Joe,
The Schwinn Sidewinder is not an advisable purchase. I'll back this
up, don't worry. I think it's an opinion shared by a majority of
folks here. Take any advice with a grain of salt, but remember the
experience pool of this group.
The Schwinn Sidewinder is not offered on the Schwinn website. They are
a decent brand at their higher end, no complaints about their road
bikes. But they still license a number of department store bikes, and
the Sidewinder is one of them.
It is a heavy bike with subpar components that are prone to quick wear.
The front shocks are heavy and add complexity. Further, front shocks at
a $135 price point are probably not going to last. I agree with you -
this is not a price range to expect good suspension. Go with a "hard
frame". This Schwinn will be creaking and loosening after two
season's riding (600 miles?).
My best advice (and I'm betting the advice of this group) is to phone
your local bike shop. Ask the friendly folks there if they have any
used tuned-up bikes available in your price range. Tell them the
features you want, and how you're intending to ride it.
Many of the more interesting shops will have a few mountain bikes that
cost $500 or more a couple of years ago. The shops replace the brakes,
tighten the shift system and spokes, and generally recondition the
bike. For $150, you might find a great Specialized or Trek mountain
bike that is way beyond the Schwinn in terms of reliability and value.
Why buy a used bike with a few scratches that's been ridden hard?
Bike-shop ("cyclist quality") bikes like the Trek and Specialized
mtn bikes have components like shifters and brakes that were designed
to be reconditioned several times over a service life of many years.
Good old bikes never die. They fade slowly for fifteen years until
they're retro, and a new generation snaps 'em up and rides 'em
hard again. Quality bikes are easily upgradeable and highly swappable,
so if you want to change your bike into a smooth road roller or
rack-laden funmobile, you have a stronger and more versatile platform.
The Schwinn's components may be cheap substitutes like vinyl collars
instead of sealed bearing units. Or they may be Chinese knockoffs of
more precision units. The mounting points may not resist rust. You may
not find fender or rack mounts, anyway.
The new Sidewinder won't stay shiny for long. Few ridden bikes do.
Okay, so bike fashion has changed, and a fly yellow 1998 Specialized
Rockhopper with pink decals will look pretty dated. But if you can find
a tuned-up used bike (that looks good) from a major high-quality
manufacturer, you're way ahead of the Schwinn for $150.
Finally, nobody at Wal-Mart will ever be able to help you fix a bike.
The local guys are more than happy to dole out hours of advice, some of
it even useful.
Here's a great article on buying a used bike:
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/commbike.htm