Hybrid Bicycles - Walmart bike considerations

Hi everyone;

I'm more of a casual rider than an enthusiast. I like hybrids for their comfort and gearing (that most low end cruisers don't seem to have).

I'm considering this Schwinn bike sold by Walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=13398140&adid=BZV_SA_AA_1433473&expandQuestion=967537#BVQAWidgetID

Are there any parts in particular that I should watch closely or consider replacing?

Thanks

I hope it doesn't weigh more than 2/3 the shipping weight!

Even though it has Shimano & SRAM parts, likely they are the lowest grade that aren't even available over the counter.

I was a budget biker for years and I finally had enough. I found that, for myself anyways, that buying a used higher quality bike (for less money) is a much better way to go. I just found my wife a Trek 820 in great shape for $80 and installed a rear rack and fenders and she could,nt be happier.

Just be aware that this bike is not really a Schwinn. You might already be aware of this but a few years back Schwinn was purchased by Pacific Cycle, a conglomerate manufacturer that specializes in department store bikes. This is a bike of similar quality to a Magna, Huffy or Roadmaster but branded as a Schwinn. The minute that you ride this bike out of the store it will have a used value of about $40 to $50. Right now $350 will get you a Trek 7.1 FX or a Trek 7100. Just my opinion, but the extra $100 is well worth it.

dont waste your money, they count on people buying these bikes, riding them a few times and them collecting dust until the warranty runs out. Comple and utter junk, and HEAVY junk. MY friend just bought a girls bike for his daughter for Christmas, from Wally World, the brakes dont even work. Keep in mind most of those bikes are also Chinese made, they also use really cheap tires and tubes, which will immedietly dry rot, I know someone who bought two "high end" wally world bikes, and within 6 months both bikes had tires so badlty dry rotted, they cant be ridden. Both bikes were ridden once and stored indoors out of direct sun

Bso

I was a budget biker for years and I finally had enough. I found that, for myself anyways, that buying a used higher quality bike (for less money) is a much better way to go. I just found my wife a Trek 820 in great shape for $80 and installed a rear rack and fenders and she could,nt be happier.

+1. You will be happier with a used quality bike. You will be dumping a lot of money into a walmart bike just to keep it running, and it won't run very well or last very long.

...Are there any parts in particular that I should watch closely or consider replacing?

Thanks

I think that bike would be fine if you are likely to maintain it and care for it. As long as you store it out of the weather and keep it lubed (like all bikes should be) it will serve you ok. BUT only OK. In saying that, don't expect the forks to last for long or be much chop. IMO you should go for a rigid fork with some "fatty" tyres to absorb the small bumps.

BUT used is a much better option. :thumb:

OP, this forum generally has a massive bias against department store bikes. To some extent, this is warranted; there are plenty of department store bikes which were and are total garbage, with parts that can't stand up to major usage and will wear down or break. Add to that the generally terrible adjustment and assembly, and you have a recipe for heartbreak.

However, things are starting to change for the better. Department stores are starting to sell bikes with legit parts at good prices. To get a fun illustration of the whole bikeforums & department store dynamic, I suggest you browse this old epic thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/237231-Review-on-the-GMC-Denali-bicycle/) by CigTech. Summary: cyclist with pro-level fitness and pro-level mechanical ability buys $150 bike, many on this forum laugh and tell him it will break, naysayers proven wrong as he rides the hell out of it in terms of both speed and longevity. He bought the bike for the frame and was intending to replace parts as they failed, but they never did, even after thousands of miles.

Having ridden and worked on them, I can tell you that many of the Schwinn department store bikes in the $200-300 range have the potential to be great bikes. There are also a few other knowledgeable users on this forum, like az2008, who love these types of Schwinns.

But these bikes only have the potential to be good. The parts quality is generally OK, but their assembly and adjustment is where the traps lie. The key to these bikes is all in the setup.


....


I haven't worked on the Solitaire specifically, but here are my specific concerns about it and the other Schwinns in its class:

- Spoke count on this particular model's wheels is only 24. That is low, and it makes the wheel weaker. If you are a heavy rider (200+ pounds), or intend to use it in any kind of rough situations (up/down curbs, over potholes, on rocky off-road trails, etc) then the rim may not hold up to abuse very well. I'm guessing, and this is only a guess, that if you are 150 or lower and only use it on fairly decent roads, it should be OK.

- The rim strip (thing that protects the inside of the innertube from the inside of the wheel) that they give you on these Schwinns is CRAP. It is some rubbery thing that will not hold up to high pressure inflation - the tube will expand into the spoke holes, rip, and you'll get a flat right away. I strongly recommend tossing the stock rim strip and getting some quality Velox rim tape immediately. Before you even do that, take some very fine sandpaper (or polishing stone, etc.) and soften up the rim's inner sharp bits, like the edges of the spoke holes and anything else, e.g. the seam where the rim gets joined.

