Schwinn

[thunderkat59]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

I tend to be skeptical about the idea that a certain brand is "worse" than it used to be. On the one hand, I suppose it could be true if there are major changes to the way they produce things, and it's possible that they are just using the same name but not making the same product.

On the other hand, most things tend to get better over time. I would think that bicycles should become easier and more affordable to make than they were 30 years ago. Efficiency and new developments in design would support that reasoning.

I'll use an example of running shoes. 30 years ago Adidas was probably the leader in running shoes. But I imagine that a cheap Walmart running shoe in 2012 is just as good or better than a 1982 Adidas. (Of course Adidas 2012 would blow them all away.)

CNC and Robotic manufacturing

The same with guitars. In the 70's and 80's, a cheap(low-$$$) was just that. Cheap, unusable for the most part. Now, almost any 'cheap' guitar, you could use a working instrument with no problems. Not bikes, but appropriate analogy.

[Lamplight]

Department store bikes are mostly better today than they were, say, twenty years ago (when I made the mistake of buying one). Back then most had gas pipe frames, one piece steel cranks, paper thin dropouts, stamped steel caliper brakes, and crappy steel rims (you'd think all that steel would be strong, but it was the crappiest steel available). Today it seems many of them at least have alloy frames, three piece cranks, cantilever posts, and alloy rims. If nothing else at least you could replace those crappy parts with decent ones (though it probably wouldn't be worth bothering). A cheaper bike from a bike shop will probably still have slightly better components and possibly frame than one from a department store, but the chances it will actually be assembled and adjusted properly will be much higher, and that makes a big difference unless you already know how to do all that yourself (and then you might as well buy a much nicer used bike). I've actually seen bikes in department stores with the forks mounted backwards. And after a few months when all the cables have stretched and the gears don't shift right and the brakes don't feel as responsive, any decent bike shop will readjust all of that for free.

It's not so much about the brand anymore, but how much you spend and who assembles the bike. A $300 Schwinn, a $300 Mongoose, and a $300 Trek probably won't be much different, but you can bet a $90 Mongoose is going to be pretty bad, and not even worth $90 IMO. And if it's assembled by some teenager in the toy department who's paying more attention to his texts than the assembly then you can be sure it's going to suck.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

I don't have a bike. I was wondering if it would be a good investment to get a mountain bike.

Buy the style/type of bike that best suits the use you'll actually have for it.
Knocking around the neighborhood and an occasional trip to the corner store doesn't need much bike.

Whatever YOUR answer is... buy a used and simple one first.
When YOU can answer the Q you posed... then buy new. Not before.

Brand (Schwinn or other) is the least of it.

[thunderkat59]

Originally Posted by MrRational

Whatever YOUR answer is... buy a used and simple one first.
When YOU can answer the Q you posed... then buy new. Not before.

Brand (Schwinn or other) is the least of it.

Definitely

When you accrue some miles and experience, and come to your own routine and style, you will 99%, most likely want to get a bike more fitting for your personal situation. I would do Craigslist first. After some time and miles -- re-evaluate

[ferretkona]

Schwinn used to be made in the good ole USA, now made in China.

For a very comfortable bike I went with Electra. They are up to par with the old Schwinn's. I was going to buy a old Schwinn Phantom but after I rode a Electra I fell in love.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

I tend to be skeptical about the idea that a certain brand is "worse" than it used to be. On the one hand, I suppose it could be true if there are major changes to the way they produce things, and it's possible that they are just using the same name but not making the same product.

On the other hand, most things tend to get better over time. I would think that bicycles should become easier and more affordable to make than they were 30 years ago. Efficiency and new developments in design would support that reasoning.

Schwinn used to be made in the US, now in China.

Flatiron used to be a top brand in Mandolins, Gibson's quality dropped. Gibson bought Flatiron and made the mandolins with the Gibson name. Gibson has now opened a factory in China building mandolins using the Flatiron name. Make no mistake, these are not well built.

Will anyone want to buy one of the new Buicks being built in China??

[Grandpa Pipes]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Will anyone want to buy one of the new Buicks being built in China??

NO!! OH, Hell NO!!

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Schwinn used to be made in the good ole USA, now made in China.

For a very comfortable bike I went with Electra. They are up to par with the old Schwinn's. I was going to buy a old Schwinn Phantom but after I rode a Electra I fell in love.

Yeah, but if you flip your Electra over and look at the bottom bracket, it probably has China engraved in it. I thought Electra was made in the USA, but the Townie I bought this year was made in China. My daughter's Hawaii cruiser was also made in China.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

About good Schwinn and cheap Schwinn, the ones at the bike shop are called Schwinn Signature.

[thunderkat59]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

About good Schwinn and cheap Schwinn, the ones at the bike shop are called Schwinn Signature.

Thats what I ride right now . . . One called a 'Racer'. Cant be beat for what I paid for it.