Folding Bikes - Folding Schwinn at Target online

Anyone here have any experience with the $200 Schwinn folding bike available on-line (not in store) from Target? There is not much info available on the target site.
Thanks
Hill Slug

- this thread cannot succeed without a link (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-20/qid=1169546702/ref=sr_1_20/602-8094002-4529460?ie=UTF8&asin=B000K0WDI2) and pic!

I mean, Yeah. It looks like the Dahon licensed "Yeah". So maybe it's a Dahon licensed "Schwinn". Yeah.

Smart move. I'll betcha they sell a decent number.

Unfortunately, it *may* leave many potential folding bike converts frustrated and disgruntled if their quality is on par with the typical Target/WalMart $150 bicycle.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=1169556978/ref=sr_1_1/601-0429460-4386556?ie=UTF8&asin=B000K0WDI2

I saw it here: http://www.outlettrail.com/store/product.php?productid=3017

for $169 + $28 S/H.

I almost bought that, but then decided to get the Dahon Jack, which was much lighter, for $359. But I do think the Schwinn is a really good value.

I'm set on getting a Downtube, but this one caught my attention. Do you guys think this folder is good enough for a 10mi round trip with some uphill (nothing steep) climb?

I saw someone on it in St. Augustine, Florida. They looked happy :). My only concern with it is that its listed weight on some other sites is out of this world...something like 40-50lbs. I've actually been hoping that their figures are wrong...I've never seen a 50lb bike! If the weight is correct, it would sure make climbing harder.
Juan

33 lbs. shipping weight. That would put it about 28-29 lbs. naked. That's on par with a similar Dahon.

33 lbs. shipping weight. That would put it about 28-29 lbs. naked. That's on par with a similar Dahon.
That's actually pretty good, considering it's got the rack and fenders. I'm glad the actual weight is something more realistic. I think I would actually consider one for my wife. I'm trying to get her to bike with me, and that would be an inexpensive way to get her a bike. I luv to upgrade, so if she got into it I would happily do some parts swapping :). Something to think about at the least,
Juan

I'm pretty sure Amazon has/had a similar if not identical bike for a similar price...

has anyone purchased one of these Schwinn folders? Looks like a good value for the money. Trigger shifters are easier for me to operate rather than grip shift.

I luv to upgrade, so if she got into it I would happily do some parts swapping :). Something to think about at the least,
Juan

That's what stopping me from getting one. I'm not sure if it would take common parts for upgrades. I know the DT and Swift would.

Costco sells it for $195 shipping included.

I wish COSTCO had the bikes at their physical store. If they did, we could check'm out,

Juan

I wish COSTCO had the bikes at their physical store. If they did, we could check'm out,

Juan

Yeah, I'm planning on checking my local Target store and see if they have 'em.
The one from Costco is cheaper, but not by much. I'm afraid if I buy it from Costco and not like it, I'll have to pay shipping back to them. If I buy it from Target, I can return it at any of their location.
I'm so close to buying a DT, but I'de like to check this one out first.

Yeah, I'm planning on checking my local Target store and see if they have 'em.
The one from Costco is cheaper, but not by much. I'm afraid if I buy it from Costco and not like it, I'll have to pay shipping back to them. If I buy it from Target, I can return it at any of their location.
I'm so close to buying a DT, but I'de like to check this one out first.
From the Costco page for the folder;
"Costco.com offers merchandise which complements our warehouse product selection. Therefore, most items available on our web site are unique to costco.com.

Costco.com products can be returned to any of our more than 400 Costco warehouses worldwide."

From the Costco page for the folder;
"Costco.com offers merchandise which complements our warehouse product selection. Therefore, most items available on our web site are unique to costco.com.

Costco.com products can be returned to any of our more than 400 Costco warehouses worldwide."

We don't have a Costco here in South Texas.

I'm so close of being the guinea pig. :) Should I get it or not?
I do have the budget for the DT now. But being frugal as I am, this thing is still in cosideration. Help!

Yeah, must be a Rebranded Dahon. The Chinese Dahon site is super slow, but if you have the patience, you may find a piccy of that model there.

I bought a Yeah, almost identical frame as the Dahon Helios, but the original running gear was entry-level. The front ring a 52T, OK, but the back was 6 sp 14-28 or something like that, and I replaced the back wheel, derailer and shifter, now I have a high end Helios, only better. :D The derailer on the pic is identical to what I got. It works, but definitely entry-level.

The other bits also work fine. The rack is Dahon.

The folding steering riser is the steel version, I can see it in the pic and it looks identical. I think it is BETTER than the fancy alloy Dahon one, since it doen't suffer from the Dahon design flaws. Very sturdy. My Yeah has a different looking hinge lock, I think that particular design is the older one. But it probably still has the touted "visegrip" mech in it, as does the folding steerer.

