[dpeters11]

Regarding Schwinn, are there different quality bikes made under that label? I've been wondering because there's a local bike shop that has quite a few Schwinn's, though they generally are the cruiser style (I think they mostly sell Jamis road bikes). This particular shop has been in business for 120 years, so figured they wouldn't be selling Walmart type junk.

[Industry_Hack]

Originally Posted by dpeters11

Regarding Schwinn, are there different quality bikes made under that label? I've been wondering because there's a local bike shop that has quite a few Schwinn's, though they generally are the cruiser style (I think they mostly sell Jamis road bikes). This particular shop has been in business for 120 years, so figured they wouldn't be selling Walmart type junk.

A bike shop Schwinn should be better than an XMart Schwinn. That would be reflected in the price as well.

[Garilia]

A friend saw my bike recently and said it looks the same as mine (he bought his K2 Zed 44 at Sports Authority). Yesterday we rode together and we made some observations. Mine is a 29er, his is a 26er. He has wheel envy now. The shock that he thought was the same is not, I have a top lockout on mine. He has lower end Shimano components, he has Shimano Alivio, I have Shimano XT.

So the cheaper bikes are made to resemble their more expensive counterparts, and uninformed people think they're getting the same Schwinn or whatever than they would if they paid more. The biggest problem I had shopping at dept. stores is that the bikes were all messed up from being display models and people messing around with them.

[ReCYCLE]

Originally Posted by chibibike

yeah when i got my nephew his bike at walmart i had to completely redo everything practacally.

....BAHAHAHAH..I'm sorry.. BAHHAH ><

[photosbymark]

Even if the actual bike is the same at Walmart vs a bike shop there is something else that is important that you won't get at a Walmart. At a bike store you should get an assembly that is done properly. Everything should be properly adjusted and ready to ride. At a department store you are own your own with an assembly done most likely by a minimum wage employee that was working in grocery last week.

[satnspwn]

I purchased a Schwinn beach cruiser at my local Target for the sole purpose of motorizing it. When I called the store to ask if the bike was in stock, I asked if I could buy it unassembled since I was going to hack it up anyway, they said that it was against their policy to sell it unassembled, I explained my background as a bike mechanic, and that I'm always fixing their screw ups in my shop. They still insisted that "It had to be assembled by their assemblers for safety reasons". I still bought the bike, but I told them I'm re-assembling it before I leave the store, and low and behold, the tires were under inflated, the handle bars were crooked, the saddle was pointing to far down, and the chain was loose. I fixed all this in the customer service department before I left with the bike. If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted a new bike for my motorbike project, I wouldn't have even bothered with them. If you are looking to save money on a bike, get a used bike on craigslist, and learn to fix it up, or, as many have posted, look into a lower end bike at the bike shop. Good luck on what ever you choose to do