Schwinn Prelude Men's Road Bike (700c Wheels) | 
| Brand: Schwinn
Category: Sports
This item is no longer available
Rating:  45 reviews
Color: Blue
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 0.7 x 0.2 x 0.4
MPN: S5986TG
Model: S5986TG
UPC: 038675598621
EAN: 0066556393546
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| Features:
| • | Men's road bike with comfortable and responsive 700c wheels | | • | Lightweight and durable aluminum frame and Schwinn road-bend bar and stem | | • | Shimano A050 7-speed shifters for up- and downhill adjustability | | • | Promax dual-pivot caliper brakes for sure stopping power | | • | Aero 36-spoke alloy wheels with radial-laced front toe clips and straps |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The Schwinn Prelude Men's Road Bike offers Schwinn quality and performance at an affordable price. With comfortable and responsive 700c wheels, a lightweight and durable Schwinn men's aluminum road bike frame, and Schwinn road bend bar and stem, the Prelude handles well and is fun to ride. The Prelude has seven-speed Shimano A050 shifters for adjustability so you can maintain your speed as you ride up and down hills. The Promax dual-pivot caliper brakes offer sure stopping power. Aero 36-spoke alloy wheels maintain balance and alignment, and radial-laced front toe clips and straps keep you comfortable and moving on the road.
Amazon.com Product Description
The Schwinn Prelude Men's Road Bike offers Schwinn quality and performance at an affordable price. With comfortable and responsive 700c wheels, a lightweight and durable Schwinn men's aluminum road bike frame, and Schwinn road bend bar and stem, the Prelude handles well and is fun to ride. The Prelude has seven-speed Shimano A050 shifters for adjustability so you can maintain your speed as you ride up and down hills. The Promax dual-pivot caliper brakes offer sure stopping power. Aero 36-spoke alloy wheels maintain balance and alignment, and radial-laced front toe clips and straps keep you comfortable and moving on the road. Specifications: - Aluminum road frame and fork
- Schwinn road bend bar and stem
- Shimano A050 seven-speed shifters
- Promax dual-pivot caliper brakes
- Alloy road crank
- Aero 36 spoke alloy wheels
- Radial-laced front toe clips and straps
- Assembly required
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 45
 schwinn prelude: decent bike - stellar price May 21, 2008
Brue Hoyt (columbus, oh)
70 out of 72 found this review helpful
First off I do not give this bike a 5 star rating based on how wonderful it is. You need to spend Several thousand dollars for that bike. This gets a 5 star rating because it is not several thousand dollars yet it is an acceptable entry level road bike.
At just under 28 pounds it is 10 pounds heavier than a $4000 bike. Of course it is only a pound or 2 heavier than a $500 bike. And I argue that anyone riding an entry level bike has that on their own midsection anyway. If you are new to cycling you can get this and ride for a year before investing the big bucks while you decide if you like cycling and what you like and don't like about a bike.
I bought mine directly from Target (on sale!) so I could get an idea of the size rather than buy on line. I noticed another reviewer said a person 5' 10 - 6'2" would be comfortable. I somewhat agree with the top end but I am 5' 7 3/4" and am comfortable on it. The seat post could still be dropped an other inch and a half but I would say that I am about as short as you could be to have the right body to bike geometry. Someone 5'6" could ride it but I would not recommend it. I would say the same for someone 6'2".
I have put 300 HARD miles on it. I bought it to train for my come back into triathlons (My last tri was in '87) but I have wound up using it as my daily driver pulling my 2 daughters in the bike trailer 280 of the 300 miles.
I store it the garage but it has been aloud to get wet frequently on rides. The dérailleurs have begun to rust as a result of wet conditions.
It has only had one problem since I bought it - the crank bearings began to click. This probably is a result of pulling 100 pounds regularly.
These bikes have a LIFETIME warrantee on parts!!! - I called the 800 number in the owners manual. They sent me a new bearing set and I installed them. The down side of this is that if you don't have the tools you are in need of paying upwards to $50 for this repair.
If I continue to ride it next year I would upgrade the apt yet clunky bottom of the line shimano derailleurs. I would probably also get a lighter seat and possibly seat post or pedals.
EDIT
I have had it a year and 4 months now. I have decided that though it is rideable at 5'8" it is too big for me. I also have become too competitive in triathlons to ride a low end bike. I have upgraded to the Schwinn Prologue (about 4 times as much $$$). The Prelude has given me no mechanical problems after releasing it from trailer pulling duty. It has a little less than 1000 miles on it. I did 2 triathlons on it 13th overall / 190 in my first and 2nd overall / 104 and in the next -both were age group wins. So you do not need a $4000 bike to compete.