I am serious, do this immediately, don't even attempt to inflate the tires. Because half the time the rim strip isn't even positioned correctly anyway (some of the spoke holes will be exposed and the innertube will rip), and even if they are, you're in for a flat-o-rama at any decent pressure unless you get some Velox or similar.

- Long-stem Schrader valve innertubes on these Schwinns can cause weird stuff to happen with the narrow rims they come with, including bizarre flats. Longstem Schraders can be hard to find replacements for, too. I recommend switching to Presta valve'd innertubes immediately, with appropriate rim adapters.

- Simple stuff: the seat post tends to be slammed in with no grease on the post, and it risks getting stuck over time. The pedals tend to be not properly tightened, and generally don't have grease on the threads. The stock brake adjustment can be an unridable disaster - brakes not centered, pads rubbing right on the tire, etc. The reflectors can be completely loose, or pointing up at the moon - they need to be pointing directly perpendicular to light sources to be anything other than useless. (Get good bike lights anyway.) Check the wheel centering in the dropouts.

- Advanced stuff that deserves attention: The derailers will need adjusting, and the bike won't shift right until that happens. The headset will need inspection. The wheels should be trued (straightened). The wheel hubs and bottom bracket will need to be adjusted for optimum riding. The Chinese grease that they use in the bearings seems to be poor quality. Nothing that can't be fixed, just warning you.


...


In summary, the bike would NEED proper setup to be enjoyable. A local bike shop may do this at some cost, but the best is a home mechanic with the tools and time who wants to do a good job.

Serious question, how do you plan on using the bike? Any trail riding, or completely on roads? Joyriding? Running errands? Prefer to go fast over cruiser-style comfort? How heavy are you? How often do you use the bike, and how far do you ride? How many miles per week? There are several other Schwinns in the class which are worthy of consideration. Do you have any experience with working on bikes? Please answer these, cuz I can help recommend stuff.

Heed the other posters' warnings: depending on considerations, you may be better off with a used version of a high-quality model bike, like a Trek, Giant, Specialized, etc. Or you can rock a Schwinn for cheap, if it has proper adjustment.

Don't forget to Goo Gone off the stickers! Any questions, just ask.

Bicycles sold at Walmart and other big box stores are sometimes called BSO or "bicycle shaped objects" because, while they look like bikes, they are not really intended to be ridden heavily. i can't speak to that particular bike, but most of the parts will likely be the lowest possible quality parts.

I would recommend looking on craigslist for a used bike. for $250 you can get a very nice quality used bike with new tires that has been recently serviced

Oh and another reason to pass on xmart bikes..... The person assembling them is probably the only employee in the store that knows how to use the adjustable wrench and has never assembled a bike. You would be better off purchasing online from http://bikesdirect.com and assembling it yourself or having a bike store assemble it for you. Bike stores don't stay in business unless they provide competent (or semi-competent) employees. No one cares that much about the bike assembly at xmart. This is the same reason I have an independent auto mechanic and don't take my car to the dealer.

You won't even find this bike listed on Schwinn's website. If you want reviews for this bike go to google.com and search for "site:bikeforums.net schwinn solitaire".

Would you be asking the same questions about a car? "I am going to purchase a brand new X car; are there any parts I should upgrade?". Like cars, purchasing a bike part by part will cost 2x the price of buying a fully assembled car.

xmart bikes are great for kids that are going to outgrow them in 1-2 years. If you want a bike that will provide thousands of miles without anything other than the usual "oil change", I recommend staying away from xmart bikes. If you want a bike to ride around the block once or twice a year, an xmart bike will work.

Sorry to be so down on xmart bikes, but I don't like to see people spend hard earned money on products that turn out to be junk.

Serious question, how do you plan on using the bike? Any trail riding, or completely on roads? Joyriding? Running errands? Prefer to go fast over cruiser-style comfort? How heavy are you? How often do you use the bike, and how far do you ride? How many miles per week? There are several other Schwinns in the class which are worthy of consideration. Do you have any experience with working on bikes? Please answer these, cuz I can help recommend stuff.

Heed the other posters' warnings: depending on considerations, you may be better off with a used version of a high-quality model bike, like a Trek, Giant, Specialized, etc. Or you can rock a Schwinn for cheap, if it has proper adjustment.

Don't forget to Goo Gone off the stickers! Any questions, just ask.

Thanks for the guidance!

To answer your questions, I plan to ride only on the roads, mainly for exercise purposes. I'm 6'3" 180 lbs and prefer comfort over speed. I have a single speed folding bike and I just don't enjoy riding it anymore--the seat height I need for full leg extension forces me to bend forward, the handlebars are too narrow and below where I'd like, etc. Nowadays I think back fondly of when I had a cruiser bike that I LOVED to ride around town because of its comfortable, upright riding stance. I want that again, and if I can find a slightly faster bike that'll allow me to take a trip to the store to pick up a few small objects then its a bonus. But the comfort/enjoyment of riding is what I'm really after.

