Everyone wants to make sure that they are getting the best bang for their buck when it comes to purchasing a bike. I mean even a so-called cheap bike isn’t so cheap anymore, especially considering the state of the current economy. And, there’s the beauty of product reviews.
I purchased the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike several months ago. Of course, this isn’t a top of the line bike by any means, as it isn’t decked out with every feature known to the bike world, but it also isn’t priced as such either. As far as price and features goes, I would classify the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike as at the top of the middle-of-the-road range. That said, it actually has a lot of appealing features in relation to the price of the bike.
I found the solid aluminum MTB frame very pleasing, as it has stood up to a lot of abuse, but is still light weight enough to make a noticeable performance improvement over most steel bikes. Another big positive of the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike is that there’s a five year warranty guarantying manufacturer coverage, regardless of abuse.
The SR suspension fork is another great quality. This feature has been especially useful to me since I often have a heavy load on the bike with a basket and rear rack loaded down. I’ve also enjoyed the quick-release front wheel and seat as an anti-theft feature.
As far as breaking goes, the front and rear linear pull brakes have proven to provide very powerful and speedy stopping power.
The trigger shifters have 21 speeds and are incredibly easy to use. My twelve-year-old daughter, a novice bike rider, was even able to smoothly and easily shift.
This bike has really stood up aesthetically, with rustproof alloy rims and a rust-resistant powder coating.
I do see one hiccup with the bike. The front tire placement has a design flaw of sorts. It’s positioned where it hits my foot when I turn sharply. I haven’t fallen using the bike, but this could potentially cause a serious fall for inexperienced riders. The good news is that I learned to briefly stop pedaling at the peak of a sharp turn after using the bike just a few times.
All in all, I’m very happy to own the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike and view it as a positive investment. Sure, there are better and more equipped bikes on the market, but I would have paid two to four times as much for them. In this price range, I consider this bike to be one of the best buys available. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to purchase another one. I would also recommend the bike to anyone else that is looking to forgo the frills and just purchase a simple, sturdy, reliable, easy to ride, and affordable bike.