EDIT 2 I have had this for 1 year and 11 months. Because I bought the new bike I haven't put a lot more miles on this, but it has continued to do well with no further problems. I also realized the stem has a height adjustment. After moving the handlebars down and moving the seat forward this thing really fits my 5'8" frame well. I put some new tires on it because I was upgrading my other bikes. The 700x23 schwalbe tires are a big improvement. I also replaced the rim strips with cloth because the cheap rubber protectors were shot allowing the rim to puncture the under side of the tubes.
Very good for the price February 13, 2009
Sudarshan Karkada (Missouri City, TX USA)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
Please note that my 5-star rating is based on value.
History: I have been riding a Road Master mountain bike for the past several years just following my children in the neighborhood. I have registered to ride BP MS 150 (from Houston to Austin) in April 2009. I took my bike to training rides and noticed that I was going slower than other riders even though my cadence is same as that of theirs. Further observation revealed that the front gear on my bike was much smaller than the road bikes other people are riding. It was clear that I need a new bike even though the existing bike is still functional.
Research: I spent a lot of time looking for a bike. Local bike shops don't carry any road bikes that cost less than 600 USD. Then I found this bike and ordered it. I didn't want to invest a lot of money on a bike as I plan to reduce my riding frequency and duration after my MS 150 ride. I can alway upgrade (if necessary) if I change my mind and continue to bike long distances.
The bike:
I just want to confirm other reviews that the bike came mostly assembled. Instruction manual is mostly useless. The manual is a generic road bike manual - not Prelude manual. I had trouble assembling the front calipers (brake). I had to remove it afterwards because I figured I should have put white reflector between the calipers and the frame. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to raise the handle bar.
Other reviewer is correct. Their help desk is very quick and responsive. Turns out the handle bar can not be raised.
Bike weighs only 25 lb (my road bike weighs 40 lb). Gears shift fine. Overall the bike is good.
Don't consider this bike if you are shorter than 5' 9".
Pedals are clip and strap type pedals. I am not used to these, so I have replaced them with plain pedals (from the mountain bike) for now.
Spokes are stainless steel and rims are made from alloy metal. Apparently rust-proof.
Problems with the bike (as you can see, they are all minor):
1) There is no room to place the red rear reflector after I assembled the under-the-seat bag. I have fitted the reflector on the rear fork with additional padding.
2) There is absolutely no room on the handle bar for the trip computer. I have currently put it on the handle bar rod; I have to read it sideways!
3) Rear wheel arrived slightly bent. Hopefully I can fix that by adjusting the spokes.
4) I wish the bike came with water bottle cage. Frame has holes and screws for a cage that you can buy.
5) Rear break wire runs along the side of the frame bar. I suspect it causes problems when putting the bike on a carrier.
Overall, I am very pleased with the bike considering the price I paid.
Update 3/3/'09:
I have ridden this bike for more than 110 miles so far. I have replaced the seat (saddle) as the supplied one is hard and doesn't have anatomic recess. I am yet to find any significant problem. Still happy with the product.
Update 4/27/2009:
Over 500 miles on this bike so far. Still in great condition. I have had 3 flats on the rear wheel. Two are inexplicable (2 - 3 millimeter holes on the rim side), and one was due to a thorn. Biggest problem I have observed is that the lowest gear (highest mechanical advantage) is not low enough to climb steep hills. I am talking about hills where people with expensive bikes are also struggling to climb. I just have to get down from the bike and walk up. This bike has only two gears in the front. A 3rd smaller one would have been very helpful.
Update 12/02/2009:
I have begun inflating the tubes to less than the pressure suggested on the tires. Not a single flat in more than 6 months! I am still using the same bike and I am still very happy with it. Also, see the comments section for suggestions related to flats.
Oh, BTW, I have registered to ride BP MS 150 in 2010 and I going to use this bike again :)
Update 04/20/2010:
I have finished the 2010 BP MS 150 bike tour with a 152-mile ride. Not a single problem with the bike. A saw another man with Prelude at the finish line.
great starter bike for me February 10, 2009
Brian Kelley
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Background:
I came from a background of BMX trail-riding in the late 90s when I was a teenager. I sold off the bikes I had at the turn of the millennium and have been bike-less since.
Pre-purchase:
Now that I'm in my 20s, I've recently decided to buy a bike to help maintain a healthy lifestyle, and I did hefty research before purchasing. I originally wanted to spend as little as possible, under $150 for a bicycle. I went to Wal-mart to take a gander at what they offered, and nothing really wow'ed me, so I went on Amazon. I didn't want to fool with Mongoose or any of the generic brand names. I rode Haro in my glory days, but I always wanted a Schwinn. I saw the prices and decided to spend a little more since I'd be using it a lot. It was a toss-up between this one and the Ridge-AL Mountain Bike, which is $35 cheaper than this one. I ordered this bike finally, at a $235 price tag with free Amazon shipping.
