[katz]

I have been looking at road bikes & I came across a 2012 Schwinn Fastback Road Bike online for what looks like a great deal.

I see Schwinn is now owned by Nautilus, Inc (I think) which is located in the states. I suppose the bikes may be manufactured overseas, I don't really know. I know they offer a discount store line and also a bike shop line.

The Fastback Road Bike is the higher end model as far as I can tell. (Not wally world product)

Some specs - Shifters: Shimano 2300, Cassette: SRAM PG-850, Continental Ultra Sport, 700 x 23 tires, and Alex PC19 rims, which I can't find a lot of info. about. Some of the reading I have been doing suggests that hey are DC19 rims. Weight: 21.2 lbs.

I've been looking on two different sites for the same bike and the specs are a bit different. I suppose components may change in different production runs.

Anyone care to offer any input on this?

I've been looking at it for a couple of days and now am very tempted to buy.

Talk me out of it or in to it!

 

[davereo]

Check Performance Bike. They carry a line of Schwinn bikes that I would consider to be up to par with big boys of cycling. Schwinn has a wide variety of bikes on the market from big box store models on up.

Components sometimes are OEM spec'ed for the bike manufacture.

 

[John_V]

I'm not sure what the deal is that you are getting, but you may not like the Shimano 2300 components that are offered on that bike. For an entry level bike, they are OK, provided that you are riding mostly flats and don't have a lot of climbing to do. They are not the smoothest and fastest when it comes to shifting. If you can find something with at least Tiagra components that is within your price range, consider that one first.

As far as the higher end Schwinn bikes go, they are pretty much in line with some of the better known brands on some of their models. One of my LBS is a Schwinn/Giant dealer and although he doesn't stock a lot of road bikes, he does have a few Schwinn road models on the floor. From what I have seen of them, they look to be pretty nice starter bikes.

 

[davereo]

I had a 2001 Trek 1000 with Sora components. No real complaints shifting was always spot on and I was able to shift from the drops.
I road that bike year round.
Sora may not be the workhorse of the Shimano line up but it is a good value at it's price point. A little oil, occasional cleaning along with proper adjustment and you should be good to go.

 

[katz]

One site I looked at had the bike equipped with Shimano 2300, and the other site had the same bike with Sora components. It would be nicer to step up to a more expensive model.

Since I'm still somewhat new at this, I am still having a hard time dropping $1000 or more on a bike...

Guess I forgot to mention. This bike is listed at this particular site for $399, and other sites have the same model? listed for $800 or so.

Still considering it.

 

[davereo]

Currently 2300 is 8 speed and Sora is 9 speed. The quality between these two groupsets would not be much different. The Sora components I had were 8 speed and would most likely be inline with todays 2300.

 

[wild]

I would go for it $400 is not much for a good bike today. I have a cheep cannondale quick 6 here that gets barowed a lot and I call it timex it just keeps on ticking a frend of my wifes barowed it took it to ohio to some ride and rode it 60 miles a day for a week, she wanted to buy it from me, I won't let it go, just keeps on ticking.

 

[katz]

Thanks for the input, wild. I would like to purchase a high end bike, but I don't know when my finances will be in a good enough position to permit that to happen.

Plus, my wife just came to me with an ad for a $180 pair of boots, so I may have to push the bike purchase back another week...

Also, I wanted to ask;

How do you guys feel about carbon forks? I've seen enough pics online of shattered ones that I must say I am a bit leery of them. Are most road bikes equipped with them?

This bike weighs in at just a little over 22 lbs., and I do like that!


@ John,

Thanks for the mention of the Tiagra components; I was looking at a couple of Fuji's that are equipped with Tiagra parts.

 

[kneedrachen]

Carbon Failure?

Oh, that stuff! It's the devil weed of cycling!

But really. . . .

Beware of the internet. you are going to see a disproportionate amount of failures as compared to those of us without problems.

Carbon fork? Wouldn't even think about failure.

 

[Charles R]

I have a Schwinn I bought at Walmart in 2011. An aluminum Comp. $200. Became horrible with chain and sprocket noise. Also a bike shop owner told me all brands have their frames made in China.

 

[wild]

That Cannondale Quick 6 is not a high end bike it was around $400 new, and I got it used, that was my point some times a good bike can be a not so high end bike.

 

[Bunchacogs]

I have a Schwinn I bought at Walmart in 2011. An aluminum Comp. $200. Became horrible with chain and sprocket noise. Also a bike shop owner told me all brands have their frames made in China.

I bought a Schwinn Third Avenue 700C, knowing it was probably the lowest of low end bikes. $207 from a dealer through Walmart. I bought it expecting to have to change a few things on it. First came the tires and tubes because I couldn't even pump the tires up without causing holes to appear, and the rubber was some kind of gritty compound that didn't allow for a patch to stick. They were also way undersized to fill the tires.

I've changed a few things on it such as exchanging twist shifters for levers, cup and cone BB for a Shimano cartridge, Shimano crankset to replace the Schwinn crankset because the large ring had three bad teeth over which the chain crunched. A new chain, Serfas replaceable rim brake pads, molded handlebar grips and a Brooks saddle.

