Schwinn Excursion Men’s Hybrid Bike (700c Wheels)
- Schwinn Aluminum Hybrid Frame
- SR Suntour Trekking Front Suspension Fork
- Sturmey Archer 3 Spd Internal Shifting System
- Alloy Adjustable A-Head Stem W/ swept Back Comfort Bar
- Promax Alloy Linear Pull
The Schwinn Excursion Men’s Hybrid Bike is the perfect lightweight hybrid bike for comfortable cruising on the road and trail, to work or the next town over. With 700c wheels is offered at a great value and comes equipped with many convenient features, including a rear rack for storage. The bike is maneuverable and responsive on any trail. This is a perfect bike for a casual rider who would like to get there and back safely and in comfort. Lightweight yet sturdy aluminum frame, the Schwinn Exc
List Price: $ 399.99
Price:
Superior Satisfactiom,
Before Christmas I was halfheartedly shopping around on the Internet looking for a new bicycle. The fixed gear bikes were appealing because of their mechanical simplicity. But at the age of sixty-two, the skinny tires, drop handlebars, and toe-clip pedals no longer hold the same appeal that they once held (when I was younger I gladly purchased a hand-built Italian racing bicycle because the five-time winner of the Tour de France used the same brand and model).
Three days before Christmas I spotted the Schwinn Excursion that had almost exactly all the features that I was looking for. The handlebars are upright (I am more interested now in enjoying the scenery rather than counting pebbles). The tires are not too skinny nor too fat (700CX40C with Schrader valve stems, the valve stems are extra long to accommodate the aerodynamic rims). The pedals are flat and can be used on either side (plus they are metal, not cheap plastic).
But the most impressive piece of equipment is the three-speed Sturmey-Archer rear hub. I have owned about six bicycles with this hub, the last one about thirty years ago. It is a very reliable hub and requires very little maintenance. When I lived in PA, I used it to climb many hills (including route 44 between Elimsport and Collomsville!). Now that I live in FL, the three gears are more than sufficient (a 40-tooth chain ring and a 20-tooth free wheel produce approximately 40.5, 54, and 72 inch gear ratios). I was delighted to learn that the hub is still available (it has an interesting one-hundred-year history which can be found on the Internet).
I suspect that many people are impressed by the number of speeds a bicycle has when they are purchasing a new bicycle. So they purchase a 21-speed bicycle, for example. But judging from the riders at typical trails and recreational areas, very few people know how to use all those speeds. Many people would be better off with a simple hub like the Sturmey Archer. One problem with the hub is that few people know how to adjust it. The process is very simple. However, the manuals sent with the Excursion are not specific, but rather contain general information for several Schwinn models. Consequently, a number of owners have had trouble with the gears (and other assembly procedures).
I would have preferred the trigger shifter, but the twist-grip shifter is much less vulnerable to damage. One improvement in the newer hub is that the shifter chain rides on a little pulley which decreases friction and improves the shifting.
There were only a few problems with putting the bike together. The rear brake was very “sticky” and practically useless. However, lubricating the inside brake cable resolved this problem. I would have preferred side-pull brakes, but the brakes are very easy to adjust and are securely mounted to the frame and work very well. Another problem was a bent adjusting barrel on the left brake handle, but a call to the dealer produced a very satisfactory result. They sent a complete new brake handle!
The decals on the rims were gaudy and left a stubborn residue of sticky stuff behind when removed. But all these problems were minor in view of all the good features.
The bicycle includes fenders, a kick stand, a rear rack, and a chain guard. The hand grips are extra wide and very comfortable to the hands. The wheels came very well centered, better than most new bikes! The front hub has a quick release lever; the bearings were a bit tight. The seat post has a built in suspension. The frame is a one-size-fits-all and the seat post probably would not adjust high enough for tall riders. However, the seat post fits very smoothly into the down tube. Some bikes are too loose or too tight (which means you have to pry the down tube opening apart to adjust the seat post or put a big scratch on it). This easy adjustment is very helpful if you need to adjust the seat post for another rider who is a different height and you have no tools around (the post is secured by a quick release lever).
The seat is fairly well padded and should suffice for riders who use this type of saddle frequently. Less frequent riders will probably want to replace it with a bigger and more padded saddle. I have no plans to replace the original saddle.
The front forks are Sun Tour suspension forks and, with the suspension seat post, provide adequate shock absorption. The handle bars can be removed easily by removing four screws. This is so much easier than removing everything (tape, shifters, brake levers) from one side of the handlebars. The handlebar stem adjusts up and down. (This is another adjustment that was not clearly described in the manual.) The pivot screws on the side of the stem are NOT the ones to adjust the height. The adjusting bolt is hidden underneath and works very well.
The handlebar stem does NOT adjust up and down in the head tube. The vertical bolt that holds the handlebars also hold all the headset (steering)…
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|My Schwinn Excursion,
I bought this bike one month ago and have been using it substantially since then. It comes mostly pre-assembled, yet there is still some assembly required that might pose difficulty for someone with not so much bicycle maintenance under their belts. When I say that it comes pre-assembled, that means that the tires are on the rims and the back wheel is attached to the frame along with the pedals, brakes, chain guard and handle bar stem. You still must still secure everything else to the frame and connect and adjust the gear shift cable.
Everything that was assembled at the factory did need adjusting and tightening. The chain was stretched tight and the brakes wouldn’t relax. The clamps holding the chain guard had to be turned in a bit. Contrary to a couple of other reviews, the fenders fit very good and do not rub. I believe the problem they had was because they made the attachment on the wrong side of the front forks. It needs to go on the front side before the brake. If you put it on the back side, it will rub your tire. Once all of the adjustments have been made, it is a very secure feeling and comfortable bike to ride to and from work, or on the 25 mile trip to our daughter’s house that we made yesterday. The three speeds give me all of the range that I need for bike riding in the Boise area, which includes a couple of stiff hills. Between the front suspension and the seat, I have a very smooth ride and no longer get jarred like with my other bike (Bianchi).
I do enjoy this bike very much. But like I said, it can pose some problems during the assembly and everything did need to be adjusted. The gears are not plastic, but a little roller guide for the gear chain is. It also has a plastic weather guard that goes over the gear assembly; but this is a protective non moving piece.
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|May encounter many problems,
The Pros: The frame; the back wheel rack; the seat; the shifting system
The Cons: The wheels; the tires (w/ tubes); the fenders; gear guard.
The bike, overall, is an OK to less than OK bike. I am having problems with the wheels and tires after just a few days of use. The wheels came slightly warped (but still fully functional); the tube has already had a hole in it; and I have had to tape up the gear guard because it keeps falling off; I sometimes get tire-rub from the fenders because they are very loose and continually sway back and forth (not to mention that they came bent).
Despite these problems, I must admit that I like the frame and I really like the internal-hub gear system. However, I am heavily considering taking off the front fender and I might have to get a new front wheel.
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