Does that answer the question?
Ok then, for the rest of the world that doesn't know what the finger says, There is NO meaningful update.
So,..Instead I'll fill.
Can you Imagine me riding a bike?
Yeah you can,......picture it in your head....There you go,..Now you got it.
I've decided that when we get to the new house, I'm buying one. No mountain bike, No stupid lookin Pee Wee Herman retro cruiser,......and certainly no "punishing to ride" road bike.
I'm gonna buy a "city bike." And for the first time in 40 years,...I rode one yesterday.
It's true when they say "Just like riding a bike.." You never forget. It was exhilarating.
That my friends (that don't ride) is something that you should get back in touch with,....the first time you were able to move faster than you could run, was on a bike. Now, with the aid of time and technology,..(and 24 speeds) riding a bike is just as fun as it ever was.
But when it comes to the decision to buy one,..you have a couple of internal arguments to settle:
#1. Will I ride the damn thing?,..(or will it sit on a hook in the garage)
#2. Do I spend X amount,..or Y amount? (Y is twice as much as X)
I think with all things related to usage,...it's always about the experience. If you don't like it, you don't use it. If the bike is poorly made/functions poorly, or breaks easily,..you don't use it. (So it sits on a hook in the garage)
Which brings us to internal argument #2....
A Schwinn is now like any other "Name doesn't mean a damn thing" when it comes to bikes.
There was a time when it did,...but that is now long gone,...the company would rather sell a
billion bikes and have China build them, then sell a m
illion bikes, and have them built in the US. Because now you can hit a price point, and now,....
You can buy it online, or in department stores like Walmart,..or sporting goods stores like Dicks/Academy.
It will be the reference for 'X"
Submitted for your reference:
You can buy this thing on Amazon for 272.00......Still not cheap by any means,...but when you compare it to "Y" is more than 50% less.
But this is what I want. Fenders and a rack. A suspension in the seat shaft, and a padded saddle so my ass wont die.
The fenders obviously keep water off my clothes if I decide to try and ride the thing to work (soon to be a 3 mile trip). And the rack,.....well,...It could carry something.
When you look at the "stats" the bike is all aluminum (all of them are now,...the mega buck bikes are now composite)
Derailleurs are Shimano, 21 speeds, blah blah blah...
It comes in a box,..and it's gotta be assembled (partially) and it's very well reviewed.
Then we got Y...I cant even copy a picture of Y.
Specialized Alibi Sport EQ. $600.00
http://bobs-bikes.com/images/library/zoom/specialized-alibi-sport-eq-273431-1.jpg
I can't copy the image, because Specialized is a bike store brand, and cannot be sold on the internet.
Nothing different here except that the tires are tubeless/puncture proof. No suspension,..Aluminum frame, Shimano derailleurs, 24 speeds,.....and Still made in China,..But assembled in a bike store. And it's twice as expensive.
And it still may end up hanging on a hook in the garage.
The inner voice says to buy the Schwinn...Assembly isn't even a concern,..but getting it perfect is.
I asked the bike shop guy how much they charged to do a "tune up", and he tells me 69 bucks. I ask him again why then wouldn't it make sense that I buy the Amazon Schwinn, put it together, and then take it to him to get tweaked? And he said that I could, and that a lot of people do...
Did you see the 100,000 candle power light bulb pop up over my head?
I didn't tell the guy that I cut open the side of an engine, and installed link bar roller lifters intended to fit a 460 Ford engine in a 250 that wasn't EVER intended for such a mod.....
I think turning the set screws that are involved w/ a bike assembly shouldn't pose too much of a challenge..and I got 69 bucks if it is.