What shocked me, somewhat, was the plain steel brake cables. Just this past week I installed the new Serfas brake pads, which then required a cable adjustment. I was ticked off to find the rear cable was rusted off where it comes out of the pinch bolt. There was just a blob of brown rust there, and the surplus cable was gone. That rust would have soon gone behind the pinch bolt and left me without a rear brake when I pulled on the lever. So, two new decent cables from the LBS are now on the bike. I only bought the bike last November and it hasn't been out in the rain. So why the rusty cable?

Other than those things, the frame and wheels are pretty good. I don't expect much life from the wheels but then it's not my main bike, so if they give a problem I won't be without a ride. Would I recommend this bike to a friend? Only if I hated him/her.

 

[i12ride]

If I was (and I used to be) just getting started, I'd buy a newer used bike with better components before buying an actual new bike with crappier components. To a large degree, the components are what makes the bike functional and enjoyable. The frame and the name on it just holds all the components in place.

Check out Nashbar, they have road bike sale right now. Here are some decent component $600 bikes if you want new. some road, some gravel. More than $200 better than 2300 spec'd 8 spd back in the day bikes.

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_595059_-1___7000000000000000156

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_592069_-1___7000000000000000156

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_598769_-1___7000000000000000156

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/s..._7000000000000003213_-1___7000000000000000156

Any of these will be world's more enjoyable than some 1990s group spec'd bike IMO.......every time I have gone out to purchase a new whole bike I have spent more than what I thought I wanted to spend and have never regretted it. Saving money being seriously into biking means being good enough to get sponsored or doing all your own wrenching. I know no other legal ways of doing it. Saving money on bikes or bike parts has always = settling, making due or wasting money because you end up upgrading stuff afterwards, which will always be more expensive in the long run.

 

[i12ride]

some times a good bike can be a not so high end bike.

You just described all of mine.

 

[Bunchacogs]

If I was (and I used to be) just getting started, I'd buy a newer used bike with better components before buying an actual new bike with crappier components. To a large degree, the components are what makes the bike functional and enjoyable. The frame and the name on it just holds all the components in place.

I wasn't just getting started, having had several bikes, none of which needed upgrading from the start. I figured at least it should be rideable out of the box but I was wrong. If I had bought the bike from a Walmart store, I could have taken it back within ninety days, but coming from a dealer, and the fact it was now assembled, made that about impossible. They did send me one new tire which I sold in a yard sale.

I contacted a guy on YouTube who had the identical bike and had promoted it. Judging from the video he was an elderly man, not a dealer trying to sell the bike. He said his bike was great, no problems. The reviews on Walmart's website were all positive, praising the bike, highly. So what could go wrong? I guess I got a lemon. Fortunately, I do all my own wrenching and enjoy doing that, and I was prepared to upgrade parts.

Now if I bought a used bike, it might look good but could still need upgrading. There are literally hundreds of bikes at pawn shops all over our county, and they're not cheap. Without actually taking a spin on one, and examining the parts, there really is no way of knowing what I'd be getting. A new bike with all good reviews seemed to be a good idea. I bought two new 21-speed bikes from Walmart ten years ago and they were great, never had to do a thing to them. I guess things have gotten cheaper and nastier over the years.

 

[superj]

just get a recumbent. they always have decent components on them and the bikes are made to last a life time. one of my recumbents is from the 80s and still going strong. I did some changes to it when I got it, to make it more comfortable for what I needed it to do but it was fine for a daily rider with the original stuff on it.

yes, you will pay more but you only have to buy a bike once instead of every 5 years. (that seems to be the wear out time frame on upright bikes around here. everyone locally gets a new bike about every 5 years)

 

[i12ride]

I've never worn out or had a frame fail.....of any type. I am hardly light as a feather and beat the crap out of them on trails. People buy bikes like that more often because of peer pressure and industry pressure to have all the newest stuff IMO. Components wear and or break more often then frames do has also been most of my observations. I know there are exceptions to everything tho and have nothing at all against recumbents. Not even suggesting upright over recumbent or vice versa. That's a personal preference that is up to each person. I like all types of bikes............

 

[Bunchacogs]

...(that seems to be the wear out time frame on upright bikes around here. everyone locally gets a new bike about every 5 years)

I ride two bikes so perhaps on average, the pair will last me for ten years. I'll be approaching 81 by then, so I may be riding my gold bike in heaven where parts never wear out.

 

[Bunchacogs]

... People buy bikes like that more often because of peer pressure and industry pressure to have all the newest stuff IMO.

I think the same way. I'm not competitive or trying to pare the bike down to a featherweight. I'm not fast, so I don't need a carbon bike. My reasons for riding are to get exercise and to enjoy the scenery. My Schwinn isn't the bike I bought last November because I've changed so much on it. It's actually a delight to ride especially now I've broken in the Brooks saddle. My other bike is an aluminum framed fatty from Specialized, and I enjoy the contrast between the two bikes.