Inpd

So I was in target the other day and came across this bike https://www.target.com/p/schwinn-men-...rm=hybrid+bike I thought it must weight 40 pounds and sure enough the website says its 46 pounds! That's 46 pounds of smooth velvety steel.

Can anyone top that?

I'm curious is there absolutely any reason to have a heavy bike? Perhaps for stability whilst touring?

Jeremy_S

That's gotta be shipping weight, I cannot fathom that bike weighing 46 lbs. I mean I had an all mountain 5" travel full suspension bike that could be hucked off anything on the trail and it weighed 27 lbs. I think my first cheap walmart road back 30 years ago only weighed like 32 lbs and it was solid as hell.

If it IS 46, the only benefit I see is growing hulk like thighs if you ride it any distance.

Inpd

It was a really heavy bike. All those fenders and add ons were pretty sturdy. Even if its shipping weight the shipping stuff is at most 5 pounds so its still a 40+ pound bike.

HardyWeinberg

My 15# roadbike came in 10# of packaging (25 total) so I bet this bike has more than 10# of material.

HardyWeinberg

I have 2 road-esque bikes that exceed 30#, they have their moments and bonuses, especially to do w/ ease of toting massive panniers.

Jeremy_S

Inpd it's not that I'm doubting you that it was a ridiculously heavy bike, I'm just seriously mind blown if it is not a shipping weight because that's an insane number to me.

It's all relative though as to what's heavy and what isn't. For an aluminum fs bike mine was a feather weight, but after 2.5 months hanging up in the closet while the great Texas flood took place and me only riding a 16# road bike, when I pulled it back out it felt like a Sherman tank when it reality it's very light for its class.

Inpd

This bike was definitely about 40 pounds. I compared it some Schwinn bikes near by that weren't exactly lightweight and this was much much heavier.

Dave Cutter

It's a typo. I checked the shipping and Estimated Ship Weight: 43.5 pounds

Canker

Had a Schwinn Varsity from the late 70s that weighed 38lbs. Bought it for $25 thinking I would use it to ride back and forth to work but never did. Got it working and it just sat in my room for months before I just gave it away.

cale

I have vivid memories of receiving a brand new Schwinn Collegiate in 1971. I remember the tacky clear plastic tape, the integrated kick stand, and the shifter on the stem. Funny, I don't remember the weight. Okay, that last part could be because I moved to WA state where new forms of legal intoxication have been known to cause temporary memory loss! JK It was a beast!

stevel610 

My lightest bike is @ 21 pounds. Next 24#. Three others in the mid 30's. No issues with heavy bikes. Except for the 2 35# (Novara Safari's with Seat Bags with tools) each of the others experiences flex when I push hard going up hills.

BillyD

Builds character.







Also muscles.

alexaschwanden

I have a 53 pound Scott Aspect 730 mountain bike with rack and two panniers full of stuff that i ride 50-100 miles a day, why because i can.

Up North

Mine weighs 225# every day with me on it

indyfabz

No.

sced

Cheap bike to get more exercise per mile - no down side so long as you can keep it tuned up.

My bro-in-law's SO has a girls bike something like it and I tuned it up for her. It's an inherently non-precision thing, but when I last saw her she made a point of saying how much better it was working and how much she has enjoyed it.

merlinextraligh

It may actually weigh 46 lbs. Back in the day a Schwinn Varsity weighed 38lbs. Compared to a Varsity, they're both steel frames ( although this one appears to be TIG welded) Its got the one piece Ashtabula crank, which is a true boat anchor, and requires a heavy bb shell. Add the rack, the extremely heavy seat, fenders, chainguard, that thing might weigh 40 plus pounds.

RPK79

My wife had a HEAVY Schwinn city bike for awhile that she was using to commute back and forth to work with. I picked her up a few times and rather than lift that beast into the car opted to ride it home (one mile) instead. My willowy cyclist arms can't handle that much weight.

FBinNY 

Regardless of the actual weight, it is a heavy bike. And there's no advantage to being heavy for most purposes, except for cost. Low alloy steel isn't as strong, so more needs to be used making bikes heavier. That and added items like fenders and racks. OTOH-it's a bit of an apples and oranges question because you have to compare weights of comparably equipped bikes.

I added the for most purposes after saying no advantage, because bicycles specially built for heavy duty applications need to be stronger, and all other things being equal that means using more steel (or whatever material is used).

Johnny Mullet

Roadies call mine heavy even though it's 29 lbs.............

Fldaves

I remember getting a 'hand me down' Schwinn Panther bike back in the late seventies that had to have weighed some 45 lbs.

jerrycan42

I believe that bike is made with rod steel, not tubing.

HTupolev

Why not? It's a cheap department store bike likely made out of low-quality steel (thus very thick tubes/piping needed to get reasonable strength), with all kinds of extras thrown on.

If your reference point is CF and aluminum, or even half-decent vintage steel made from butted chromoly tubing, you need to adjust your expectations.

Sidney Porter

I don't know if I would call the bike in the original picture a road bike. I would call it a city bike. Benefits of a heavy bike? That bike has fenders and a rack which adds weight so I would think that is a benefit.

I have a bike that looks similar to that bike. I have never weighed it. But I assume it is 33-35lbs. It has steel wheels, I have thought of building AL wheels for it. That should drop a few lbs. It is my errand running bike. It no longer has the 80's generator lights and speedometer. It is comfortable to ride although gearing is not great going up hills but that seems to be a product of the 80's 2x5 52/42 x14-28

delcrossv

My old Schwinn Suburban tops 40 lbs. It's been a garage queen since the 90's.