DBrown9383

We bought very inexpensive Schwinn network 3.0 bikes this spring and have been really enjoying them. I am ready to upgrade to a better bike but there are some very good reasons to keep the Schwinn.. First of all, it's not as bad as most everyone would lead you to believe. The Shimano Tourney set works great and once wheels are true and brakes are set up properly the bike is smooth and quiet. The suspension seat post and forks are not the best but they DO absorb sharp bumps. We took a ferry to an island and all the bikes were stacked against one another on the back of the boat. I would NEVER have allowed that with an expensive bike. We don't lock these bikes wherever we go,not that we want them to be stolen but at less than $200 a piece it's not a huge loss if they are. It's no big deal to get nicks and scratches. My bike rack for the back of the car works great but there always seems to be some part of one or both bikes that will rub on something and scratch the finish. I use foam blocks and bungie cords but sometimes no matter what I do, there are contact areas that I don't see or that develop once on the road. Cheap bikes are a good platform for learning how to work on the mechanicals. Parts are inexpensive and I don't worry about damaging an expensive hub or BB wrenching on it myself. These cheap bikes will make great spares for guests. We have a lot of bike paths near us so when friends and family visit we will have rides for them. I'm sure there are other reasons to own a cheap big box store bike but these are just a few. Most everyone will tell you to never buy a bike online or from a big box store because they are junk.. This is mostly true however I have found the quality of these Chinese Schwinns to be acceptable for their price point.