Recreational & Family - Now the wife wants to get a better bike. . .

After slothing thru the neighborhood and local parks on a couple x-mart specials, I decided to try out a LBS. I ended up buying a left-over Schwinn Sierra GSX (with rigid forks) at an LBS about an hour away and am quite pleased. After giving my wife a try on my new bike, she is adamant about going to the one LBS in town to look at the bikes.

The issue... the LBS only offers trek, and I was wondering if the Trek hybrids, such as the 7100 or even the navigator, are worth the extra $100+ or if I should travel back to the other shop to buy another schwinn for $249?

I will probably get the schwinn but would appreciate input because I've heard bad things about schwinn.The not-so-local bike shop assured me the one I bought was a quality model unlike what x-mart sells. I paid $249 for what was new a $439 model and the cheapest model my in town shop has is $379.

It's going to come down to what your wife wants and that may not correspond to what you want to buy for her.

If she wants to go shopping with her bike then look for one that comes with a rack or has mounting points for one. Fenders may be something she wants too. If the gearing is pretty much the same as your bike, and all other things being equal, she should be able to keep up with you if you ride together on an excursion/outing.

Usually more expensive bikes come with better quality components, but you would have to compare side-by-side the specs. Proper fitting, assembly, and tuning by the LBS will ensure immediate biking enjoyment regardless of the bike you end up purchasing.

Let your wife test ride a variety of bikes and pick the one she wants...otherwise she either won't ride it or will beat you over the head with the fact that she isn't happy with it - repeatedly. ;)

lol chipcom.

Looking at it another way, at least she does not want a new car. If she is going to ride the bike, then that $100 more at the local shop will be well worth it. Plus you will have the benefit of the LBS if you have a problem rather than a 1 hour drive. How many drives do you have to make until that $100 saved loses it's luster?

If she likes the Trek and it will fit her needs (racks, fenders, etc. as noted above), spend the extra $100 if you can afford it and smile all the way back home with your honey. But make sure she realizes, indirectly, that you are spending the extra money and time to make sure she is happy, lol.

The fact that Schwinn has sold out to the WalMart mentality, coupled with the fact that they've gone bankrupt at least once, doesn't give me much faith in the product or their business. I'd go for the Trek for those two reasons alone.

She rode a friend's trek 7200 and has no preference, although I am aware the 7200 is a bit better than the 7100 and the navigator 2.0.

So... what I am really curious about is whether or not the components, on the 7100 or navigator 100, are that much better than the schwinn sierra.

My sierra has SRAM 5.0 rear derailleur and a Shimano C101 up front.
The Trek 7100 WSD has SRAM 3.0 ESP and a SR NEX-208 up front.
The Trek Navigator 2.0 WSD has a SRAM 3.0 ESP and a SR NEX-208 up front.

All three have aluminum frames and V-brakes. I'm fairly new to adult cycling, so if anyone could tell me which components are best, or if the difference is neglible, I would appreciate it. If the difference is minimal. .. I guess it's just a matter of color:rolleyes: .

Aren't all of those bikes suspension forked? Perhaps it was the rigid fork that made her like your new Schwinn?

The lowest Trek hybrid has a rigid fork. Comes in either traditional or step-through geometries.

No real difference between SRAM 3 and 5 except a gear indicator dial on the 5. Front crank is a Suntour triple, also pretty standard on these bikes.

Let her test ride the bikes and get the one she wants. You can put fenders and racks on all of these bikes.

My wife liked her 7100WSD a lot but when we started going on 20+ mile rides it was holding her back. I got her a 7.5FX wsd and now she's riding faster than ever and we go on longer rides.

If you are near Vermont I have a womens specific Trek 7.3 that is in
showroom new condition for sale..........

I wish my wife would even learn how to ride a bike period! then we could ride together

tankman

The Schwinns found in LBS's aren't bad. They are a couple of steps up from the Schwinns found in W-M. An LBS close to me sells Schwinn and they are pretty happy with them. They also sell Treks (at 10% off list). They use Schwinns for their loaner bike pool and they take a beating well.

You might be able to find an '06 Trek 7100 or 7200 at a discount. Good time of the year to look for one.

The Trek Navigator series will be a bit slower than the 7100/7200 bikes, but is found to be more comfortable by some. It has a more relaxed / laid-back riding position.

One of the guys on our trail has Schwinns from Target. About $125.00 each. He is a very gentle rider and ours is a flat trail. Nevertheless, he wore through a bottom bracket is less than a year. Of course, they gave him a new one instead of fixing it. Still, quality has its rewards and having a happy wife does too. Let her have what she wants. Even if it's a 7500 trek. bk

Well just to update everyone, My wife decided she didn't want a hybrid. She says I look nerdy on my high-handle barred hybrid. So she picked out a red Trek 3700 and is quite pleased after swapping out the seat for a cushier one. She didn't like the women's baby blue color.

The added bonus... Now I have a MTB (we're the same height).

Bonus sounds good, Whip that MTB around a little, it's fun!! (From the spouse that owns the hybrid, and DH has the MTB) Nice that we can always get back on the cush bike, IMO.