Sorry to bother, friends. Long story short, I’ve committed to training for a sprint triathlon in 4 months. Everything is squared for training except the bike. I can find basically zero information on this thing. Is it Walmart trash? I can’t even find a weight! Is the “carbon fiber” real or just marketing BS?
$100 just seems like a hell of a steal if it’s even decent to then fix/upgrade hardware, throw a trainer on it get to work! Or do I just bit the bullet and spend closer to the $500 range? Either way the bike would be replaced or upgraded if I find I love the sport enough to justify (:
I also found a motobecane vent noir that needs at least a front derailleur for $150?
by nsdthumper1
3 Comments
The welds are a dead giveaway this is an alloy frame. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you will regret using this bike for a competition for any amount of money.
That is Walmart trash. Or Target. Bike Shaped Object, regardless.
edit: That Motobecane would be a better choice for sure.
For the Schwinn: the good part is that if the frame fits you it should be a decent ride quality given the carbon fork and rear triangle. The downside is that it looks like they shipped a basic 2×7 Shimano Tourney drivetrain on these, which will limit upgradeability since most likely the rear wheel would have to be replaced if you wanted a more modern/precise drivetrain down the road. But for trainer time, sure, it’s probably fine assuming it fits.
The Motobecane Vent Noir usually comes with a better (2×10 Tiagra) drivetrain and a compatible front derailleur is inexpensive. If the frame fits you I’d lean this direction, but all decisions are relative to whether the bikes were maintained well or if you are going to work on it yourself or have someone work on it.