Originally Posted by
bgriego
There are a couple reasons I want to get a different bike. First off there is nothing "wrong" with the bike I have now. Everything works great. I was wanting to get a bike that is inexpensive and falls more in line with the type of riding I am doing. I was thinking of a hybrid because the majority of my riding time is on the road and a little is dirt roads. I also wanted to upgrade from having a frame that is steel. I just bought my daughter a cruiser and was amazed at how light it was compared to my bike. It has an aluminum frame. I started looking at the other bikes at walmart and noticed the same. I'd like to have a lighter bike that is more in line with the type of riding I do. The Murray I have now has a steel frame and no suspension. So, with all that in mind I had it narrowed down to the ones I had selected. I am leaning toward a hybrid. I figured I would try to find any information on the bikes I had it narrowed down to before I just went out and got the one I was leaning towrd the most (700c Schwinn Pathway Comfort Bike Walmart $287.00). Again, any and all info is appreciated.
Honestly, when you take your own weight into consideration, 5-10 extra pound of bike doesn't make a whole lot of difference. A non-suspension steel MTB is actually a reasonable choice for city commuting--just put on some slick tires (around 1.5" wide) for more consistent traction on pavement, maybe some fenders for the rain, and you're good to go, assuming you're not going to do any extreme off-roading. In the $300 price range, I'm not sure that suspension makes the bike better. I'd sooner see that money going into better components in other areas of the bike, for better durability. However, front suspension does smooth out road buzz pretty nicely so unless you're out there time-trialling every day on your commute it's not a big deal one way or the other. Whether aluminum frames are actually an upgrade compared to steel is the subject of considerable (almost on the verge of theological) debate.
That said, since you've already bought the Schwinn, the Murray will make a decent backup bike.
And the most important thing is the engine, so keep riding!
