My first ride..
 

Well, I just got back home from my first ride of any real distance, a whopping FIVE miles round trip! :innocent: In all seriousness though, it was still nice. I'm in the Cleveland, Ohio area and we've got the nice metropark system with plenty of MUPs and quiet streets to ride on.

I mentioned in the last thread I started that my current bike is a Schwinn Ranger from Target. It held up decently, but the derailleurs and shifters really need adjusting. I was in 21st (3x7) the entire ride since dropping to any lower gear just doesn't work. The chain slips when I'm in a lower gear, or it just plain doesn't shift at all. The brakes also need adjusting, but the section I rode on didn't have any significant grades so it wasn't as big of a worry as it normally would.

It also brought to the front just how much more out of shape than I thought I was. I didn't feel like I was about to keel over and die or anything, and probably could've kept going, but having to be in the highest gear the entire time didn't do much for my overall energy level. Combine that with my overall fitness level and it felt like a much longer ride than it really was.

Unfortunately I think I'm going to have to stick with the Targetbike for a while. I've been vetoed on picking up something more suitable by the boss. She's right though, financially it just doesn't work right now. We did make a pact however; when I get to my ideal weight, (about 200lbs) she said I could get the bike I want... little is she aware that I may just come home with some carbon fiber speed demon. :lol:

Is it worth taking my Targetbike over to the shop and see if they'd even give it a look over to try and sort out some of the issues with the shifting and brakes, or should I just buy a book and try to do it myself? It doesn't seem economically intelligent to bring the bike over to the shop and end up paying 1/3rd of its price just in having it looked over and tuned up....any thoughts?

Thanks for reading everyone!

Congrats!! Welcome to the addiction :D.

For a tuneup, I think really all you need is to have the rear derailuer adjusted. That runs $10 here, at the expensive shop, so I think it shouldn't be too bad for you. Pick up a bottle of chain lube, and ask them their opinon on the brakes. Then work on the boss to let you get something else :)

Really though, I started riding a 10 year old Raleigh MTB that was barely rideable, but I had no idea. I just rode and rode, when something broke I replaced it (which was often). Once I hit the $100 I decided that it was time, and bought a $350 bike that has been the second most reliable I've owned.

For now, just ride and work up to what you would like.

Best of all, just mount up. C/L in your area might yield some amazing finds. I see middle of the road Trek Hybrids and Specialized all over the place in NE and these are great finds. The condition may vary, many serious people post pics of their bikes so if it looks like trash just move on. A tune up and once over shouldn't be more that 50 bucks or so, so it's still cheaper than a new bike, even though it's kind of a new bike. Bike fit and comfort are big deals as im coming to learn, and different saddle, tire, or grip can make a night/day difference in how you feel when you get back off. Some cheap wicking shirts and a pair of shorts to 'hold the boys' could do you wonders as well as you get to longer distances.

ebay or graigslist.. for a new bike asap. but in the mean time take you taget bike to an LBS for a tune up.

If you're a bit handy with tools, here's a link yo adjust your derailleurs.
http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp?catid=53

Don't expect to get an xmart bike "perfect".

Second there. You can't get much decent out of something that wasn't made to be decent to begin with. I'm definitely seeing that with my starter bike (used bike, found out later was from X-Mart) - it's been to two LBSes and still is as bad as it was to start. Not unless you start replacing parts for better ones wholesale. And if you start doing that, you might as well just buy the better bike to start with.

Thanks for that link. I'm not expecting perfection, maybe just a measure of normal functionality.. :rolleyes:

Even just those 5 miles took the wind out of my sails, having to ride in max gear the whole way. I'm not about to start changing parts on it, I'd rather put that money somewhere useful, like a fancy new Specialized Tricross... :love:

I'm doing the same route again tomorrow, if it's not raining too much, so we'll see if it's any easier!

My first ride...
 

So, an update. I went out again on the same small loop that I rode yesterday. Yesterday it was just myself and my fiancee's mom, this time it was all three of us. We were doing well up until the 2.5 mile point where my fiancee was just DYING from the ride.

