Rhyagelle

Hello,

I commute to work, through rain or snow, cold or heat. I do not own a car, and I do not know how to drive. An additional part of my reasoning is that I'm trying to use it for exercise (I am coming off an injury that left me unable to do such activities for several years). I go a total of 10 miles a day 5 times a week. I mostly used my older bike on pavement but sometimes I had to drop into dirt, gravel/rocks and now snow (and slush), to get onto available pathways or out of the way of crazy southern drivers. The other day, probably the best bike I've had (and I'm aware they aren't great by other standards) broke. I got chased off the road by some people's crazy dogs, and I fell down the hill with the bike. Luckily I wasn't harmed, but the rear wheel is seemingly busted.

Now I'm at the point of wondering if I should just find out how to repair the wheel (and potentially replace other pieces), or save to buy a better bike. I have a rather tight budget, around $450, as I make only $150 on a bad work schedule after taxes, or a good $250 after taxes on a good work schedule. I was looking at the Polygon bikes, but seeing as how I have only ever had Wal-mart quality bikes, I would like the learned opinion of experienced cyclists before I do anything. Is there anything of adequate quality out there for my budget?

Current Bike: Schwinn Sidewinder 26" (Womens)
Issue: rear wheel wobbles side to side, is a bit rusty and bent, unable to properly pedal because of it
State: Kentucky
Height: 5"1f

Thank you for reading, and for any help.

Gresp15C

I googled the bike. A used wheel might get you back in business. There should be piles of wheels that would fit, just choose one with the same diameter and # of speeds.

Some of the experts here could probably also point you in the direction of a mail order wheel that would fit.

If you're depending on your bike for transportation, a little bit of money spent towards a second bike might not be a terrible idea, so you can have one to ride if the other one needs work.

icemilkcoffee 

Look on your local Craigslist or bike co-op. There should be lots of 26” rear wheels for sale. You need to determine whether your existing wheel uses a cassette or a freewheel, and also check that your current frame opening is 135mm wide (which is most likely the case).

Pop N Wood

Kentucky is notorious for bike chasing dogs. There is a cross country bike trail that traverses the state. People often post web blogs about their encounter with Kentucky dogs.

Like others have said check out craigslist or a place that repairs bike for charitable reasons. Serviceable 26 inch wheels should be near free, I have had them given to me by people on CL. Maybe even buy a junked bike that has a good rear wheel.

Rhyagelle

Hello everyone, and thank you for the replies!

I've checked out craigslist, but the only listings within the state are counties away (Lexington mostly, and I live in Rockcastle), so they are out of reach. I looked for wheels there too, and got no results beyond motorcycles. Unfortunate really. Is there any online used bike shops that ship? That would be perfect, but probably a pipe dream.

As for repairing the bike, how do I figure out if it is cassette or not? And would any cassette/freewheel work, or are there different kinds? I still plan on saving for a new bike, but if I could repair this for service while I save for even better, that'd be perfect.

Pop N Wood

Yep, I don't think it would be Kentucky if you weren't chased by a pack of dogs.

Maelochs

First off, bravo for going car-free and riding. Good for every reason (except when it snows, or worse, when it rains after snow when it is 33 degrees and you have to ride through slush lakes filled with dirty ice bergs.)

I haven't been able to find whether you have a cassette/freehub or a cluster/freewheel .... but it shouldn't matter, I am pretty sure you have 135-mm dropouts. Also, since it is a steel frame .... pretty much any 26" wheel should be able to fit. Seven speeds used to be the domain of freewheels, but lately stuff has changed some. Either way ....

If you want to keep riding the Sidewinder (and for what you are doing, it should be okay,) then start picking up junk bikes if you see them .... to use for parts. When I was car-free I always had a garage full of bikes and bike parts---often complete garbage bikes I literally pulled out of the trash---because the boss doesn't ever seem sympathetic when you miss a shift because your bike broke. I always had at least one back-up, plus a couple ready to go with a few parts from whichever one broke most recently.

Since you are only commuting five miles each way, almost any bike will work. Even if the bike failed entirely, you could walk it in an easy hour and a half or less. You are sort of the perfect customer for a Walmart bike.

I don't know how badly you crashed, but it should take a pretty hard wreck to really hurt a bike. Maybe the wheel wasn't well-maintained---Walmart is famous for not assembling bikes well, and spokes can loosen right up after some miles, making the wheel weak.

That said ..... If I were you I would look at something Without a suspension fork, and of a little higher quality. That front shock is heavy and probably not too important and is possibly prone to failure.

