- Schwinn Aluminum Frame
- SR Suntour M2000 Suspension Fork
- 21-Speed Drive train w/ trigger shifters
- Schwinn Riser handlebar and ahead stem
- Alloy Linear Pull Brakes
Product Description
Hit the trail with confidence with the Schwinn Ridge AL men’s mountain bike. Equipped with an aluminum MTB frame and an SR Suntour suspension fork, the Ridge AL is smooth and sturdy. The front and rear linear pull brakes, meanwhile, provide sure stopping power while on the move. And thanks to the 21-speed drive train and SRAM trigger shifters, it’s a breeze to shift gears regardless of the terrain. Other details include rustproof alloy rims and 1.95-inch-thick tires… More >>
Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike
July 30th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
This is a very smooth-riding bike with a look and feel of quality. Its frame is much lighter than a steel bike, making a noticeable improvement in performance. I often load my bike heavily using a rear rack and baskets, so I was specifically looking for a bike with front suspension only. Even with only the front suspension fork, it smooths out bumps nicely. Shifting is really smooth and reliable. It has quick-release front wheel and seat. My only criticism is the front wheel is positioned so that when turning sharply it hits one’s feet! At first I repeatedly almost fell because of turning too sharply while pedaling and my feet hitting the tire. I am more used to it now and have learned to stop pedaling and watch my feet position while making sharp turns. But to me it is a silly design flaw. This is the only reason I gave this bike 4 stars instead of 5. Let me add, the process of ordering it through Amazon went perfectly. It came in a huge box. It needed minor assembly which was very easy.
Rating: 4 / 5
July 30th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
My wife and I purchased this bike and the “women’s versions” of this bike together as a Christmas gift to one another. First, I am 37 years-old and disabled. I needed a bike that is light, yet strong enough to handle my 250lb + frame. Well, this bike is light due to all the aluminum parts that make up the bike and it is the aluminum that gives the bike it strength as well. The bike was a breeze to unpack and set up. Once again, I am disabled, I do not have the strength to manipulate cumbersome items… and this truly was not a cumbersome task! One hour tops from UPS Truck to being able to ride it up my street and back. During the easy and very short set up process, I had time to admire the welds and other artisanship details… I found no flaws. The bike was put together well at the factory. There were no scratches from the assembly line. The welds appear uniform (which is an excellent sign of a good weld). If I have one complaint, it would be the seat… Oh my gosh, that seat! Like I said earlier, I am 37 years old and 250lb +, the seat on this bike is not meant for a large buttock as mine! I think a vertical “Wiffle Ball Bat” would have been more comfortable than this wedge of a seat. I was one bump away from a Proctologist appointment! I am going to remove the seat and install one of those “farm tracker seats”… you know, the ones with the giant coil springs under the copious amount of foam covered in heavy duty ‘all weather’ fake leather covering! Yea, the Schwinn seat has to go!
Rating: 5 / 5
July 30th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
This is a good bike for the price of $179.99 with free shipping. The frame is sturdy and the bike overall is well built. The gears were not changing properly and skipped at times which resulted in bike being taken to local shop for a tune-up. Also had the brakes adjusted as part of the tune-up. Bike is much better now and provides a nice ride. The seat was quite hard, but a gel seat cover made things much better. I feel the bike is an excellent entry level bike and fits my need for occasional use.
Rating: 4 / 5
July 31st, 2010 at 1:34 am
Pros: Well, it IS a bike (thus two stars rather than one). It has two wheels, pedals, handlebars, and something to sit on. I have no doubt that an individual could ride it – eventually. Then again…
Cons: I will begin with the obvious. This bike does not – I repeat, DOES NOT – come equipped with SRAM MRX Pro twist shifters, as is CLEARLY stated in the item description. In fact, the bike I received was equipped with VERY cheap Shimano EZ-Fire trigger shifters. This is important because my decision to invest in this bike was based upon two factors: it is relatively inexpensive as compared to other front-suspension 26″ men’s mountain bikes; and it was supposed to be equipped with twist shifters. My intent is to use this bike for commuting during the winter in upstate NY. As you might guess, it gets VERY cold here, and I will require fairly heavy mittens to avoid frostbite. Trigger shifters don’t work so well with heavy mittens.
Now on to the rest…
The first indication of the low quality of this bike is the rear skewer. It does NOT have a quick release skewer on the real wheel, an immediate and obvious indication of low quality in a bicycle.
The rear tire is factory mounted on the rim backwards – meaning that the deep lug off-road treads are facing in the incorrect direction for maximum traction.
The handlebars seem to be of a non-standard diameter over much of their length. The only ’standard’ is where they are clamped into the stem. There is a section of about two inches width in the direct center of the bars that is a standard 25.4mm diameter so that they can be clamped in place. This section tapers to a smaller diameter on each side of the center section; however, the tapers are not spaced equally on each side. The overall effect of this is that (1) if you intend to attach an accessory item, such as a light, bell, or other safety equipment, the standard sized clamp that is supplied with your accessory will NOT fit correctly on these handlebars; and (2) any item, such as the mounting bracket for my Topeak Tour Guide handlebar bag, that is supposed to be mounted and CENTERED on the front of the handlebars cannot POSSIBLY be centered because the dissimilar tapers push the mounting clamps to one side or the other of center.
The shifters appear to be plastic junk. Not only that, they appear to be permanently attached to the brake levers rather than separate, so that if you choose to replace the shifters with the SRAMs that were SUPPOSED to come with the bike, you also have to buy replacement brake levers. BTW, the SRAM MRX Pros aren’t available in the U.S. – if you want ‘em, you have to buy ‘em from England!
The saddle is the most uncomfortable piece of trash I’ve encountered on a bike.
Ditto for the handlebar grips. They’re simply horrible.
Additional thoughts: Getting right to the point, this bike is yet another cheaply manufactured made-in-China piece of trash. Basically this is an $80 bike with a $200 price tag because it includes a water bottle and cage, an aluminum frame, and a kick-stand. To be honest, it is quite light – altogether only about twice the weight of one of my loaded panniers. The water bottle is cheap and is simply a waste in the winter of upstate NY; and the cage itself is again very cheaply made and does NOT lock the bottle in – one good bump and the bottle will pop out and be gone. And how well the kick stand (and the aluminum frame it is attached to) hold up has yet to be determined. In general the kick stand will not be used with my panniers attached, since the higher center of gravity will then cause the bike to fall over anyway. Based upon the poor quality I’ve encountered so far, I doubt this bike will make it through one complete season without a major overhaul of the bottom bracket, rear axle, or front suspension – and more likely all three!
The bottom line: In order to make this bike work for my purposes, and GET THE COMPONENTS that I was SUPPOSED to get on it, I will likely have to spend half as much as the bike cost. If you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive beater that is unlikely to attract the attention of thieves due to it’s low quality, this is the one for you. If you’re looking for a good commuter that will last, keep looking. And don’t even THINK of taking this thing off-road – you will undoubtedly end up carrying it home on your back.
Rating: 2 / 5
July 31st, 2010 at 3:42 am
For the price you pay, Schwinn makes some of the best bikes available. Here for under 200 dollars you get a great mountain bike. It runs well, is high quality, and is a great value.
You’d probably be better off getting this then a higher-priced bike from some other brand.
Rating: 5 / 5