Schwinn Straight 6: More than just downhill
Written: Jan 06 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: well setup, relative light weight, triple chainring option
Cons: only 6" travel, not very adjustable
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| Chino0k's Full Review: Schwinn Homegrown Factory Straight 6 (1998) |
The Schwinn Factory Straight 6 an excellent free ride and downhill racing bike with a long travel suspension. In the more than two years I have owned mine it has performed multiple duties as a long travel freeride bike, thanks to Schwinn's foresight in including front derailleur cable routing, and as a downhill bike, racing on both the east and west coasts.
The Straight 6 is well equipped from the factory featuring a well matched selection of high end components. Suspension duties are handled by a Rock Shox Boxxer front fork and Coupe Deluxe rear shock. Both shocks work well, but I have had a problem with the seals on the Boxxer wearing out quickly and leaking oil under heavy use. In the rear the Coupe Deluxe features adjustable preload and limited tuning to the compression dampening via a large knob on the top of the shock that can be adjusted while on the fly. Personally, I would prefer more adjustability to the rear shock, but in most situations a happy medium can be found.
Component wise, the Straight 6 is XTR throughout; with the only quirk being the rapid rise shifting in the rear. At first I was a little leery of the backwards shifting, but have come to appreciate the benefits of rapid rise, especially when downhilling. Clicking the front trigger to downshift coming into a corner has become second nature and is possible with the thumb while using two fingers to brake. It is possible to mount a front derailleur and triple chainrings on the bike since Schwinn thoughtfully provided cable routing from the factory. While the idea of a 40 pound cross country bike may not sound very appealing, the 6 climbs remarkably well for it's size and weight. Slowing the bike down is accomplished via Hayes disc brakes mounted to Ringle hubs. The Hayes brakes have been trouble free, but have a "wooden" feel to them, lacking the sensitivity of other disc brakes I have used.
Overall, the bike handles very well and is best suited to downhill courses where its lighter weight (compared to the new 8" plus DH rigs) and tighter handling can be used to its advantage. Pedaling, quick handling, and the ability to accelerate out of corners are the bikes strongest points. World Cup style rock gardens and heavily rutted courses are definitely doable, but with 6" of travel and the stock 2.2's, the bike is at a disadvantage compared to beefier DH rigs. In the end, I would recommend the Straight 6 to anyone who wants to buy a DH bike but doesn't want to be limited to only going downhill.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Chino0k
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Reviews written: 2
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