I have been riding this b ...
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I have been riding this bike regularly for a month now, and so far have had no serious problems or issues, and I am very pleased with my purchase. The vast majority of my riding is urban commuting on mostly flat, paved roads. I have done some hilly rides, which is a hard with the single speed, but not impossible. I did a ton of research when I was looking for a bike, because I wanted something pretty specific, and I didn't have a lot of money to spend. This bike fit the bill perfectly. I wanted 1) a men's road bike that looked nice, 2) drop-down handlebars with front and rear brakes, 3) a single speed or fixed gear, and 4) it had to be lightweight. I live in a fourth floor apartment (no elevator), so the weight was perhaps the most important issue for me. This bike weighs less than 15 pounds, which is pretty great considering the price! The only issue I've had is that the you cannot raise the handlebars (the headset has some spacers which you can remove to lower the handlebars, but they come from the factory at the highest setting). The style of headset is threadless (as opposed to threaded), which I didn't realize also meant single-height. I have gotten used to it now, but it took some adjusting in my riding style and seat height to make it comfortable. Oh, I should add - I am a female, 5'7", and I'm right at the bottom of the height range for this bike. I clear the crossbar with about an inch to spare, so I wouldn't get this bike if you are any shorter! Overall:Pros:- You can't beat the price for this type of bike- Looks great- Components are not fancy, but so far seem to be solid- Lightweight- Agile, quick riding and maneuvering- Saddle is comfortable and cleans easily- Assembly was straightforward- Wheel hubs are bolt-on (not quick-release), which was also important for me living in a city; the saddle, however, is quick-release, which is nice for making adjustments on the fly and is easier to take with me if I lock up outside.- Tires and tubes have held up fine so far - good tread on the tires.- The frame has bolts for a bottle cage- Although I may take them off to save even more weight, the kickstand and chain cover are nice perks.Cons:- Threadless headset - would have preferred threaded if I knew the difference before buying- The white grip tape will start to get gray very quickly and is difficult to clean- The instruction manual is pretty useless (it covers every kind of bike Schwinn produces, so it's very generic), though assembly is pretty common-sense.Make sure to visit the Schwinn website to read all the specs before buying.
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