Need Help- Wal-Mart Schwinn S-30

Hello all,
My wife purchased me a Schwinn S-30 on clearance from Wal-Mart
yesterday and I have a couple of questions for you experts. I am a
fairly large man at 6'3" 240 lbs and I am wondering if this bike is
big enough to handle me. It has the 26" suspension frame but for the
life of me I cannot figure out how to raise the handlebars to a height
that is comfortable for me. The manual included with the bike is a
genric Schwinn manual and does not give specifics on my bike or how to
adjust the handlebar height. The seat, or saddle as I notice it is
correctly called, is also very uncomfortable so I would like advice as
to what I should get for my "girth".
I know this is a very low end bike compared to what you guys ride but
I just want something to last me a couple of years to see if I really
want to invest in this sport. Any advice you have will be most
welcome.

Thanks

"JC" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,
My wife purchased me a Schwinn S-30 on clearance from Wal-Mart
yesterday and I have a couple of questions for you experts. I am a
fairly large man at 6'3" 240 lbs and I am wondering if this bike is
big enough to handle me. It has the 26" suspension frame but for the
life of me I cannot figure out how to raise the handlebars to a height
that is comfortable for me. The manual included with the bike is a
genric Schwinn manual and does not give specifics on my bike or how to
adjust the handlebar height. The seat, or saddle as I notice it is
correctly called, is also very uncomfortable so I would like advice as
to what I should get for my "girth".
I know this is a very low end bike compared to what you guys ride but
I just want something to last me a couple of years to see if I really
want to invest in this sport. Any advice you have will be most
welcome.


Keep in mind that I am just the messenger and I bear what will probably be
bad news for you. At your height and weight, you are very likely too big for
that bike. Most full-suspension bikes are shipped with shock springs
designed for someone between 150lb and 180lbs. You can crank up the preload
in the back (by turning the shock collar), but the fork probably doesn't
have adjustments. I'm smaller than you but I had to replace my fork
internals and shock spring to get my bike to ride right (and this on a
mid-range Cannondale full-suspension mountain bike).

With that said, handlebar adjustment depends on what kind of stem you have -
threaded or threadless. In the former, you can raise the stem by loosening a
single bolt in the center of the stem. In the latter, you have to replace
spacers or the stem. If the fork's steerer tube has already been cut, you
will have to get a new stem with a higher angle. Visit
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html to find out more.

Saddles are a personal thing, but many people make the mistake of getting a
squishy one thinking it will be more comfortable. You have two bones (the
ischial tuberosities) that are supposed to support your weight when you sit
down. If you add a bunch of padding, the padding supports your weight by
pushing on the perineum (the soft tissue between your anus and scrotum) and
surrounding soft parts, causing considerable pain. A more thinly padded
saddle is usually more comfortable, but you do have to get used to sitting
on those bones. See this for more information:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

You might also seriously consider the type of riding you will be doing.
While I am guilty of using a full-suspension mountain bike for commuting
duty, it really is overkill for most road riding situations (and it was the
only bike I had at the time). A hybrid or "comfort" bike might be better
suited for what you plan to do.

The best advice you can get is to find a local bike shop and get fitted for
a bike. It may cost a few dollars, but it will be well worth the money. Take
the measurements they give you and see if your bike is anywhere close to
those measurements. If it is, you might be able to swap out some parts to
make yours fit better. If not, you should really consider getting a bike
that fits. A painful bike will end up being parked instead of ridden.

Good luck,
Buck

"JC" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,
My wife purchased me a Schwinn S-30 on clearance from Wal-Mart
yesterday and I have a couple of questions for you experts. I am a
fairly large man at 6'3" 240 lbs and I am wondering if this bike is
big enough to handle me. It has the 26" suspension frame but for the
life of me I cannot figure out how to raise the handlebars to a height
that is comfortable for me. The manual included with the bike is a
genric Schwinn manual and does not give specifics on my bike or how to
adjust the handlebar height. The seat, or saddle as I notice it is
correctly called, is also very uncomfortable so I would like advice as
to what I should get for my "girth".
I know this is a very low end bike compared to what you guys ride but
I just want something to last me a couple of years to see if I really
want to invest in this sport. Any advice you have will be most
welcome.

Discount store bikes tend to be available only in one "medium" frame size.
Bike shop bikes usually come in at least three to five frame sizes. If you
have a medium, it's likely you really need an "extra large."

There's not much you can do about this except get a refund, if it's still
possible. If you want to find out if cycling suits you, doing so on an
ill-fitting bike is no more likely to succeed than deciding if you like to
wear shoes by trying a pair that's three sizes too small.

If this S-30 is like they used to be, you have a "threadless" headset. The
only way to raise the handlebars is by replacing or adding parts.

The seatpost is probably also too short. You may not have discovered this
yet because if you're new you probably have the saddle too low. If you ever
manage to become a proficient cyclist on this bike (doubtful) you will find
that you can't extend your knees sufficiently. Very bad for your knees.

It's a truism around here (because it's true) that no bike is a bargain if
ends up not being ridden. It's equally true that very commonly people stop
cycling because of discomfort. They assume that cycling is simply
unformfortable, never realizing that their discomfort was really caused by
poor fit.

