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Schwinn Sidewinder at Walmart
Walmart has a Schwinn Sidewinder for $139.72. It's Chinese made and looks
pretty well made. Does anyone have an opinion one way or the other about this bicycle? Any other bike in this price range that would be considered a better deal for an adult rider? Also, this bike has front shock absorbers on the fork. Are these subject to wearing out? Can they be left alone even if they wear out? Do they cost much to replace? How are they maintained? Personally, I would prefer no shock absorbers, but it looks like almost all the bikes at Walmart have them. --- Joe -- --- Joe |
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#2
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"Joe" wrote in message
... Walmart has a Schwinn Sidewinder for $139.72. It's Chinese made and looks pretty well made. Does anyone have an opinion one way or the other about this bicycle? Any other bike in this price range that would be considered a better deal for an adult rider? Also, this bike has front shock absorbers on the fork. Are these subject to wearing out? Can they be left alone even if they wear out? Do they cost much to replace? How are they maintained? Personally, I would prefer no shock absorbers, but it looks like almost all the bikes at Walmart have them. --- Joe Well Walmart has this amazing $50 bike http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A61904%3A5304 . But maybe it isn't in all the stores though. I bought one to use as a beater bike. Doesn't have a lot of gears, but usually you don't need more than 7 or 8 anyway. It so far seems pretty solid. I figure if it falls apart and or ****es me off I'll just abandon it on the side of the road and hitch hike home. Plus if someone steals it, it won't be a big disaster. Without shocks and a fancy fork, the theives probably aren't all that interested in it though. I could probably abandon it on the side of the road, hitch hike home. get my truck and go back to pick it up and it would still be there on the side of the road. The cops would find it and maybe trace it back to me and contact me to find out what happened and if I am Ok or not. I actually had considered using a Shimano Nexus 7-8 speed hub and building up a custom beater commuting urban bike, that I could leave at work, and use at lunchtime or as emergencies if my regular commuting bike breaks down and I limp on into work. But that custom bike would cost upwards of $500 or more just to build one up new. One of these days if I find a good lightweight frame really cheap, I might go ahead and build it up. Heck I might do it to this thing if the shifters go bad. The store personnel more than likely did little to absolutely nothing in assembling any of these bikes, so you need to carefully go over the entire machine to ensure things are OK and put air in the tires too. I can't say how long it'll last, but if the gear change mechanisin goes out on me I can put in a Nexus hub anyway. As for forks and such wearing out, yes they do after a while, but new performance forks from your LBS usually cost over $200 anyway. I don't know how much they would want for the parts from the company that makes the bikes though. I never called them yet. The owner's manual does go into how to adjust the derailuers, so that isn't too bad. I usually ride on the roads, so I am contemplating chaing out the tires as they aren't too good on the road in turns. But honestly I can't complain about getting a $50 bike brand new, what is there to say. WalMart has a pretty good return policy so if you have a problem right away you can take it back too. I bought a $150 bike about 8 years ago from Walmart for my son, he rides it off and on. That bike still works and shifts OK, even if some of the nuts and bolts are a little rusty. |
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"Earl Bollinger" wrote in message
... "Joe" wrote in message ... Walmart has a Schwinn Sidewinder for $139.72. It's Chinese made and looks pretty well made. Does anyone have an opinion one way or the other about this bicycle? Any other bike in this price range that would be considered a better deal for an adult rider? Also, this bike has front shock absorbers on the fork. Are these subject to wearing out? Can they be left alone even if they wear out? Do they cost much to replace? How are they maintained? Personally, I would prefer no shock absorbers, but it looks like almost all the bikes at Walmart have them. --- Joe Well Walmart has this amazing $50 bike http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A61904%3A5304 . But maybe it isn't in all the stores though. I bought one to use as a beater bike. Doesn't have a lot of gears, but usually you don't need more than 7 or 8 anyway. It so far seems pretty solid. I figure if it falls apart and or ****es me off I'll just abandon it on the side of the road and hitch hike home. Plus if someone steals it, it won't be a big disaster. Without shocks and a fancy fork, the theives probably aren't all that interested in it though. I could probably abandon it on the side of the road, hitch hike home. get my truck and go back to pick it up and it would still be there on the side of the road. The cops would find it and maybe trace it back to me and contact me to find out what happened and if I am Ok or not. I actually had considered using a Shimano Nexus 7-8 speed hub and building up a custom beater commuting urban bike, that I could leave at work, and use at lunchtime or as emergencies if my regular commuting bike breaks down and I limp on into work. But that custom bike would cost upwards of $500 or more just to build one up new. One of these days if I find a good lightweight frame really cheap, I might go ahead and build it up. Heck I might do it to this thing if the shifters go bad. The store personnel more than likely did little to absolutely nothing in assembling any of these bikes, so you need to carefully go