riothero wrote:So all of the children's bikes your shop sells are junk as well? Are these levers on the kid's bikes snapping off left and right? I'm sure nuts, bolts, bearings, chains, derailleurs, cables etc used in kid's bikes are also used in adult bikes, tons of the parts are universal. If a company made every single part over and over for adult vs children size bikes they could never make money. What about one part for every different frame size? I've never even heard of "children's levers", how do you know that bike isn't using "adult" levers from this "junky bike".

I call them children's levers because the only bikes in the industry that use these levers are kids bikes..... and the problem isn't that they crack or break, the problem is that they are TINY. They are small...for a kids hand or thumb. Also, the indexing is very inaccurate and they do not hold adjustment very well.

They are toy quality- something you would put on a bike for a kid that is going to ride it for a year before outgrowing it. Most parents opt for an upgrade to nicer bar end shifters anyways because the first thing they notice is that these shifters are junk.

Stuman25 wrote:Alas, one of the few remaining products that increase cost with additional materials. Height discrimination.

This discrimination may apply to mass market bikes (which only come in one size), but there is generally no price difference between frame sizes of bike models at your independent bicycle dealer.

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs?

usually with a scale

NewMaster wrote:but there is generally no price difference between frame sizes of bike models at your independent bicycle dealer.

Unless perhaps you're someone like Shawn Bradley.

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs? Will I fit on it if I'm only 5'3"?

Nope... I'm 5'3" and ride road bikes... that's WAY too big. too bad they're excluding a lot of people by only selling one size. The best size range for someone around 5'3" is 48-51cm, depending on the kind of riding you do. I prefer ~49cm frames myself, although my current bicycle is full custom.

elektrobot wrote:the indexing is very inaccurate and they do not hold adjustment very well.

The shift levers generally have very little role in holding the gears in adjustment. That is more a function of the cable being pre-stressed and the housing being compressed. Lack of indexing precision is more likely due to slop in the pivots and pulleys of the derailleurs than the shift levers.

lichme wrote:Schwinn is quality. They are built to last.

the new ones are chinese made garbage, non standard parts, the schwinn that was, got sold for it's name, they are not the same company.

A note on self assembly... not only will they probably not honor the warranty if it's not assembled by a licensed dealer, if you don't know what you're doing when adjusting derailleurs, you'll be faced with a significant challenge. There's also truing the wheels (low end wheels tend to be totally untrue and can be wobbly out of the box), and proper brake adjustments.

I do all my own bicycle maintenance, but I'm an avid cyclist who traded my car for a custom titanium racing bike (although I can't race at the moment due to injuries- fell off a mountain).

Know what you're getting into. Some bike shops will do simple derailleur adjustments at no or minimal charge. Others will stiff you. You also don't want to invalidate a warranty.

A final note... PLEASE WEAR A HELMET and wear it properly. You can never predict an accident. Weather conditions change (winds sent me off a mountain, fell 30 feet), and you can't control the other people out there (I was the victim of a hit & run when a driver ran a stop sigh). Due diligence may not prevent all injuries, but it CAN definitely reduce them. My crushed helmet is a testament to that.

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs? Will I fit on it if I'm only 5'3"?

In the "SPECS" section, it states that it is set for riders at the height of 5'6-5'9. After reading AMAZON reviews, the bike is estimated at 22-24lbs.

Hope this helps you out.

NewMaster wrote:The shift levers generally have very little role in holding the gears in adjustment. That is more a function of the cable being pre-stressed and the housing being compressed. Lack of indexing precision is more likely due to slop in the pivots and pulleys of the derailleurs than the shift levers.

Are you joking? Or are you just guessing....

Either way, you're not doing it well.

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs? Will I fit on it if I'm only 5'3"?

At 5'3" you'll need a 49CM bike, and that's pretty hard to find on a standard road bike frame. They make womens' frames with slightly smaller wheel sizes to get down below 49CM, and also mixte style frames.

NewMaster wrote:The shift levers generally have very little role in holding the gears in adjustment. That is more a function of the cable being pre-stressed and the housing being compressed. Lack of indexing precision is more likely due to slop in the pivots and pulleys of the derailleurs than the shift levers.