From what I can see the whole bike weighs about 41 pounds .... that is a lot to push around.

I would also make friends with the guys at the local bike shop---tell them your story, explain that money is tight, ask if they can check your bike once it gets fixed .... just a quick safety check. A lot of stuff is better to find out sooner rather than later---like loose parts, loose spokes, whatever.

Also, ask them if you get a mail-order bike, if they could assemble it and check it.

I have had good luck shopping at BikesDirect.com. Check out this page: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/hybrid_bikes.htm

Possibly you could get one of those shipped right to the local shop and they could do set-up and assembly--and if you asked nice, probably a one-month tune-up ... for not very much money, .... maybe $50 or $100, but add that to the price of the bike and know you would be getting something a little more reliable.

Also, the guys at the shop might be able to tell you if the wheel is fixable and quote a price.

Save the Sidewinder, because there will eventually be a day when the main bike fails you ... nothing like hustling to get ready after over-sleeping, then grabbing your bike and seeing that a tire went flat overnight.

I feel sort of helpless here, because I have no way of knowing how much you know about bikes, and no way of knowing what is wrong with your wheel .... maybe the rim is bent, maybe some spokes are loose, maybe the wheel just slipped in the dropouts, maybe the axle is bent. I cannot give good advice, and it frustrates me.

Anyway .... Stick to it. I was car-free for decades, and while it certainly presents serious challenges, it offers serious benefits. Now even though I have a car, I ride my bike almost all the time just because I can. it's a great way of life.

Rhyagelle

Hello!

I don't mind the cold, really, but it sure gets slippery on my bike on the ice and slush. It is nice though, as I like the crispness of the air.

I will look at bikesdirect then, as unfortunately the nearest bike shops are in Lexington and Danville, but I'll check around locally too. As for the Sidewinder, I don't know what you call it, but after the fall the little center piece that pierces through the tire and has the nuts on them on each side now wobbles side to side (making the tire wobble side to side, and grind against the brakes). Another thing I noticed broken after the fall was the rear brake housing, at least I think that's what you call them. It's two silver pieces on each side of the tire, which holds the breaks in place. The bike is pretty old and I had bought it $50 off from Wal-mart because it had "sat out" for time, so I've used it constantly since I bought it in 2013-14, so I don't know if was something needed to be repaired before or not.

I took the tire off and put it on my work floor for images, but the forum will not allow me to post them, thinks they are links. If there is another way of sharing it here, I could do that.

Thank you again for the help,

dedhed

Honestly, the Bikes direct are fairly completely assembled and anyone (you or friend) with basic mechanical experience and knowledge could satisfactorily assemble at home with the help of BF to walk you through and a few basic tools it would be good to own anyway.

Herzlos

The bolt through the center of the wheel with a nut either side that attaches to the bike frame? The nuts should be on the outside of the frame and fairly tight (anyone with a spanner set should be able to tighten it up for you), and shouldn't wobble.

If you can't find a local bike shop, then it's maybe worth seeing if there's a local auto/motorbike mechanic who can give it a once over.

Rhyagelle

Herzlos It's like a piece of iron bar, that cuts through the center of tire. When attached to the bike, there are nuts that get screwed tight on each side. I looked up images of the wheel, and I guess its called a hub axle? It definitely looks like what is broken on mine. And okay, I'll see if the nearby car mechanics can figure it out, that sure would be easy. There's like fifty of them within 20 miles. lol

dedhed I've put together computers and bikes before, but the later may be why things turned out the way they did. I'll see if anyone I knows know how to put them together, thanks!

bikemike73 

Sorry to hear about your accident

Dogs owners should buy you a bike, or at least repair it.

You paid $50.00 for this bike 6 years ago. That comes to $8.34 cents a year to ride and own the bike.

That is AMAZING !!!!

I would look on Craigslist for another bike, it seems you are in immediate need, but keep your current bike to repair at some point.

I am wondering if anyone on the forum here lives close by to offer a " hand" to fix.

I sure would if I was close by

Good Luck and keep us posted.

And continue to ask any questions you might have.

Rhyagelle

Thanks! Your reply about a freehub got me to google it, so I could learn more, and I actually came across a video perfectly showcasing what problem I am having. lol I'll look for freewheels and freehubs, but it is definitely feeling like beyond my scope of repair.

bikemike73

Sorry, I got it $50 off the price because it sat out. It was originally $250, but I got it for $198. But yea, I used to get Huffys and some other terrible brand and they'd break within months. The Schwinn lasted from 2014 to a heavy fall, so I think it was pretty worth it. I'd just like something more reliable now, since I'm using it for work. I'll save for a new bike and look for a used bike around town for now.

dedhed

A replacement Cro-Mo Axle is pretty cheap. HArd part for you W/O a shop is figuring out the diameter, thread, and length you need.

https://www.amazon.com/HUB-AXLE-10x1.../dp/B006EPP55U

duffer1960

Can a freehub axle go in the same place as a freewheel axle? The long unsupported axle on the freewheel side is prone to breakage. Freehubs solve that problem.