I would say I ride about 30 minutes per day / about 4 miles per day. I don't have any experience working on bikes and try to avoid that type of work wherever I can (I'm not the "hands on" type at all).

Buy a 60 dollar bike instead. When it breaks, throw it off some bridge or in some dumpster somewhere or wherever you happen to be at the moment of breakdown. Then buy another one. A tune-up costs about that much anyway so there you go. Or even better just return it within 90 days and just keep doing that. And if you so happen to trash the bike within 90 days just return it they probably wouldn’t even know. Just make sure whatever bike you pick doesn’t have brakes from hell.

To get a fun illustration of the whole bikeforums & department store dynamic, I suggest you browse this old epic thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/237231-Review-on-the-GMC-Denali-bicycle/) by CigTech. Summary: cyclist with pro-level fitness and pro-level mechanical ability buys $150 bike, many on this forum laugh and tell him it will break, naysayers proven wrong as he rides the hell out of it in terms of both speed and longevity. He bought the bike for the frame and was intending to replace parts as they failed, but they never did, even after thousands of miles.

I breifly scanned the thread and you make it sound like he had no problems at all, but the bike required work after purchase to make it properly roadworthy, including immediately replacing the brakes and adjusting them to actually work. CigTech also complains about the derailleurs going out of adjustment after 50 miles, no matter how many times he adjusts them.

I don't doubt the Denali frame is decent, same could be true about this Schwinn. But the components are way low grade and will require much more upkeep than a newbie should be expected to handle

I made.the mistake if buying a low grade bike... once. EVERY part bar a seatpost ended up being replaced to build my franken fuji. The part quality in bikes like that is terrible. Shimano doesn't even list the front derailler model on its website.

forget the tube liner, replace the tire AND tube,plus the liner. All the tires on these chinese bikes seem to be made out of some material that starts immedietly disetigrating

The last bike I bought from Walmart I rode only a few times. I spent mover $200 and it was ill fitting. Not smooth and kind of clunky. So it sat mostly unused in the garage. When I returned to biking I went to my LBS and found a year old left over Jamis Coda. It retails for $540. I talked them down to $350 got a decent fitting. Best decision I ever made. In my mind $300 - $500 was a lot to invest in something I wasn't sure I would like long term. But it looked good and was so much nicer than the box store brand. I really enjoyed riding this time. I've since put about 2000 miles on that bike and now even commute to work a couple of days a week. In my opinion you would be better off spending just a little more at an LBS or get a better brand from Craigs list.

Once one gets into the new price range of $200 or more, he's getting really close to the used price of very decent used bikes. Thing is, it takes a lot more knowledge and leg work to etch out that deal. So we;re back to the original question:

"Are there any parts in particular that I should watch closely or consider replacing?" Short answer: "No"

Longer answer: "To meet price points that Walmart and other low end vendors demand, certain corners have to be cut and we must realize we are dealing with mixed standards at best and obsolete standards at worse. You can replace some parts easily (consumables like chain, tubes, tires) but things like the rear cogs (almost always a 7 speed freewheel) you're SOL."

This kind of like buying a new Mazda Haima Family over a used Honda Civic (or Corolla, which I think the more damaged the body becomes the more they refuse to die).

That bike has a low end suspension fork - So its a no no no.
Those things weight a tone and provide very little suspension. Besides suspension on a hybrid is not really needed. It will just slow you down big time.

A word of advice -- i used to work for Walmart and in my store the bikes were built by untrained and self taught associates. They built the bike, made sure the brakes worked [maybe] and out to the sales floor it went. If you decide on a department store bike first thing i would do is go through it and tighten every bolt, nut and check the shifting and brakes, also they are not lubed, chain etc. - or take it to a bike shop for a complete check over.

but things like the rear cogs (almost always a 7 speed freewheel) you're SOL."

pretty sure you can still get 7speed freewheels

pretty sure you can still get 7speed freewheels

I KNOW you can still get them.

Problem is, some of these low end bikes have an oddball, cheap Chinese FW that you can't easily find a removal tool that fits. IF you can't remove the old one, a new doesn't do that much good.
IF you have to use "extreme means" to remove it, the bike should be avoided.

You can. Amazon lists them. (Found while checking for a replacement hyperglide cassette for my 1992 Crossroads.)

Edit: and another poster beat me to the reply with a better reply than mine. :)

lets see, I have to fix this kids bike he got, I know the brakes dont work, as there is no tension in the cable, even when the brake lever is pulled, so brakes, the chain is bone dry, fork bolt was loose, handle bars were loose, seat is tightened down crooked, and the seat post bolt is rounded off, and the tires are flat and dry rotted, this is a brand new kids bike off the shelf at wally world

Even though it has Shimano & SRAM parts, likely they are the lowest grade that aren't even available over the counter.

