All things bicycle.

[lovinthehd]

@afterlife2 good point, do you have the ability/tools (and willingness) to service or replace parts on a bike? That could open more possibilities....

 

[afterlife2]

Thanks guys I was wondering myself if I can upgrade the tires to 26 or 29 on the bike? Of course I can try to swap parts as long as it's fairly easy. If not I guess I can take it to a bike shop. The bike is in Miami right now, so I don't have any pics. In all honesty I need some type of exercise because my D has been very bad lately and maybe riding can help. Thanks again.

 

[lovinthehd]

Generally larger wheels (or smaller for that matter) won't fit on a bike intended for a particular size wheel. I have a bike that can take 26" or 27.5", and another that can take 27.5" or 29" but that's all those bikes were intended for changes on (and in the case of the 26" to 27.5" it was more just that that particular frame and fork I was using just happened to work out and was not recommended by the bike manufacturer, the other was particularly designed for the choice in wheels). Bike mechanics can be somewhat simple and there's plenty of on line help, tools can be somewhat specialized but a good metric tool set can work on most modern bikes well enough. For particularly older bikes this is a great source (Sheldon passed away a while back altho the site is kept running and some updates) https://www.sheldonbrown.com/

 

[afterlife2]

Generally larger wheels (or smaller for that matter) won't fit on a bike intended for a particular size wheel. I have a bike that can take 26" or 27.5", and another that can take 27.5" or 29" but that's all those bikes were intended for changes on (and in the case of the 26" to 27.5" it was more just that that particular frame and fork I was using just happened to work out and was not recommended by the bike manufacturer, the other was particularly designed for the choice in wheels). Bike mechanics can be somewhat simple and there's plenty of on line help, tools can be somewhat specialized but a good metric tool set can work on most modern bikes well enough. For particularly older bikes this is a great source (Sheldon passed away a while back altho the site is kept running and some updates) https://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Yeah I had a feeling I could get bigger tires. Maybe I'll get a good used one. Like I said it's just for riding around the park or casual riding to get rid of some blues. Thanks for the links.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah I had a feeling I could get bigger tires. Maybe I'll get a good used one. Like I said it's just for riding around the park or casual riding to get rid of some blues. Thanks for the links.

So you're not taking it off any sweet jumps?

You might be able to more easily fit fatter tires on a given wheel, but sometimes the frame/fork (or even rim brakes) can't even accommodate much change there either....

Another idea is to go visit some local bike shops and see if they have any used bikes for sale (at least they have generally been gone thru and are safe).

 

[afterlife2]

Maybe this and do some upgrades?https://www.target.com/p/schwinn-men-39-s-ranger-26-34-mountain-bike-black/-/A-52747193
Or

Mongoose Men's Standoff 26" Mountain Bike - Black

Read reviews and buy Mongoose Men's Standoff 26" Mountain Bike - Black at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

My ex roommate just told me the bike was stolen. It was outside by the door chained up. Damn!

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd be afraid to ride that one myself. No indication of frame size (I suspect only one size), and they're using wheel size to relate to height of rider (it does somewhat, but....). The rear shock and front fork on something this cheap generally isn't worth owning...better to have a hardtail or fully rigid bike IMO.

 

[afterlife2]

I'd be afraid to ride that one myself. No indication of frame size (I suspect only one size), and they're using wheel size to relate to height of rider (it does somewhat, but....). The rear shock and front fork on something this cheap generally isn't worth owning...better to have a hardtail or fully rigid bike IMO.

Any on their site you trust?

 

[lovinthehd]

The Schwinn hardtails for 370/380 would be more what I'd consider. Department store bikes are often poorly assembled, tho, and could still be somewhat unsafe. I'm more of the mind of supporting actual bike shops....maybe some on this list but you may have to check out their offerings on line somewhat to see what range of pricing/bikes they have.... https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=bike+shop&find_loc=Hollywood,+FL

 

[afterlife2]

The Schwinn hardtails for 370/380 would be more what I'd consider. Department store bikes are often poorly assembled, tho, and could still be somewhat unsafe. I'm more of the mind of supporting actual bike shops....maybe some on this list but you may have to check out their offerings on line somewhat to see what range of pricing/bikes they have.... https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=bike+shop&find_loc=Hollywood,+FL

Thanks alot I'll check them out. A couple are real close by. I appreciate you taking the time, HD!

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks alot I'll check them out. A couple are real close by. I appreciate you taking the time, HD!

I like to see people on decent bikes....maybe just hold up on a few of those record box spenditures?

 

[highfigh]

Thanks guys I was wondering myself if I can upgrade the tires to 26 or 29 on the bike? Of course I can try to swap parts as long as it's fairly easy. If not I guess I can take it to a bike shop. The bike is in Miami right now, so I don't have any pics. In all honesty I need some type of exercise because my D has been very bad lately and maybe riding can help. Thanks again.

29 won't fit most 26 or even 27/700mm frames and if a bike starts life as a hybrid, MTB tires won't fit because they're too wide. Also, larger rims need the brakes to be more adjustable if the frame was made for rim brakes and those don't have a way to install disc brakes.

