Comments on: We Bought Schwinn Midtown Bikes

By: Marcia

Marcia — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:01:59 +0000

We have two bikes. Mine is a Schwinn, 10 years old, from a local bike shop (it was $250). My hub’s was a little nicer, probably $400 back in the day.

We recently started (again) commuting by bike to work 2x per week. It’s 10-11 miles, so I bike in, he drives in, I drive home, he bikes home (we work near each other, but have different schedules).

In the process of getting our bikes up to speed, I had my gears cleaned and partially replaced. My husband has had some work done too, and considered getting a new bike. So many people kept talking about how we had to get “real road bikes” (not hybrids) because “when you ride with people who have real road bikes you won’t be able to keep up”.

Seriously, with a job and a 2-year old, when is that going to happen? I already get passed on the bike path, and it’s easy to blame it on the bike. I am like you – we won’t appreciate the difference.

Having tools and a spare tube, etc. is a good idea. My tool right now is just a cell phone in case I get a flat.

By: NtJS

NtJS — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:54:37 +0000

Craigslist is variable depending on your area. We were able to score a couple bikes that way where we previously lived. There was really no shortage of bikes for all price ranges. The Mrs. got a pretty sweet one for $40-50. Not knowing how much I would use it, I got a $10 bike. We still use both 3 years later.

Bikes are great to buy used, but that is dependent on what is available. Where we live today, would be slim pickins.

The $10 bike may get a paint job and some new parts in the future, or just sold to upgrade, but otherwise gets me around fine.

By: Kelly from Almost Frugal

Kelly from Almost Frugal — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:03:47 +0000

This post has been included in the 141st Festival of Frugality at Almost Frugal, going live September 2, 2008. Please make sure to link back to the Festival and or submit it to sites like Digg, Stumble Upon, PF Buzz etc. Thanks for participating!

By: MoneyLint

MoneyLint — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:50:40 +0000

Jim, the biking pundits will always suggest you visit a local bike shop and you very well should if you plan on expanding your binking into something more than urban cruising. But for you and your wife’s needs, you may have even bought more than you needed. It’s a sharp bike and seems to fit your needs well. Good job.

Let me know when you want to start training for a triathlon and I’ll give you some tips on buying a decent race bike…

By: Cheapo

Cheapo — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:09:15 +0000

In regard to the Craigslist comment made by Jim, I must agree with him. A few months ago I went to see a bike which was posted on Craigslist. It was a Mongoose mountain bike, but the bike was spray painted. It seems shady. I figured it may have been a stolen bike and the thief painted the bike to make it look different. The bike looked fugly with the cheap paint job, not did I want a “hot” bike, so I didn’t buy the bike.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:00:18 +0000

Hi! My husband and I bought the very same bikes from Costco in December. So far, we are very pleased. When I took it to the bike shop to have the stem lowered, the guys there were impressed with the quality of it, so I guess it was a good choice. Enjoy!

By: jim

jim — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:27:11 +0000

I tried to find used but you don’t often find used cheap bikes, at least I couldn’t. You see a lot of people selling high end parts and whole bikes on Craigslist (I wonder if that’s where bike thieves go to fence stuff) and even then they were out of our budget.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:43:44 +0000

We love our bikes, which we got for free from my grandparents. They’re very cool, vintage Peugeot bikes from France, so we lucked out. However, had I bought our bikes, I would have gone the same route as you, maybe even bought used bikes. As a leisure bike rider, it doesn’t really make sense to have a thousand dollar bike… As long as it gets you where you need to go!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:50:54 +0000

Very cool that you are getting into cycling. The technology in a $200 bike is amazing and plenty for most folks. Couple of recommendations:
1. Get a helmet and wear it every time you ride. Like seat belts, helmets save lives.
2. Stay off the sidewalks. Learn the rules of the road and ride responsibly. Respect traffic laws and automobile drivers will respect you.
3. Make yourself visible. Wear bright clothes or reflective gear. Lights at dusk/night.

Have fun, too.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:02:08 +0000

Water bottles and the tools to fix a flat are intregral to riding a bike around town, I carry them with me wherever I go. Personally I dont use a big “break-proof” lock, I have found that a small $5 lock works just fine. I have a little bit more expensive of a bike ($1000), which I ride to classes and to work nearly every day. The reason I spent a bit more money on the bike is that I have used it on sever longer rides, such as a week long ride accross the state of Iowa.

By: Cheapo

Cheapo — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:02:47 +0000

I can’t resist,I agree Hunan Manor is great!!! Glad to hear that you are using a bike more and enjoying it. I try to bike around my area, which is pretty similar to your area. I was a lot better with it last year when I would bike to the local gym and back everyday. I tan easily and my girlfriend got annoyed, so I now try to bike later in the day when possible. I don’t own a fancy bike, but it does the job. Good tip on the bike lock, which I think I will invest in as it will replace my current cable combo lock.

By: Jason H

Jason H — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:14:46 +0000

Being that you are using this as your around town commuting bike, I would have to second all of the suggestions made so far, but would add that you can pick up a pair of detachable front and rear saddle bags that, when coupled with a backpack, would allow you to do a most of your shopping using your bike. Sure the saddlebags might cost a bit, but if you use the bikes regularily to shop they will pay for themselves quickly.

A good suggestion for the emergency equipment would be to stop at a local bike shop. If they turn up their nose at your bike walk out, but a good shop will help you no matter where you bought your bike.

By: jim

jim — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:39:59 +0000

We have “exploration dates” where we just bike around and try to find the things we normally drive to. On Sunday, we found out how to bike to our local Rita’s Italian Ices and the local chinese food restaurant we love.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I’ll be on the lookout for a small pump, wrench, and bottle holders. Any suggestions?

By: Lance

Lance — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:30:01 +0000

I bike to work about 2-3 days each week (weather permitting). And being in the midwest US, weather permitting will soon go away. But I’ll take it while I can!

My suggestion is – have fun! Maybe make it a date, and bike to an ice cream shop. Or find a back road on bike trail and enjoy the scenery. And, visit the local bike shops. They have a plethora of information. I like to carry a few tools with me in case I have any problems. A wrench and a tire pump. And, if you don’t already have them on your bike, I would add water bottle holders.

Enjoy your new toys!

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:21:24 +0000

One more thing, a bike multi-tool (should have a multitude of allen wrenches and a couple of screwdrivers minimum).