That's where you will run into problems. If you have to replace anything, you won't be able to get parts. For instance, if your cassette (the gears on the rear wheel) break, you may end up having to buy a whole new rear wheel instead of just replacing the gears.... that kind of stuff.


I was a budget biker for years and I finally had enough. I found that, for myself anyways, that buying a used higher quality bike (for less money) is a much better way to go. I just found my wife a Trek 820 in great shape for $80 and installed a rear rack and fenders and she could,nt be happier.

I agree with you but.... this bike is at a good price point to get Iief onto a bike. As long as he doesn't expect it to last 20 years, he can look at it as a learning experience, much the same as it was for you. If someone isn't riding a bike hard or isn't very heavy, a Wal-Mart Schwinn may last several years. Or maybe just a season. By then, Iief will have a better idea of whether to stick with biking, and what he wants out of a bike.


Just be aware that this bike is not really a Schwinn. You might already be aware of this but a few years back Schwinn was purchased by Pacific Cycle, a conglomerate manufacturer that specializes in department store bikes. This is a bike of similar quality to a Magna, Huffy or Roadmaster but branded as a Schwinn. The minute that you ride this bike out of the store it will have a used value of about $40 to $50. Right now $350 will get you a Trek 7.1 FX or a Trek 7100. Just my opinion, but the extra $100 is well worth it.

It is "really a Schwinn." Yes, the Schwinn company no longer exists in Chicago; it is just a brand in a portfolio of other brands controlled by Dorel (http://www.dorel.com/product.htm), a Canadian company that also owns Cannondale. There are two levels of Schwinn bikes: The kind you get at Wal-Mart- low-end entry level stuff; and Schwinn Signature which are better bikes available at bicycle shops. So while it really is a Schwinn, bear in mind it is at or near the bottom of the Schwinn line. A friend recently bought a Wal-Mart Schwinn, and there were a lot of parts that were plastic where a quality bike would have metal (in the derailleur mechanism, for instance). So instead of machine screws in a metal body to adjust the gears, it had self-tapping screws in plastic.... not very durable.


Bso

This is why they are called BSOs, or Bicycle-Shaped Objects. They look like a bike, and kind of work like a bike, but they're price has been reduced by purposely removing quality, durable parts and materials, and replacing them with stuff that makes it work "good enough" to sell the bike and not much more.

If you go into it knowing this, you won't be disappointed. One friend has two Wal-Mart bikes- a Schwinn cruiser and a Thruster single speed. He's not a big, heavy guy, but he does ride pretty hard, and so far the bikes have held up well. He's had the Schwinn for a few years and it's still working okay. I don't think he's had the Thruster a year yet, but I think that's been okay too.

If you're going to ride it hard and you weigh much over, say, 200 lb., then you may wear the bike out quick. If you're on the lighter side and don't expect to be racing it around, and you view it as a taste of cycling and a learning experience, it might be a good bike to get. As others have said, though, you could spend a little more and get something at a much better quality level at a bike shop.

That bike should work just fine for you. I bought a similar Schwinn for a little less back this June and put over 1100 miles on it and lost 30lbs at the same time. I ordered it new off ebay and took it to my LBS and had it set up and the wheels trued. This is what I bought (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Schwinn-Excursion-700c-Mens-Cruiser-Hybrid-Bike-3-speed-bicycle-S4960WM-/110983924005?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d7284925). I didn't want to put a lot of money into a bike because I wasn't sure if I would stick with it. However, I have enjoyed riding so much that I bought two new Giant Escapes last month for me and my wife. I have to admit that there is a lot of difference between a cheap one and a high quality expensive one. However, I kept the Schwinn and still ride it when the roads are wet because it has fenders. My longest single ride on the Schwinn was 42 miles.

The biggest thing I found with the lower-end Schwinn is keeping the rear wheel trued. I've had to re-true it about three times. The front wheel has stayed true since the day it came out of the box. The brakes are not real powerful and are almost useless in the rain. Mine uses a three speed Sturmey-Archer hub so I didn't have to deal with derailleur issues. I also had problems with pinched flats, but solved it by replacing the cheap rim tape with good quality cloth tape and using slime in the tube. I haven't had a flat since.

Another thing to consider is that an LBS will usually give free lifetime adjustments along with their normal warranty. I've already had to take one of my Giants back for minor adjustments to the derailleur. It's nice walking in the door with the bike and walking out 5 minutes later with it fixed and no money spent. I have to spend money every time I take the Schwinn in for service. For this reason, you may want to at least cruise into a local shop and see what they have. Many have good used bikes at very attractive prices.

Hope this helps.