In addition, the ratios for the crankset and freehub (or freewheel) will need to change if 26" or 27" are replaced by 29", but that will depend on your needs.

YouTube has a lot of videos that show how to do these repairs and mods- I don't think you need to spend the money for only Park Tools- they're good, but expensive. If you change/service the crankset or freehub/freewheel, you'll probably need a socket to loosen the retainers, but they're available at bike stores and online- I bought some at each, depending on the level of instant gratification I felt was needed.

I had ridden road bikes since I decided that I was tired of my Sting Ray bikes being stolen and because the saddle wasn't adjusted correctly, I was riding less. The shops I went to weren't really much help- they were more interested in selling a new saddle or seat post. I don't ride on streets- the drivers are crazy and we have lots of places to ride that only cross traffic occasionally, so that's no longer an issue. However, the frame of my road bikes is very tall and I think it was always too tall, but that's what was recommended at the time. I decided to try a mountain bike and found a Trek MountainTrack 830, which was OK, but I really didn't like it and sold it last year. Once I effed up my knee, I decided to try again and found the Giant, which is much better. I still like Trek, but not that model- it had a steel frame and was a bit crude compared to this one.

I don't think I would obsess about tire diameter- 29 is popular but I have heard some talk of 26 making a comeback. I think the frame geometry makes more difference WRT ride quality than wheels as far as smooth vs bumpy- that would be the same as comparing a Chevette with an Impala because of the longer wheelbase. However, smaller diameter tires are easier to turn than larger ones if the ratios don't change.

The best bike is the one you'll ride without hating it. Go for some test rides- if possible, find a shop that sells used bikes or check Craig's List, Facebook marketplace, etc and check the Facebook groups fro various types- I have seen people post photos of bikes they bought for less than $100 that are older, but still excellent.

 

[highfigh]

I'd be afraid to ride that one myself. No indication of frame size (I suspect only one size), and they're using wheel size to relate to height of rider (it does somewhat, but....). The rear shock and front fork on something this cheap generally isn't worth owning...better to have a hardtail or fully rigid bike IMO.

The debate about wheel size is a bit confusing, to me. Some are adamant that 27" is best, while others say that 700mm are the best, with 26" being the ugly, red-headed step kid although the tire fit/diameter make this almost impossible to be precise. The difference between 27" and 700mm is .556". It's similar to the 70mm vs 75mm crank length arguments- it's a difference of one centimeter of diameter!

I read a lot of comments on Bike Forums and MTBR (Mountain Bike Review, owned by Jensen Bikes) about which forks, seat posts, rims & tires, etc are best, but like people on AH and any other audio/video forum, opinions vary. Some of the members on MTBR own 5-10 bikes, some have fewer but they buy bikes in the $3K-6K range and I'm personally never going to do that. Might be a great bike, but it's not gonna happen- I don't ride that far or often.

However, the reduction in shock when hitting bumps is far less with even a cheap shock or suspension seat post and if it keeps someone on the bike more often or on longer rides, it's a good thing. Those can be upgraded and/or modded to be better for an individual rider. When I rode the Giant for the first time (no, it's NOT a euphemism), I wondered why nobody at a bike shop had recommended a suspension post or, at least, check me for the correct size. The front shock on mine is adjustable and it makes a big difference for my wrists & hands. When I put the straight bar on, I left the bar ends on it, as well- I had them on the road bike, because raising my head when using the drop bar caused problems and with the more upright position, my neck felt better and the bar ends allowed me to change my hand positions.

 

[highfigh]

I like to see people on decent bikes....maybe just hold up on a few of those record box spenditures?

Have you seen Colnago bikes? YouTube has some videos of these being built- this one comes in at 5.4 Kg.

 

[afterlife2]

Lots of floods near my area. Guess who staying home?Still raining.

 

[Mikado463]

Jose, you got pontoons for that bike ?

 

[afterlife2]

Jose, you got pontoons for that bike ?

Nope none. How you doing in your part?

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you seen Colnago bikes? YouTube has some videos of these being built- this one comes in at 5.4 Kg.

Colnagos are classic Italian bikes (altho the frames are mostly if not all made in China these days, been a while since I looked into them). They had some killer paint jobs back in the day, too. I lusted after Colnagos in my road bike days for a while, but didn't keep riding road bikes that much to justify one in the long run....

 

[lovinthehd]

The debate about wheel size is a bit confusing, to me. Some are adamant that 27" is best, while others say that 700mm are the best, with 26" being the ugly, red-headed step kid although the tire fit/diameter make this almost impossible to be precise. The difference between 27" and 700mm is .556". It's similar to the 70mm vs 75mm crank length arguments- it's a difference of one centimeter of diameter!

I read a lot of comments on Bike Forums and MTBR (Mountain Bike Review, owned by Jensen Bikes) about which forks, seat posts, rims & tires, etc are best, but like people on AH and any other audio/video forum, opinions vary. Some of the members on MTBR own 5-10 bikes, some have fewer but they buy bikes in the $3K-6K range and I'm personally never going to do that. Might be a great bike, but it's not gonna happen- I don't ride that far or often.