That is true of proper index shifters (e.g. shimano Tiagra sti shifters), but what's on this bike are not like that. These are akin to handlebar-grip shifters, wherein they "index" by having detentes that the rotating shifter clicks into as it moves. It's a friction lever.

Take a look at the mounting and usage instructions for the shifter component (from Shimano's site) to get a clearer picture.

In short, these shift levers really are crap. They mount in a terrible location for use while riding; on a road bike you're going to spend most of your time with your hands on the hoods of the brake levers, and moving from there to right up by the stem every time you need to shift is inconvenient at best, frustrating to anyone who's used shifters that are integrated with the brake levers (like these), and downright dangerous at worst.

I would avoid this bike even if I wasn't concerned with longevity or quality; it's just not going to be very pleasant to ride.

I really wish I weren't so damn tall sometimes. It costs an arm and a leg to get a nice road bike frame for my stature (6'3").

Oh well.

elektrobot wrote:Are you joking? Or are you just guessing....

Either way, you're not doing it well.

I have 28 years in the bicycle business, and am a certified master technician, with degrees from BBI and Schwinn (which had a school teaching among other things, Sturmey Archer and Shimano 3-speed hub overhaul...that's how far back I go). I've also taught bicycle repair courses to hundreds of people.

Granted, I haven't picked up a wrench in awhile (I'm no longer in the business), and haven't worked on this particular Schwinn. But I'm well aware of the differences between forged aluminum vs. pressed and rolled steel and plastic components. If you do not pre-stress cables, gears won't hold their adjustment for long. That applies to even pro bikes. Sometimes on cheap bikes, index compatible housing isn't used; this also affects shifting precision.

It would be more cool if Woot got this other Schwinn road bike that seems to get decent reviews after some adjustment: http://www.walmart.com/ip/5585800?adid=22222222227001171306&wmlspartner=wlpa&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=13683135790&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem

benley wrote:That is true of proper index shifters (e.g. shimano Tiagra sti shifters), but what's on this bike are not like that. These are akin to handlebar-grip shifters, wherein they "index" by having detentes that the rotating shifter clicks into as it moves. It's a friction lever.

Take a look at the mounting and usage instructions for the shifter component (from Shimano's site) to get a clearer picture.

In short, these shift levers really are crap. They mount in a terrible location for use while riding; on a road bike you're going to spend most of your time with your hands on the hoods of the brake levers, and moving from there to right up by the stem every time you need to shift is inconvenient at best, frustrating to anyone who's used shifters that are integrated with the brake levers (like these), and downright dangerous at worst.

I would avoid this bike even if I wasn't concerned with longevity or quality; it's just not going to be very pleasant to ride.

By the way, here are some of the the cheapest road bikes that I can recommend in good faith that people should buy:

• Bike one - Aluminum frame, carbon fiber fork, SRAM Apex (i.e. pretty decent) derailleurs/shifters. Compromises on brakes; those tektro aluminum brakes are not great.
  
• Bike two - Similar to the first; Al frame, Carbon fork. Shimano Tiagra shifters (decent!), Tiagra/105 derailleurs (quite good!). Compromises: bottom bracket is so-so, brakes are so-so.
  
• Bike three - Different! Chromoly steel frame, so it will be a much softer and less vibration-laden ride. Comes with a cargo rack. Tiagra shifters and front derailleur (good!), and Shimano's Deore rear derailleur, which is actually from their mountain bike component set. If you want to carry stuff on your bike, you want this. If you want to ride a hundred miles in one go, you want this.
  

NewMaster wrote:It's an OK deal; less so when you factor in having it professionally assembled. You could try putting it together yourself, but I wouldn't recommend doing so. The manuals typically supplied with bicycles are poor to non-existent. A bike shop bike may be a bit more expensive, but it is a better place to buy a bicycle if you haven't a clue about fitting, assembly, or even if this kind of bike is right for you.

