New Non-E-Bike

[webfarmer]

Since the e-bike is in the shop, I got annoyed with the old Viscount 10-speed I've been flogging around for the past 25 years or so and decided to go shopping Friday. After checking out some local shops (including used bike joints) and Target, I decided on going with the Schwinn 700C Trail Way Hybrid at Target. I knew the bike would have to be re-tweaked after getting it home but it's looking like a decent bike. I would have liked to bought from a local shop but their prices were over $100 extra for less bike (steel not aluminum, cheap hubs not the machined ones, etc.). The bike ran $220 plus tax.



Only one thing spoiled the fun. When I was just about to head out the door after filling the tires, tweaking the V-brakes, adjusting the handlebars (that took some head scratching) and seat, the rear tire started leaking. Thought it was a bad valve because the air was blowing out of the stem area but it proved to be just a common flat. Weird.

First I thought I'd try to patch it but the patch didn't hold. Then I called Target to see if I could get a new tube from them and found out that I'd have to bring the whole darned bike in and they'd have to fiddle with it for a couple days. And you can't buy the tube from them separately. Screw that. So tomorrow morning I'll be calling around to a few bike shops to see if I can get a tube.

Other than that, I think the bike could be hot. It's an aluminum framed unit. Has huge 28 inch wheels that are wider than my old Viscount 27 inch units. Very deep alloy rims. 21 gears. Has a front shock absorber and a seat post shock for suspension. Should be scary fast. I'm psyched.

Comments

[forrest303.livejournal.com]

sexy looking bike!

hope she is fun to ride!

[webfarmer.livejournal.com]

I was a little worried about the frame size but I think this one will work. I'm a bit over 6 foot tall. One bike shop guy told me that they don't fit bikes like they used to and so that convinced me that a smaller frame than I might otherwise have considered would probably be okay.

Target service

[(Anonymous)]

I paid more by buying from a local store in downtown San Mateo (still got a decent bike for a somewhat reasonable price). The nice thing is, if it had developed a flat like yours, I could have just walked it back to the store and had them fix it within a half hour or so. Target probably needs to ship it back to China for repair ;) (where my local-store-bike comes from, too, of course).

The other good thing about the local store was that I could test-ride as many as I wanted out in their back parking lot.

Cheers,
Oliver

Re: Target service

[webfarmer.livejournal.com]

You know what amazed me about the bike shop visit was massive number of high end bike they were selling. There were only two bikes in the 300 dollar range.

Maybe I'm just an old tightwad but spending a grand or so for a bike seems a bit much. Frankly, if I could have made the $84 mountain bike work at Target, I might have gone that way.

It's only a bloody bicycle not a nuclear reactor! :)

I don't mind working on the bike. There's always something that needs to be tweaked over time and so might as well learn that part now rather than later. If I can pay myself a hundred and fifty dollars to train myself, that's a good deal given my current pay grade.

If I want a pro to tweak the bike, the local shop charges $45 for that service. So I'd still be ahead of the game.

They all seem to be manufactured by similar firms in China as you note so the only difference is who you are paying for shipping and assembly. Unfortunately, local bike shops have significantly higher shipping costs I suspect.

BTW, the Wal-Mart e-bike was tweaked by the bike guys there and in a timely fashion. No return trips to China. The Super Target seems to have more of a bike shop but they didn't have the bike I wanted in stock. And I was impatient to get one as I feel a lot better physically when I'm cycling daily.