My completed Project Underground aluminum

[Anatoli]

Mike,
I saw your(?) frame on fleabay. There was nice description.
I would keep it – you are right, but I can not afford it. It is not about money, but about room.
I have a couple others which I’m using.
Thank you for your great post 🙂

[livernose]

I bought my bike last year and paid right around $350 (I don’t remember exactly) with a crazy $150 shipping which brought it to $500 that I wanted to spend. I knew I didn’t want to spend more than $500 because I knew I would have to put around $1000 into it to get it how I wanted it. The only thing left on the bike that wasn’t replaced was the handlebar, the hubs, the front and rear derailleur, and the crankset. Everything else replaced with period correct NOS XT stuff. I probably have around $1400 or $1500 into the bike and would be lucky to get $500 out of it, but I will never sell it. Personally I love these old Schwinn bikes, but am realistic about what the average guy would spend for them. I have much more $$ into my bikes than I could ever get out of them. It’s a very small market for these old bikes, most people want the latest on the market. I do sell some used parts on Ebay, but just to get stuff out of the garage. I am not in it to make money although sometimes I come out ahead enough to help finance a new project.

[Shackleford]

Jeff,

Damn, $150 for shipping………..

I just sold my 4 Banger and shipped her FedX

She went from Chicago to Central Cali

Total (with signature conformation) – $80.40

**side note to the new owner – if I would have known it cost that much to ship there’s NO WAY you would have got her for the price you paid, that’s a fact

Why?

Because 6 months prior I shipped an entire bike (full build) to a gentleman on the East Coast

Total cost (with signature conformation) – $65.00

In my mind, “just a frame” should have cost no more than $50 to ship

So to the new owner of my 4 Banger – you got the deal of the your life!

Now, to the point of what our Homegrowns are worth……………

First off, I’m not talking down to anyone (let me make that clear)

Most of you on here know the history of these frames/bikes

But for those who don’t keep this in mind

Schwinn “Homegrown” mountain bikes were only produced from 1994 until 1999

And yes, any frame produced from 2000 to the present IS NOT A SCHWINN (sorry boys and girls that’s a fact – DEAL WITH IT)

Just because Pacific Cycle glues a “Schwinn” sticker to a frame doesn’t make it Schwinn

I can guaranty the boys from Durango (the Project Underground team) are laughing their fucking asses off!

During that short period of time they produced (in my personal opinion) the finest mountain bike frames the mountain bike world has ever seen

Every single publication that rode them and then evaluated them gave them nothing but 5 star praise – PERIOD

Shit, the 1996 Factory edition (built in conjunction with the Yeti boys) won how many NORBA events?

I’m proud to be in possession of a bike/bikes that has not only spanked the competition on U.S. soil but also took it to the Euro’s and left them dumb founded and scratching their heads

So, with that said I absolutely stand by my previous post

Forget the $ that I had them (my 1999 Homegrown, 1996 Factory, and 1994 Project Colorado) posted on Ebay for

They were listed at those prices for a reason

I listed them higher than normal for the hope that someone would contact me and want to do a deal off Ebay

The only reason that I put them on Ebay was to give them National exposure in hopes that someone would contact me and want to work a side deal – PERIOD

I hate the thought of going to Ebay and giving them (Ebay & PayPal) a slice of MY PIE

As for my asking prices, I’m asking basically what I paid for them – that’s why I get so fucking pissed when some jerk off (Ebay, Craigslist Chicago, Buddy Book/Facepage) tries to low ball me on the price

Like I try to explain to these retarded Ebay/Craigslist/Buddy Book cocksuckers, “do you realize what you are attempting to purchase?”

And again, I absolutely place blame on these “reality” shows (American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, etc.)

They make everyone think that’s how the REAL world works

Wake up you dumb mother fuckers – those “reality” shows are ALL scripted, they are as “unreal” as it could possibly be

How do I know?

I worked in Hollywood at Warner Brothers Studios on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and Formosa Ave., so trust me, I know what goes on behind the camera in the “real world”

Because of these shows, the hip new trend is to low ball every transaction (and I don’t care what you are selling – it’s irrelevant)

Bottom line , when you have something of value, real irreplaceable value, it IS worth “X” amount not “what the market dictates”!!!!!!!!!!

Class dismissed

– Mike

[john]

Jeff, I fixed your pictures, if you noticed they were broken. A software update along the way wasn’t properly parsing the “#” in the file names for some reason.

I’ve also got to clear up a couple things posted in this thread. There was only one “Project Colorado.” It was at Schwinn’s headquarters in Madison a couple years ago but I don’t know where it’s gone since Dorel/CSG/etc. All the other bikes with the color scheme you guys have are Project Undergrounds, as Jeff had referred to his. Still very cool and very rare bikes, but lots of people lately are referring to these incorrectly as Project Colorados.

The Homegrowns in 2000 and 2001 had nothing to do with Pacific; they were just as much a Homegrown as the previous years’ bikes that were also made at Anodizing Inc. (now SAPA, who just got out of the frame building business). Pacific Cycles didn’t purchase Schwinn until September 11, 2001, literally just before they cleared the courthouse. By that time, the bikes had long since been designed and manufactured.

[livernose]

John, Thanks for fixing the pictures. I did notice they were broken and wondered why. Since I built my above bike I haven’t had time to take even 1 ride yet. I have test ridden my other 2 mountain bikes I built this year. The 97 Homegrown Factory HT and the 97 Project Underground thermoplastic. I actually like the way the PU rode better, but it could be the fork travel on the HF is 100mm and I’m used to 80mm.

[Anatoli]

Jeff, Mike,
Thank you for the help.
John,
Thank you for this website.
…posted it to eBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201033047372?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

[Author]

Posts