We're all pretty out of shape, so that was the first thing we thought. So, it was her first ride in a long while, but she's not THAT out of shape, and she used to ride all the time. So we stop about half-way back to the starting point to take another breather, when I start thinking to myself that something was just not right. She had the 'women's' version of my bike, but she's a tall girl (we have about the same inseam, I'm just taller up top than she is) so I had her ride my bike and what a HUGE difference it made.

She was FLYING from that point on with barely any effort. Naturally I was on her bike at that point and wow, the difference in energy use to get from one place to the other was enormous. I was huffing and puffing like there was no tomorrow by the time I got back to the car. Her mother was pretty sure that it was not an issue with the bike, but I think the difference was illustrated pretty dramatically by then.

So to anyone out there thinking of buying something used, or 'just settling', make SURE the bike FITS! It seems like it would be common sense, but I get the feeling that for the average joe and jane out there, a bike is just a bike. After today, I know now that it very much isn't.

Safe riding everyone!

That's a good lesson. You wouldn't buy pants that didn't fit, so why do people buy bikes that don't fit? It just means they won't ride the bike. Can your fiancee exchange the bike?

Luckily we were able to. It's another bike from Target, but it seems slightly better put-together overall. We're still in the process of deciding which she likes better... mine or the new one. I think the new one fits me a little better, and my current one fits her a little better. Time will tell!

More Updates
 

More updates for anyone still reading this...

It feels like something has backfired on me. More on that later. We all went out for another ride last night about 8:30ish. We made it it a little shorter than before since it was getting dark pretty rapidly, but all three of us (myself, my fiancee, and her mother) were basically just zombie-ing out on the couch in our respective homes so my fiancee made the decision that we were going for a ride.

Well, this gave us a chance to check out her NEW Targetbike. We took the old Women's model back and right on the verge of leaving try out this hybrid-style, also from Schwinn. After a quick 'feeler' down the aisles of the store, we decide to give this one a whirl. It's a good $70 more than the old one, skinnier tires, slightly bigger wheels, etc.

So previously to this evening ride, I take the new bike up to the local hardware place looking for a washer that was conveniently left out of the packaging of a new shower head that we also bought from Target... but enough about that. The bike felt decent, it shifted relatively well, brakes were ok, and it was somewhat comfortable. The problem with this is that the hardware store is likely not even 0.1 miles from my house.

After getting out to the Metroparks where we've been riding, she takes my bike (the "mountain bike", funnily enough that the manual says NOT to take offroad) and I take the new one. Boy is it AWFUL. Something just felt completely wrong. The gearing felt off, the handlebars were hard and uncomfortable, the seat was just blah. My hands actually felt numb after having ridden it, something that I've not had a problem with up until then. I was going along as hard as I could on that new bike and just couldn't keep up with her riding the other one. At the turn-around point we swap and now it's MY turn to leave her in the dust...kidding. I rode along behind her for most of the trip back, constantly on my brakes because my bike just has so much more speed in it for so much less effort. The decision is made that this bike was not nearly worth the asking price ($220, approaching LBS bike territory), and that it will be returned.

Back to the original statement: we get home and start looking online at what's out there, and I now get the sneaking suspicion that the fiancee will be getting a Trek 7.2 FX or something similar very soon. They run about $460 down over at the LBS who sells Trek/Specialized/Cannondale, and there's the possibility of looking at some Giants at the other shop around here.

So here I am... after having been vetoed on buying a new bike and nearly getting into an argument over it, it seems the one who did the vetoing might be getting a new bike BEFORE me! :roflmao2: :lol: :) :twitchy: :cry: The upside though, is when the time comes for my turn, I basically have carte blanche to come home with whatever I please. :D :D

I'm sorry that you are having these problems. It's probably not the 220 dollar Schwinn that's the problem - it's the Varsity, correct? - as the store's failure to properly set up the bike. One point I don't see mentioned enough is that when you buy from a bike shop, you not only get the bike, you get the shop standing behind the bike. There's a horror story playing out on this forum right now about one shop's failure to stand behind the bike, and it's getting so much attention because it's so rare an event.

" I was going along as hard as I could on that new bike and just couldn't keep up with her riding the other one. "
Was the brake dragging on the rim?
Check your brakes each time you start riding.