over the entire machine to ensure things are OK and put air in the tires too. I can't say how long it'll last, but if the gear change mechanisin goes out on me I can put in a Nexus hub anyway. As for forks and such wearing out, yes they do after a while, but new performance forks from your LBS usually cost over $200 anyway. I don't know how much they would want for the parts from the company that makes the bikes though. I never called them yet. The owner's manual does go into how to adjust the derailuers, so that isn't too bad. I usually ride on the roads, so I am contemplating chaing out the tires as they aren't too good on the road in turns. But honestly I can't complain about getting a $50 bike brand new, what is there to say. WalMart has a pretty good return policy so if you have a problem right away you can take it back too. I bought a $150 bike about 8 years ago from Walmart for my son, he rides it off and on. That bike still works and shifts OK, even if some of the nuts and bolts are a little rusty. Oh yeah there is this fancy one for $63 bucks http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A61904%3A5304, it only has 18 speeds, but what the heck. It has no rear shock as far as I can tell. |
#4
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"Joe" wrote in message ... Walmart has a Schwinn Sidewinder for $139.72. It's Chinese made and looks pretty well made. I like Walmart for toilet paper. It's pretty well made, though I don't know where it comes from. I would buy a bike from a bike shop. I would buy my toilet paper from my bike shop too, but unfortunately, they don't carry the brand I like. Cheto |
#5
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Roadmaster See quote below from previous post. I bought a similar model of Roadmaster a year ago for most of the same reasons. Mine has stiff front shocks and cost $60. I use it as my "bus bike". I take it when I carry a backpack and ride the city bus. I load it on the front racks of a bus and then use it to pedal to a destination beyond where the bus goes. Some of our bus routes go as far as 60 miles into the mountains, for no extra charge beyond $1.20 for a day-pass. It is indeed amazing for its solid features and quality for the price. It rides nicely and is fairly fast on pavement. I haven't had to do a thing to it, except give it a good wheel truing and other such adjustments when it was new. I wouldn't want to leave one of my more expensive bikes locked up at a remote trailhead and this one wouldn't put much of a dent in my wallet if it was stolen. $ for $, it's the best buy I've ever made on a new bike. Steve McDonald Eugene, Oregon ------------------------------------------------ Earl Bollinger wrote: Well Walmart has this amazing $50 bike http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A61904%3A5304 But maybe it isn't in all the stores though. I bought one to use as a beater bike. Doesn't have a lot of gears, but usually you don't need more than 7 or 8 anyway. It so far seems pretty solid. I figure if it falls apart and or ****es me off I'll just abandon it on the side of the road and hitch hike home. Plus if someone steals it, it won't be a big disaster. Without shocks and a fancy fork, the theives probably aren't all that interested in it though. I could probably abandon it on the side of the road, hitch hike home. get my truck and go back to pick it up and it would still be there on the side of the road. The cops would find it and maybe trace it back to me and contact me to find out what happened and if I am Ok or not. |
#6
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Hi Joe. It would probably be an OK bike if you are a casual rider. The
suspension forks would probably hold up OK for casual riding like side streets and bike paths. They do wear out fairly quickly though and cannot be rebuilt. This may cause handleling problems in a few years down the road. There is not anything that can be done to maintain them. I have a Schwinn Cruiser Deluxe with the 7 speed internal hub. I ride it alot,up to 40 mile rides. It is very comfortable and reliable. I think it is also made in China. As far as quality and price go the Schwinn Sidewinder is as good as anything else. Maybe better. If you can find a bike without the suspension components I would go that route. littledog |
#7
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Joe wrote:
Walmart has a Schwinn Sidewinder for $139.72. It's Chinese made and looks pretty well made. Does anyone have an opinion one way or the other about this bicycle? Any other bike in this price range that would be considered a better deal for an adult rider? Also, this bike has front shock absorbers on the fork. Are these subject to wearing out? Can they be left alone even if they wear out? Do they cost much to replace? How are they maintained? Personally, I would prefer no shock absorbers, but it looks like almost all the bikes at Walmart have them. The key is really the weight of the frame, and the interchangability of components. Sure a folk can wear out or break, many cheaper forks are simply springs, mind you it may be possible to replace a cheap fork with a better one when it breaks (although it might costs as much as the bike did), if one of the springs breaks, simply use the handymans secret weapon, duct tape :-) lots of duct-tape to keep it from collapsing. Properly, you could probably find someone with a welder, and weld the thing in place as well. If your new to cycling, starting with a 45lb gas-pipe bike, may not be doing yourself any favours. Now another option, and a better one, IMHO, call your local bike shops, and see if any have a nice used bike in your price range. This gives you an ability to build a relationship with the folks that can help you if you have problems later on. Your also likely to get a lighter bike with better components..... W |
#8
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Joe,