It says it only needs minor assembly and that it comes mostly assembled. It's a bicycle, though, not a car. I could strip and reassemble most any bike, since I was like in 1st or second grade. My guess is that the cranks are already on there, so you shouldn't need any special tools that you probably don't already have.

real quick:

forum almost 2 years ago, when asking about entry level road bike, comparing Katana to another bike:
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/beginners-corner/what-buy-schwinn-katana-vs-tommaso-tiempo-227362.html

mini video "review": eh
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xloriz_schwinn-katana-road-bike-review_sport

Another review: sounds almost too good to be true, with one comment suggesting it might be (saying the wheel hub gave out at about 200 miles):
http://daveretterer.hubpages.com/hub/How-about-a-new-Schwinn-Katana-Road-Bike

Finally, unboxing, but be warned: 10+ minutes


Bye

benley wrote:That is true of proper index shifters (e.g. shimano Tiagra sti shifters), but what's on this bike are not like that. These are akin to handlebar-grip shifters, wherein they "index" by having detentes that the rotating shifter clicks into as it moves. It's a friction lever.

It's a friction lever for the front changer, and a "true and proper" index lever for the rear derailleur. It's no different in principle than a downtube index lever that predates STI , save for being cheaply made and not having a friction option.

""Frame size is appropriate for riders 5'6" to 5'9" . Was this made for short men? Too short of a frame

DaZoneRanger wrote:It says it only needs minor assembly and that it comes mostly assembled. It's a bicycle, though, not a car. I could strip and reassemble most any bike, since I was like in 1st or second grade. My guess is that the cranks are already on there, so you shouldn't need any special tools that you probably don't already have.

The bike could be slapped together in 15 minutes. But it fail far sooner if it isn't properly assembled. No, it's not a car, but it does require specialized knowledge to assemble and adjust. The cranks are installed, but is the bottom bracket and crank arms torqued to spec? A good bike shop will actually check the factory installed parts to verify it has been done correctly. That means taking the crank arms off in order to verify the torque of the bottom bracket to the bottom bracket shell. The bottom bracket requires a special tool. Most people will not have that tool or any of the other specialized tools necessary to do a professional assembly and adjustment of this bicycle.

Anorion wrote:As a bike guy, this is an OK bike. If you don't ride it too hard, this will last a couple of years. Couple of notes, though.

Schwinn will likely NOT honor the warranty unless the bike is assembled by a trained bicycle mechanic. This has been true of most bike brands, but Schwinn is notorious for having horrible service these days. Most loc
al bike shops charge $15-20 for this level of
assembly. Some Wal-Marts will do it too, with prices ranging from free to about the same as a LBS.

Secondly, the wheels included are 24-spoke paired, not 36-spoke paired as listed. Count the spokes.

Overall, a cheap bike is a cheap bike and probably won't last long. If you want to see if you like roadie bikes, get this, or even better, go try one at a bike shop, or borrow one from a friend. Then hit up Craigslist where you can get a much better used bike for about the same price.

Also, aluminum frames are stiff. As in you will feel every single imperfection in the road stiff. Again, if you're not riding much, whatever, but if you want to ride a lot, you might look at a different frame material...

Thanks, also I do think Craigslist may be a better option for someone who needs a bike to get out of the house and shed some lbs

NewMaster wrote:It's an OK deal; less so when you factor in having it professionally assembled. You could try putting it together yourself, but I wouldn't recommend doing so. The manuals typically supplied with bicycles are poor to non-existent. A bike shop bike may be a bit more expensive, but it is a better place to buy a bicycle if you haven't a clue about fitting, assembly, or even if this kind of bike is right for you.

Speak for yourself. Just because you (clearly) have no mechanical aptitude doesn't mean the vast majority of cyclists don't. Just what exactly do you do when something breaks on your bike and you're 30 miles from home? Call AAA? Hipster.

Buying a bike anywhere except a local bike shop (LBS) is a false economy. The cheapest LBS bike is maybe $100 more than this ohe but includes professional assembly by people who know about bikes and a tune up after the cables stretch and the moving parts wear in. Some shops offer a year or more of free brake and shift adjustments which saves a ton of $ over a mail order or big box store bike. A bike isn't a toy. It's a vehicle, and your life is on the line. Get one that fits and is assembled properly.

lichme wrote:Schwinn is quality. They are built to last.

That used to be true until they went bankrupt. The new Schwinns are just a name on low quality Chinese imports.

woot! please add more frame sizes!!

lichme wrote:Schwinn is quality. They are built to last.