I would expect Walmart might well take the bike back on the basis that it
was a gift and it didn't fit the recipient.

For $200-300 you can get a good brand-name entry-level bike at a local bike
shop. It will have the correct size frame, and any decent shop will include
adjusting the handlebars (swappng parts if necessary) and saddle for you, as
well as doing the other tweaks necessary to fit the bike to you. The bike
will be correctly assembled and adjusted (something you can't count on at a
discount store). They will also include a 30-day adjustment and warranty
support -- as well as minor adjustments and and advice indefinitely.

Such a bike will likely be more suitable and durable for someone of your
size riding on streets or bike paths than a cheap full-suspension mountain
bike, which simply is not -- it's the wrong tool for the job.

RichC

"JC" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,
My wife purchased me a Schwinn S-30 on clearance from Wal-Mart
yesterday and I have a couple of questions for you experts. I am a
fairly large man at 6'3" 240 lbs and I am wondering if this bike is
big enough to handle me. It has the 26" suspension frame but for the
life of me I cannot figure out how to raise the handlebars to a height
that is comfortable for me. The manual included with the bike is a
genric Schwinn manual and does not give specifics on my bike or how to
adjust the handlebar height. The seat, or saddle as I notice it is
correctly called, is also very uncomfortable so I would like advice as
to what I should get for my "girth".
I know this is a very low end bike compared to what you guys ride but
I just want something to last me a couple of years to see if I really
want to invest in this sport. Any advice you have will be most
welcome.

Thanks

Give your wife a BIG kiss, and say "Thank you!"

Then tell her, while you appreciate the sentiment, it really is the wrong
bike for you.
I know telling your SWMBO she screwed up is treading on dangerous ground,
but here, you really have to do it.

Take it back to Walmart, get your money back. Then RUN to a bike shop with
that money in hand. Take a little of your own money as well.

For not much more, you'll be able to get a bike that will fit you. Avoid
full suspension unless you plan on spending a good bit of change.
You might be able to find a good bike on sale for $300-350 or so. But that
will probably last you quite a few years.

The 26" you mention is the tire size, not the frame size. Virtually all
adult size mountain bikes have 26" tires. Frame size varies. Except at the
dept store.

Seats vary. No one seat is right for everyone. Don't be lulled by the gels
and other squishy ones. That actually ends up putting more pressure on the
places you don't want it. In fact, most bike seats are 'uncomfortable' at
first, *especially* when the rider is new. Your ass will break in
eventually.

Pete
If you bought her the wrong size anniversary ring, would she exchange it?

"Pete" wrote in message
...

"JC" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,
My wife purchased me a Schwinn S-30 on clearance from Wal-Mart
yesterday and I have a couple of questions for you experts. I am a
fairly large man at 6'3" 240 lbs and I am wondering if this bike is
big enough to handle me. It has the 26" suspension frame but for the
life of me I cannot figure out how to raise the handlebars to a height
that is comfortable for me. The manual included with the bike is a
genric Schwinn manual and does not give specifics on my bike or how to
adjust the handlebar height. The seat, or saddle as I notice it is
correctly called, is also very uncomfortable so I would like advice as
to what I should get for my "girth".
I know this is a very low end bike compared to what you guys ride but
I just want something to last me a couple of years to see if I really
want to invest in this sport. Any advice you have will be most
welcome.

Thanks

Give your wife a BIG kiss, and say "Thank you!"

Then tell her, while you appreciate the sentiment, it really is the wrong
bike for you.
I know telling your SWMBO she screwed up is treading on dangerous ground,
but here, you really have to do it.

Take it back to Walmart, get your money back. Then RUN to a bike shop with
that money in hand. Take a little of your own money as well.

For not much more, you'll be able to get a bike that will fit you. Avoid
full suspension unless you plan on spending a good bit of change.
You might be able to find a good bike on sale for $300-350 or so. But that
will probably last you quite a few years.

The 26" you mention is the tire size, not the frame size. Virtually all
adult size mountain bikes have 26" tires. Frame size varies. Except at the
dept store.

Seats vary. No one seat is right for everyone. Don't be lulled by the gels
and other squishy ones. That actually ends up putting more pressure on the
places you don't want it. In fact, most bike seats are 'uncomfortable' at
first, *especially* when the rider is new. Your ass will break in
eventually.

Pete
If you bought her the wrong size anniversary ring, would she exchange it?


I second this advice. The Schwinn is too small for you. (It's too small
for me, and I'm 3" shorter than you.) Bring some flowers home with you on
the way back from the bike shop.

Cheers,

-=B=-

"JC" wrote in message
om...
The seatpost is probably also too short. You may not have discovered this
yet because if you're new you probably have the saddle too low. If you ever
manage to become a proficient cyclist on this bike (doubtful) you will find
that you can't extend your knees sufficiently. Very bad for your knees.

Banging your knees on the stem/fork/etc. because the bike is too small can
be really bad for your knees too. Trust me on that one.

David

Barry wrote:
I second this advice. The Schwinn is too small for you. (It's too small
for me, and I'm 3" shorter than you.) Bring some flowers home with you on
the way back from the bike shop.

