Schwinn Meridian

For about a year I have looked at 3 wheel bikes(trikes)intending to get one for my lady friend. I ride road bikes for exerciser and pleasure and wanted her to accompany me when I leisurely explore small country towns or cruise bike paths. She has balance problems and is not able to ride a 2 wheel bike at this time and I felt she could ride a trike.. To be honest, I choose this trike because it was the cheapest deal I could find on line.. Sorry honey.. I never expected this much quality for the price though.. The Low Price and the fact that it's a trike is the only reason I bough it.... Being this cheap I felt it may be light duty and not very well made. I hoped it would get her riding before we trashed it and she got on a two wheeler.. BOY was I SHOCKED. I opened the crate, saw this trike and fell in love.. The trike arrived UPS, no damage, none what so ever, zilch but there was one hole in the box where an axle rubbed.. The box had been opened and taped closed.. Everything was in the box, no missing parts to my surprise due to the fact all the staples had been pulled loose on top of the heavy card board box and it was clear to see someone had taped it closed again using packing tape.. I have mechanical skills so assembly was no sweat..Someone who has less skill may need to ask a few questions. There is an 800 number supplied. I did not call it so I can't say if it works or not. For assembly you will need metric tools. I recommend sockets and metric allen wrenches.. A strong Phillips screw driver may be handy too.. My trike had two flat tires but there is nothing wrong with the tires. New rubber can be expected to slowly leak at times because before rubber ages a tiny bit of air can seep through the rubber even when there are no holes in the tube. No telling how long those tires had sat in storage. I squirted some slime in the tubes (like I always do with new bikes ) and inflated the tires. They are holding air well.. The instructions are a single page tucked in the owners manual. Hard to find and not really good when you do. There was NOTHING mentioned about trikes in the owners manual. Strange.. BUT if you insert the back part to the bike to the main frame and bolt it together using the 4 bolts and nuts provided you will get past the hard part. I hear complaints about the fenders...Mine are great..The fenders will need to be adjusted to cover the tires.. Do not bend the nice shiny metal braces. After the fenders are installed you can slightly bow the center brace to line the fender with the top of the tire..with an adjustable wrench you can grasp and slightly bend the bottom part of the fender braces outward to line the fenders up with the tires..If you are careful you can get them almost perfect.. Someone could drill the fake lights ( red reflectors ) located on each fender from behind and install LED's through the back.. Fill the hole with something to keep water out. Hook up a battery and have red lights for night riding..Done correctly this would be nice.. When you assemble the two main parts..Think of the front of the bike as the bike and the part with the long axle as THE REAR PART. The rear part attaches to the bike where the rear wheel normally goes. It has flanges that GO INTO not over the matching flanges on the main bike frame.. Put them INSIDE where the back wheel normally goes. They fit tight and may not be easy to get INSIDE. A ball bat or other heavy wooden object, covered with rags to protect the pain will help bang the parts in place.. You will also need to connect a short chain during assembly but do not fear. It comes with a master link that you clip in place using pliers. I have a chain tool and I replaced the factory short chain with a better chain that I had on hand. I made a replacement short chain out of a long chain using my chain tool.. I recommend that everyone buy a chain tool and learn how to use it..All bike and trike riders should know how to splice a bike chain. The photo's do not do this bike justice. The basket is strong and BIGGER than I thought it would be. My 5 year old grandson loves riding in it. Place more weight slightly to the right because the right back tire does the pulling and needs the weight for traction especially going up hills.. It will coast down hills very FAST... you may want to hold slight pressure on the hand brake at times.. Always be careful costing big hills and use the brakes to keep your speed in a safe range. I feel safe on the trike at about 17 MPH.. Install a bike computer.. Keep up with your miles. This will encourage you to ride more. Gives you goals.. Yes. I Recommend this bike and I recommend people get it from Amazon. They have always treated me well and they have the best deals on line. I love this product and I am impressed with Amazon's service.. My lady friend is very happy with her new trike. We have ridden it tonight all over the farm.. I believe it will be good for some park trails too. I regret now that I did not get one for myself so when she rides hers I can leisurely ride along side.. Did I say, I love this trike? The seat is big, soft, comfortable and nice too.. The angle of the seat in relation to the peddles makes it fun and easy to ride. It almost feels like riding a stationary bike.. Comfortable with more leverage.. The ONLY thing I did not like about the entire package is the cheap plastic peddles. Ouch. They are NOT what I know as cruiser peddles and they will not spin freely when I give them a spin.. That is how I check my peddles. If I spin them I expect them to rotate at least 10 times on their own before slowing to a stop.. I suspect these peddles NOT have BEARINGS at all.. They look like Cheap Mountain bike peddles that retail for about 7 bucks a set.. They are Really cheap crap for a Schwinn. But when you saved 200 bucks, you can expect something to be cheap.. We will just replace them and not look back.. Wallyworld sells Cruiser peddles with bearings for about 12 bucks.. I like THEM much better but in all fairness the Mountain Bike Peddles may not allow your foot to slip off due to the way they are made... Quality like this, sold this cheap, is a bargain. Cheap plastic peddles and all...Better get you one while you can.. Good luck Chief.

