rumrunn6

right on! enjoy! be safe!

Bike Life

If that's the bike you want I would still say look on craigs list. You can probably get one for $50 or less. But like others have said I'm sure you can find a better bike on CL for $200

anthony.b

Craigslist is your friend. I recently found a 2012 Trek Verve 1 in great condition for $120 (via a pawn shop). Then a few weeks after I upgraded to a 2010 Trek Fx 7.3 for $230. My Fiance at the same time was bike shopping and ended up with a $200 target hybrid and it's "cute" but she couldn't keep up with me on the Verve. The Target bike is heavier than it needs to be, and uses super cheap components. I couldn't get the rear wheel right as the freewheel is just bent. The bottom of the barrel shimano rear derailleur stinks too.

Buy a nice used bike (that already comes with nicer components) and spend the rest on a new seat, ergo grips, tires etc. The difference between the used Trek's and the Target bike is huge. They're lighter, faster, easier to tune, and built very well. My Fiance ended up with my Trek Verve and loves it and I couldn't be happier with my FX.

Take a look and you'll find tons of Giant's, Specialized's, Trek's, and a ton of nice classic bikes. I'm not sure where you are in LA but also take a look at the Orange County listings as well.

Im in Los Angeles too.

anthony.b

I was curious so I looked again. Found a Trek 2300 for $200 in Expo Park. It needs new gears but, i'd take that and toss in $100 for repairs at your local bike shop over a target bike any day.

Just found this. "Trek 58cm with UPGRADES - $250
Bought a Touring bike for cross country trip. Selling my trek. I put tires with reflective thin white walls , tubes, seat post extra long and seat from new bike. Trek has Bonar ager hubs rims. New chain 2 weeks old. PLUS NEW ROTORS , CALIPERS LEVERS AND HYDRALIC DISC BRAKES STILL IN BAG. CARBON END GRIPS AND BACK RACK FOR DISC BRAKES. TOP POST BAG AND rear PANNIERS. Chain stay kick stands. Bottle holder an front and rear lights. Upgrade wide spiked pedals.
58cm or 23 inchs"

It's a beast of a bike for that price! I would post the URL but im new here and I'm guessing that it's most likely not allowed.

ga14de

Hi Jw, do you know or inspect, if the rigid fork is also made out of aluminum too, like the frame? Thanks!

Edit: I got my answer from a representative. The rigid fork is also aluminum. And also, the total bike weight is at 29 lbs according to the actual tag, and not 38 lbs that was stated in the Target site. Wheels/tires at 700x33c, 620mm riser bar.

This bike is actually a good entry level bike for those who would like to try serious cycling (who aren't ready to commit on a $500-600 bike). More refined than the other sub $200 bike that I've tried. I had to realign the brake calipers though and adjust the tension. I also had to adjust the front derailleur height and cage alignment with some minor tweaking of the H/L screws. Didn't have any problem with the rear derailleur.

TheEstimator

Hey all! So, now that this thread has been out there a while, I need a solid opinion on the Schwinn Circuit Hybrid bicycle. Yes, the one that Target sells. Keeping in mind that I've ridden some better/higher end name brand bikes in my younger years so I understand the difference. I respect people's opinions of 'big box store' bikes, but Schwinn is fairly respectable as a name goes. This bike is of reasonable lineage and seems pretty respectable. I just need something to help reduce my gravitational pull, doesn't break the bank, and will help me achieve my cardiovascular health.

All that aside, does anyone have some real world knowledge of how their bike is performing over time? I'm going to pull the trigger on this one soon. Any info is appreciated.

Delwis

I'd go for this Trek FX. Looks fantastic and is a fine entry level bike. $360

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...colorCode=grey

rumrunn6

& they hold their resale value, meaning even a used Trek FX is usually no lower than $300 in my area (I know, because I bought one for everyone in my family)

like these 3

https://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/bi...488813719.html

https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/bi...467528641.html

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bi...486998706.html

& if you know a petite woman ...:

https://providence.craigslist.org/bi...467897463.html

this is one is showroom new & a higher end model so it's more expensive, but their whole line is good

https://providence.craigslist.org/bi...446643945.html

pjthomas

Trek is current selling 2017 FX 2 Womens for $299.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...olorCode=green

rumrunn6

does this mean free delivery to the bike shop? & would it mean the shop might charge to assemble it?

"Free ground shipping on gear purchases of $49 or more, or get free shipping on any order to a Trek retailer for Click & Collect. All bike purchases must ship to a Trek retailer, some of which offer home delivery."

travbikeman

I know you are asking for others whom may have this bike and their opinions. Since no one has given one yet, I checked out the reviews others have given on WalMart, Target and Ebay. So far the biggest issue that is appearing for those whom really ride often, is a failing bottom bracket. Appears to fail quickly since it is being noted that it isn't sealed. This will greatly increase you cost of this bike to replace with a sealed unit.

This bike is good for those whom just want to ride around occasionally in the neighborhood, but it seems that it might require lots of part to be replaced soon. So you may need to factor that cost in if you are planning on riding often.

rumrunn6

just reminded me, I did have to replace the BB in my Trailway. but not right away. it lasted.

but I think giving this OP any advice is pointless because I think he hasn't been active on BF since this thread was started

travbikeman

It wasn't to the OP. It was a reply to the Estimator whom posted today.

hokiefyd 

I think there is a case for buying a base model Trek or Specialized or Giant vs. the Schwinn because they will hold their value better over time. There are two types of Schwinn bikes sold today -- one is the variety you see sold in "box stores", like that Trailway. Schwinn also have a "Signature" line which are properly good bikes, and on the same level as other bike shop brands. The Schwinns sold at Target are about the same as other no-names in terms of build quality (like Genesis, Kent, etc).

