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08-13-08, 01:55 AM
Well, I am fairly new to cycling. I have been working on and riding bikes for only a few months now, aside from when I was a kid. I have a few questions, that perhaps some of you can help me with.
1. When I was younger I rode a Schwinn World Tour, and that was a great bike, but nothing I have seen in stores seems like it. It had road style handlebars, and a full rear rack, with fold out baskets, and stem friction shifters. I went to the closest bike store, and found that not only was this sort of equipment not for sale, but the cheapest road bike was nearly $1000! is this normal?
I got a frame (unknown make, it doesn't have any sort of writing on it), I put an old Shimano SIS rear derailleur, and a Shimano Tourney front derailleur, a "Prowheel" 28-38-48 crank, and a no name 6 speed cassette, It had these terrible Truativ shifters, but, I put some Falcon stem shifters (friction) on it and some other more cosmetic parts (i.e. Schwinn wide seat, Schwinn speedometer, Schwinn lights, a rear rack, spring loaded kickstand, etc).
2. Is it at all normal to be riding a mutt such as I described above?
3. I am completely confused why is everyone so concerned about weight? I was always taught a heavy frame was more durable, and that momentum carried you up hills. Is everyone involved in racing or something?
1. When I was younger I rode a Schwinn World Tour, and that was a great bike, but nothing I have seen in stores seems like it. It had road style handlebars, and a full rear rack, with fold out baskets, and stem friction shifters. I went to the closest bike store, and found that not only was this sort of equipment not for sale, but the cheapest road bike was nearly $1000! is this normal?
I got a frame (unknown make, it doesn't have any sort of writing on it), I put an old Shimano SIS rear derailleur, and a Shimano Tourney front derailleur, a "Prowheel" 28-38-48 crank, and a no name 6 speed cassette, It had these terrible Truativ shifters, but, I put some Falcon stem shifters (friction) on it and some other more cosmetic parts (i.e. Schwinn wide seat, Schwinn speedometer, Schwinn lights, a rear rack, spring loaded kickstand, etc).
2. Is it at all normal to be riding a mutt such as I described above?
3. I am completely confused why is everyone so concerned about weight? I was always taught a heavy frame was more durable, and that momentum carried you up hills. Is everyone involved in racing or something?