This bike is amazingly awesome! I was born with a genetic disorder (EDS) that has my bones aging three times as fast as my body. That being said even at only 24 I have MAJOR joint problems, including a sprained PCL, but I wanted something that would be easy on my bones while helping me keep active. I received this as a Christmas present from my mom- AKA she gave me her card and said buy yourself a trike. I did not want to buy something super expensive and at the time this was on sale for about $275, so my mom agreed it would be good for the price. The shipping was fast and I was not home when it arrived, luckily my apartment maintenance guys love me because it was in my third floor apartment when I got home from my trip. This box is heavy- it took two guys to carry it up three flights. I have a 100 pound dog who I carry fifty pounds of dog food up three flights of stairs every two weeks, and yet I still found myself scooting the box around the apartment because of its heaviness. I could not put this bike together- I took it apart three times over a week before a co-workers husband took it during his bonding night with his son and put it together in less than three hours. I have always been handy challenged, but I would still recommend not spending the money on labor and just bring someone handy the bike, some beer, and a pizza because it is do-able. Once it was put together, it was still too heavy to bring back upstairs daily, so if you don't live in a trusty neighborhood take that into consideration. As for the riding, I LOVE this bike because it's super easy to ride. So far my longest ride was 12 miles with a 300ft elevation- in total during the past few months this bike has seen me through a total of over 50 miles and 700ft elevation in weather up to 100 degrees plus humidity- and this bike has held up. I ride to the store all the time, load up one of my five gallon bins with $100 worth of groceries, stick it in the basket, and ride home easily. I live in a very humid extremely hilly area of south Texas, and this bike handles both the hills and my weight extremely well. When I received this bike I did not like the seat and upgraded to one without a horn, which I do suggest looking into. I was 5.4 and 220 pounds when I received this bike, and have already lost 10 pounds by riding this bike for fun. This was my first bike ever, and I didn't know how to ride the first time I got on this bike, yet I have never fallen nor crashed- even coasting down a steep hill at 10mph. I would highly recommend this bike for older adults who have bone issues like myself, mobility challenged individuals, or anyone who wants a cargo type trike that is easy on the ecosystem. If this bike ever fails me, I would not even think twice about spending the asking price for this trike, it has quickly become my child and new favorite hobby.

