seagullplayer

I bought a used Schwinn two weeks ago and I really like it, I'm not sure how old it is, but it rides very well and everything works good. I consider the craftmanship pretty good, at least it is the best bike I have yet to own.
I have been looking for a bike for my wife, she wants a Schwinn, because she likes mine. And remembers them as a kid in the 70's.

Neither of us have ridden in years, like 20 plus years. But we really want to do a little riding together. It will not be every week, but as often as we can get away. I have been looking at a few used bikes, and talked to a couple of people on the phone, I thought I wanted to buy a used bike in good shape like mine. But I checked out a couple of new Schwinns in a local department store tonight on the way home, I thought they looked pretty good. But I hear a lot of people saying not to buy bikes from Wal-mart or K-mart. But I am not seeing that much difference in the older used bikes and these new ones, and price wize new looks pretty good.

What am I missing? I don't know much about bikes, but I know we will not be hard on them, no "off road" or rough riding. I can't imagine putting 100 miles a year on them at this point. Am I going to regret a "lower end" (High Timber)Schwinn from a department store?

Thanks,

HopliteGrad

I am a relative newcomer to the biking scene, but as I understand it, the quality of department store schwinns is not good, since the company was bought by Pacific several years ago. Bikes before that, like yours, are probably decent quality. The concern is that the money you save at a department store will be required for repairs on the shoddy construction and components. Instead, consider looking for another vintage Schwinn for your dear wife.

Robert Foster

To be honest for as few miles as you plan on putting on it wouldn’t make a lot of difference who or where you got your bike. The bigger problem would be with assembly problems. You would be taking just as much of a chance with a used bike unless you knew the person selling the bike. I don’t know how much you are planning on spending or rather how much they charge but remember you will more than likely have to get it serviced at a Local Bike Shop. But for 100 miles a year it doesn’t make much difference.

StephenH

Not a cheap Schwinn specifically, but on my $100 mountain bike, shifting was always iffy and just about couldn't be adjusted "right", brakes got progressively worse until they were scary, and the two times I took it off the pavement, I bent wheels.

deraltekluge

Another problem with the department store bikes is that they are commonly "one size (doesn't quite) fit all". I've also noticed that the models you see in the department store often aren't listed on the maker's website...are they ashamed of them?

Nightshade

Spot on advice!


Generally......Old schwinn = good! New schwinn= chinese junk!

HandsomeRyan

Did someone say Chinese junk?

joe_5700

On this forum you will find many "snobs" who insist on getting a bike from your local bike shop. I would be guilty of telling you to get a better bike if it wasn't for your quote above. A Schwinn Ranger mountain bike from Target got me back into biking and for $139.00 it was a great bike for months of riding over hundreds of miles. I was lucky that whoever assembled the bike at Target knew what they were doing. This is generally not the case when you buy a department store bike. Bikes with cheaper componenets generally require more adjust to the derrailers. Having the lower end bike for a while will make you appreciate a better built bike with better components. Hopefully you will get the biking sickness and want to do 100 miles a week rather than a year. Then, you should take a look at a Hybrid like a Trek 7000 series as an example of many options out there.

bengreen79

I have a Schwinn (Pacific) High Timber like you're looking at. I've put around 500 miles on it with no problems so far. It is heavy (40+ lbs) and the brake pads will need to be replaced in another couple hundred miles but I don't regret buying it.

dguest

I too, am one that started on a SCHWINN Ranger from Target, I would not have started riding if it was not for these so called Mass Market low priced bikes. Both me and my wife bought them and we ride about 50 miles every weekend and usually 10 miles a day 2 to 3 days a week. We have ordered new Specialized bikes but would not have even started if we had to spend 600 or up just to see if we liked it.

Robert Foster

A lot has changed in 20 years. Many of the name brand manufacturers simply don’t make their own bikes. Giant seems to and some others but Schwinn is not one of them. Many people however who only ride once in a while have enjoyed their new Schwinns.

The best bike to buy is one you will ride no matter who makes it.

AdrianFly

This topic has been done to death and I've had mixed opinions about it all summer.

Ultimately, Joe_5700 nailed it perfectly.


A Huffy 18speed Mtn bike from Shopko GOT ME back into biking as well. (Bought new in '96)

Took it in the woods and bent the rims, handlebars and front sprocket the first day. Took it back home.. dabbled with it to get things as proper as possible again and went for another ride. I just learned what the limitations of the bike were. These days it's an Icebike with Nokians. So you see, it never ended up in the trash heap.. it just switched it's job.

However, doesn't change the fact it's a heaping pile of crap.

joe_5700

On my ride yesterday I spotted what appeared to be a discarded Mongoose mountain bike in a ditch. There was a sponsored bike ride that took place on the road the day before. I wonder if someone got tired of their heaping pile and chose to leg it instead? I decided not to trade "up", so I kept going. I can remember when I was a young yute in the mid 80's and BMX bikes were priced in the $400's or more. I remember Redline, Mongoose, Schwinn and Cyclepro being high quality back then.

Mr Danw

I have a Schwinn Sierra from a bike shop.
Nice ride, decent components, I cant complain. I have been told it is different from a department store Schwinn. Go to a bike shop and get her fitted anyway.

bakerjw

When I went looking for a road bike, I went to a couple of the local bike shops. I had no interest in dumping $1,000.00+ into a road bike that I may not be riding next year. I was just getting back into riding and it may not stick.

The local Schwinn dealer has helped me with parts and advice as I rebuilt a recovering from a wreck Diamondback so I stopped in there. He had a Schwinn Circuit that he had assembled. It was an XL frame which in hindsight might be a tad large for me, but i am 6' and at the time was 240 pounds. I picked it up for $525.00 and love it. The components are not the top of the line, but it rides well and next week will pass the 1,000 mile mark.

Now, next year, I will be picking up a composite Fuji or Cannondale as by then I will physically capable of putting it to best use. But I will always keep my Schwinn.