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MountainBikeReview.com's Forum Archives - General Discussion
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Oh, how Schwinn has fallen... (8 posts)
|  Oh, how Schwinn has fallen... | Smytty
Apr 24, 2003 7:31 AM | | So, I was in the local Canadian Tire last night looking around, and I saw a pile of these for $599 (that's Canadian dollars). It's kinda sad to see. I've never had a Schwinn, but I have a friend who has a really nice Moab that's a couple years old. The components aren't bad for a $600 bike, but eek! The "rotor" looks like it's made from aluminum foil, and the rear shock looks like it's made from a yogourt container. Here's what their website says:
-26" Schwinn 240-DSX dual suspension aluminum frame bike with swing arm
-Rock Shox JUDY C front suspension fork
-Shimano chainwheel, freewheel and rear hub
-24-speed Shimano Altus EZ Fire indexed shifters and brake levers
-Shimano Acera front and rear derailleurs
-Pro Max front disk brake and rear alloy V-type brakes
-Kenda K877 26 x 2.35" tires
-20 inch frame
-2-tone colouring: black and blue
-We recommend bikes be professionally assembled
It's good that mass-produced inexpensive bikes are available to those who just want to ride. It's bad that it had to happen to a reputable company. |
| re: Oh, how Schwinn has fallen... | bhutata
Apr 24, 2003 10:33 AM | | Schwinn has made mass-produced, fairly inexpensive bikes for years, but at least they were sturdy and reliable. Their worst sin was usually just being heavier than a lot of competing products.
It was really depressing the first time I saw Schwinn for sale at WalMart, but the sad thing is that they'll probably make more money in that market.
I don't know anything about the model you saw, but maybe it's OK and maybe not. For folks that "jsut want to ride" there are other decent and solid options out there in the price range you mention from Trek, Specialized, and probably others. |
| Think of it this way | Tommer
Apr 24, 2003 12:49 PM | | I was talking to a friend who works at the LBS about Schwinn and he said this about Schwinn's low-end market...
He said that because Schwinn's new parent company makes SO MUCH money on the low-end stuff, it is able to sell it's high end bikes for a great price. Then he pointed out some Schwinn stuff he had on his floor and compared them to comparably spec'ed bikes from other manufacturers, and he's right.
So it may suck to see the same name on bikes in Wal-Mart as you sit on, but the fact that Schwinn now also hits that market could save you some good cash on a great bike. |
| Think of it this way | bhutata
Apr 24, 2003 6:23 PM | | The local Schwinn shop, like most Schwinn shops around the country, dropped Schwinn like a hot potato when the s**t hit the fan. Now another, smaller shop several miles away just started carrying the line. One of the things I've heard around town is that they're taking a gamble carrying Schwinn because they run the risk of people coming in off the street and thinking "why should I pay that much for a Schwinn when I can buy one at WalMart for so much less?" I suppose that plays right into the frame of mind you referred to that people stand a good chance of getting a good deal on the "real" bikes from Schwinn. Of course, I suppose there's always the chance things might go the other way. Who knows. But I guess if you're in the market and you don't care about the "image" that Schwinn conveys, then they're worth a look. When it comes right down to it, bikes are a sum of their components and they're not that hard to figure out for yourself. As far as their frames, for anything short of extreme stuff, I'd trust them, but that's just my gut instinct. Ride one and decide the ride characteristics for yourself. |
| That's nothing ... saw one for $249 CDN the other day ... | Philber
Apr 25, 2003 2:59 AM | | That's like $160 US. Same place - Canadian Tire.
I don't think they're even Schwinn's. I think it's just the same old Canadian Tire crap with Schwinn logos on 'em. That's what they look like. |
| Isn't that about $6 U.S.? -NM- | jjj
Apr 25, 2003 8:36 AM | | |
| for comparison-how many here ride a Mongoose?.......... | Dave B.
Apr 25, 2003 5:36 AM | | I may be "aging" myself, but I remember when Mongoose was a good, quality, bike with a decent market share. I don't have the figures, but I'm sure their market share in nowhere near what it was before their buyout by Pacific. Have no idea if their higher end bikes are quality or not, but I'd bet you look at Specialized, Trek, Fisher, or other brands before you'd even think about a Mongoose. And Schwinn is now in the same boat. |
| every so many years Schwinn becomes a screwup | joe friday
Apr 26, 2003 10:38 PM | | When i first got into biking in the early 90's Schwinn didn't
make a competitive Mtn. Bike. eventually they bought Yeti and
with their help made one of the finest HT mtn bike's ever--the
Homegrown. Now i guess they are returning to their roots. |
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