This is my experience with the Schwinn Meridian 24” adult tricycle. It arrived at the time promised and the carton was in good condition. There appeared to be no damages to it. I had set up a table to spread the parts out. It took me about twenty-five minutes to unpack and unwrap each part while spreading them out on the table. The parts were packed better than any other product I have ordered from Amazon. There were no damages to any part nor were there any parts missing. With one exception I followed the directions exactly as written in the owner’s manual. By and large, I was able to understand the directions as written. The one exception was installing the rear fenders. The written directions indicate the wheel should be installed prior to installing the fender. When this is done, it is really tough to work through the spokes to manipulate the three bolts that secure the fender. It took me about twenty minutes to install one fender. I had watched a video on Youtube that had shown how to assemble this tricycle. In it, the man installed the fender prior to installing the wheel. After suffering through the first fender, I decide to follow the technique of the video to install the second fender. It went perfectly and quickly as I finished installing the fender and then the wheel in about five minutes with no mishaps. When connecting the rear frame to the main frame, the written directions suggest that help from a second person would be helpful. My wife was not available at the time so I decided to do it by myself. I should have waited. It is hard for one person to do the adjustments needed to tighten the second chain properly. All in all, the assembly took me about three and a half hours. This assembly time included two stops for a coffee break. I am a 79 year old male who hasn’t assembled anything in the last fifteen years. In my younger years, I was an avid bicycle rider as I did a lot of trips of a hundred miles or more on a Fuji twelve-speed. Eventually, due to aging and health issues, I had to give up these endeavors. A comment about the basket: It is quite large. However, as a design, it surely is nothing the designers are proud of. I would describe it as clugy. I did not buy the machine for the need of a great basket so I would not deduct any review points for this. Misgivings that caused me to give the product four stars instead of five stars: I am having trouble understanding the adjustments needed for the front brake. It is still not installed properly and I will continue to try to make the proper changes. I am 5’ 10” tall with short legs and about fifty pounds overweight. I purchased the 24” instead of the 26” because the 24’ was sixty dollars cheaper. It is difficult getting the seat high enough to avoid having my knees pump too high. I cannot imagine a six-footer on this trike. I am not sure that a 26” trike would have made any difference. I am in Minnesota and, due to rain/snow this week I have not given it a thorough workout. With limited use, here is my first impression. On level pavement, it is quite easy to pedal even though there is only one speed. In fact, I am surprised at how fast it will go on a level surface. However, when standing still at the bottom of a quite small grade, it is difficult to get going up the grade. I will plan to always build up speed to tackle any kind of grade, no matter how slight. Because of my years on a bicycle, I am quite cautious when faced with turning on the trike. It is a totally different experience. I am confident this will not be a problem with continued acclimation. I plan to use it to ride to the store and post office with a goal of having some kind of workout in my life. All in all, I recommend it as a good purchase. Four months later: I’ve given it (and me) a fairly good workout during the last four months. Generally speaking, I am pleased with the purchase. Because of my own situation – being 79 years old and in a northern state that prohibits use of the machine for several months of the year; I would make the same choice again as opposed to a more expensive machine. If I were younger and in a region that had a longer riding season, I would have opted for a Raleigh Multi-speed trike. The Raleigh is built better and the additional speeds would be a blessing. The Raleigh sold for twice the cost of the Schwinn at the time of this purchase. Note: the Schwinn is available in multi speeds but the price for it is ridiculous. Here’s what multiple gears would mean – hills and headwinds would be much less of a challenge. The fenders continue to be an irritant. Each of the rear fenders is held in place by three struts. These are not rigid at all and the fenders have a tendency to move in either direction until they hit the tire. They can be physically pushed back to center but they do not stay in place. The seat squeaks. Every time the bike goes over a seam in the pavement, the seat gives out two or three squeaks. This is an observation, not a complaint. Techniques: When I first rode the trike, it tended to drift. Also, when going around curves, balance seemed to be disconcerting due to my experience with only two wheels. None of these are a problem anymore. I don’t know what’s different but I must have made some subconscious changes in my riding style and now all is well. A good purchase if the typical terrain is level and includes only slight grades.

