First ride review: Schwinn Sidewinder from Walmart 20.6 mile ride. - Page 11 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

01-05-2005, 10:33 PM

> "Luke" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
>>Concerning the maintenance requirements of a bicycle, it's
> a mystery to
>>me why more cyclists don't take the chore upon themselves.
> Adjusting
>>derailleurs and brakes; chain, chainring and cassette
> replacement;
>>trueing wheels; adjusting cones; etc.; these can be
> accomplished with a
>>minimal investment in tools and learning. A beauty of the
> bicycle is
>>its sympathy to the backyard mechanic.

Mike Kruger wrote:
> Time and money are limited resources. Sometimes one resource
> is more limited than another.
> I don't change the oil in my car any more, either.

Good point.
I can't efficiently change the oil in my cars either.
I pay someone else to make me an espresso a few times a day.

Each of us gets to choose what we'll undertake ourselves and
what we'll pay someone else to do.

After teaching bicycle maintenance classes for many years I
notice that few students actually do their own serious
repairs. But they are much better informed and frequently
comment on how much they enjoyed the class even years later.

Many of my service customers could probably change their own
flats. But we're quick and cheap so why dirty one's hands?
--
Andrew Muzi
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

01-06-2005, 03:02 AM

"PSB" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:CS2Dd.14663$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Gooserider wrote:
>
> >
> > My $300 Ibex Corrida is about a hundred times more well built and
performs
> > better than a $150 Wal - Schwinn.
>
> So I assume you have owned a Schwinn from Walmart for quite some time
> then to make such a statement? I didn't think so. We'll see if my
> Schwinn holds up to the test of time. Maybe it won't. I'll keep posting
> reports on the progress just like others have on their store bought bikes.
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Shows your bike to be a road bike. While you would kick my ass on a
> paved road, let's take your bike vs my bike on a dirt sandy road here in
> South Carolina. You won't make it half a mile. See, I bought my bike
> for the roads I ride on. A road bike don't cut it.

Seriously, man, you need to relax. You're not taking your Wal-Schwinn off
road for long---and my Ibex has 700x28 tires, which work just fine off road.
It's my curb hopping commuter with fenders and a rack. Does your Schwinn
have rack and fender mounts? Again, for not much more money you could have
bought a quality used bike which would hold up better and perform better
than the department store bike. I have experience with the Wal Schwinn, and
the Sidewinder in particular. A friend of mine bought one because he had to
have a bike RIGHT NOW. It must have weighed 40 pounds, the shifting was
clunky, the brakes were fear inspiring, and it didn't fit him at all(one
size fits all I guess). eBay or your LBS would be a much better option.

01-06-2005, 03:02 AM

"PSB" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:CS2Dd.14663$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Gooserider wrote:
>
> >
> > My $300 Ibex Corrida is about a hundred times more well built and
performs
> > better than a $150 Wal - Schwinn.
>
> So I assume you have owned a Schwinn from Walmart for quite some time
> then to make such a statement? I didn't think so. We'll see if my
> Schwinn holds up to the test of time. Maybe it won't. I'll keep posting
> reports on the progress just like others have on their store bought bikes.
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Shows your bike to be a road bike. While you would kick my ass on a
> paved road, let's take your bike vs my bike on a dirt sandy road here in
> South Carolina. You won't make it half a mile. See, I bought my bike
> for the roads I ride on. A road bike don't cut it.

Seriously, man, you need to relax. You're not taking your Wal-Schwinn off
road for long---and my Ibex has 700x28 tires, which work just fine off road.
It's my curb hopping commuter with fenders and a rack. Does your Schwinn
have rack and fender mounts? Again, for not much more money you could have
bought a quality used bike which would hold up better and perform better
than the department store bike. I have experience with the Wal Schwinn, and
the Sidewinder in particular. A friend of mine bought one because he had to
have a bike RIGHT NOW. It must have weighed 40 pounds, the shifting was
clunky, the brakes were fear inspiring, and it didn't fit him at all(one
size fits all I guess). eBay or your LBS would be a much better option.

01-06-2005, 03:02 AM

"PSB" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:CS2Dd.14663$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Gooserider wrote:
>
> >
> > My $300 Ibex Corrida is about a hundred times more well built and
performs
> > better than a $150 Wal - Schwinn.
>
> So I assume you have owned a Schwinn from Walmart for quite some time
> then to make such a statement? I didn't think so. We'll see if my
> Schwinn holds up to the test of time. Maybe it won't. I'll keep posting
> reports on the progress just like others have on their store bought bikes.
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Shows your bike to be a road bike. While you would kick my ass on a
> paved road, let's take your bike vs my bike on a dirt sandy road here in
> South Carolina. You won't make it half a mile. See, I bought my bike
> for the roads I ride on. A road bike don't cut it.

Seriously, man, you need to relax. You're not taking your Wal-Schwinn off
road for long---and my Ibex has 700x28 tires, which work just fine off road.
It's my curb hopping commuter with fenders and a rack. Does your Schwinn
have rack and fender mounts? Again, for not much more money you could have
bought a quality used bike which would hold up better and perform better
than the department store bike. I have experience with the Wal Schwinn, and
the Sidewinder in particular. A friend of mine bought one because he had to
have a bike RIGHT NOW. It must have weighed 40 pounds, the shifting was
clunky, the brakes were fear inspiring, and it didn't fit him at all(one
size fits all I guess). eBay or your LBS would be a much better option.