Others have suggested that any replacement part on that Schwinn will pretty quickly move it into "bike shop brand" territory as far as cost of ownership goes. Things like the bottom bracket are far less likely to die early on the Trek, meaning a $249 Schwinn could turn into a $300 or $350 Schwinn pretty quick. And then you have the downtime and the lower resale value. The Schwinn will likely cost you more money to own over the life of the bike.

Not that there's anything wrong with it. If you stated that you planned to ride it once every few weeks on nice afternoons, the Schwinn may go years without needing a repair or an adjustment. But your stated purpose of exercise and health tells me that you either will or would like to ride regularly. At that duty cycle, you will very likely be happier with a bike shop brand bike.

TheEstimator

Wow! Thanks for all the helpful replies everyone. I believe I've been convinced otherwise on the Schwinn. Makes sense to me now to put in a bit more for better quality, as is almost always the case. I was just looking at the Trek Verve and Verve 2 on Trek's website. I'm intrigued..

rumrunn6

oh sorry, but that wasn't directed at you. I was just throwing it out there cuz I took a closer look at this thread

Delwis

The Verve Series is a great choice if you want wider tires. Should be nice and comfortable. I see the 2 has an alloy fork and an 8 speed Shimano cassette. I'd go for the 2. I think it's worth the extra cost especially with the alloy fork.

hokiefyd 

One of my two primary hybrids is a Verve. Mine is a 2015 model Verve 3, but Trek were using slightly narrower tires with a suspension fork back then. They're currently using a rigid fork and wider 45mm tires.

I love this bike. It has a comfortable geometry and just fits me very well. I bought it in the summer of 2016 (when it was a year old) and paid 250 bucks for it. Basically brand new -- it just sat in the guy's garage until he decided to sell it. Mine has a 3x8 Acera drivetrain, which is similar to what you will find on today's Verve 2 (the current Verve 3 has moved to a 3x9 drivetrain). You get a very nice bike for 500 bucks. But the Verve 1 is also well-equipped, with trigger shifters a mid-grade Altus rear derailleur, which is more than you'll find on many $399 bikes (which will typically have Tourney derailleurs and twist shifters).

The Verve is a very versatile bike, and easy to adjust. The 2 and 3 have a very nice adjustable quill stem -- meaning you're nearly guaranteed to be able to adjust the handlebar into a comfortable position for you without buying additional parts or replacement stems. I think the Verve 2 is worth the extra $120 over the Verve 1 because you get the adjustable stem, a cassette rear hub with nicer derailleur (and 8 sprockets vs 7), and a suspension seat post (if that appeals to you). The Verve 3 is another 100 bucks over the Verve 2, and the difference mainly lies in the rear derailleur and one extra sprocket (9 in the back versus 8). I think the Verve 2 is probably the sweet spot in today's Verve lineup.

Here's my Verve 3. I've swapped OUT the suspension seat post (I didn't care for it), and I added Planet Bike Cascadia fenders, a pair of 50 Strong bottle cages (which hold Gatorade or water bottles great), and a complete set of Kool-Stop dual compound brake pads.

IMG_20180120_144818795 by jnjadcock, on Flickr

HerrKaLeun

I saw this bike today at Target and was intrigued. It is $225 now
What drew me to it is the fact it seems to be able to take tires way over 2". The components are all crap, yes. The wheels also suck for the fact that the spokes are not normally laced, but have some pattern, so you can never repair it easily or replace the hub. It has a freewheel, so one can't upgrade the drivetrain easily.

I'm looking for a chap hybrid frame to build a bike for my wife (want 1x11, hydraulic brakes etc.) and 2" tires and rigid fork. Seems impossible to find unless I'm willing to buy a Giant Toughroad. So buying a bike like that may not be too bad assuming the frame is safe.
I lifted it and weight seemed OK. I assume the cheap BB, crank etc. are part of the weight.

Edit: it seems someone on ebay tries to sell t for $437. good luck with that.

hokiefyd 

The Giant ARX would meet your needs (or the women's Liv version if she prefers). It already comes with hydraulic brakes and 2" tires and a rigid fork. All you'd need to change out is the gearing. But it comes with conventional wheels already, so you might be money ahead on that ($500) than buying the Schwinn and replacing more parts on it.

HerrKaLeun

That is not bad and the hydraulic brakes are Tektro (mineral oil), so would work. However, it is 27.5" and like to have 29". First better rolling for a hybrid, second to have commonalities in the household (swap tires with my hybrid etc.). She currently has a 26" FS schwinn.
Also want to set her up tubeless and the ARX tires are not, and the rims may be (I successfully tubelessed my toughroad rims, even if not labelled tubeless ready). So buying a "better" bike is a gamble in case tubeless doesn't work on them.

New wheels will cost me $220 (DT Swiss rims, spokes and SLX hubs) if I build self and order from Europe. Those would be much better wheels than come on any lower level LBS bike. i actually would put those new wheels on my bike and give her my giant wheels since she doesn't ride much. So there is an upgrade benefit to my bike too....
Hydraulic shimano brakes around $80.
On the 1x11 the most outrageous cost would be crank. but if i sum all this up, it gets rid of the crap of the Schwinn.

Brooke1687

puma1552

raria

Or Bikesdirect.com Target bikes are great if you need a bike that day. But if you can wait a week or two then mail order is better for value.

HerrKaLeun

I went to Target yesterday and measured it. Tire clearance is probably 60+ mm (even on chainstay). So really great for large tires. Can fit 2.15" tire easily with room to spare.
not sure why other manufactures can't get it done when Schwinn can do it with a triple chainring.