EDIT: I wrote this review about 16 months ago, and I still ride this Trike. It is still very, very strong and has proven its high quality. I ride 3 times weekly, and have lost about 40 pounds during the time I’ve been riding. It has no mechanical problems whatsoever, and is a blast to ride. I repeat what I said 16 months ago — BUY THIS TRIKE!! I'm an aging former bicyclist (68 yoa) that gave up two-wheeled transportation about 3 years ago. I bought this machine because of my desire to ride again, and my need for exercise. I chose the Schwinn Meridian single-speed because both "expert" reviews and user reviews are overwhelmingly positive, and at 6'3" of height/260 lbs this is one of the few trikes that I could fit on, without spending $1000+. Negatives: -- The front wheel is slightly out of true. Since it's the front wheel, that's not a biggie. It's very slight, not enough to affect braking, and probably won't get any worse because the wheel is not stressed. Both rear wheels are in true. -- There was one scratch on the frame, but after 3 days of use I've already forgotten where it is. It's about a half-inch long, not a deal breaker. I figure I'll probably scratch it up eventually anyway! Neutral: -- After about 35 years of serious, hard-core road cycling, it is surprisingly difficult to learn to ride a Trike! It's almost like learning to ride a bike for the first time, all over again. Turning is completely different tactically on a Trike, and riding straight on a slanted surface presents its own set of difficulties. Most of the learning curve is to figure out how to **not** lean, and remain upright, when turning. Positive: -- Workmanship and quality of the bike is excellent (except for the above-mentioned wheel). Everything is beefy, strong, and fits. Nothing was missing from the box, and the box was not damaged. -- The Trike rides very smoothly, with no noise other than the slight rattle from the basket and the tires on the road. -- Brakes on both ends are very good, but need to be adjusted during assembly. **Take the time to get them adjusted!** -- Assembly took 2 hours and 15 minutes, and was pretty easy. The caveat is that I already understood the basics because of my cycling experience (adjusting brakes, seat/seat post, bars, etc.) so for the uninitiated it may take longer. I worked slowly and did things carefully, so if you're a fast worker it may take less time. -- We Cyclists usually steer away from large, foamy, plush saddles like this one. They usually end up as torture devices. However, I have to say this big, pillowish thing is the most comfortable seat I've ever used on a bike. There, I said it. Yes, I'm surprised. -- Buy from Amazon. I ordered the Trike on a Monday, was promised free delivery for the following Sunday (6 days) and the bike arrived Wednesday - only 48 hours after I ordered it online. Amazon is really good at this stuff, folks.

Many of the negative comments you may read are posted by people who are not bicycle mechanics and have little/no experience putting together a bicycle. If you think putting a bicycle together might be challenging for you then you probably want to steer clear of an un-assembled Schwinn Meridian. Even knowing what I'm doing it took about 2.5-3 hours to get the trike assembled and that is only the basic assembly. It took 2-3 days of riding and fiddling with things to get everything adjusted properly. I've seen a few complains about Schwinn (Pacific Cycle's) warranty but I had no issues at all. The first hub unit stripped out the very first time I tried to ride it and the freewheel would just spin on it and the trike wouldn't move. I called up Schwinn warranty services and literally in under 5 minutes I was off of the phone and they were sending me out a new hub unit, freewheel and rear sprocket (just in case). As soon as the new hub unit and freewheel were in and installed I was riding in style. The seat that comes with the bike may be comfortable for lighter (under 200lbs) riders but for larger folks like myself I found it too "bouncy" and it always felt like I was leaning too much with the trike in corners. I replaced it with a Schwinn ultra-wide comfort seat with memory foam from my local Targer (I always use that exact seat on every bike I own). Speaking of corners, a trike is NOT a bike and therefore there is some learning to do. - Firstly you have to remember that you have wheels sticking out that can get caught on something, so no cutting corners close because either you will clip something and get into a terrible collision or your wheel will dip into the corner and cause you to flip/lose control. Just stay a couple of feet away from road edges and such and you're fine. - Also you'd think that you don't have to lean with it because it has three wheels, but it still has some play in it and when you turn (especially at any speed) I find that leaning with the trike helps the handling quite a bit. - Lastly, remember that it IS a three wheeler with one wheel in the front and two in the back, don't turn the front wheel really hard while going too fast or you can flip it. This seems to be a moot point since it's not a terribly fast bike anyway, but if you're booking it down a big hill or something at 20+ mph it's something to consider. As for fine tuning the assembly, you'll probably have to fiddle with the brakes for a while to get them just right and the fenders can be quite challenging to get lined up properly where they don't rub, you're best bet is to just leave them off honestly. My only real CON with this bike is the way it's geared, it's geared low but not super low. I find that it's hard to ride long distances because of this. At the speed I normally ride a bicycle (probably 5-7mph) I'm having to do a lot more pedaling than normal. If you ride very slow it's fine, or if you ride really fast and take little breaks and coast for a while it's ok, but I do wish it was geared differently. I will probably eventually replace either the rear sprocket or the freewheel for a larger model that will allow me to cruise at the speeds I like (moderately slow), it will greatly limit my top speed but I'm ok with that since I seldom break 10mph on this trike. All in all it's a great bike that I will end up keeping for a very long time. It's like having a little truck that you can throw things into and carry around. You can transport dogs, a small child (with a helmet of course), groceries, things you bought at a local garage sale, all kinds of things easily with this trike. Ride and handles great, Schwinn customer service is great. The only reason I'd say to steer clear of buying it is if you aren't committed to putting it together and taking the time to get it right. If that's the case then buy it from a local re-seller pre-assembled, even though you'll likely still have to do some tweaking.