You can also peruse the LBS bulletin board and see if any
collectors are unloading something your size for a wonderful price.
(Your respondents haven't even gotten into the quality, durability,
and adjustability of *.Mart bikes and their components, which you
won't need to experience if you swap it for something decent that
fits.)

--Karen M.
who's bought exactly three bikes brand-spanking new (out of about 15
so far)

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 13:41:24 GMT, MisNomer wrote:
Flowers? no... jewellery is better! But what would be great is to ask her to go
for a ride with you.

If that was a way to make amends, I'd pick fights with mine all day.

take care
Liz

--
Rick Onanian

"Buck" s c h w i n n _ f o r _ s a l e @ h o t m a i l . c o m
wrote:


Onlooker wrote in message
.. .

snip

I disagree about the gel saddle though. They might not be ideal in
the longterm, but they are an economical way to add some comfort to
(and prolong) those initial hour rides while the *rider* gets broken
in and learns how to ride, watch for and take bumps, railroad tracks
and potholes etc.

Its true his ass will get used to it, but cutting short a ride in the
early phases just because your butt is sore seems to be the wrong
reason.

Gel saddles will cut the ride even shorter because they put pressure on
parts that weren't meant to hold a person's weight. Not only that, they will
prolong the period it takes to "get broken in" becauase the person keeps
searching for more padding to coddle their sore butt instead of graduating
to something with less padding that will work better for the long run. My
father-in-law went through this. Before I intervened, he had a saddle with
TWO gel pads and a sheepskin cover on top. And he wondered why he couldn't
ride more than a mile or two without a sore rump....

-Buck


Seems to me a central issue is whether the rider *knows* he should
wean himself from the gel eventually or whether it is seen as the
ultimate solution.

I submit that the problem is not the gel itself but the design and
implementation, particularly in father in law's case. A gel PAD
(which was not mentioned, was not advocated, and is not the same as a
gel saddle) is worse because it *does* distibute weight to the soft
tissue between and around the sit bones thereby also *reducing* the
degree to which they get acclimated. Certainly, 2 pads and a cover
provide few of the benefits and aggravates the problems associated
with gels.

This is much less the case with decent gel *saddles* which do provide
cutouts or recesses. They remain a compromise because as the sit
bones sink into the gel, some pressure *is* applied to the soft tissue
around them. But the nearly universal complaint of new riders is the
discomfort to the sit bones from the mere act of getting on the bike
*not* ride numbness. As such, a decent gel saddle (not pad, not 60s
style gel seat) can allow them to extend their rides to the point
where their legs or energy reserve, not rump, tells them to go home.

The caveat in this specific case, is that Mr Schwinn S-30 is a big
guy, so he might sink deeply enough into the gel and benefit less or
need to graduate to a different saddle sooner than someone of less
mass, but now he is forewarned.


No one yet mentioned saddle height and angle, which might also be part
of his initial discomfort.

Onlooker wrote in message
...

Seems to me a central issue is whether the rider *knows* he should
wean himself from the gel eventually or whether it is seen as the
ultimate solution.

As I see it, the problem is that new riders who don't have an experienced
mentor assume that the solution is to obtain a bigger/wider/softer seat to
deal with their aching rumps. Without guidance, they don't understand that
their "solution" is simply making the problem worse. I have yet to talk to a
new rider who thought that getting a smaller, harder seat was the correct
solution. As the former ride leader for the local newcomer ride, I have had
an opportunity to chat with many new riders about this problem.

Go to your local wal-mart and check out the replacement saddles. With the
exception of the bmx saddles, all of them are too wide and have way too much
cushion which is usually of the gel variety. These are the saddles the
uninformed seek out as the answer to being saddle-sore.

I submit that the problem is not the gel itself but the design and

Gel really has no place on a saddle. You can't make it firm enough to
properly support a person's weight. Place it under the sit-bones and you end
up with a squishy, squirmy saddle that feels like it is always trying to
escape from uner your rump. Place it under other spots and either serves no
purpose because your weight is properly on your sit bones, or it causes
problems because it is thick enough to push on your soft parts.

But the nearly universal complaint of new riders is the
discomfort to the sit bones from the mere act of getting on the bike
*not* ride numbness. As such, a decent gel saddle (not pad, not 60s
style gel seat) can allow them to extend their rides to the point
where their legs or energy reserve, not rump, tells them to go home.

Not in my experience. They are talking about pain in their soft parts. Most
of them don't even know what their sit-bones are. Make a seat that presses
gently on soft parts and you get numbness; make a seat that distributes the
weight evenly across the soft parts and the sit-bones, you get pain.


The caveat in this specific case, is that Mr Schwinn S-30 is a big
guy, so he might sink deeply enough into the gel and benefit less or
need to graduate to a different saddle sooner than someone of less
mass, but now he is forewarned.

No one yet mentioned saddle height and angle, which might also be part
of his initial discomfort.

There are so many things wrong with his deal that saddle discomfort was the
least of his worries. In fact, his first concern was getting the bars high
enough to be comfortable.

-Buck