Yeah, like Schwinn, and Masi (what I ride) they are just names bought and sold on an open market. I heard that some of the Schwinn line is built by Giant. The Masi name was picked up by Haro which wanted to get into road bikes, but their own name was too heavily associated with BMX and MTB. Schwinn represents the "high end" of what Target sells, and using the Schwinn name seems to be a very clever marketing tool.

The modern Schwinn's and Nishiki's I have seen are decent quality. The components are low end, but good entry level stuff.

My first ten speed was a Japanese Nishiki.

I did get a good deal on 2 long sleeve Jerseys, Canari, last year at Dick's.

They sell a Cyclepro Swiss Army 26" mtb tire that is the bomb. Very low rolling resistance and good grab on the trails. I've never been disappointed with anything I've bought fron Dick's, but I've never bought a bike from them, either.

Andy,
If you're anywhere near Columbia Pike in Arlington, please stop in to Papillon Cycles. Those fellows sell several step-through and ladies cruiser bikes that would be comfortable and safe for your wife. But more importantly, they are bike guys, and by that I mean that they know and love bicycles and have for years. They know what's crap and what works. They restore vintage bikes, repair bikes, take time with their customers, and will be there for your and your honey for the long haul.

Tell them what you've seen so far, how you liked it, and let them show you somthing just a small step up from there.

Good luck.

Phil G.

That might have been my attitude when we got back into riding several years ago. A bad experience many years ago left me anxious about shifting. I bought a good hybrid (Giant Cypress) with Shimano 105 and the shifting was smooth. I tried another bike (won't mention the name), lower-end, and the shifting was clunky. Just one mess-up and I might have thrown in the towel... or thrown the bike... and given up altogether. But I quickly overcame the anxiety and moved to a road bike a year later.

She may love that Nishiki, but hearing that a similar bike of higher quality will improve her riding experience may be all she needs to hear to look further at the LBS.

I have not bought a bicycle at Dick's, nor will I probably ever buy anything there. Every time I have been there, I have been completely ignored. When trying to find shoes, they were jerks about having wide sizes. Then I was going to look at socks despite that. The salesperson stood right in front the socks talking to someone else. It may be because I'm an Clydesdale/Athena and they thought I wasn't really interested in be athletic. I don't really know. I also don't know if all of the stores are like that or just the one that is nearest me. They would have to have something magical for me to go back. We bought our bikes at a bike shop that was liquidating the inventory of another bike shop. Brand new several years out of date bikes - awesome deals.

Don't say that...now I will have to update my wife's TRek Madone 5.2

Hi, im currently looking for a new bike. I live in south FL, so no mountains, hills, etc. Lotsa paved trails. So I am looking for a hybrid. No matter where you go, the shop has a prejudiced so to speak, towards certain bike brand names...basically the ones they sell. The small family owned bike shop I have been using for years now sells Raleigh & Diamond Back, so they tell you they are the best to make the sale. He showed me a Diamond Back Edgewood Hybrid today.
In your own opinion/experience what is supposedly the best brand(s) bike on the market today...mountain, road & hybrid?
I currently have a Schwinn Mesa. It is 12 years old. I bought it right before they sold out & went retail (Kmart, Target, Walmart, etc).
Thats why it has lasted me 12 years. The newer models are more flimsy/cheap...more for fashion than functionality.

Any advice from you will help immensley

I can tell you that at the Dick's at Dulles Town Center they don't know anything about bikes. Doesn't mean that they don't sell a bunch, though.

I bought a spoke wrench there recently, with a $5.00 credit we received for something...

For Phishhead and the OP, go to the websites of the shops in your area and see what brands they carry. Go online for those brands and read up on the bikes. Decide which ones you want to test ride. The OP should allow his wife to test ride the bikes and get the one that SHE wants. REI carries good brands, and they have good sales on them.

I haven't really seen much attitude at Dicks , it's always been rather friendly . Sometimes a lot of store attitiude comes from management , for good or ill . Overall , I've had good experiences there , and buy accessories and things my wife and kinfolk need for swimming and running.

I wouldn't judge a chain based on the experience with one store or one/two employees. But, managers shouldn't allow that type of behavior/attitude. If I were the employee's manager, that employee better shape up fast or he/she would be out the door.

I was just browsing in one of their stores yesterday and noticed a nicely equipped bike repair station. I was surprised since the bike department looked like a Dept store setup and no one was anywhere to be found. But the repair station definitely showed signs of use (maybe just bike assembly).

Ours looks like it gets a lot of use, too ,
but Normal has a lot of bikes around .
And the city has tools out at a couple
of places on the trails.
All the LBS and Dicks seem
to have busy repair departments .

I'd take that as a 'given' no matter where you go. Every brand has its strong and weak points, and shops carry something they can sell. They sell by playing up the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses, just like any sales person does. You listen to the sales pitch, compare to the other shops' sales pitches, then buy based on your favorite color.

My neighbor's kid is a heck of a mt bike rider and motocross racer. He started in a LBS when he was 14 years old and when that shop closed, he started working at Dick's repairing bikes. Our local one has an active repair shop.

I used him to true my rear wheel once (more intended to give him a little spending money) and he did an excellent job.