This was a disappointment. I take some of the blame on myself as I believed the positive revues and did not really believe the negative ones and I REALLY did not realize how heavy a 71 lb. cycle was and I did not realize how hard the poor rear design would make steering. I did not have any real trouble with assembly but I have been putting stuff together and taking it apart for the last 65+ years so it was clear what needed to be done and even without help it only took a couple of hours total. Now for what actually happened: I got the trike assembled and verified everything was correctly hooked up and adjusted then I even went so far as to block it up and work all the mechanical parts and then verified the hookups again and found that the small chain and handlebars needed tightening and that the rear and front breaks needed further adjustment. After taking care of that I took it outside to test ride and disaster. I mounted the trike and started it going and it forced turned into the side of the road. I was then able to restart and I forced it to ride fairly straight and built just a little speed. ( a fast walking speed) Rather suddenly it pulled HARD to the right and I could not correct it much and before I could apply the breaks I crashed into a mailbox. My injuries were not great (just a cut or two and a couple of bruises) as my speed was low but it is clear that the design is flawed. Although I have not ridden in years I am an experienced bike rider (I even participated it several pretty high level races) and I did expect a learning curve I did not expect such a bad experience at low speed. I then walked the trike back inside (it was not damaged as it IS sturdy) and thought about the problems I had and decided that I cannot keep it. So it is going back today. While I might be able to find a trike that would work for me I do not think I will try, at least for a while. The crash was potentially a disaster for me as I have a bad hip and had I actually fallen on it I could have had a serious injury. This trike is probably OK for some but the drive system is so dangerous that I cannot recommend it at all. One more thing: If you get this and you have any doubt about keeping it make careful note of EXACTLY how it comes packed. It took me almost as long to repack it as it took me to assemble it.