Having to deal with shifting issues is a MAJOR problem with the low end bikes.
Shifting, brakes & weight tend to be the issues, assuming the bike was properly assembled.

Hopefully, Schwinn invested an extra $5 in theirs over the Roadmaster, Huffy, Magna etal flavors.
Many of these will NEVER shift properly with their original components.

Save up your money for something better quality you will be happier.

$250.00 would get you a nice used machine that is serviceable. If you decide you don't like to ride you can probably get close to what you paid for it (if you take care of it) and the same goes if you find you like riding and want to upgrade.

does walmart still let you buy the bike unasembled? they used to, you can probably do a much better job yourself then the people they hire to assemble them during the holidays

I'm no professional by any means and lack the experience of the rest of the forum, but I bought a Walmart bike this spring. It was the first bike I owned since I was in middle school. It served the purpose that I purchased it for, I was just looking for something to get to the gym and back (10 mile round trip) and quick trips downtown. I only used it for one summer, about 5 days a week and by the end of the summer I had a cracked stem.

However, I was glad I purchased it. Not having a bike for so long, it was good for me to get back into riding without a lot of up-front cost. When I realized how much I used and enjoyed it, I decided that I was going to upgrade and just picked up a new bike today.

does walmart still let you buy the bike unasembled? they used to, you can probably do a much better job yourself then the people they hire to assemble them during the holidays

The one that I purchased from told me that every bike they had in stock was assembled and on the floor. I wanted to buy it in a box and take it to the LBS, even if they did laugh me out of the store. I got the feeling that the worker just didn't want to go to the back to look though....

I breifly scanned the thread and you make it sound like he had no problems at all, but the bike required work after purchase to make it properly roadworthy, including immediately replacing the brakes and adjusting them to actually work. CigTech also complains about the derailleurs going out of adjustment after 50 miles, no matter how many times he adjusts them.

I don't doubt the Denali frame is decent, same could be true about this Schwinn. But the components are way low grade and will require much more upkeep than a newbie should be expected to handle

I did the same thing, with the same bike and rode it for several years. I still have it in fact.

It's not true that you can't keep the derailleurs adjusted, or that it (GMC Denalli from walmart or amazon) requires constant upkeep. The brakes are substandard, that's about it.

Problem is, some of these low end bikes have an oddball, cheap Chinese FW that you can't easily find a removal tool that fits. IF you can't remove the old one, a new doesn't do that much good.
IF you have to use "extreme means" to remove it, the bike should be avoided.This is what I meant. So crappily made, tool doesn't fit well. . you'll end up ruining your tool.

and too many of those cheap bikes have wheels with badly machined hub flanges that break spokes, and zinc or chrome plated cheap steel spokes that rust in a year or two, and sloppy badly pinned rims that catch the brakes and won't stay true.

I too bought a "Schwinn" cruiser a long time ago, made by the Chinese conglomerate that took over the Schwinn name only it came from a LBS in the 90's that sold the "upscale" Schwinn bikes. It was OK, and just that, OK. It was heavy and didn't shift real well, when shifting under moderate pedal pressure the shifter would skip and catch making it uncomfortable to ride, the brakes were pretty poor as well. I would throw the chain pretty regularly too. After taking it to the LBS a few times they finally said the frame was not straight and could not be fixed - hence the reason the chain would drop. That and the fact that the crank gear was warped. I rode it just a few times till I started riding in earnest spring of 2012, I started doing more than 100 miles a week and the aggravation of the chain skipping and coming off and the poor braking just really did it for me, I went to another LBS and bought a REAL bike, a Giant brand Sedona hybrid for about $500. What a difference! Smooth shifting, a LOT lighter, brakes well and the chain stays on.

This is just my experience, you may very well have a different experience and frankly for $250 for this Walmart "Schwinn" you really can't go wrong even if it turns out to be a dud you can ride it and determine if you really want to ride a lot or not. If it's not up to snuff you can donate it to some charity and get a better one. You really won't go broke buying it and then replacing it next year - if you can make it that long :) Who knows, you might just like it.

the issue is, a heavy walmart bike that doesnt shift worth anything or stop, may convince a new rider that they DONT want to get into riding, if the only experience you had on a bike was a pile of junk, you might think all bikes are like this

MEGA POST INCOMING

I expected plenty of haterade coming from this forum on a department store bike, but it's clear that most of the responders have never worked on or ridden the newer, mid-level Schwinns.




replace the tire... All the tires on these chinese bikes seem to be made out of some material that starts immedietly disetigrating
Any bike under $1,000 has parts which were made in China. Or Taiwan or Malaysia or whatever. Doesn't matter if it's a high-end name brand or a department store bike.

Anyway, about the tires, I'm averaging about 500 miles between flats on my bikes which came from department stores. CigTech loved his stock tires too, never flatted after thousands of miles, and was even trying on purpose to get them to flat by going through glass and stuff, just for laughs.