You're going to hear this a lot, because this group is pretty well versed in bikes. We prefer a good used bike to a substandard new one in this price range. Here's why: the Schwinn Sidewinder is a very heavy bike. The components are subpar and some may be nonserviceable. It will ride fine for 50-100 miles but go south after that. Things will creak and shudder. The brakes will need maintenance soon. Those front shocks are likely poorly designed in relation to a professional-level shock. And the shocks are more likely to bring you more problems than you're ready to accept (I agree, going without shocks is a better option at the price). Finally, there's a possibility the bike was poorly assembled. So my personal opnion (and that of many others here, no doubt) is to find a local bike shop if one exists in your area. Call 'em up and talk to the friendly folks there. Specifically, ask about locating a used, tuned-up bike with features you're looking for (flat bars, rack, etc). Chances are there the shop knows of a used Specialized or Trek or Fuji no-suspension mountain bike that cost $500 or more just a couple of years ago. The shop will likely have replaced the brake pads, tuned up all the cables, adjusted the shifters and bascially reconditioned the bike. The other day I saw three such rides outside Varsity Bikes in Minneapolis for $150 or under. I'd consider all of them a dependable value. That's your best best for the money. It won't be flashy like the Schwinn, but then again that Schwinn won't be flashy for long. I'd say the Schwinn will last two seasons (600 miles?) before you're looking at some new parts. Unless you like a noisy creaky bike. A reconditioned Specialized Rockhopper or Trek 800, on the other hand, will only need minor maintenance 600 miles from now. The shifters & brakes on a cyclist-quality bike are meant to be adjusted and re-calibrated over several years of service life, so a used good bike will last longer than a new "less than great" bike. Further, the reconditioned bike's parts are highly interchangeable. In a couple years, you can change the bike around to fit your changing needs. The only downside is color - bike fashions change, and some 90's bikes have school bus yellow paint jobs with David-Lee-Roth-pink decals. But in almost any case, that's your best bet. Where do you live? |
#9
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Joe,
The Schwinn Sidewinder is not an advisable purchase. I'll back this up, don't worry. I think it's an opinion shared by a majority of folks here. Take any advice with a grain of salt, but remember the experience pool of this group. The Schwinn Sidewinder is not offered on the Schwinn website. They are a decent brand at their higher end, no complaints about their road bikes. But they still license a number of department store bikes, and the Sidewinder is one of them. It is a heavy bike with subpar components that are prone to quick wear. The front shocks are heavy and add complexity. Further, front shocks at a $135 price point are probably not going to last. I agree with you - this is not a price range to expect good suspension. Go with a "hard frame". This Schwinn will be creaking and loosening after two season's riding (600 miles?). My best advice (and I'm betting the advice of this group) is to phone your local bike shop. Ask the friendly folks there if they have any used tuned-up bikes available in your price range. Tell them the features you want, and how you're intending to ride it. Many of the more interesting shops will have a few mountain bikes that cost $500 or more a couple of years ago. The shops replace the brakes, tighten the shift system and spokes, and generally recondition the bike. For $150, you might find a great Specialized or Trek mountain bike that is way beyond the Schwinn in terms of reliability and value. Why buy a used bike with a few scratches that's been ridden hard? Bike-shop ("cyclist quality") bikes like the Trek and Specialized mtn bikes have components like shifters and brakes that were designed to be reconditioned several times over a service life of many years. Good old bikes never die. They fade slowly for fifteen years until they're retro, and a new generation snaps 'em up and rides 'em hard again. Quality bikes are easily upgradeable and highly swappable, so if you want to change your bike into a smooth road roller or rack-laden funmobile, you have a stronger and more versatile platform. The Schwinn's components may be cheap substitutes like vinyl collars instead of sealed bearing units. Or they may be Chinese knockoffs of more precision units. The mounting points may not resist rust. You may not find fender or rack mounts, anyway. The new Sidewinder won't stay shiny for long. Few ridden bikes do. Okay, so bike fashion has changed, and a fly yellow 1998 Specialized Rockhopper with pink decals will look pretty dated. But if you can find a tuned-up used bike (that looks good) from a major high-quality manufacturer, you're way ahead of the Schwinn for $150. Finally, nobody at Wal-Mart will ever be able to help you fix a bike. The local guys are more than happy to dole out hours of advice, some of it even useful. Here's a great article on buying a used bike: http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/commbike.htm |
#10
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"Joe" wrote in message ... Walmart has a Schwinn Sidewinder for $139.72. It's Chinese made and looks pretty well made. Does anyone have an opinion one way or the other about this bicycle? Any other bike in this price range that would be considered a better deal for an adult rider? Also, this bike has front shock absorbers on the fork. Are these subject to wearing out? Can they be left alone even if they wear out? Do they cost much to replace? How are they maintained? Personally, I would prefer no shock absorbers, but it looks like almost all the bikes at Walmart have them. --- Joe It's not a Schwinn |
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