Update: 10/7/2021 I took the advice provided by Earl Jackson III and found a local bike shop that was willing to complete the assembly and adjustment of the trike. Add $150 to the cost of the trike, but at least I know everything was done correctly. There are no noises, as other customers have reported. I am enjoying riding it after waiting so long. I’m updating my rating to three stars. This is the list of tools that Schwinn tells you you’ll need. - Phillips head screw driver (minimum four-inch shaft) - 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm and 8 mm Allen wrench - Adjustable wrench or a 9 mm, 10 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm and 17 mm open and box end wrenches - A pair of pliers with cable cutting ability - Needle nose pliers with cable cutting ability - Grease (Automotive or anti-slip copper grease) What they don’t tell you is that you’ll also need two or three torque wrenches to complete assembly to specs, or the warranty can be voided. “It is the responsibility of the individual consumer purchaser to assure that all parts included in the factory-sealed carton are properly installed, all functional parts are initially adjusted properly, and subsequent normal maintenance services and adjustments necessary to keep the bicycle in good operating condition are properly made.” (from Appendix D) Update: 9/25/2021 I took the advice of the gentleman who answered a question I posted. I've found a local bike shop willing to complete the assembly. Add another $150 to the cost of the trike. Updated: 9/3/2021 I received EXCELLENT service from US customer service and the heavy and bulky items department when I spoke with them on August 24. The answering CS person at the 888 number promptly transferred me to US support when I requested it. I received the replacement product quickly and have assembled it over the past several days. I did not have the same problem I mentioned with assembling the rear sub-frame to the main frame. However, I still have no instructions from Pacific Cycles for installing the derailleur. I installed it to the main frame according to the pictures in the manual, but it does not line up correctly with the gears and doesn't adjust with the H and L screws. I sent email to Pacific Cycle support asking for instructions on installing the derailleur. Based on my previous contact with Pacific Cycle, I expect little response., Please don't tell me to call the support number as that gets no results either. If I haven't received a useful reply by next week, I shall call the local TV station that features consumer complaints to see if they will cover the Pacific Cycle's failure to provide proper customer service. Amazon has been excellent in providing help for the return of the first tricycle. You just have to insist on speaking with US support. On assembling the rear fenders: Instruction have you install the rear tires before the fenders. Ridiculous! When you get the that point remove each wheel and support the rear on a jack stand or other support of appropriate height. Install the fenders, the replace the wheels. The seat: I do not understand the seat choice for a product that is going to appeal to older riders. I purchased a Schwinn Foam Comfort Breeze Extra Wide Bicycle Seat locally that will work much better for me (don’t see it on Amazon). I really like the tricycle and hope to resolve all existing problems with it so I can start riding. Update: 8/24/2021 I called Amazon today to return this tricycle for a replacement. I like the trike and hope the next one won't have the same problems. I am completely satisfied with Amazon's response, including returning the first trike. I'll update this review again after I received the replacement. I received an email from Schwinn customer service today, asking about the status. I still haven't received anything from Schwinn support regarding fixing the problem, which is no longer relevant. Update: 8/24/2021 I called Amazon today to return this tricycle for a replacement. I like the trike and hope the next one won't have the same problems. I am completely satisfied with Amazon's response, including returning the first trike. I'll update this review again after I received the replacement. I received an email from Schwinn customer service today, asking about the status. I still haven't received anything from Schwinn support regarding fixing the problem, which is no longer relevant. Original Review: I finally received the Schwinn Meridian 7-speed on August 17, a bit earlier than expected, which was good. The shipping box was undamaged. I unpacked the parts and assured they were complete and undamaged. The front fender had a very minor scratch on it, not a real problem. I began assembly on Wednesday, then had to stop as I had forgotten to buy grease. I resumed on Thursday and got as far “10: ATTACH THE REAR DRIVE SUB-FRAME.” The diagrams are a bit hard to read, with a lot of parts in Figure 3.2. Having the manual on my tablet and being able to enlarge the figure helped. Step 3 was a real bear, trying to get slots of the rear drive sub-frame onto the main frame. It looked to me like the piece with the slots was not properly placed on the sub-frame, making the width too narrow to slide easily onto the bolts on the main frame. I finally managed to assemble the sub-frame by partially inserting the bolts (part 1) into the main frame holes, positioning the sub-frame, working the washers and nuts (part 2) into the space between the main frame and sub-frame and finally using an open-end wrench on the nuts to work the bolts all the way through the sub-frame. This was much more difficult than it should have been and a failure in quality control. Now I had the derailleur and front chain just hanging on and no instructions for where and how to attach the derailleur! I finally gave up and called the customer service number in the manual this morning. Guess what? Customer service has no information on this issue! All instructions and videos are for the 1-speed model only. I can find no videos or information on assembling this tricycle in any web searches. Schwinn doesn’t even list the 7-speed model on its website. I’ll update this review when I either get the information or call Amazon to come get the partially assembled tricycle.

