For more than 120 years, Schwinn has sold bikes with the consumer in mind. Affordable, yet reliable and durable, their bicycles are what you’d call a safe bet.
Nowadays, the brand is known for its high-end cruisers and e-bikes. But they also make quality mountain and road bikes when you know which one to look for (more on that below).
Today we’re going over the top 16 bikes in the Schwinn catalog to find you the perfect travel companion. To give you a taste, here are our 3 best Schwinn bikes from the Chicago bicycle brand:
For more than 15 years, I’ve been riding all sorts of bikes—from roadies to MTB, to e-bikes and even BMX. During these years, I was lucky enough to get my hands on a variety of Schwinn bikes. Hence, I feel confident in providing the most honest and complete Schwinn bike reviews you’ll find on the internet.
Table of Contents
Today, Schwinn manufactures two main lines of bicycles:
The company commercializes 5 types of bicycles, each having a different specification, to adapt to the rider preferred ground and riding style :
NB: The bike company offers a limited lifetime warranty and a zero-defect policy with all its bikes.
So, you can invest in a bike without stressing over problems that may occur during transportation or after a few months of riding it.
| Preview | Bike Model | Type | Frame | No. of Gears | Wheel Size | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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High-Timber | Mountain Bike | Steel / Aluminum | 21 | 24” / 27” / 29” | CHECK PRICE |
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Mesa | Mountain Bike | Aluminum | 21 / 24 | 26” / 27.5” | CHECK PRICE |
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Huron | Cruiser Bike | Steel | 1 / 3 / 7 | 26” | CHECK PRICE |
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Network | Hybrid Bike | Alloy | 21 | 28” | CHECK PRICE |
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Wayfarer | Hybrid Bike | Aluminum | 7 | 29” | CHECK PRICE |
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Fastback | Road Bike | Aluminum / Carbon | 14 / 22 | 29” | CHECK PRICE |
 |
eMonroe | E-Bike | Aluminum | 1 | 29” | Check Price |
Since the late 90s, Schwinn has focused on designing high-end mountain bikes so that riders can find their perfect match. No matter if you’re a single-track eater or gravel freak, Schwinn has a MTB for you.
Schwinn mountain bikes all have the same base structure which includes:
But what sets them apart, you may ask?
The major difference lies in the geometry of each bike, as well as the suspension and shifting system, the wheel sizes, and colorways. Thereby, Schwinn offers 5 different products in its MTB catalog, each with their own cost and optimal discipline :
The High-Timber is the best-selling Schwinn mountain bike with its attractive price and refined design.
The design was conceived so that users of any age can find the best support on any terrain. There are 3 different models of High-Timber:
The HT is a solid entry-cost mountain bike that will appeal to newcomers to the discipline, as well as more experienced riders who are willing to shred on harder terrain.
The Mesa is a great all-rounder bike, capable of performing as well on smooth single tracks, as on perilous gravel trails. The bike is recognizable by its slightly modified hardtail frame—called mountain tuned geometry—and its thick MTB tires and wheels.
Schwinn’s Mesa MTB category is composed of three bicycles. Each of them stands in their own price range:
If you’re just getting into mountain biking, I’d recommend picking from the Mesa 2 & 3, as the Mesa 1 is significantly more expensive than the other two from the brand.
However, the price difference between the Mesa 2 and 3 is so low that you might as well invest in the second one. You can have solid mechanical disc brakes that will save your life on rough and periculous terrains.
In the end, the Mesa 1 outshines its two counterparts. So, if you’re an experienced rider who has the budget, the Mesa 1 is a no-brainer with its hydraulic disc brakes and its 24-speed drivetrain.
The Moab is the ultimate cross-country bike. With 3 reiterations, Schwinn has come up with a pretty solid formula for the cost in the Moab 3.
Available in 27.5” and 29”, the Moab 3 is a bike for adventurers who would rather head off the road than stay on the path.
Lightweight and responsive, this bike will take you wherever you want to go.
The Traxion is Schwinn’s best MTB when it comes to taking on gnarly trails and jumps.
Its shorter and lighter aluminum dual-suspension frame allows for more maneuverability and control on the trail.
Alone in its category, the bike comes in 29” and is stacked with suspensions to better absorb impacts.
Hybrid bikes are the perfect compromise for people that need a reliable bike to commute to work during the week, and an adaptable one to tackle dirt trails on the weekends.
Schwinn has 3 different models of hybrid bikes that all come at very accessible prices:
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The Voyageur has been made with fitness riders in mind. Its profile allows for a comfortable posture no matter your exercise routine.
It’s a great bike for riders that want to get back on a bicycle without risking injuries due to Schwinn’s comfort sport saddle and pedals.
The Network embodies the definition of a complete hybrid bike perfectly.
Recognizable due to its hybrid geometry frame, this Schwinn bicycle offers a uniform comfort, no matter the terrain you’re on, with its hybrid saddle and ergonomic grips.
The Wayfarer is one of the best-sellers of the brand. Mounted with a retro city frame and fork, this hybrid bike offers a great mix of versatility and flexibility.
Perfect for commuting within the city, the Wayfarer comes with a rear carrier which makes it an ideal bike to take on grocery shopping trips.
For more than 30 years, the company has been perfecting its road bikes. They can offer products specifically designed to go the distance and match every riding style.
Nowadays, you will find 2 main categories of Schwinn road bikes at your nearby bike shop:
While the Fastback road bikes offer a wide variety of choices with 4 different sub models, the Paramount only has one. It’s the only Signature Series bike of Schwinn’s road bike catalog, which comes with professional-level materials and finishes.
