Schwinn Peloton: Race ready at a low price

Price: $1,599

Sizes: 48-62 cm, in 2-cm increments

Weight: 20.3 pounds (58 cm tested)

Frame: TIG-welded Reynolds 853 main tubes, 753 chrome-moly stays

Fork: Time Club carbon fiber blades with aluminum crown and dropouts

Component highlights: Shimano 105 group, Ultrega rear derailleur, Ritchey Logic Comp handlebar, steam and seatpost; Fizik Pave Pro saddle; Speedplay X-3 clipless pedals; Ritchey Pro wheels with bladed spokes; Michelin Axial Pro 200x23c tires.

Profile: High-performance road racing bike without a high-performance price

Best thing about this bike: You get the exact same frame geometry and tubing as Schwinns legendary Paramount, but without all the fancy lugwork and attendant cost.

Secret legend: The Schwinn Paramount was Americas secret weapon back in the day, with Schwinn providing backdoor sponsorship of many an athlete when amateur status was a liberal term. Its what our champions rode.

For decades, the Paramount name stood for the best American road bikes the Peloton benefits from that mystique, with Paramount-level performance with the legendary name or price tag.

Functional art: Thin, artfully curved rear stays give plenty of lateral stiffness, while providing decent ride compliance thats welcome on long days. Timelessly classy cobalt blue-and-white graphics.

Bike racer flourishes: Deep-drop Ritchey handlebar with anatomically shaped drops so you can spend long hours in a racing tuck. Lightweight wheels with bladed spokes to carve the wind. Steepish, 74-degree head angle for snap turns.