I believe he sold the company.


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## ADKBIKES (Oct 29, 2020)

My panther is upgraded to a 9 speed  . and my favorite  rider


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## Ignoz (Dec 24, 2020)

To the OP, would you possibly want to sell one of yours or anyone else reading this? I had one back in 2001 and my wife pulled in the garage after a heavy snowfall and with the tires wet hit the brakes and slid into mine in the back of the garage and crushed it! Fast forward a couple years from then, I get another one (06 model) and laced up a sachs tornado 2-speed automatic rear hub... Not a kickback, it was literally an automatic and shifted like the transmission in a car. Eventually I laced up the same rear hub in a sun double-wide Rim in the rear and a Phil Wood high flange Hub I had laying around in the front. Because of multi serfices in Detroit here I bought some Maxxis Holy Roller 2.40 tires for it, Brooks saddle, Brooks grips and a few other nice little goodies like crank and chainring also a threadless fork and headset... King Maybe. Long story short there was a long stretch where I could not ride a bicycle and wound up selling it to someone in Chicago. Now after a long recovery from a broken back and learning to walk again and all that it's time to start riding again. I would like to pick up where I left off and buy another Panther and if I can't find a panther I will see if maybe I can find a schwinn alloy Cruiser 7. Obviously it wouldn't be the same frame geometry but it would still be a cool bike and light enough to rip up the streets. I hope someone reading this will possibly have a line on one of these bikes so I can get back into this. I've always been a hardcore Schwinn guy and usually build Cruisers into Clunkers. This whole Saga with me started in the late 70s with a Schwinn Stingray turned into a BMX then I wanted something clean and ironically when was building the scramblers out of stingray frames so I went with one of those. now I just want to build another BIG BOY Scrambler


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## sworley (Dec 25, 2020)

@Ignoz keep your eyes peeled on Craigslist and maybe have a saved search on eBay. These bikes do come up from time to time and generally don’t fetch too much. I’m not in the market for one but I’ve seen them on Minneapolis Craigslist for $100-$300 in the recent past.


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## bloo (Dec 25, 2020)

So did these have a coaster brake and a u-brake on the back wheel? Is that what I am seeing?


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## 1motime (Dec 25, 2020)

bloo said:


> So did these have a coaster brake and a u-brake on the back wheel? Is that what I am seeing?



Freewheel rear hub with a U-brake down by the bottom bracket


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## Ignoz (Dec 26, 2020)

bloo said:


> So did these have a coaster brake and a u-brake on the back wheel? Is that what I am seeing?



No, just so you brake.


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## Ignoz (Dec 26, 2020)

That totally did not make sense, his has a drum brake but it came with a Freewheel and a you break


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## Ignoz (Dec 27, 2020)

rickpaulos said:


> Did ragbrai on mine one year.  Photo of it on my final ride on it last year. Then sold it. The brown gorillas ruined it and bike flights refunded the buyer.
> 
> This bike always irked me. Sold with a single cog freewheel but the frame had cable guides and a hanger for a der and the fork had welded on canti mounts with a plastic cap to hide the threads. Make up your mind manufacturers!  Sell it without the extra junk or put a der on it. Or offer two models. Having the option to "upgrade" just doesn't cut it.
> 
> ...



I would pay $750 for the Panther in this pic


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## sworley (Jan 19, 2021)

@Ignoz 
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/bik/d/minneapolis-2001-schwinn-panther-single/7256974569.html


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## ZOOK (Jan 21, 2021)

I believe 2000 added carbon fiber look fenders,nexus 7 speed,bars and upgraded tires. It's light and rides great


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## Porkchop & Applesauce (Jan 22, 2021)

Hi! I absolutely love my panther! I believe that it’s been largely over looked as one of the best modern Schwinns ever made! It’s fast,smooth, light and an absolute joy to ride! Very upgradable and classic style too! From what I have found is that Schwinn did make them here in 2000 &early 2001. Don’t know how many were made here but do know that it wasn’t very many and I believe that you had to be a Schwinn dealer to get one! The dealer I got mine from outfitted my panther with many upgrades to show what could be done with them and had it on his show room for as a demo due to the very low interest in these bikes at the time! You’ll have to wait until I am dead to get this Panther! Lmao! Glad to see that there’s a renewed interest in these awesome bikes!


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## schwinnderella (Jan 22, 2021)

I am fond of these bikes also, even though 100's of schwinns have passed thru my hands my 2000 Panther is the first and only Schwinn I ever bought new. I ride mine a lot and find it to be a very fun bike. They were rather costly when new and likely did not seem to be a good value to most buyers, I do not think many were manufactured or sold. Other than mine I have only seen three others in the last 20 years.
My badge number is 2809 which I assume makes it a very early 2000 model and it was made in Taiwan, I do not think any of them were made in the USA.
I agree with Sworley who wrote in his post above "I think these will always be bikes that most don't get or don't care about, save for the few that have been fortunate enough to have ridden one."


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## Porkchop & Applesauce (Jan 22, 2021)

I also agree with Sworley! Almost every one that I have convinced to ride it comes back trying to buy mine! Lol! Has anyone tried putting a horn tank on these from an early bike? Would be cool to see if it would work and add some old school flavor to it!


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