Usually the recent mid-level Schwinns have Kenda tires of some sort, by the way. Those are reputable enough in my book. Plenty of people are having good results with them, at least.



Once one gets into the new price range of $200 or more, he's getting really close to the used price of very decent used bikes.
True. In a sense, though, it's an apples-and-oranges comparison, because that's comparing a used bike to a new bike. And you can get a used mid-level Schwinn for like $50-$75.



[CigTech's] bike required work after purchase to make it properly roadworthy, including immediately replacing the brakes and adjusting them to actually work. CigTech also complains about the derailleurs going out of adjustment after 50 miles, no matter how many times he adjusts them.
He didn't replace the brakes, just adjusted the pad placement. If you keep reading the thread, the derailleur "settled in" and ended up working perfectly for him. BTW the midlevel Schwinns are way better in terms of parts than the Denali model he rode.

What I agree with you about is a department store bike needing work. The first thing I'd do is rip the whole thing apart, down to the bearings, and set everything up right. Which I'm pretty sure is the same thing Cig does on all his department store bikes, and the same thing I talked about in my first post.



[to replace] things like the rear cogs (almost always a 7 speed freewheel) you're SOL.
Why do you say that? Most midlevel Schwinns use a common 7-speed freewheel. You can a new one for less than $15. Or get a perfectly good used one from a co-op for $5.



Problem is, some of these low end bikes have an oddball, cheap Chinese [freewheel] that you can't easily find a removal tool that fits.
Recent midlevel Schwinns use freewheels made by DNP. You can also remove them with the standard Park FW-1 tool no problem. I assure you the DNP freewheels have all the little ramps and engineering goodies to improve performance and will shift perfectly well once the derailleur is set up right.

I know why you guys are scared of dept. store bike parts, but RELAX. I'm telling you, the newer midlevel Schwinns are good. The cones on the front wheel hubs use 13mm, the rear use 15mm, and the locknuts are 17mm. Just like most any other bike. The bottom bracket uses all the usual stuff with the exception of the adjustable cup taking the HCW-11 (http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Slotted-Bracket-Adjustable/dp/B000C14P1C/), which you can easily find a substitute for (e.g. 16mm cone wrench) if you want. It is all standard stuff.



So crappily made, [freewheel puller] tool doesn't fit well. . you'll end up ruining your tool.
I must live in a different universe then, cuz I've used my standard Park Tool FW-1 puller on plenty of midlevel Schwinns and everything's rosy.



If you have to replace anything, you won't be able to get parts. For instance, if your cassette (the gears on the rear wheel) break, you may end up having to buy a whole new rear wheel instead of just replacing the gears.... that kind of stuff.
FWIW, Pacific Cycle (which makes these bikes) has a good rep for customer service and will replace parts if needed. But you don't have to go through them, because you can put any freewheel you please on it.

I challenge you to tell me a part on this bike which couldn't be replaced, should it be warranted. But it shouldn't, if properly adjusted, because many of the parts are the same ones found on higher-end bikes from bike stores.



That bike has a low end suspension fork - So its a no no no.
It's an SR Suntour. You know, the same brand used on higher-end bikes like the Trek 8.2 Dual Sport. The 8.1 DS doesn't even have a suspension fork at all...



and too many of those cheap bikes have wheels with badly machined hub flanges that break spokes, and zinc or chrome plated cheap steel spokes that rust in a year or two, and sloppy badly pinned rims that catch the brakes and won't stay true.
I've read some of your posts here, and you might be surprised to learn that a lot of midlevel Schwinns use the same hubs that you, specifically, have on one of your very own bikes.



Having to deal with shifting issues is a MAJOR problem with the low end bikes...

the issue is, a heavy walmart bike that doesnt shift worth anything or stop, may convince a new rider that they DONT want to get into riding, if the only experience you had on a bike was a pile of junk, you might think all bikes are like this
They typically use Shimano Tourney derailleurs, and they work fine. The bikes shift perfectly when everything is set up right. I know, because one of my bikes is a dept. store bike, and it is a joy to shift. Also tuned plenty of others' bikes using the same hardware and it's all good. If you want to pay $50 more to save 30 grams on your derailleur, more power to you, but these components can work well and make sense for a lot of riders.

And don't look now, but midlevel Schwinns are creeping pretty close in weight to LBS bikes that run $200-$300 more. Try weighing comparable models sometime if you guys have the balls!

The more I read you guys' posts, the more I'm thinking buying a used hybrid is the better option. But I lack the knowledge of what's good/bad (and frankly it is not my interest either).

I'm going to figure out a way to find a local guy who knows what's what and get him to scour craigslist and point out which bikes to take on a test ride (and yes, I'm paying). There's a chance of getting scammed but the chance is 10x higher if I try this myself.