01-06-2005, 03:02 AM

"PSB" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:CS2Dd.14663$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Gooserider wrote:
>
> >
> > My $300 Ibex Corrida is about a hundred times more well built and
performs
> > better than a $150 Wal - Schwinn.
>
> So I assume you have owned a Schwinn from Walmart for quite some time
> then to make such a statement? I didn't think so. We'll see if my
> Schwinn holds up to the test of time. Maybe it won't. I'll keep posting
> reports on the progress just like others have on their store bought bikes.
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Shows your bike to be a road bike. While you would kick my ass on a
> paved road, let's take your bike vs my bike on a dirt sandy road here in
> South Carolina. You won't make it half a mile. See, I bought my bike
> for the roads I ride on. A road bike don't cut it.

Seriously, man, you need to relax. You're not taking your Wal-Schwinn off
road for long---and my Ibex has 700x28 tires, which work just fine off road.
It's my curb hopping commuter with fenders and a rack. Does your Schwinn
have rack and fender mounts? Again, for not much more money you could have
bought a quality used bike which would hold up better and perform better
than the department store bike. I have experience with the Wal Schwinn, and
the Sidewinder in particular. A friend of mine bought one because he had to
have a bike RIGHT NOW. It must have weighed 40 pounds, the shifting was
clunky, the brakes were fear inspiring, and it didn't fit him at all(one
size fits all I guess). eBay or your LBS would be a much better option.

01-06-2005, 03:55 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, A Muzi
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Mike Kruger wrote:
> > Time and money are limited resources. Sometimes one resource
> > is more limited than another.
> > I don't change the oil in my car any more, either.
>
> Good point.
> I can't efficiently change the oil in my cars either.
> I pay someone else to make me an espresso a few times a day.
>

All apt analogies. I suppose I'm the odd man out: For me, working on
the bikes is not strictly an exercise in efficiency*I don't flatter
myself that I qualify as a top mechanic*or frugality; it's one of
leisure*to a point, of course. That a pleasurable task yields practical
benefits credits it further.

> Each of us gets to choose what we'll undertake ourselves and
> what we'll pay someone else to do.
>

Conceded. My upthread musings were ill-considered.

<snip>

luke

01-06-2005, 03:55 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, A Muzi
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Mike Kruger wrote:
> > Time and money are limited resources. Sometimes one resource
> > is more limited than another.
> > I don't change the oil in my car any more, either.
>
> Good point.
> I can't efficiently change the oil in my cars either.
> I pay someone else to make me an espresso a few times a day.
>

All apt analogies. I suppose I'm the odd man out: For me, working on
the bikes is not strictly an exercise in efficiency*I don't flatter
myself that I qualify as a top mechanic*or frugality; it's one of
leisure*to a point, of course. That a pleasurable task yields practical
benefits credits it further.

> Each of us gets to choose what we'll undertake ourselves and
> what we'll pay someone else to do.
>

Conceded. My upthread musings were ill-considered.

<snip>

luke

01-06-2005, 03:55 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, A Muzi
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Mike Kruger wrote:
> > Time and money are limited resources. Sometimes one resource
> > is more limited than another.
> > I don't change the oil in my car any more, either.
>
> Good point.
> I can't efficiently change the oil in my cars either.
> I pay someone else to make me an espresso a few times a day.
>

All apt analogies. I suppose I'm the odd man out: For me, working on
the bikes is not strictly an exercise in efficiency*I don't flatter
myself that I qualify as a top mechanic*or frugality; it's one of
leisure*to a point, of course. That a pleasurable task yields practical
benefits credits it further.

> Each of us gets to choose what we'll undertake ourselves and
> what we'll pay someone else to do.
>

Conceded. My upthread musings were ill-considered.

<snip>

luke

01-06-2005, 03:55 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, A Muzi
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Mike Kruger wrote:
> > Time and money are limited resources. Sometimes one resource
> > is more limited than another.
> > I don't change the oil in my car any more, either.
>
> Good point.
> I can't efficiently change the oil in my cars either.
> I pay someone else to make me an espresso a few times a day.
>

All apt analogies. I suppose I'm the odd man out: For me, working on
the bikes is not strictly an exercise in efficiency*I don't flatter
myself that I qualify as a top mechanic*or frugality; it's one of
leisure*to a point, of course. That a pleasurable task yields practical
benefits credits it further.

> Each of us gets to choose what we'll undertake ourselves and
> what we'll pay someone else to do.
>

Conceded. My upthread musings were ill-considered.

<snip>

luke

01-06-2005, 10:22 AM

On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 00:33:19 -0600, A Muzi wrote:

> Many of my service customers could probably change their own
> flats. But we're quick and cheap so why dirty one's hands?

I can fix a flat in less time than it takes me to floss. I carry latex
gloves to avoid the dirty hands.

I don't understand when people come into a bike shop with a flat. How did
they get home or back to their car in the first place?

Not being able to fix a flat or do minor maintenance in the field is a
huge time waster.

Also doing minor repairs like adjusting derailleur stops or alignment
usually take less time than strapping the the bike to the car carrier.

Doing your own wrenching if you can is a huge time saver.