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Originally Posted by HandsomeRyan
(Post 7840641)
This is a picture of the hole in the sidewall of my GatorSkin tire with less than 120 miles on it.
Tire was $40 and is now ruined and must be replaced. This sucks. |
Originally Posted by uke
(Post 7841434)
I'd recommend cheaper tires! I'm still on my stock tires on both bikes, and have put at least 400 miles on the Coda and 100+ on the Forge.
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Originally Posted by HandsomeRyan
(Post 7842843)
The stock [rear] tire wore out pretty quickly and got a large-ish gash from some debris. I purchased the Gatorskin based on the recommendations of the interwebs and my LBS. I still think it's an okay tire, but I can't afford to replace $40 tires very often so I may go with something cheaper and invest the money I save in buying a street sweeper small enough to fit on the local greenways and road shoulders. :lol:
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Originally Posted by unogear
(Post 7840442)
How to remove the stikers without damage the paint? They are under clear coat! Repaint the bike?:(
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I'm not going to remove the stickers. I like the logo, too!
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Originally Posted by squareballbuddy
(Post 7844545)
nice bike. how do you like it? are you 5'6" or shorter by any chance? i'm thinking about getting one of these soon.
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i just realize how dumb my bike looks with the stem flipped down, equipped with risers. :O
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You went back to the original drops with that yellow tape didnt you? I like the way they look stock personally
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well, i switched back because my risers had a brake on them, now i have a cross lever, i haven't put the drops back in.
on top of that, i don't feel like i'm tightening the faceplate right, and probably stripping the slots. I don't i need a torque wrench for this thing? |
Schwinn Madison
Originally Posted by mrhogghead
(Post 7254394)
Yeah, and I could have spent another $4K on my road bike and purchased the next tier bike. I sold another bike to purchase a ss and a child trailer. My budget for the bike is $350-$400. I want the 08Schwinn Madison. But it is out of my price range. As far as I can tell by specs. The only thing that I would consider qestionable are the wheels. Everything else seems solid. I am just looking for some real life feedback such as yours. It's going to get hammered on a rough 10 mile commute and pull a child trailer. If I want to ride a quality bike, I'll take the Tarmac out. I do appologise for the repost. However, there truely is a bunch of crap posted by people that have never ridden the bike. Maybe they are pissed that they spend $300-$400 more on essentualy the same bike? Or maybe they just want to one up the next person? We have all seen the guy that has little to no pow pow but, he has the nicest bike! I raced moutain bikes for 10 years before becoming a "roadie". I owned and raced several different bikes/manufactures over that period. But the bike that I loved the most and wished that I still had today was a $321 Skykomish that I purchased at Costco. Maybe it has sentimental value because it was my first moutain bike? I do not know? What I can tell you is the thing was bullet proof and handled like a dream. Of all the Canondales, Scotts, and GT's I had. The only bike that has ever come close to it's comfort and handling was my Schwinn Homegrown (made by Yeti). Point is, the frame is the heart of the bicycle. It's what gives the bike soul. Seats, bars, stems, hubs, wheels, will make it nice. But it wont make it sing. For a couple hundo more, I might get better goodies. But I'll bet in that price point the frames come from the same Taiwanese plant that the messenger does! Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I am going to buy the bike and love it!
FYI, I just picked up my new 2008 Madison for $375. or so at Performance...yeehaa! They are $454. at website, then applied 10% coupon, then store had a $50. off "rebate" they applied...these guys have always given me the best deals! Sweet bike. |
Has anyone here mounted fenders on their Messenger? I'm *this* close to pulling the trigger on one of the BikesDirect FGs, but I really need to be able to put fenders on it (a rack would be nice too, but not essential). BD says the frame has eyelets but clearance is tight so only certain fenders will fit, so I'm curious what types will work.
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Originally Posted by PickledFetus
(Post 7861373)
Has anyone here mounted fenders on their Messenger? I'm *this* close to pulling the trigger on one of the BikesDirect FGs, but I really need to be able to put fenders on it (a rack would be nice too, but not essential). BD says the frame has eyelets but clearance is tight so only certain fenders will fit, so I'm curious what types will work.