I'm sure a lot of issues can be resolved just by having the bike onced-over a few hundred times to get everything set up properly. :p I'm not sure if it's the Varsity or not, it doesn't have any model branding on it, and I haven't gone to do any real digging to see what it is. The experience of riding it even just 2.5 miles was so off-putting to both of us though that I don't think any amount of tuning will make either of us like it.

As for the other thread, I've been reading that one (I'm guessing you meant "Heard back from Trek..." by kar33m?) and it's terrible that he's been having such issues. I haven't really gotten a feel for the people in the shops around here yet so I'm not sure how things will work out in that regard. It has been kind of sitting in the back of my mind that we just might, in a sense, end up with a $500 Targetbike that we bought from an LBS. I think its just me being paranoid, but it's still something to consider.

Edit: Yeah, we checked the brakes and they had the right clearance from the rim. Not sure if it was just a difference in gearing or what was up. It didn't feel at all like I was riding against the brakes (like the feeling of riding a stationary bike), it just felt slow and kind of unwieldy.

Most folks work in the bike industry because they love it. It's not an easy way to earn a living. While there are bad bike shops out there, the odds are the bike shop you buy from will sell you a good bike and see you are satisfied with your purchase. Target will just replace the bike, and have whoever is available in Garden Supplies or Woman's Shoes put it together for you. :)

Whatever you do to address the shifting issue, do it quickly. Going out and buying a book and figuring it out (or looking at the stickies on the mechanics forum) is great, if you're going to be able to buckle down and do it soonishly. Otherwise, yes, take it to a shop. You need a rideable bike and you don't have weeks and weeks to goof around with it.

When we do go to buy her bike, I'll bring mine in with it and have them do the adjustments and whatnot. It's certainly not inspiring to ride as is, especially with the brakes being so soft... feels like they aren't there almost. :eek:

I think getting to know your various LBSs is a good idea, even if you don't bring the bike in for tuning now. At some point down the road, you're going to want to tune it up, or need a repair, or eventually want to upgrade to a "better" bike (or need modifications to one you nab from Craigslist), and you'll definitely want to know which LBS is the one for you. Different LBSs have different characters, i was lucky to find one that is very serious about biking, but also extremely accepting, friendly, and Clyde-positive.

And don't sweat the "I can only do 5 miles!" thing either. My first time back out (after 15 years of not riding), I only managed 4. Now after only a month or so i'm up to 10 miles w/o getting 'blown'. And remember, it's not really about the distance. If you enjoy doing 5 mile rides and they give you a workout, then rock the 5 mile ride =)

Check out the Leonard Zinn books on bike maintenance or the park tools website for tutorials on bike maintenance (or search BF for how-tos). Adjusting derailleurs can be a PITA, especially if you've never done it before, but that's mostly because you probably don't have fancy cable pullers, a bike stand, etc. so all the bending over and contorting makes it seem more difficult than it is. You can adjust them with pliers and a philips head screwdriver.

I returned to cycling on a $40 Craig's List MTB, then "upgraded" to a dumpster-find Schwinn road bike (the 35 lb. version) and was finally ready to spring for a new road bike. Lots of "discussions" with my dear wife over the high cost of decent road bikes and I finally settled for an entry-level Schwinn on sale for $500 at Performance Bike Shop (I have to admit, it is a really nice bike for the money and will make a good commuter for me once I decide it's time to upgrade).

So it's time for HER to get a new road bike (she was also on an old Schwinn 35 pounder) and, after trying all the entry-level stuff, test rides a Fuji Finest 1.0 ($1,600 list price) and decides it is the one for her. She is very happy with all 20 lbs. of it and, needless to say, my next bike will need to be AT LEAST that nice without the need for a lot of "discussion". :thumb:

So today we go out to return the second Targetbike that we bought and stop by the LBS that she had a good experience with the last time she bought a bike (about 10 years ago). We ended up walking out with a Trek 7.2 FX... FOR HER! I rode it a short bit and it seems like a really solid bike. It's refreshing to ride something that shifts properly, brakes properly, feels GOOD, so it makes me more excited for when it's MY turn. I've fully prepared her for the reality of me coming home someday with a $2800 Specialized Tricross. :lol: She has no room to complain after chastising me for wanting a new bike, and her ending up getting one before me. :D

The internertz demands pics!