Thanks everyone

I started biking on a Walmart bike called the Next Avalon. Still have it. Beat the hell out of it doing jumps. For $100, it's a really good bike. Brakes stop real good. Just needs a tune-up once in a while and the chain makes a noise in 4th gear(binding?). Put 1500 miles on it and still runs great. I've since bought a Trek 4500, a Bianchi roadbike and a foldable but find this hybrid a good bike to relax in. I'd say if this bike fits you well, it's a good starting choice. It was the perfect bike for me when I still wasn't sure if I would like the sport and now that I like it, it's still a good all-rounder.

Whatever your choice, hope you'll like it!

I plan to ride only on the roads, mainly for exercise purposes. I'm 6'3" 180 lbs and prefer comfort over speed. I have a single speed folding bike and I just don't enjoy riding it anymore--the seat height I need for full leg extension forces me to bend forward, the handlebars are too narrow and below where I'd like, etc. Nowadays I think back fondly of when I had a cruiser bike that I LOVED to ride around town because of its comfortable, upright riding stance. I want that again, and if I can find a slightly faster bike that'll allow me to take a trip to the store to pick up a few small objects then its a bonus. But the comfort/enjoyment of riding is what I'm really after.

I would say I ride about 30 minutes per day / about 4 miles per day. I don't have any experience working on bikes and try to avoid that type of work wherever I can (I'm not the "hands on" type at all).
The short version: I think you should go to your local bike shop and get an entry-level ride from them. Ask to try several different bike models and see which feels best.

....

If you don't like to tinker with bikes, at least a little bit on occasion, then I don't think a Schwinn would be ideal for you. Those types of bikes need work, and for such a bike to work well for a beginner, you normally need someone who's willing to put in some "sweat equity" to get it set up right. There's a reason most of the other people are freaking out about the idea of you starting off with a department store bike; most of them are a wreck, in terms of adjustment, right from the get-go.

A bike shop can tune it for you, but you're looking at ~$75 for that. At that point, you're getting close to the cost of a higher-end model which is just going to come ready to roll anyway.

Another downside of the Schwinns, which comes into play for you, is that they are one-size-fits-most. And they're generally built for average-sized men. You are an unusually tall guy, and some of the Schwinn models are going to be too small for you. I haven't tried the model you linked to, so I can't speak about it.

If you really wanted a Schwinn with a bike shop tuneup, one of the ones you may want to consider might be the Trailway (http://www.target.com/p/schwinn-men-s-trailway-28-road-bike-gray/-/A-13241180). That's one of the few Schwinns potentially good for really tall riders like you. It's not a perfect match; the suspension fork and seatpost probably aren't good for road-only riding, and it has trail-y tires rather than road slicks. (But they're not knobby, which you should definitely stay away from.) The main plus is that everyone I can think of says the fit and feel of the bike is just damn comfortable. Not known for being a speedster, but not a heavy tank of a bike either. The handlebars are swept back just a bit for a touch of relaxed cruiser-y feel without being too much of a slowpoke.

...

But yeah, consider one of the entry-level models in a Trek, Giant, or Specialized. They make frames in different sizes, which is huge for you, and they make plenty of different models. You don't need disc brakes and all that fancy stuff, the basic versions are going to be awesome enough.

You can either ask Santa for a new one from a local bike shop, who should give you free adjustments and make sure it's set up right for you. Or you can go the used route. Craigslist can be great, or it can be full of pitfalls. You have to find just the right bike model, then the right frame size, then you have to travel and haggle over it, or the bike isn't as advertised, etc. Plus, as a beginner, you would need someone knowledgeable to help you know what to look for so you don't end up with a lemon, and you have very limited (or no) ability to try before you ride. Another good option is the Friend With Too Many Bikes who's looking to part with one, but not too many people have that kind of friend...

If you can afford it, I think the best route for you is to go to the bike shops in your area and see what they suggest. You'll have way less risk on a semi-large investment like a bike, and you'll get an awesome ride. Be choosy, play them against each other for best service. If some are acting like d-bags, bail - they're probably not the only game in town.

I think the real point is, you should plan to learn how to do a basic bicycle lube maintenance and adjustments, no matter what you get, unless its a proper bike store bike, and you're willing to pay for bicycle maintenance at said bicycle store.

when the weather dries out, I plan on pulling the bearings apart on my Specialized Globe Vienna and cleaning/lubing them (my bicycle workspace is outside, so its no fun in wet weather). Mine has a shimano sealed BB (came with a UN26 but I had to replace that when I put a different crankset on the bike, requiring a shorter axle, so I got a UN55), a shimano rear hub and a house noname front hub. I've already readjusted the shifters, they were close, but they still needed some tweaking. I need to tweak the tune on the rear wheel too, its got 1mm or so of side to side since I've ridden about 250miles since getting the bike (via ebay) this fall.