The Fastback category offers road bikes for every level of practice and budget out there.
While the AL Tourney and AL Claris are aimed towards occasional riders, the AL 105 and Carbon 105 are high-end bikes that will suit experienced riders looking for great performance.
The Carbon Fastback is logically the top performer of the category when it comes to velocity and finishes. However, I believe that the AL 105 offers the best value for money. It is significantly cheaper than the Carbon 105, and it outperforms the two AL models.
The Paramount is the last of Schwinn’s original bikes. This road bike has allowed leading cyclists from all over the world to perform to the best of their ability for more than 100 years.
The 2021 version comes in all carbon with 24-speed, making it the perfect road bike to practice on and progress every day.
For performance-oriented riders looking for the best bike out there, the Paramount is a strong contender.
Riding Schwinn cruiser bikes is the perfect way to spend your free time or simply to travel to work.
Whether you’re looking for a classy ride around town, through parks, or along the beach, Schwinn cruisers’ retro-chic style makes for the perfect companion to commute.
The Miko is recognizable due to its vintage-inspired design that will appeal to its female audience. Coming with a cruiser-style frame and cruiser handlebars, this affordable bike is a solid cruiser with just the right girly touch.
The company declined its Miko bike across 3 models. The only difference comes from the shifters:
Miko’s rear coaster brakes allow for a smooth and immediate stop to keep you safe no matter the situation.
The Huron is the budget cruiser for men from Schwinn’s catalog. It's perfect for casual riders that want a reliable yet affordable bicycle. The Huron is the male version of the Miko.
Just like its female counterpart, the Huron is available in 3 different colorways and has been used across 3 models, with each different drive trains:
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The Collegiate is the star of Schwinn's cruisers. Mixing the old-school style that made Schwinn bikes so successful in today’s standards, this high-end cruiser bike has been entirely designed on US soil.
This Signature Series cruiser bike is available in two forms, to adapt better to the user’s morphology :
Both Collegiates show high-quality finishes and extreme maneuverability. They offer a higher lifespan in comparison to the Miko and the Huron—which does reflect in their prices.
E-bikes are the ideal way to travel up and down sinuous roads and hills without ending up with a flat. Nowadays, e-bikes have reached great autonomy and earned a respectable reputation. They are a cheaper and eco-friendlier alternative to motorcycles or cars to travel short distances.
Schwinn sells 4 high-end electrical bikes:
These e-bikes are capable of going at least 20 mph with 50 miles of autonomy. Their battery can be fully charged in only 4 hours.
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The Vantage is the complete package. It is the Rolls Royce of e-bikes, if you will.
Having close to the best specs you can find in this price range, the Vantage is the lightest e-bike ever made by the company, weighing only 42lbs.
Equipped with Schwinn's Smooth Ride Technology, the Vantage is a polyvalent class 3 e-bike that can go up to 28 mph on paved roads as well as on dirt trails.
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The Amalgam is a complete hybrid electric bicycle. At first sight, nothing will make you think it is an actual e-bike, as the battery is integrated directly into the downtube.
This feature reduces the center of gravity of the bike for a smoother and more stable ride, no matter the ground.
The pedal assist of the Amalgam lets you pick between various levels of assistance, and comes with the choice of having none whatsoever. This makes it the most adaptable Schwinn e-bike.
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The Mendocino eBike takes the classic design of old school cruiser bikes and combines it with the new technology of electrical bikes, making it one of the most reliable cruiser e-bike on the market.
Its lightweight aluminum frame adds extra maneuverability to the bike, while the overall design helps the user adopt a comfortable and straight posture when on long commutes.
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The eMonroe is one of the few fixie-style e-bikes currently on the market.
Specifically designed to shine in the city, this e-bike offers great autonomy coupled with appreciable maneuverability to navigate through traffic.
The only downside comes from its weight, at 55 lbs, which can make it hard to transport to your office or apartment.
If you’re looking for performance, you might have trouble deciding between the Vantage and the eMonroe. These have the highest velocity and the best value for price in the company's catalog.
The Vantage is more versatile, and can handle most types of roads, while the eMonroe will perform the best on smooth ground, speeding through the city.
If you’re looking for optimal versatility, the suspension fork and MTB design of the Amalgam will please you.
Finally, if you want an cruiser e-bike, the Mendocino is the only option among the e-bikes on offer.
Founded in 1895 in Chicago, the brand was named after its creator, German mechanical engineer Ignaz Schwinn. However, the Schwinn bike company only found an audience in 1962, with the release of its Sting-ray model.
Recognizable because of its motorcycle chopper style, with ape-hanger handlebars and a banana seat, the Sting-ray was an instant commercial success. Even today, it draws in a plethora of collectors and restorers throughout the globe.
After almost 100 years in existence, Schwinn bikes went bankrupt in 1993. The company was bought over by the Canadian bike conglomerate Pacific Cycle and shifted its focus towards building mountain bikes.
Since Schwinn’s takeover, the American bicycle brand has widely expanded its catalog, offering high-end bikes for every type of riding and user.
The American company has a bike for every practice and level out there.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, you can’t go wrong with the model you’ll end up choosing—as long as you stay within their Signature Series models.
Make sure to check out our reviews to see how the brand compares to other bike manufacturers. If you've had experience buying from this company, feel free to let us know what you think is the best Schwinn bike.