The 7.2 should do fine for her for quite some time.
You can find tons of videos on youtube for everything from brake and derailleur adjustment to changing a flat. Watch them a couple of times until it makes sense and then give it a shot. I have a 7.3 FX and it wasn't shifting all that swift so i watched a couple of videos and decided to tackle it. Now, it shifts like butta and I'm quite impressed with myself! Brake adjustment is even easier. It's just cable tension--not exactly brain science. You can do this!
Definitely keep a watch on craigslist. You can find really good bikes on there for little dough. You just have to be quick--the good buys seem to be jumped on right away.

My new job is right next to the bike shop :innocent:, so I'm thinking of shoving the ol' Schwinn in the trunk of my Civic and letting them look it over tomorrow while I'm at work. I'd like to make adjustments myself, but I don't have a lot of tools on hand or any know-how. There are a few book shops nearby as well, so I might be able to find some of the more recommended books on bike maintenance while I'm out there. If it's only a few $$ to get the brakes tightened up and the shifters/derailleurs adjusted, then it's worth it to have someone who knows what they're doing it have a crack at it before I go and mess something up and make it cost more...

IF you have the seat too low, it can also make the bike feel like a pig.

The fit is actually decent, surprisingly enough. The seat could stand to go a bit higher, but the seatpost won't allow it. It's right on its min. insertion point right now. I could opt for a longer post I suppose, but I'm not about to drop any more money into it than I have to. Riding it is bearable besides the basic things wrong with it (shifters, brakes). This is in reference to the Schwinn, btw.

The LBS we went to were very friendly and impatient. I didn't catch on any cues of trying to be upsold to something we weren't really interested in. I work in retail (ugh) so I can usually spot when I'm trying to be pushed into something. I asked the guy who was working with us if they even work on box store bikes, and he said bring it in and they'll take a look and if it's just simple things that don't require major parts replacement then they'll usually take care of it without an issue. I think that's pretty agreeable overall.

I'll bring it in today and see if they'll take care of it while I'm at work, and hopefully it will be brought up to some level of decent rideability.

With bike shop bikes, there is a degree of standardization, so components for a Trek will fit a Norco, components for a Norco will fit a Specialized, etc. This does not always apply to department store bikes, where the components are often different. Sometimes it's a standard from 40-50 years ago, that has been supplanted since, like the use of Ashtabula cranks, where cottered cranks (which use a smaller bottom bracket shell) were common in the 1960's and 1970's and cotterless (same size BB shell as cottered) have been common since. Yes there are ways to adapt this particular one, but then your into an extra parts cost.

Other times, it's just not worth the cost of parts, for example suppose you have a FUBAR freewheel, a bike shop can fix it, just need to replace the hub with a freehub and a cassette, thing is, $100 for the hub, $50 for the cassette and $50 to rebuild the wheel, and your into replacement cost on a lot of department store bikes, not to mention that modern wheels are wider, and may not fit your frame.

The shop is doing you a favour, by telling you that as long as they don't need major parts, they will fix it. Just means they will patch it up best they can for you, and that if you need parts, your better to put the money toward a new bicycle (which they will gladly sell you).

That's something I wasn't aware of, but am really not surprised by. I'll bring it in and let them have a look while I'm at work and if they come back and say that they can't fix it without changing out parts, then I'll just tell them thanks for the look-over and I'll bring it back to target..., then very likely drop another $500 on a bike for myself. :P

Though I would honestly be pretty surprised if it came down to needing major parts replacement (maybe the chain, but I don't think even that), it's likely just stretching of cables and things having come out of adjustment since it was put together originally. At least that's what I'm hoping. I don't really want to drop $500 on a replacement bike, when I could put that money toward the bike I'm really interested in. But then again, if it comes down to bike or no bike, I'm opting for the former most assuredly.

So I brought the bike into my LBS today. The wrench there told me that they could take a look at it, but no guarantees of perfection on targetbikes. That's fine, but then he told me that it would cost $50 for a tune-up and a week's turnaround. I decided it wasn't worth it, so I bought the blue book of bike repair from Parktool and maybe I can take care of it myself.

Learning to wrench on your own bike is worth the effort. Knowing how your bike works and how to make adjustments can save a lot of time and money not to mention getting you back on the road if something happens while you are out on a ride.