# New Schwinn Deluxe 7



## cl222 (Apr 28, 2013)

I have a schwinn cruiser deluxe 7 from 2001 just like this one.



What do you think about this bike. Do you think it was a stupid idea or do you think they actually improved on the original phantom design. I think it could have a more creative name but it is definitely an improvement on the original phantom design. Its a mix of new and old. It was only made with high quality hubs and has schwinn typhoon tires. The only complaint I have is the poor assembly at my local bike shop. 





I think some people did not understand that I never said it was funner to ride than classic bike with a good story. Most of us even ride unrestored bikes more than our restored ones because its just more fun.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 28, 2013)

I see no comparison to a real Schwinn Phantom. Real Phantoms have been ridden, abused, abandoned, and weathered for over 50 years. Try that with one of the new ones and its good for about a year and a half. I guess you could say I'm biased to the true classics. V/r Shawn


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## vincev (Apr 28, 2013)

Have a friend who had to have one of these.It was junk.The seat broke and one pedal broke on his first ride.The fenders are cheaply made.It will never stand up to the use the old Phantoms had.


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## cl222 (Apr 29, 2013)

Guess I just got a good one then. Nothing on mine has broken and it been ridden everywhere. I'm not saying that this is better than originals just that this is not your normal new walmart bike.


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## SirMike1983 (Apr 29, 2013)

They had a green and white one at a shop I used to frequent about 4-5 years ago. I gave it a pretty good going over, and it seemed like it would make a fine recreational type ride. I'll grant the build quality on the originals was better, but it seemed to at least attempt a return to better production for Schwinn. You're right that they seem to be doing more bottom feeding at the big box type stores these days. The Cruiser Deluxe 7 I looked over was better built than that. It looked to me as if different bits like pedals/etc could use better replacements, but overall it wasn't bad. I considered buying it as something different from my other bikes. The shop wanted a lot for it though, at least so much that I ended up buying an original Columbia balloon for less than the shop wanted for the 7.


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## babyjesus (Apr 29, 2013)

*Not Bad*

If you compare it to everything available new the same year I think it's pretty cool. It actually looks like a real ballooner from the 50s. 

Once you compare it literally piece by piece to the equivalent Schwinns of the 50s it's probably a whole different story.

Schwinn has always been a huge corporation as far back as early post war - and like with all big corporations, mass production involved cutting corners in creative terms - using the same bits over and over etc - and another thing which big corporations do is put all the smaller companies out of business which I personally don't take too kindly to because the creative diversity of the bicycle industry gets totally crushed and all you end up with are a couple or few factories churning out one size fits all ranges of bikes. 

Ironically Schwinn is still using the same 70 year old frame - so in respect to the Deluxe 7 being a sort of Phantom continuation it probably rides much better but falls apart much quicker but so far this one in particular seems to have done a smashing job for 10 years or more. Not bad if you think about it. It certainly looks the same as a Phantom at first uneducated glance so its a Phantom that rides extremely well for intensive purposes - for as long as it lasts without breaking.


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## halfatruck (Apr 29, 2013)

Taking this in a new direction, but I bought a repro Roadmaster Luxury Liner (for resale but still have it) this bike seems to be well built, can't tell much difference in the forks, frame, etc.....


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## snickle (Apr 30, 2013)

Wow, you guys have become soft since when I first got to this forum! Had that been me, you would have scoffed at the notion that the new phantom looking bike was of superior design and craftsmanship to the old 1949 Phantom. Comparing Shimano to New Departure would have probably got me banned 

I would say it's got a nice tank and crank though.


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## cl222 (Apr 30, 2013)

snickle said:


> Wow, you guys have become soft since when I first got to this forum! Had that been me, you would have scoffed at the notion that the new phantom looking bike was of superior design and craftsmanship to the old 1949 Phantom. Comparing Shimano to New Departure would have probably got me banned
> 
> I would say it's got a nice tank and crank though.




I thought I was going to get banned for a while too. I love how well built Schwinns, New Departure hubs, and all that good stuff was but I also like modern solutions for old problems. and I should fix that 100% thing I think somthing was a little funny in the air when I thought of that. Nothing is perfect and there is always room for improvement. Also a new bike is nothing like riding a 50 or 60 year old ballooner with a story behind it.


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