[Here-am-I]

I'm going to be heading to college in the fall of 2009 and I would like to get a bike to get myself to different places. Basically I'll just be using it to get to and from class and such... maybe little trips off-campus to a nearby town or something every now and then.

So I started looking at bicycles and seriously, I never knew buying a bike would be so complicated. There are, like, ten million different kinds. At the moment, I'm kind of partial to Schwinn... does anyone know if they are good or bad?

Basically I'm just looking for some help. I don't know what would be right for me... can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks in advance.

*EDIT* Not too expensive, please! I'm thinking that $600 would be a stretch so I'd prefer it to be below that.

[Andrew]

If you are just riding it to class and stuff, it really doesn't matter. Just buy a cheap one and put a seat on it. Pavement is super-nice to bikes.

[gtrdave]

Schwinn is not the company that they used to be. They were purchased in 2001 by Pacific Cycles, the largest Asian-sourced bicycle manufacturer. As such, most Schwinn's that you'll find in local stores are Made in China. While this gets you a lot of bike for the money, it also gets you a lot of potential dubious quality.
I've heard pretty bad stories of mechanical breakages on new Schwinns, usually related to the low-end SRAM componentry, that have left people injured.
Granted, those cases may be rare, but still...buyer beware.

Same goes for GT. They partnered up with Schwinn years ago and then both were picked up by Pacific back in the day along with Mongoose, too.
FYI: Cannondale was recently purchased by Dorel. Dorel owns Pacific Cycles so now Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, Roadmaster and Cannondale are owned by the same parent company.
For better or worse, this bike monopoly is what it is.

Ok, all this said, I recently picked up a GT ZuM 5.0 as a road rider although it's not a "road bike" as they're traditionally known. It's called a "commuter bike". Specs can be found here:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=3040

I like that it doesn't have a front derailleur. That cuts out weight and there's less potential for drivetrain chatter. The eight rear gears give me enough to spin up some pretty steep hills and yet allow me to crank on the flatland at a pretty good speed.

It's light enough like a road bike but the straight bar and Zaskar-inspired frame give it mountain bike geometry, which I prefer.
Wide-but-smooth tires put a larger contact patch on the ground while still decreasing rolling resistance.
Compared to my mountain bike (2000 Schwinn Moab 3), the GT is like a helium balloon.

I paid $260 brand new for the GT at my local Performance Bike. That includes a lifetime of tune-ups.
I've put a couple hundred miles on the bike so far and I'm very impressed for what I got considering how much I spent.
2 minor beefs:
1. the stock Kenda tires are both out-of-round and 'bent' slightly, giving a shimmy to high speed riding. The Alex rims are fine. I'll buy new/better tires in a short while.
2. The chain recently came off while I was down-shifting on a pretty good crank up a hill. I'll blame this on the Shimano Acera rear derailleur. It's cheap...maybe it needs an adjustment...I'll probably take it in this weekend.

If you're looking for a decent 'commuter', the GT ZuM is worth a look, imho.

And I'm no bicycle expert. I just love riding.

[Here-am-I]

So is Schwinn a brand that you would say "don't get"? What are the "good" bicycle brands? I'd like something that will last. I'll look into that one you suggested.

By the way, I'm wondering... Is there actually a significant difference between men's bikes and women's bikes?

One more question (for anybody to answer): would it make a difference if I got a road bike, touring bike, or comfort bike? They all look kind of similar to me...

[gtrdave]

Originally Posted by Here-am-I

So is Schwinn a brand that you would say "don't get"? What are the "good" bicycle brands? I'd like something that will last. I'll look into that one you suggested.

With any bike these days, just be careful. I'd suggest avoid buying from Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc-Mart, sporting goods stores and the like and go to a local bike shop. You'll probably spend more but get better quality and, as is the case with Performance, a warranty agreement that will cover some basic tune-ups and such.

Regarding Schwinn, you may buy one and own it for years with no problems. Who knows.

Originally Posted by Here-am-I

By the way, I'm wondering... Is there actually a significant difference between men's bikes and women's bikes?

The differences can be in seat tube height, upper tube length, and overall geometry. And an average rule is while some women can ride mens bikes, men probably shouldn't ride womens bikes, both from a size aspect and from a gender identity issues aspect...

Originally Posted by Here-am-I

One more question (for anybody to answer): would it make a difference if I got a road bike, touring bike, or comfort bike? They all look kind of similar to me...

Yes, each bike will have a different geometry, different seating position, different components and will have benefits and downfalls in different areas.
Road bikes can be light and easy to ride. They can also send you sliding on the pavement due to their skinny tires. Avoid potholes, curbs and bumps at all costs.
Touring bikes should be the same as road bikes unless I'm missing something in translation.
Comfort bikes are also called hybrid bikes as they possess features from different kinds of bikes. They typically have a more upright seating arrangement, have a front shock from a mountain bike, a shock seat post and big puffy seat like a beach cruiser, tires that can be street smooth like a road bike (but not as skinny) or somewhat knobby like a mtb.
Riders who don't want to or can't hunch over prefer comfort bikes as they tend to put less stress on the rider's back compared to road or mtb bikes.