Shipment and Setup:
I got this bike in a cool three days, and it came in a big box. The setup was pretty easy. I set it up by myself but it would have been a big help if I had asked for help. One thing to note is that it does have the quick-release front wheel, so I'm telling you now so you don't act like an idiot (like me) sifting through the box for bolts. The front brakes take a little fidgeting to set just right, but the back gearing and brakes are already set up for you. Overall, everything is solid and exactly what you'd expect from Schwinn.
The ride:
This is my first road bike, so I had to adjust alot of things before it became comfortable. I'm about 5'8" and it's okay; I think the ideal height for this bike however is in the 5'10" range. Everything is smooth and shifts smooth,
Cons:
Handlebars - You can't adjust the handlebar height because of the threading system. It's not really a big deal, but if you want it changed you have to take it to a licensed pro, or risk it by doing it yourself.
The seat - The best for last. The seat is like riding on your household iron, metal side up. This thing is so uncomfortable, I can't even ride for extended lengths of time. If you ride in a crowded neighborhood, you'll be thinking to yourself on how to look cool while being really uncomfortable, but most people can see through this technique. This is one thing you absolutely must replace if you purchase the bike (in my opinion).
Great for recreational road riders March 4, 2010
Pedro Quintero (Bogota, Colombia)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
After being an avid road rider in my school and college years i completely stopped after i got married. As a result and being 34, my belly started to grow and my cholesterol levels started to increase. For this reason and to improve my health, I decided i wanted to re-ignite my cycling habits but didn't want to break the bank for a high performance road bike. This is when i came across this Schwinn Prelude. I remember my father to have one Prelude back in the 80's and it was a top bike back then. At USD$ 219.99 (which is the price the bike was back in august 2009 when i bought it) i decided to go after this bike and i'm glad i did it.
I've been riding this bike during 7 months now and i think that's enough time to make an accurate review of this product. I'm not an everyday rider, i just use this bike on sundays for recreational road rides. Normally between 80-120 Kilometer road rides. To make it more confortable and safe on long rides i made a couple of upgrades to the original bike: Changed the stock pedals with Clipless Shimano Pedals, Changed the stock wheels with a pair of GW racing wheels, changed the stock tires with a a pair of Continental puncture resistance tires, changed the stock chain with a Shimano top end chain, changed the stock saddle with a Anti-prostatic Selle Italia saddle, bought a Cateye wireless computer, installed a flashing red safety light and a small saddle bag.
Of course, all these upgrades ended up costing as much as the bike itself, but they were definitely worth since the bike now is faster, lighter and most importantly... safer on the road. The stock group altough is not top class has performed well during this time. It comes with a Crankset with two sprockets and a 7-speed screwed freewheel. In order to install the new racing wheels, i had to change the freewheel for a 8-speed cassette. I also had to block one of the gears of the new 8-speed cassette in order match the 7-speed shifters on the handlebar. The Promax stock brake systems works perfectly if adjusted properly.
The frame is beautiful, strong and well built in aluminum. The fork is made of steel. The bike is a little bit heavy for a road bike but is light enough to make your ride confortable. I'm 1.77 (5' 8") and the frame fits just fine. I have the seat post adjusted to the middle, so it should fit people shorter and taller than me.
The bike performs well but this is not a racing bike. This is a very confortable and light bike to use to go to college or work or even recreational long weekend rides which is for what i use it. As other reviewer said, You won't win the Tour de France on this bike... but its still fast enough to keep or set the pace on the road with other recreational riders.
The stock wheels look fine but the stock tires look really cheap, and altough i never had a puncture with the stock tires, i felt i had to upgrade them for puncture resistance tires in order to be more confident away from the city.
One think i didnt like is that the shifters are in the center of the handlebar (Thumb shifters). They're not in the brake levers as modern road bike does. If you want to change gears on high speed rides or steep climbs, you will have to move your hands from the normal position to the center of the handlebar in order to shift gears and then move the hands back to the normal position. This can cause to lose a little bit of momentum while riding, but again, this is not a competition bike so you might live with this issue, not to mention, the price of the overall bike would increase too much with this "Ergopower" system.
All in all this is a great bike for the value, it doesn't look cheap at all. I know Schwinn is not the top name that once was, but it is still one of the most recognized bycicle builders in the USA and that makes you confident in the product.
I will try to post some pics later so you can have a better look at it, but i can guarantee you that you will hardly find a better road bike option for this budget from a "Brand" standpoint.
Hope this helps.
A great Start November 16, 2008
James P. Tingle (New Jersey)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
After a stressful day of going around with an Avid cyclist, trying to find a good road bike to fit my budget, we gave up on going to all the local cycle stores and took our hunt online. We came across this bike and my friend was hesitant with giving it the o.k, however it turned out to be a good call. I'm around 5'10 200 lbs, and the bike fits me great, though as previously stated the handle bars are a bit iffy, but you get used to it pretty quick. After riding about a year I'm now ready to upgrade, but it's definitely a great bike for any starter. I've put at least 500 miles on it and I stress at least, and its held up great.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 45
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