gpeters

I have not own a bike in about 4 years or so and now have decided to get back in to cycling

I want to buy a brand name bike for both my wife and myself.

As a kid I used to have a Shwinn bike and love it. I have looked at buying a Shwinn bike again but I'm interested in looking at a few other brand names in the same range as Shwinn. We will cycle for recreation and family.

My budget is $500 to $1000 per bike

What other brand names should I look at? Thanks for the help in advance

BruceHankins

Schwinn is a store brand now owned by dynacraft. For the $500-$1000 range you could probably get a really nice trek, specialized, Fuji, cannondale very easily used. Aluminum, cf, or steel. Steel and aluminum you may get mid to upper level bikes for that price. Also check out Motobecane, Bianchi, or Colnago. Depending on what you choose, steel, Al or Ti you can buy new at the upper level of components. Used CF can be had for that price and a used Colnago too.

https://www.bikesdirect.com

gpeters

I'm by no means an expert in bikes....what does CF mean. Is that another material instead of steel or Aluminum?

Trek800Antelope

I think carbon fiber

Yo Spiff

I have a couple of Schwinns, but they are 80's and 90's era bikes. Though they do still make a line of higher quality bikes for sale in bike shops, most of the Schwinns these days are department store bikes. That being said, if someone wanted to buy one from a dept. store, it's a superior choice to the Huffy or Roadmaster sitting on the rack next to it.

Trek and Specialized seem to have pretty much replaced Schwinn in the larger bike stores as the name everyone knows. In my household we have a Trek, 2 Schwinns, A Bianchi, Miyata and a new Specialized.

Yo Spiff

I thought they were owned by Pacific?

erg79

What kind of bike are you looking for? Hybrids, something comfortable to ride? Flat bars? Trek is one of the biggest brands out there. Giant and Jamis are two companies who don't have the same name recognition as Trek or Specialized, but they make some great flat bar hybrids that many on here love. I have a Jamis Coda, a steel flat-handlebar hybrid, and I love it. I also really enjoyed riding the Giant Escape, but decided to go with the Jamis. Many on here are big fans of the Giant Escape line.

What's most important is finding a bike you feel comfortable on and one you'll look forward to riding. You have to get out there and try some different bikes. When you find one you like, you'll know it.

cplager

I thought there were a few different companies licensed to use the Schwinn name (??)...

This.

Ignore brand name, it's almost completely meaningless. Components matter, but in your price range, you should be fine with pretty much any option.

I do recommend against suspension forks if you are spending most of your time on the road.

MRT2

I ride a Salsa, my backup is an old Bianchi hybrid. My wife rides a Jamis, and her backup is a Trek bybrid. My son rides a Trek mountain bike, though sometimes he borrows my Bianchi.

GeorgePaul

Giant, Trek, Specialized.

gpeters

I will be doing light trails and for a bike that is comfortable to ride. I think a hybrid is not meant for trails...correct?

I will cycle for recreation with my family.

GeorgePaul

Depends on the particular hybrid. A hardtail mountain bike would be fine for light trail riding.

coast2coast

For that price you can get a really nice Fuji 9 or 10 speed Sportif road bike. $700-1100

RaleighSport

Just a little clarity, Schwinn is indeed owned by dynacraft now, however they offer two lines a Box Store one, and a Bike Store one, not many stores carry the higher end ones but you can get a pretty good bike for a good price that way still. Just a little food for thought.

gpeters

I'm looking for bikes here https://www.bikesdirect.com/

Are they really up to 60% off? Has anyone ever bought a bike on the site?

BruceHankins

CF is carbon fiber. You can't go too wrong with a nice motobecane from there. 105/ultegra groups are awesome tiagra is good too.

Almost any hybrid will be fine fortrails, you'll want to look for one with tires that are 700c x 32, 35, or even 40 mm. Don't get sucked in by suspension. A rigid frame is just fine and most suspension bikes are more trouble than its worth.

What kind of trails? Dirt, gravel, mountain or paved bike path types? If its paved you'll want to get a smoother tread and not knobby tires. The bike paths I ride with my family isn't the best, some rough spots, potholes, gravel and grass to go through, but I ride them with a '89 Kuwahara road bike no problem. I have some Kevlar lined tires not for puncture resistance but they are still smooth enough for me to take out on the road when I want to ride for a good bit.

Spld cyclist

I have, and have had positive experiences. However, bikesdirect and other online retailers work out best when you know what you want. That means you should have a really good idea of the size and style of the bike. It may be expensive and bothersome to return them, depending on the return policy of the retailer.

Bikesdirect mostly sells bikes that are only available through Bikesdirect. They have purchased the trade names of some older brands that have gone out of business. For example, they sell Motobecane and Dawes-branded bikes, but those original companies are long gone. That said, some of their bikes are excellent, and available much cheaper than comparable bike-store bikes. They also carry some close-outs or overstocks of bikes you could otherwise find in local bike shops. Schwinn is one such brand they sell sometimes.

Online bikes come in varying states of assembly. If you don't know how to assemble a bike, it might be a good idea to take it to a local bike shop and pay them to assemble it. Different bike shops will charge different amounts for that service, and some may not do it at all. It's best to call ahead.

MRT2

Have you changed your mind mid thread?

FrenchFit 

+1. Though I don't own one and will probably never will, I tell relatives to go buy a Giant. Lots of value of the money, huge company. If they are ready to spend some real money, I'll send them to a Specialized dealer.

rebel1916

Really? You can get a Ti bike with top shelf components for under a G? Hell, or even a Al bike with top shelf for that price? This is amazing. Where, pray tell, do you shop? Because I can't imagine you just "invented" these facts...

no1mad 

Could've sworn it was Dorel, which owns GT, Mongoose, Sugoi, and Cannondale.

RaleighSport

I could have sworn it was pacific to be honest but I was just going along with what was already said since I didn't really care who the mother company was. But being as your link quite clearly shows the schwinn logo as owned by Dorel, I'd say now dorel owns them. I've never heard of Sugoi before that I recall, and the Cannondale thing caught me off guard.. jebus.. that's a very interesting brand line up, thanks for the info.

no1mad 

OP, unless you are confident in your own mechanical skills, have some tools, and comfortable on sizing both you and your wife just by interpreting some numbers on a geometry chart, you will be better off just finding a LBS that you like and buying from them.

DX-MAN

Schwinn is still a Pacific Cycle entity, and Pacific is owned by Dorel, a Canadian children's furniture company.

Dynacraft makes many 'Next' bikes for Walmart, and Magna for Target.

From Dynacraft's website:https://www.dynacraftbike.com/brands.php

BruceHankins

Rebel1916 I meant used. And yes you can find early 90s or mid 90s high level bikes used in good condition for that price.