Thomas15

The problem is if you have a hub that designed for a freewheel you need a different hub to convert to a freehub. So doing that conversion on a budget means finding an old wheel with the kind of freewheel/freehub you want. There are other considerations but that is the main theory.

dedhed

An axle is an axle. It's just a piece of threaded steel. The hub design of where the ratcheting action occurs is the difference.

To answer your question, Yes, a freehub axle can go in place of a freewheel axle, but it doesn't change the design of the system it's installed in.

ARider2

Budget Bike or Fixing bike? You mentioned you use the bike frequently and you have a $450 budget. This is enough money to buy a decent quality used bicycle that will last several years with proper care and maintenance. Fixing your existing bicycle will cost a lot less but you will still end up with a low quality bicycle that is several years old that will likely need other repairs as well. If I were you I would buy a used bicycle rather than try to fix the existing bike. I would look at a good $450 used bicycle as a $450 new bicycle that is of decent quality will be hard to find. You can look on Ebay, Craigslist or hunt at local garage sales for used bikes.

Herzlos

Yeah that'll be it. What bit exactly is broken? Is the iron bar bent? If so you should be able to get it straightened out and get a bit longer out of it rather than needing a new wheel right away. Ditto if it's the frame that's bent, but you'd want to look at replacing it in the near future as any bent metal is weakened.

Can you take some photos of the damage and upload them to somewhere like imgur.com then provide link text here (even if you leave out the https:// bit at the start.

Edit: I somehow missed the $450 budget part. I'd keep an eye out on facebook marketplace, ebay and craigslist for any bike that's a size you can ride and pick that up, then get your old one repaired at leisure.

There must be some kind of big-box store that'll have some bike in stock for $450, Walmart or whatever (I'm not American). I had a look at bikesdirect but can't see anything that's actually in stock.


Edit: Can we try and find you someone local to have a look at the bike for you? I'd be surprised if there wasn't someone on here or on of the big Facebook groups that wasn't within a few towns away.

sloppy12

I think I would just go to walmart and get a new schwinn. they have a hybrid the Kempo around $250 range. 700c, disk brakes, and step thru. plus fender and rack mounts.

unless you find a free or super cheap wheel thats in perfect shape I think you will be in the $100 range just to buy a wheel/cassette/tools to repair.

Only problem is walmarts stock is horrible right now. they still show some bikes can ship so Maybe just ship to home and build it yourself.

I think I would ride that new shiny bike to whatever local shop you can reach and have them set it up...

wphamilton

My inclination would be to buy an inexpensive rear wheel, $30-40 Wheelmaster for instance. But it's a good opportunity for a new bike, Bikes Direct or one of the better walmart bikes, and having two bikes is convenient.

Rhyagelle

I've tried to repair the Schwinn with an extra set of hardware from a prior Schwinn, and just couldn't do it. The chain snapped, so it ended there. I've decided to buy a 2021 Polygon Cascade 4.0 (just placed the order). It's smaller than any of the other bikes I have had, and (I hope) leagues ahead of the Wal-mart bikes in terms of quality. I'll keep my Schwinn bikes as backups. I'll have to buy components to have a higher handlebar, but it looks like a solid bike. Thank you all so much for the help, it's been greatly appreciated!

dedhed

See if you can get them to send a spare rear derailleur hanger as those are sacrificial parts and not always easy to find when replacement is needed,

Rhyagelle

Who? BikesOnline? I'll talk to support. Thanks for the advice!

duffer1960

I see you are getting a new bike, but if you eventually repair this one... I agree with the others... get a new wheel with a freehub.
I think I found the same video. One thing I didn't mention and the video didn't mention either... You'd need to get a wheel with the same 'over locknut distance', corresponding to the distance between the rear dropouts on the bike. 70s 5-speeds were 120 mm, 80s 6-speeds were 126 mm, most common ? on recent bikes are 130 mm and 135 mm. I don't think it would be easy to find a freehub system for the older 120 or 126, but I'd guess should be easy to find either 130 or 135.

Miradaman

Love to see a review of the Polygon after you put some miles on it. I've been curious about their bikes.