Schwinn 700c M Avenue Grey

The reviews I read were helpful & thought I'd add one more. After researching for about a month, bought this bike & after the first 100 miles, I'm very pleased. Unlike most, I bought it pre-assembled, right off the rack (looked untouched). After about 3 rides of 'dialing in' the fine adjustments, this bike has proven itself. Note: I ride exclusively on paved bike trails. For rougher terrain, I'd look at something else. I'm 200#s & just under 6 ft. Haven't had any flats or issues on my 10 mile rides 2-3 x a week. I had a friend who's an avid biker show me how to adjust the seat so it'd fit me best. It's about maxed out in seat height, so if you're over 6 ft, I'd check for fit. He said the only thing you need to do to 'hang with the big guys' on the trail is take the kick stand off! I also changed out the wide saddle for a more standard seat (also from Wal-Mart made by Zefal). Based on my research, a comparable bike from a bike shop would range from $350 to $600. So I'd rate this bike a great deal. Very pleased & looking forward to the next 100 miles.

Ordering and delivery: I received my bike sooner than had been projected at the time of my order. Picking the bike up at the store was quick and easy. The person at the counter was very helpful and a pleasure to deal with. I was apprehensive when I placed the order and had it delivered to the store. There was no problems what so ever. The next purchase I make on line will be delivered to the store as well. The Bike: I read the reviews here and did a little bit of dismantling and reassembly as recommended in another's review. My main concern with the bike is the unique tubes. Another reviewer posted which tubes to get and how to get them. I am 6'-1" and the bike fits me fine. I have put approximately 70 miles on the bike in just shy of a month. I ride for exercise and relaxation. My riding has been divided between pavement, packed shell rock trails, grass and sand trails and open fields with no trails. I love this bike! Front shocks are new to me, they buffer me just enough when I'm off pavement. The trigger shifters are also new to me, and I can't believe I was so happy with the grip shifters on my last bike. In this bike I definitely found what I was looking for, an inexpensive hybrid, with 700c rims and trigger shifters. If you are considering this bike I would suggest reading all of the reviews. It was easy for me to sift through the ones that addressed valid concerns and which issues were due to operator error. After that, the decision is yours. Personally, I would buy this bike again without any hesitation. I have no complaints with the bikes quality and the site-to-store experience way surpassed what I was expecting.

I was looking for a comfortable bike that I could cover some ground with. This bike has a smooth ride with a comfortable seat and a great suspention. Gears change smoothly and brakes are responsive. I ride only paved roads and I am very pleased with this bike. The only thing I am going to change are the hand grips.

I love this bike. I have had it almost a month. It is smooth rolling The gears shift smoothly. Walmart did a great job assembling it. After a couple weeks I took it to my local bike shop to have the cables tightened up and the wheels to be trued, a normal proceedure with a new bike. When i pucked it up the next day the mechanic said the wheels were oerfectly true. Ha said he was very impressed with the bike. I use it exclusively on paved roads and a few hard packed dirt paths. I work 4 days a week. on my work days i do about 15 miles in an hour, then use uit to commute to work. 4 miles. On my 3 days off i do about 30 miles in a couple of hours. I did replace the saddle with a Schwinn No Pressure Seat and have no soreness or chafing after any of my rides. It is an absolute joy to ride My mechanic said not to tell his boss but this bike is as good as a $400-$500 bike that he sells! I am sure anyone who wants to ride any distance on hard surfaces will love this bike.

Occasionally you can find a big-box retail bike which rivals those at a local bike shop for twice the price. The Avenue is one of them! This is an awesome bike for the price. . Well-built, stylish, and has quality components. With its aluminum frame, it weighs 31 pounds assembled. A sign of high-quality, almost all the logos and printing on the bike feel like they are painted on. No obvious sticker edges. (The Suntour fork has an obvious sticker edge). . Perhaps the heaviest component is the front Suntour fork. If you intend to ride primarily on pavement, you can easily replace this with a rigid fork and shave at least 5 pounds from the weight. . This bike is a bit on the large side. I'm 6'-0" with a 33" inseam. It fits me nicely with the seatpost 3/4 of the way up, and the seat rail adjusted all the way back. A friend is about 5'-6" and it seemed a bit too big for him even though he could stand over the top-tube. (Look through my "answers" for all the detailed measurements.). . There are a few differences in the Walmart product photo. 1) The seat does not have the silver reflective fabric on the back. It is all black, with a small red reflector built into the base of the seat (in addition to the clip-on on the seat post). 2) The rear derailer jockey wheel is not red, it's black. 3) the threadless "Aheadset" has 3/8" vertical adjustment using two 3/16" spacers. The product photo shows something closer to 1" worth of spacers below the stem. 4) The front chain ring is black, not silver. . The bike does not come with assembly instructions. Just a very generic manual used by Pacific Bicycles (holding company of Schwinn and other brands). One of the biggest complaints about big-box retail bikes is the quality of assembly. For that reason, I suggest learning as much as you can about assembly/maintenance (google for "bicycle tutorials"). Or, pay a local bike shop to assemble it for you. Additionally, assembly from the factory may not be correct. My axles were overtightened (felt crunchy/grumbly). And, the bottom bracket (where the crank passes through the frame) had metal shavings mixed in the grease. It's a good investment to study tutorials learning how to regrease/adjust those (and the headset), and do it on the out-of-the-box bike. . The wheels have some sharp edges inside. It's wise to use some fine sandpaper or a polishing stone to take the edge off the seam inside the wheel. Maybe the spoke holes too. These things can chaff your tube. While you're at it, replace the rubber rim strip with Velox narrow (10mm) rim tape. . The frame has the standard bolt holes on the seat post and down tube for a water cage, air pump, etc. But, it does not have bolt holes near the seat post for a rear rack. That's not a show stopper. Even smaller-sized expensive bikes at the local bike shop don't have those holes. Rubber-coated cable clamps are commonly used to clamp onto the seatstay tubes and bolt the rack to the clamp. (Racks that clamp onto the seat post are also very popular these days.). Talk to your local bike shop about this. . The wheel is odd. It has a 1" (25mm) depth, making it difficult to find a replacement Schrader-valve tube (normally 1-1/4," 32mm long). The tube which comes with the bike has a 1-3/4" (44mm) valve. (Look for my "answers" where I discuss this topic, and various workarounds.). . Another oddity is the wheel's spoke configuration. It's more of an aerodynamic racing wheel, with significant gaps between spokes. If I weighed 250+ lbs, I'm not sure I'd trust this wheel. Also, because of those spokeless gaps, the wheels come with very large and heavy spoke reflectors. These DO cause a significant imbalance. If you go down a hill at 40mph, it's not a pleasant feeling. I recommend replacing these reflectors with something like "spoke blazers." Lightweight plastic tubes with 3M reflective tape which slip over your spokes. (Or, make your own with a drinking straw and some 3M tape.). They provide full 360-degree reflectivity. (They don't depend on headlights hitting them at precise angles.). More importantly: they won't create the imbalance of the factory reflectors. . I removed the large stickers from my wheels. That was hard to do. Required turpentine to soften the sticker. Kerosene to soften and remove the adhesive. Rubbing alcohol to degrease the remaining slop. (All this was done with all rubber removed. None of those things are good for rubber.). . Because other customers have posted full-view photos, I will post two closeups. Note that the seat post is extended about 3/4 to the max length. And, the seat rail is adjusted back all the way.