Overall, I regard it as an acceptable deal. The biggest drawback will be the back wheel - unupgradable. Has to be replaced. Oh, and the dropout spacing is likely to be 130mm, I have to force my new 135mm wheel in.

jur,
Since you own a YEAH, would you expect this one to have a twitchy/flexy ride (not a solid ride like DT or Swift), like what people are saying about the low end Dahon? Also, please explain the back wheel being un-upgradable. Thanks!

I've never seen a 50lb bike!

:eek:

You've never seen a 50lb bike? My DH bike is 50lbs, my oldschool full suspension bike from the seventies is coming up on 70lbs!

jur,
Since you own a YEAH, would you expect this one to have a twitchy/flexy ride (not a solid ride like DT or Swift), like what people are saying about the low end Dahon? Also, please explain the back wheel being un-upgradable. Thanks!
Twitchy... Well my Yeah is twitchier than my Raleigh 20, which is not twitchy at all. A fat lot of good that is, isn't it?

When my wife first got onto it, she was downright scared because as a child she came off a Raleigh Chopper (the twitchiest bike in the universe) and broke her jaw. But I persisted that it will be OK, now she rides it everywhere and wonders what she fussed about. It's not flexy, my Raleigh 20's seat post and steerer is a fair bit more flexy. The large diameter seat tube is very stiff, I don't notice any flexing at all, and same goes for the folding steel steerer. No problems in those areas. As for the frame, well there is a small amount of flexing that tends to make noise at the hinge, but still I don't notice it.

The frames are of course not the same between this one and the Yeah, but the geometry is similar. So perhaps what I just wrote is slightly better than completely worthless.

The back wheel can't be upgraded because it is a screw-on freeweel, not a cassette. So if you want 8 or 9 speeds, then a new hub is called for. Putting in a new hub is in principle possible, but my Yeah's original back wheel has 28 spokes, and getting hold of a 28H hub ain't that easy. These bikes all have the same back wheel - I just counted the spokes on that pic. And it has the same derailer, so going by mass production, this bike also has 6 gears. You could hunt around for a 7-speed freewheel with better ratios, I suppose - but that also requires replacing the twist-grip shifter.

Further to your original question as to whether it is OK for a 10mi round trip, I would say yes. I rode the Yeah on my 36mi round trip commute for a few weeks with no problems. Once the saddle fore-aft and height is optimum, it ought to be OK. My Yeah can also adjust the handlebar height which this one can't, but I didn't find extra benefit from it at any specific height, and I fuss about quite a bit about handlebar height. Seat fore-aft is far more important IMHO.

I couldn't find the exact equivalent at Dahon China, but here is a singlespeed with the same frame:

http://www.dahon.com.cn/images/bikes/large/unfold/yvt010.jpg

Thanks for all the info Jur!
I think I'm getting one. I'll just get an adjustable handle bar stem for it.
Good luck on your tour!

Okay, so I bought one.
Its rides nice enough for me (' did 12 miles today). Its my first folder, so I don't have any comparison.
The left pedal doesn't fold, though, just the right one. Except for that, I think I'm satisfied (for now?).
To those with Dahon Yeah, does both of your pedals fold?

Yes. But the left one doesn't need to fold make it smaller.

They offer to refund me $40 if I decide to keep it. Or full refund, less shipping if I return it. I think I'm keeping it. Nothing wrong with the pedal, it just doesn't fold.

Okay, so I bought one.
Its rides nice enough for me (' did 12 miles today). Its my first folder, so I don't have any comparison.
The left pedal doesn't fold, though, just the right one. Except for that, I think I'm satisfied (for now?).
To those with Dahon Yeah, does both of your pedals fold?

People were wondering about the weight of these earlier in the thread. Is it convenient for you to weigh it? If not, does it feel really heavy, or just about what you'd expect?

I had one of Dahon's older Boardwalks, and only one pedal folded on that, too.

People were wondering about the weight of these earlier in the thread. Is it convenient for you to weigh it? If not, does it feel really heavy, or just about what you'd expect?

I had one of Dahon's older Boardwalks, and only one pedal folded on that, too.

So I guess the pedal that came with it must be the right one. I'm gonna write Target and tell them to disregard my complaint.

Its 28lbs on my bathroom scale. ' don't know how accurate the scale, though. Its not digital.
I don't feel any flex on the stem and the ride feels good. I did some adjustments on the derailiure (sp?) and brakes, then I went to the beach and rode 'bout a mile. I have to wash her now. :)
I'm pretty satisfied for what I paid for.