Columbia Journey DX Men's Comfort Bike

by Columbia

Product Features

• 26-inch alloy wheel rims; city tread tires
• Available in an 18- or 20-Inch alloy frame
• Front suspension fork offers a smooth ride
• Shimano RD TZ30 rear derailleur, indexed twist shifting
• Some assembly is required

Product Description

Product Description

Enjoy an easy ride on virtually any surface with the Columbia Journey DX men's 21-speed comfort bike, a great choice for city cycling, light trail use, and biking with the entire family. As befitting its designation as a comfort bike, it offers a padded saddle with a suspended seat post, fenders, and rack for increased comfort on long rides and a taller handlebar stem for an upright seating position. You'll be protected from bumps and obstacles by the reliable front suspension fork, which helps to smooth your ride as well as provide better control.

The Columbia Journey DX is great in all weather conditions, thanks to the traction city tires and fenders on both wheels to protect against spray from rain and puddles. It also includes an integrated rear rack platform for stowing your gear. Specs include a durable alloy frame, Shimano RD TZ30 rear derailleur, indexed twist shifting via the foam-covered handlebar grips, alloy comfort brake levers, and alloy wheel rims (26 by 1.5-inch).

Assembly of the Bike:
This bike comes mostly assembled. Minor assembly is required before the bike can be used.

Amazon.com Bicycle Buying Guide
Finding the Right Bike
To really enjoy cycling, it's important to find a bicycle that works for you. Here are some things to keep in mind when you're in the market for a new bike:

The Right Ride
In general, bikes are broken down into three major categories:

• Road and Racing Bikes--As a general rule, road and racing are built for speed and longer distances on paved surfaces. Thinner tires, lightweight 29-inch (700c) wheels and drop bars that allow for a more aerodynamic position are the norm. Most road bikes, regardless of price, offer many gears for tackling both hilly and flat terrain.
• Mountain Bikes--With their larger tires, hill-friendly gearing and upright position, mountain bikes are very popular for all types of riding, both on pavement and off. Mountain bikes that are designed specifically for rugged trail use typically feature a suspension fork. Some may have rear suspension, as well. A quick change of the tires on any mountain bike--even one that you use regularly on trails--adds to its versatility and makes it a worthy street machine.
• Comfort/Cruiser Bikes--For tooling around on bike paths, light trails, or for cruising a quiet beach-side lane, comfort/cruiser bikes are the ticket. With a super-relaxed riding position, padded seats, and limited or no gearing, these bikes are made for enjoying the scenery and having fun with the family.

The Right Price
A bike's price boils down to three essentials: frame materials, bike weight, and component quality and durability.

• Entry-level--You'll find a wide range of comfort and cruiser bikes in this category, as well as some lower-end mountain bikes and road bikes. Most will have steel frames and components that are designed to last for several years with frequent use.
• Mid-range--Bikes in this range may feature a lighter aluminum frame with mid-range components that keep performing after miles of use. If you're looking for a quality bike that is relatively lightweight and will stand up to abuse, this is the "sweet spot." Most serious commuter and touring bikes fall into this category, as do mid-range mountain bikes with a decent front suspension.
• High-end--Racers and serious enthusiasts who expect lightweight, high-performance components will want to stick to this category. For road bikes, exotic frame materials (carbon fiber, titanium) and ultra-lightweight components can add thousands to the price tag. Mountain bikes in this class often feature advanced front and rear suspension technology, as well as components designed to handle lots of rugged trail action.

The Right Size
Fit is crucial for comfort, control, and proper power and endurance on a bike. Here are some basic bike fit tips:

• Stand-over Height--To find out if a bike's overall height fits your body, measure your inseam. Next, determine how much clearance you'll need between your crotch and the top tube of the bike. For a mountain bike, you'll want three to five inches of clearance. A road bike should offer between one and two inches of clearance, while a commuter bike should have two to four inches. Compare the stand-over height for a given bike to your measurements (inseam + clearance) to determine the right bike height.
• Top Tube Length--You can measure your torso to get a good estimate of proper top tube length. First, make a fist and extend your arm. Measure from the center of your fist to the end of your collarbone (the part that intersects your shoulder). Next, measure your torso by placing a book against your crotch with the spine facing up. Measure from the spine to the bottom of your throat (the spot between your collarbones). Finally, add the two measurements (arm length + torso length), divide the number in half and subtract six inches. This is your approximate top tube length. Compare this number to a bike's posted top tube length. You can allow for about two inches longer or shorter, as most bikes can be adjusted via stem length/height and saddle fore/aft position to make fine adjustments to the fit.
• Bikes for Women--Proportionally, women tend to have a shorter torso and longer legs than men. Bike makers design women's bikes that offer a shorter top tube and many comfort/cruiser bikes built for women may also provide more stand-over clearance.

The Right Accessories
When you make a bike purchase, don't forget these crucial add-ons:

• Helmet (this is a must!)
• Seat pack
• Lock
• Hydration pack, or water bottles and bottle cages
• Spare tubes
• Portable bike pump
• Gloves

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000J1EN5I
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,087 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent value, December 22, 2006

By 

Shaymus Banks (Tulare, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Columbia Journey DX Men's Comfort Bike (Sports)

I bought this bike a couple weeks ago and paid only $99 during one of Amazon's sales. I couldn't resist that price and I was in the market for a bike for commuting 6 miles round trip daily.

I was very impressed with the bike after doing the minor assembly, which was easy.

Brakes work very well, tires are good for city, everything seems pretty above average quality(compared to a walmart schwinn or what not); not the best of course, but good enough for most people.

The only problem I had was the seat. It wasn't very comfortable and I changed it out with another I had on hand. Other than that, it is solid.

Also, the fenders and rear rack are a very good item to have for commuters. I would recommend this to anyone considering a comfort bike, or a commuter bike if they aren't too worried about speed. The highest gear on this bike still isn't very fast compared to my mountain bike. But I'd say you should be able to get along at 15-16 mph w/o any problems.

I would pay the current $170 for this bike, maybe even $200. All the components really go together, the style, the fenders everything seems like it belongs on this bike.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Meh., April 24, 2007

By 

Homebrewer "Mike" (Lansing, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Columbia Journey DX Men's Comfort Bike (Sports)

(1) The 20-inch frame is actually 26x20, and is too large for me (I am 5'10").

(2) Assembly was not rocket science, however ...

I was 2 miles into a 4-mile ride this afternoon. I shifted gears for a hill, and the gear change mechanism moved into the path of the rear wheel spokes, bringing the bike to a sudden and untimely halt. Various parts were entangled. I spent 20 minutes on the side of the road re-positioning bent and broken metal so I could push what was left of my bike home.

If you're going to buy a bike on Amazon, I strongly suggest you take it to a bike shop for adjustments and a safety inspection after you've assembled it. If you insist on doing what I did (i.e. figuring it out on your own), be sure to spend some time making sure everything is properly adjusted. I'm not the most mechanically inclined person, but neither is the average consumer buying a bicycle online.

Overall, not a bad bike for $200. I wish I could have gotten more than 15 minutes of riding out of it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Bike, December 27, 2006

By 

B. Chang (LA, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Columbia Journey DX Men's Comfort Bike (Sports)

I purchased this bike recently when on sale. It turns out to be a solid bike that rides well. All the components seem of decent quality for its price. It is a good deal if you can put up with some assembly work.

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