Please indulge me and let me share this experience. 15 years ago, 50 years old, 240 lbs.
I bought four Schwinn Hybrids for me and my family for trail biking and a Schwinn road bike. That added up to about $4,000 which was a significant expense for me then. Why Schwinn? I did not know any better and I thought it was the Chevy of the USA bike industry. (this is before BF)
The above purchase and biking experience was a disaster. The rotary gear shifts were a constant aggravation. The rolled wheel rims had a shallow curvature which made the inner tube and tire move while going around curves resulting in flats at least one a week (low pressure tires). The Schwinn road bike was a joke. It was more in the shop who sold it to me than anything else. I had no clue what was wrong. In utter frustration I bought a Trek Hybrid 7700. Problems solved. I learned that those Schwinn's were not suitable for 240 lbs guy. Nobody had the nerve to tell me. I had to learn it the hard way.
Next, I bought a $3,000 Cannondale. Great shifting Ultegra, no flats, fast. Unbelievably harsh ride, one size to big for me, hard to control the ride, unsafe going downhill fast (the LBS got rid of a bike they had in stock. They are no longer in business).
So here we are, another $2,400 (with tax) Trek Madone. The difference? Night and day.
I just hate to see a Newbie going too cheap and get turned off on biking permanently. Believe me, I was and I am seriously p*ssed about Schwinn.