Schwinn Bicycles???

I bought a Schwinn a few weeks back and noticed something was different between my bike that I got from a bike shop and the bikes at department stores. My Schwinn just has the silver symbol but department stores have the silver symbol surrounded by red and black that says "Schwinn Quality." Does this mean department store Schwinns are of lesser quality???

Yes. Schwinn markets two distinct lines of bicycles as you indicated. The ones from the bicycle shops are their "Professional" line and are of equal quality of other brands for the particular class of bike. The department store Schwinns are of the quality of the other junk sold at department stores.

Seems if they are trying to be all things for all people.

One other indicator is the "better" Schwinns have a decal on the frame that says "N'Lightened".

Any department store bikes are a cheaper quality no matter what the brand. that is how they are ale to price them out so cheap. ALSO the other really bad thing about department store bikes that is different than a bike shop bike is at a department store the bieks either come in fully built or are put together by people with little training and there for are not as safe as a bike from a bike shop that was comlpetely built but a trianed mechanic and a trained bike tech. They also have lower grade parts you wont find really goo ultregra or shimano parts you will find a cheaper less expensive part