Originally Posted by
Leebo
Where to start, a 40 yr old cheap bike and a new aluminum cheap bike. Try a Surly something, start there. I weigh more than you. I find stuff breaks as well. Rims, BB's and frames as well. Try a good steel frame and/or a 29er hardtail. I have a Surly 1x1, a crosscheck and a karate monkey. All have take loads of used and abuse and has fared well.
Hello fellow bike wrecker/clydesdale! Thanks for the reply.
The aluminum frame was replaced free under warranty with a carbon fiber. Haha, probably not what you'd recommend, but I didn't really have a choice and it was free.
I wouldn't classify either as cheap, but certainly far from the best. The Continentals have a reputation for being durable due to the all-steel frame (I obviously can't attest to that however). Keep in mind this is the Chicago-Schwinn, not the Chinese Walmart bikes you see today. The Diamondback is a $1200 Raleigh frame with ultegra/105 groupset.
That being said, they are entry-level bikes (not mid to high level), so you could be right about my problem being the bikes themselves.