However, the reduction in shock when hitting bumps is far less with even a cheap shock or suspension seat post and if it keeps someone on the bike more often or on longer rides, it's a good thing. Those can be upgraded and/or modded to be better for an individual rider. When I rode the Giant for the first time (no, it's NOT a euphemism), I wondered why nobody at a bike shop had recommended a suspension post or, at least, check me for the correct size. The front shock on mine is adjustable and it makes a big difference for my wrists & hands. When I put the straight bar on, I left the bar ends on it, as well- I had them on the road bike, because raising my head when using the drop bar caused problems and with the more upright position, my neck felt better and the bar ends allowed me to change my hand positions.

27" was a wheel size that Schwinn and some others used here in the US for road bikes, IIRC, whereas in europe it was the 700C wheel for the most part (the 27" has mostly disappeared as the euro standards have taken over in road bikes even here in the US). 26" was mostly for mountain bikes, and since we started the bigger production of that size, became somewhat a standard. These days mountain bikes are more 27.5" (650B) or 29" (700C with fat tires essentially). 26" wheels are still found on some of the cheaper offerings, tho. Cranks depend more on your leg length, 172.5 mm are often the base length for mens sizing at least, altho sometimes that's a bit long, 175 is more unusual/for taller guys. I've used mostly 172.5, altho my emtn bike came with 165s. There often isn't much choice on a new bike depending on frame size somewhat, often something you need to change out for yourself if you want different.

I've used some of the better stem and seat post type suspensions, not the really cheap crap that's sometimes offered, and it's really a poorer experience compared to a proper fork or shock (shocks generally are rear shocks in purpose designed frames, we just call 'em forks for the most part as rigid forks on actual mountain bikes are rare). A little bit of reduction of bumps are good, but fatter tires can often do a better job of that than the gimmicky stem or seat post type suspensions....

Mountain bikes have evolved to have a more upright position generally, rather than a strict racer-boy cross country style as was popular when I got into it in the late 80s/early 90s. Comfort as we age does become more important, I have no desire to ride hardtails much these days. My first full suspension was a Moots YBB (why be beat) which didn't use an actual shock for the rear, but more a way of allowing the titanium frame to flex with less than 1" of travel. These days I use 150mm/160mm forks with rear travel of 100-160mm depending on bike. I'm one of those guys who has a sizeable investment in bikes....7 mountain, 2 road, mostly of the pricey variety with good quality componentry. I do take them off sweet jumps now and then, too.

 

[highfigh]

27" was a wheel size that Schwinn and some others used here in the US for road bikes, IIRC, whereas in europe it was the 700C wheel for the most part (the 27" has mostly disappeared as the euro standards have taken over in road bikes even here in the US). 26" was mostly for mountain bikes, and since we started the bigger production of that size, became somewhat a standard. These days mountain bikes are more 27.5" (650B) or 29" (700C with fat tires essentially). 26" wheels are still found on some of the cheaper offerings, tho. Cranks depend more on your leg length, 172.5 mm are often the base length for mens sizing at least, altho sometimes that's a bit long, 175 is more unusual/for taller guys. I've used mostly 172.5, altho my emtn bike came with 165s. There often isn't much choice on a new bike depending on frame size somewhat, often something you need to change out for yourself if you want different.

I've used some of the better stem and seat post type suspensions, not the really cheap crap that's sometimes offered, and it's really a poorer experience compared to a proper fork or shock (shocks generally are rear shocks in purpose designed frames, we just call 'em forks for the most part as rigid forks on actual mountain bikes are rare). A little bit of reduction of bumps are good, but fatter tires can often do a better job of that than the gimmicky stem or seat post type suspensions....

Mountain bikes have evolved to have a more upright position generally, rather than a strict racer-boy cross country style as was popular when I got into it in the late 80s/early 90s. Comfort as we age does become more important, I have no desire to ride hardtails much these days. My first full suspension was a Moots YBB (why be beat) which didn't use an actual shock for the rear, but more a way of allowing the titanium frame to flex with less than 1" of travel. These days I use 150mm/160mm forks with rear travel of 100-160mm depending on bike. I'm one of those guys who has a sizeable investment in bikes....7 mountain, 2 road, mostly of the pricey variety with good quality componentry. I do take them off sweet jumps now and then, too.

WRT Schwinn, don't remind me- I had a Schwinn Varsity after my Sting Ray bikes were stolen and I bought it with "If they want this one, they're gonna have to work to get away and suffer". I think the shorter cranks are for ground clearance, AFAIK, but the same can be achieved by raising the bottom bracket- since the geometry of a road bike and MTB are different, the change would be less noticeable. I never knew the crank arms that I had installed on my road bike are different until someone saw the ad I placed on FB to sell them.IMO, 5mm doesn't matter between R&L sides because riding a bike has so many moving parts, including the rider.

My idea of comfort at this point is not taking a digger caused by jumping over things. I did plenty of that when I was a kid- I'd like to survive the ride. A friend had a yard sale on a trail a few years ago and ended up with a broken collarbone and jammed shoulder- he has always ridden a lot, but it can happen to anyone.