[danlong]

Originally Posted by Here-am-I

So is Schwinn a brand that you would say "don't get"? What are the "good" bicycle brands? I'd like something that will last. I'll look into that one you suggested.

By the way, I'm wondering... Is there actually a significant difference between men's bikes and women's bikes?

One more question (for anybody to answer): would it make a difference if I got a road bike, touring bike, or comfort bike? They all look kind of similar to me...

The difference between men's and womens used to be the cross bar ( kind of like horses and women sidesaddle), a women's was dropped to accommodate skirts and dresses and didn't need to be as rigid as would be needed for the rough handling boys or men would give. Things have certainly changed

Now it's primarily frame size, so it's more a function of being properly fitted. As far as type, touring and road bikes have really narrow high pressure tires and slung handlebars. Since you're not a biker and just tooling around campus I'd go for the wider tired (handles cracks and potholes better) comfort or mountain bike that you can at least ride upright (since you'll be carrying books, minor snacks and such). You shouldn't need a million gears but at least an old 10 or 12 speed.

Frankly, for campus wheels, I'd recommend a second hand bike shop. It will be less expensive and usually reconditioned but a fair bike none-the-less. And given the propensity for campus bikes to develop feet, your loss won't be as great if it disappears.

[Here-am-I]

Ok, thanks for the help everyone. I think I have a better idea of what I should be looking for now. I'm pretty sure there's a bike shop about an hour away from me so I'll stop by there and see what they have to say.

There is one other thing I'm concerned about though. It's possible that I might be going to college in CA (I live in PA).... how in the world am I going to get my bike there? This situation baffles me. If I do go to this school, I would definitely be getting there by plane. Has anybody gone through something like this before? Care to share some wisdom? Actually the whole idea is kind of wild. With luggage prices for flying going up so high, I don't really know how I'm going to get ANY of my stuff to college. Crazy!

[danlong]

Originally Posted by Here-am-I

Ok, thanks for the help everyone. I think I have a better idea of what I should be looking for now. I'm pretty sure there's a bike shop about an hour away from me so I'll stop by there and see what they have to say.

There is one other thing I'm concerned about though. It's possible that I might be going to college in CA (I live in PA).... how in the world am I going to get my bike there? This situation baffles me. If I do go to this school, I would definitely be getting there by plane. Has anybody gone through something like this before? Care to share some wisdom? Actually the whole idea is kind of wild. With luggage prices for flying going up so high, I don't really know how I'm going to get ANY of my stuff to college. Crazy!

It's only 3000 miles, if you start riding there now..........

Seriously, maybe buy the bike there instead, then sell it before you come back. Check Craig's list where you are going.

[gtrdave]

Originally Posted by danlong

It's only 3000 miles, if you start riding there now..........

Seriously, maybe buy the bike there instead, then sell it before you come back. Check Craig's list where you are going.

Exactly.
They do have bikes in California, too, you know.

You may get a better deal and/or have a better selection out in Cali. Based on my experience it's a very bike-friendly culture.

[Here-am-I]

Sounds like a reasonable plan. How would I get it home though?? haha. I don't think I'd want to sell it after college. A bike is a nice thing to have. Ah, well, I guess I'll figure it out when the time comes. Thanks again for all your help.

If anyone else has some advice to throw in pertaining to my bike-purchasing I'd be glad to hear it.

[gtrdave]

Buy one for each location. Keep one in Cali and keep the other in PA.
For $600 I could buy 2 of my GT's and have $80 left over for whatever.

[redbaron]

save some money for some decent pedals that you can snap into. You will spend so much less energy to go the same speed, if you have power on the upstroke as well as down.

Depending on the kind of bike you like, I really like the shimano 105 shifters on road bikes (uses the brakes to shift, pretty neat). I've had grip shifters and i'm not hugely a fan, but mine weren't exactly high end, and the better ones might not be a problem.

More expensive bikes tend to be lighter, have better derailleur's, brakes, wheels, etc.

If you buy any bike though, seat & pedals are almost always worth replacing with something that works better & fits better (especially WRT the seat). Those modern ones that are designed to eliminate the pressure point are not cheap, but worth the cost IMO.

all this talk makes me want to pick up a new bike again, dangit.

[realsorefingers]

I agree with the comments about Schwinn bikes i see many of them in the trash. Try to find a good beater bike. I think the worst it looks the better, No one is going to rip off an ugly bike. Get a good quality lock and cable for it too.