I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike

[Dave Lehnert]

Now it is getting warmer, I am going to try and ride my bike often this summer.
I now own a Fuji mountain bike that I won at work 10 + years ago. Nice higher end bike but not to my liking.
I THINK I want something like a Beach Cruiser. Something more comfortable to ride. Like this https://www.walmart.com/ip/Huffy-26-...&wl13=&veh=sem or this https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...751_&rrec=true

Not looking to spend big $$$$. This will be ridden at a local park, flat ground and on pavement.

Any recommendations?

[Bruce Wrenn]

This is to make you feel bad. Last weekend at dumpsters, a guy was TRASHING a brand new Schwin beach cruiser. I know it was new, as the handle bars were perpendicular to front wheel, and still not in middle of bracket, they way it came out of the box. Guy next to me grabbed it, and said, "I can sell this for SCRAP."

[Prashun Patel]

Sorry , no recommendations, but I love the queen reference.

[Jim Koepke]

When we moved up here one of my thoughts was to get a bicycle to ride up to the road to get the mail. We have a long driveway. Found a cheapy bike and discovered it was more work to pedal it uphill and back. Don't get me wrong, at one time my bicycling advocacy was quite enthusiastic.

If there was a decent and safe place to ride around here, my search would be for an old coaster brake beater from a yard sale. Wish my dad's old bike was around. It was a two speed coaster brake bike that was comfortable.

jtk

[Matt Day]

I worked in a bike shop for years and have been cycling for decades. You likely don’t really want a beach cruiser. One speed, geometry isn’t meant for any kind of incline at all, giant seat that will rub your thighs, etc.

What works for most people is what’s called a hybrid. Road bike size wheels but fatter tires, gears, flat bars, medium sized seat. They usually start around $300 at a real bike shop. Walmart is not a bike shop.

Something like this.
https://www.performancebike.com/shop...e-2016-31-4671

[Roger Nair]

Go to a local bike shop. Service after the sale can really be valuable. Fat tire bikes are in the ascendency and getting the right features and fit should increase your success potential.

[Ronald Blue]

This is what I went to. All in all it's a nice ride. Quite comfortable and just right for me. I'm sure it's more than you want to spend but there are used ones out there. They are literally one size fits all too. Very adjustable.
https://www.nickscf.com/product/sun-...le-58661-1.htm

[Dave Lehnert]

Thanks for the info so far,
I do plan to visit a bike shop.
The bike shop I went to as a kid advertises they are the oldest bike shop in the USA, Established in 1890. Guess you cant get better than that.

[Dennis Mas]

I was very recently told I had type 2 diabetes and the best thing I could do was exercise. I hate exercising. Boring!!! So I bought a mountain bike because I'm old (74), back problems, knee problems and obese and my MB has full suspension and has 21 speeds. No plans on riding mountains, etc., but I don't want to cause anymore damage to myself. And if riding did make things worse it would be a great excuse to stop riding which I don't want to do. I've ridden a few times and it's great. After it was assembled (bought it Wal-Mart) I went to a bike shop and they set the bike up for me as well as fixing two errors the W-M guy made. They did it for free, but that's another story.
Good luck.

[Dave Lehnert]

I worked in a bike shop for years and have been cycling for decades. You likely don’t really want a beach cruiser. One speed, geometry isn’t meant for any kind of incline at all, giant seat that will rub your thighs, etc.

What works for most people is what’s called a hybrid. Road bike size wheels but fatter tires, gears, flat bars, medium sized seat. They usually start around $300 at a real bike shop. Walmart is not a bike shop.

Something like this.
https://www.performancebike.com/shop...e-2016-31-4671

Think you are right. The more I read, The comfort or Hybrid bike looks more to my liking.
Just need to figure out sizing etc... I see some bikes are sized by wheel size, others by frame size.
Trying to do a bunch of research online first so I don't sound dumb or wast my time in a bike shop looking at something I don''t want.

[Matt Day]

Bikes are sold by wheel size AND frame size.

Adult wheels are generally 26”, 27.5” (mountain bikes mainly), and 29” (same as 700c).

Frames are sized in either Small, Medium, Large etc, or inches or centimeters. They are generally a factor of 2 apart - 18”, 20”, 22” or 17”, 19”, 21”.

Again, I would stay away from Walmart. I’ve seen way too many Pacifica’s and Diamondbacks (the Walmart version) and Huffy’s with poor components and heavy frames, and on top of that poorly (sometimes dangerously) assembled.

At your LBS (local bike shop) you will get better bikes and accessories from people who know what they’re talking about that will give you sound advice. Walmart will sell you a bike and a bag of Cheetos and won’t even wish you good luck.

[Tom Stenzel]

If the Fuji mountain bike is the correct frame size for you another option is to adapt it. We just made my wife's 25 year old Trek 870 mountain bike into a commuter bike. The straight handlebars were replaced with "comfort" bars, which mean they have upward bends. Changed the seat and added fenders. The knobby tires had long been gone replaced with a road type tread.

That's assuming the Fuji fits you. If it doesn't then you should start over.

I had done similar to my Mongoose mountain bike about 12 years ago. The kitty-litter bucket panniers I made carried a lot of groceries home. It was sold on Craigslist after my amputation. The buyer spotted the Tange tubing sticker in one of the pictures and knew it wasn't one of the department store models. He drove right over to get it. I hated to lose the bike but at least it went to someone who wasn't going to leave it behind a garage to rust.

-Tom

[Wayne Lomman]

Queen reference duly noted! Stay with the bike you have. You will be much better off than with the alternative you are thinking about. Cheers

[Robert Engel]

I worked in a bike shop for years and have been cycling for decades. You likely don’t really want a beach cruiser. One speed, geometry isn’t meant for any kind of incline at all, giant seat that will rub your thighs, etc.

What works for most people is what’s called a hybrid. Road bike size wheels but fatter tires, gears, flat bars, medium sized seat. They usually start around $300 at a real bike shop. Walmart is not a bike shop.

Something like this.
https://www.performancebike.com/shop...e-2016-31-4671

Rick, I am an experienced cyclist and what Matt is saying is good avice.

You don't want to buy a bike at Walmart or even Dicks. Sorry to say, Schwinn used to be a good quality bike, but not anymore. Any bike you find at Walmart or Dicks will have bottom end components (shifters, derailleurs, etc). Plus, chances are they are put together by some one in the back room who doesn't know how to tune a bike and you'll end up in the bike shop anyway ;-)

I suggest visit some bike shops. They usually have used bikes for sale. Most importantly they will get you fitted on the right sized bike. Something like this is probably what you're looking for.

Oh, and get some lycra cycling shorts......

[Matt McCormick]

Take your Fuji to that good bike shop, ask them if they can get it to your liking or.... take the Fuji and ask to trade it in for a hybrid the bike.... good local bike shops are ther more to help than just sell junk bikes..... they want a Relationship with good customers, and they can’t compete in the junk bike sales like Walmart. Good luck and have fun.