I bought this bike after reading every single review, both positive and negative. I even took the step of ordering the bike from Amazon's Warehouse Deals. I paid a very reasonable price. I am a 52 year old woman who does not really have a lot of mechanical experience, but it was a beautiful day when the bike arrived. I got my iced tea and sat on my porch with the box and spent a leisurely afternoon figuring it out. With only a little help from my husband and son (mostly to just confirm I did something correctly) I was able to assemble the bike. I'm glad I did, too, because now, adjustments make more sense to me...I know the parts and understand how they work and fit together. That said, if you are just hoping for a quick experience putting it together, you may want to get help or pay a bike shop. I rate the bike 5 stars because I love the style and I think it was a GREAT value. It seems to be working well. But for the sake of those who read reviews, here are some notes that might help you. --The color: I read a lot of reviews that complained that they were hoping for a more BLUE bike. This should be called "Ice Blue" or something like that, not Slate, because the bike is really a silvery blue not a darker color like I would think Slate would be. --Packaging: I ordered from Amazon Warehouse Deals, which said the item would be repackaged, so I expected that. The large box it came in was not TOO badly roughed up from shipping, but when I opened it, the inner box that was holding all the bike parts was fairly frightening. Torn spots, dents in the cardboard, etc. From reading a lot of reviews about dents, I wonder if shipping is just really hard on this. Mine came basically double boxed. I wonder if someone returned it because of the condition of the original box! The original box did not appear to ever have been opened and resealed? Anyway, I probably got lucky, but my guess is this is a shipping issue and perhaps unavoidable when you have parts, like fenders, that are easily bent out of shape. --Assembly: Yeah, there were a few head scratching moments where I had to look at the diagram, re-read and THINK, but I figured them out. I saw a YouTube video of a guy who was pretty mechanical and putting this bike together for one of his parents and he had pretty much the same issues I had! I used (after googling!) Vicks VapoRub for grease for the handlebar stem and it is working great. Did have to laugh at the whiff of menthol I got just before my second ride on it, when I adjusted the handlebars. Vaseline would work too if you don't have a tube of grease that they call for. I confirmed with a mechanical friend that this will be no problem, we're not dealing with high temperatures or huge amounts of friction. I had to really work to get fenders lined up to the holes for the bolts that hold them on, then I had to bend them into shape a little to keep them from rubbing. This is no big deal to me, but if it is to you, you're forewarned. If you can't find the stem for the seat, look inside the hole in the frame, lots of people think they don't have one then find it there! Brakes might take a while to get them adjusted properly. If any of this really doesn't sound like something you want to mess with then definitely find a handier friend or take it to a bike shop for assembly. I didn't mind the tweaking. --Riding: THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN A TWO WHEEL BIKE! You have to really remember this or you may think something is wrong when it is not. If you learned to ride a two wheel bike, you instinctively *lean* to keep balance. Leaning on this bike is not necessary and may even make your sensation of being off balance WORSE. You *might* even want to lean OUT of a turn (the opposite direction) a tiny bit! I did feel a bit wonky on this trike at first, but I just took a deep breath and tried to remember that this was different. Much better as time goes on! Also, the road where I live is slightly graded to allow rain to runoff so if I'm riding on the road, I realize that it is going to feel off balance. I only take the road for a short while, then I am on the rails-to-trails near our home. That too is ever-so-slightly graded for runoff, but I can work with it better there. If the trail is clear, I just take my spot up the middle and my fellow bikers let me know they are coming with a friendly call or ring of their bell and I move over. :) --Mount/Dismount: At first, I kept whacking the back of my legs with the back wheels. Just needed to get in the habit of remembering that unlike a 2 wheel bike, I have to watch for them. --Seat: I'm a middle aged woman with an ample middle aged figure. The seat is just *okay* for me but since I got such a nice price on the bike, I don't feel badly about seeking out a wider, more comfortable seat. Until switching the seat, I only had gone about 3 miles at a time to avoid a sore posterior. If you want a flawless, seamless experience to get up and running, look elsewhere or get professional help to assemble and fine tune. If you're willing to deal with a few little issues, you'll have a great trike at a great price.