As a probably bad example... I bought my hybrid last summer from ebay for $350 (including shipping), it was a dealer floor bike, a 2010 Specialized Globe Vienna 02 that probably sold for $500 new. When it arrived, it was a virtually brand new bike, in the original box, with the wheels, pedals, handlebars, and seat removed, wrapped in foam cloth, and tiewrapped together in the box, all cables connected. I reassembled things, and it was in quite good adjustment, it had been assembled by the bikeshop staff and put on the floor to sit ignored for a year or two, before the shop decided to flip it on fleabay.

The bars were too high for me, and the fake rubber ergon-style grips had a tendancy to slip around the bars, so I ordered some ergon gp-3 handlebar grips, and used the straight bar off my old bike, and swapped this on. I took all the spacers out under the stem (except a 2mm keeper), ended up getting a 110mm stem instead of the stock 90mm, and flipped it as I wanted the bars much lower. I didn't care much for the stock plastic pedals, so I put some Wellgo BMX style 'pin' pedals on it that I scored from amazon or ebay for cheap. I got a bike speedo, lights, a rack, fenders, lock, water bottle.

The bike came with a 11-34 8 speed rear cassette. The main gears I was riding in were too far apart, so I got a 13-26 cassette (amazon) and installed it, wow, much nicer for the flats, and still plenty low enough gear for the hills I'd be climbing.

The cheap Tourney front gears were kind of noisy on this bike, so I got a all alloy Origin-8 'trekking' crankset, and put that on, which necessitated the aforementioned bottom bracket swap.

The stock Specialized Nimbus Flak Jacket 700x35 tires were rather leaden to ride on, so I got some Vittoria Hyper Randonneur 700x32 and installed them, which are much zippier, and feel generally better, more lively ride.

I've probably spent as much on accessories and upgrading as I did on the bike. I'll probably be getting a better front derailleur too, as the stock one is just cheap looking. Eventually, I want to get 36H wheels, with Deore hubs and good strong rims.

eeek, Gear Acquisition Syndrome. make it stop! :D

He didn't replace the brakes, just adjusted the pad placement

sorry, i meant he immediately replaced the brake pads

Hi everyone;

I'm more of a casual rider than an enthusiast. I like hybrids for their comfort and gearing (that most low end cruisers don't seem to have).

I'm considering this Schwinn bike sold by Walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=13398140&adid=BZV_SA_AA_1433473&expandQuestion=967537#BVQAWidgetID

Are there any parts in particular that I should watch closely or consider replacing?

Thanks

My advice would be to go and visit your local bike shop and see what is available, quality should be better and they should service what they sell.

At this time of year sales abound and you should be able to find some great deals.

as for the OP asked i bought the $200 version of that bike from walmart and the only 2 complaints i had was that rust set in pretty quick on the cheap chrome and a shifter cable broke within the first 2 years

I think the real point is, you should plan to learn how to do a basic bicycle lube maintenance and adjustments, no matter what you get, unless its a proper bike store bike, and you're willing to pay for bicycle maintenance at said bicycle store.

FTFY. Bikes are not that complicated;with the exception for building wheels or refurbishing an IGH,you only need basic tools and knowledge. I've fixed several bikes at my clinic that LBS's hadn't been able to successfully treat,not all shop mechanics are created equal. You never know when you may need to fix a bike in the field,and doing it yourself can save alot of money(and time,and frustration). Local co-ops/clinics,Sheldon's site,and the Maintenance forum here offer a wealth of info. Park Tool even has their entire book on-line(http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help).

in that section you lined out, I should have left out the , and emphasised the AND.

I know a few people who are stupid-rich, and willfully ignorant about all things mechanical, they buy new $6000 bikes every year or two, and have the bike shops do everything, up to and including cleaning/lubing the chain weekly. the bike shop loves them (and laughs when the guy leaves with his precious). I'm half surprised these guys don't trade their cars in when they need an oil change.

If they are like my Dad was, they probably trade their cars in every year or two as well. Also, I think they have techs change the oil (and top it off) for them, just like for their bikes! :)

Is there a bike co-op in or near your town? Great source of info, advice, and often used bikes. Ask them what they do with donated department store bikes. Worth their weight in scrap steel, they are.

Buy an assembled Walmart bike, roll it out to the parking lot, roll it back in to the customer service center, and point out that it doesn't fit in your car assembled so you must return it or try to fit an unassembled box in the trunk. They'll find a box for you.

Someone at the Elk Grove Walmart knows how to assemble bikes so that they aren't deathtraps. Doesn't seem to be the only person working on bikes there, since we did have to hunt the racks for those that were ready to roll, but a tip of the hat to at least one assembler. The beater bike is aging fast but that's due to its components and not idiocy.