Advice please -- buying a used bike
 

Hi,

I am not that knowledgeable about bikes and correct me if this is the wrong subforum.

I am wondering about steel and aluminum frames. Some bikes I am look at:

A Schwinn Traveler ($65)
An aluminum frame Schwinn World Sport ($65)

Which would be recommended as a better bike? I owned a Traveler previously. I did mostly casual riding. I used to do 10+ miles per day, and now it's maybe 2.

Steel , Alum. will give a harsh ride .

One thing about a Schwinn Traveler is that they were made from, off the top of my head, the mid 50's to the, well, there may be Schwinn bikes being sold new with the name Traveler. Anyway, it is good that you have identified it as a Schwinn Traveler with a steel frame. I also like steel frame and I have a 1988 Schwinn traveler. So, it will depend upon the era which Traveler you are looking at.

I like the older "Electro Forged" frames, however, this is a different from the later Traveler with a lugged frame and double butted tubing.

If it is an 1988 Traveler for $65, that gets my vote. But then again, that is the decision that I already made.

For commuting or recreational riding, a Traveler of any era in steel is a good bike. The other big question is that this being a used bike, how much work will it need and how much can you do yourself?

On two otherwise equally-built machines, steel will always be the more comfortable and lively.

Yep. Always. :)