If you want to run fenders, get the Fantom Cross Uno. |
i'm sure a rear fender has enough clearance.
are you talking full fenders here? |
how do you guys find the stock bars and saddle? from wht ive read the saddle can be pretty uncomfortable, but are you guys changing the bars because they suck or because you prefer bullhorns or risers etc?
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well, i like my risers, but i rewrapped my bars with obnoxious yellow tape, and i want to get them back on ASAP (when i find a damn hex wrench)
that's complete preference though |
Originally Posted by Dustintendo
(Post 7862491)
how do you guys find the stock bars and saddle? from wht ive read the saddle can be pretty uncomfortable, but are you guys changing the bars because they suck or because you prefer bullhorns or risers etc?
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Originally Posted by Dustintendo
(Post 7862491)
how do you guys find the stock bars and saddle? from wht ive read the saddle can be pretty uncomfortable, but are you guys changing the bars because they suck or because you prefer bullhorns or risers etc?
The stock handlebars are okay. I swapped them out so I could look cooler... er... I mean because bullhorns are more comfortable. :p The really crap-tastic parts on this bike are the pedals which should be replaced ASAP. The brake pads are also sketchy and if you are running brakes, new pads might be worth investing in. |
Okay, my bike (52cm in orange) is supposed to show up tomorrow so here are my noobie questions....
-I'm definitely going to want swtich to a 18t cog...could someone please point me what I should order? There seem to several different varieties. And which spanner tool do I need to remove the locking...I've already got the chain whip. -I'm going to want to switch the front wheel to quick release to make transporting the bike easier on the roof rack. Does anyone sell a hollow front axle that would fit? Thanks, Roland |
I'll answer my own q's. Standard track cog, 3/32" is was is on the bike so I just ordered a Surley 18T, a generic lockring tool and a Surley Tuggnut. Both the front and rear axles are already hollow so converting to quick release will be a piece of cake. BTW, I'm really impressed by the bike for the $$. The 52cm fits my 5'8", 29" inseam body very, very well. Can't wait to take it for a real ride this weekend.
Roland |
How was your ride?
Originally Posted by Roland Owens
(Post 7890614)
Both the front and rear axles are already hollow so converting to quick release will be a piece of cake.
Roland |
Originally Posted by unogear
(Post 7918979)
How was your ride?
And how you converted to QR? Did you cut the axles? Thx, I'm really enjoying the bike alot. I've put about 60 miles on it this week. But I've run into a pretty major snag. I live in the Shenandoah Valley near Harrisonburg and we've got hills. Throw in the occasional serious headwind and I need to gear down a bit. So I ordered a 18t rear cog and went to change it tonight. I knew I was in trouble when I finally got the lock ring off after a bit of a struggle and saw all the red loctite that was used. Then I went to try and get the cog off. No go. I destroyed my chain whip and then tried to do the vice trick and it would not budge. After a closer inspection I can see the ring of red loctite where the cog meets the hub body. There's even a dried pool of it there in one spot. I'm pretty sure that I'll destroy the wheel if I get serious about trying to get it off. So I've emailed the folks I bought the bike from (sportymamabikes.com) to see if they are willing to send me a replacement wheel (without the cog installed) under warranty. If not I'll be seriously pissed. I guess I could replace the chainring to get to the gearing I want but as soon as I break a spoke on the cog side of the rear wheel I'd be SOL. Roland |
Originally Posted by Roland Owens
(Post 7924617)
I've emailed the folks I bought the bike from (sportymamabikes.com) to see if they are willing to send me a replacement wheel (without the cog installed) under warranty.
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Originally Posted by Roland Owens
(Post 7924617)
I knew I was in trouble when I finally got the lock ring off after a bit of a struggle and saw all the red loctite that was used. Then I went to try and get the cog off. No go. I destroyed my chain whip and then tried to do the vice trick and it would not budge.
Roland |
Originally Posted by HandsomeRyan
(Post 7934343)
Any resolution to your problem yet?
Like unogear said I'll just switch out the chainring and save my pennies for a new wheelset in the future if the folks I ordered the bike from won't make good. Just kind of annoying.... Roland |
The guys at my LBS got my cog off. They said it was on there pretty good, but I'm now rocking an 18T rear on the stock wheelset.
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