Sorry, Schwinn is no longer built for quality. I've worked in the bicycle industry for years, I'd avoid this bike unless you are testing your interest in cycling and don't want to spend a larger amount of money.

As a roadie cyclist, I looked at this model a while back when I was looking for a new bike. For basically $200 it's not a bad deal for a decent quality bike. However, if you are looking to get into road biking, I would not buy it. The shift levers are weird and nothing like a true road bike. Plus as someone else has already said, this is mass market stuff, not superb quality, built-to-last. If someone gave me one I probably wouldn't ride it for fear of what might happen if I got into a wreck with it. Save the money and put it towards a good quality road bike

CaviMike wrote:Speak for yourself. Just because you (clearly) have no mechanical aptitude doesn't mean the vast majority of cyclists don't. Just what exactly do you do when something breaks on your bike and you're 30 miles from home? Call AAA? Hipster.

I totally agree with NewMaster's comment and can't find a gram of logic in your reply.
Advantage = NewMaster

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs? Will I fit on it if I'm only 5'3"?

36-24-36?

This bike will be okay if you don't ride that much....or very far. You have to realize this is going to be the same quality you'd get if you bought a $100 bike from Walmart or Target.

I ride a lot...I do some of my own maintenance....and I would really advise against this bike...and others like it. The old saying "You get what you pay for" REALLY rings true when it comes to bicycles. The difference between this bicycle, and a quality-made, professionally assembled and fitted to your body bicycle.......is going to be like the difference between wrapping your feet in burlap....and having custom, handmade Italian leather shoes.

Unless you know for a fact that this bike will fit you, do yourself a favor and go to a bike shop and see what size you really need, fact is som people that fall in the category the specs list for this bike would not really fit it properly. This is especially true if you have longer than average legs or shorter than average legs but are still between 5'6 and 5'9. And if the road bike is a bad fit your back will hurt after you use it.

nyccolef wrote:That used to be true until they went bankrupt. The new Schwinns are just a name on low quality Chinese imports.

Actually a large number are from china, and all of them are from some Asian plant... Good chance that it could be from Vietnam or some other uber-low cost country that makes a bike from china look good, But 100% certain it is way below the old USA standard and if you want to blame someone blame the Canadians that currently own schwinn.

Decent price but not a bike I can use. Those wheels look too thin to support a heavy weight (over 250lbs with gear) and commute across the city.

Height is not the sole factor in determining bike frame size. Many bike shop employees are too uneducated to know this. Here is a decent estimator. http://www.ebicycles.com/bicycle-tools/frame-sizer/road-bike

Ths frame size is right for me at 5' 2" and 1/2 with 31 and a half inch inseam.

Hey woot, do these wheels really have 36 spokes or is this an error in the specs?

Wow, I actually feel sorry for the people that bought this. Oh well, there will be a flood of them on Craigslist over the next few months lol.

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs? Will I fit on it if I'm only 5'3"?

It weighs 22-23 pounds. Use this calculator or the inseam measue times .65 as recommended on the livestrong site.
http://www.ebicycles.com/bicycle-tools/frame-sizer/road-bike

cakeface wrote:Does anyone know how this weighs? Will I fit on it if I'm only 5'3"?

I would probably buy something smaller if you're 5'3''

CritterB wrote:I love my old homegrown but this is definitely the mass market Schwinn and not the "real" bike shop version and I'm not sure I'd even buy the bike shop version these days. As long as you know what you're getting and you're okay with it then that's fine and it's not a bad price

The homegrown was a fantastic bike back when Schwinn made quality bikes. I have a Moab from the same era and it is a great bike too.

However, I'm sure you know that the parent company of Pacific Cycle (WalMart/Target brand) bought out the Schwinn name since then and now puts it on their lousy bikes. There is a rumor that you can still get a quality Schwinn new somewhere, but I haven't seen it.

I even used to work at a Schwinn dealer years ago - before they were bought out - and the last time I drove past the dealer they were still a bike shop but they no longer carry Schwinn at all. That is really saying something, since they used to have Schwinn right in their name.

This bike is Schwinn's attempt to make the exact opposite of the Paramount.