Schwinn Discover

Was looking for a budget hybrid and spent a good 5 or so days (in my freetime) shopping online and at my local bike shop. Bought the Schwinn Discover because it dropped in price while in my cart to around $240. I'm a total bike novice so after narrowing it to this bike and a diamondback I choose this because it was $60 cheaper. If you are looking for a bike that can go on the road, sidewalks, and minor trials/grass this is the bike for you. This bike is amazing. My step dad was in awe at the craftsmanship and he works for CAT so if the craftsmanship impresses him I know its solidAnyways ill list some pros and a few minor cons. But if your on a budget and are not sure about which bike to choose (like I was) then hopefully I can sway you. I have never owned a Schwinn or any other name brand bike. I haven't road a bike over 2 miles since 2003 but I love it now.Pros:- BEAUTIFUL looking bike. You can tell it was made with quality parts and that Schwinn can still make good, durable bikes.- Rides well and smooth (im not a bike expert so bear with my general description)- A great value and first time bike. If you're short on funds (im 26 and in college and I used my amazon store card with no interest for 6 mon) and looking for a bike to get to work or school or just cruise around town then this bike is for you.MINOR cons:- Can be a little tricky to put together the proper way. Thank god for my step dad. He helped me make sure it was built right (brakes, gears). The directions are a little complicated but if I could use them anyone probably could. I just was lucky to have someone knowledgeable guide me and check my work. The brakes and gears were mostly correct out of the box but they did require some tinkering and he knew all about that. Take it to a bike shop if you need too.- Seat was nothing to brag about but I got a bell memory foam one on amazon as well for $28 and it was totally worth it.- I have not taken this off road but I could tell the tires are NOT meant for that type of riding. I'm not sure if you could switch tires out for mountain bike ones. I don't see why not if it all fits properly ( dont take my word though). The 700c tires it comes with are meant for pavement and boardwalks and light grass. Maybe wooded trails (have yet to test on woodchip or dirt trails).Overall conclsuion and final thoughts/tips:I will try to remember to update a few weeks from now on how the bike handles trails (so excited for fall riding, I live in MI and while its not the most bike friendly state, thanks MOTOWN, I have found some nice long trails and paths to test).Another bit about the questions and reviews I have seen on this bike. I am 6ft and a half in tall and weigh 210lbs. I am out of shape, which is why I wanted to get into biking as a fun way to travel and exercise at the same time. This bike is PERFECT for beginner's or out of shape people because its 21 speeds and friction adjustment allow for differing riding styles. On 3 or 4 and low resistance I can fly down the sidewalk without feeling like a need a break. The seat and handlebars are totally adjustable (they both go up and down a good amount so its easy to adjust if you're tall but have short legs or are short with longer legs) my stepdad is 5'10 and weighs 175lbs and he could easily adjust the seat for himself. My mom is a short 5'4 and while it's too big for her she could adjust it to make it rideable. The bike size was one of the biggest concerns before buying.Which bike type should I get? Road, mountain or hybrid? Which company? Which size is best for me? Do I follow Amazons chart or another websites size chart? Should I get a diamondback since they have different size options?It can all be confusing for a bike noob since their is no wiki for bikes. Most bikes on amazon don't have that many reviews and amazon (great as it is) doesn't carry that many bike brands overall and other online bike retailers don't have anywhere close to Amazons review and q+a system. I am very cautious when spending my hard earned money (I have been researching laptops for 2 months now for school and have yet to make a decision, with school starting for me soon...) and I decided to get this bike. I am using it to ride 30min to work and to go around town. Hopefully soon I can go riding in the state and national parks.So buy this bike if you:- are looking for a great entry level bike that travels on flat surfaces well.- are on a budget and just wanna "test the waters" of biking without breaking the bank and putting a black hole under your credit score.- maybe wanna buy one as a gift or maybe 2 (m/f, m/m, f/f). For yourself and a partner to crusie town with. They have a female version im sure.- if you are an expert cyclist and maybe want a solid back up bike to use so you're not wearing down you're main road or mountain bike.- if you're not sure at all of what to get but you know it will be mostly flat surfaced riding and you're between 5'7 and 6'3 (educated guess, very possible it would be good for people taller than 6'3 but do your research). If you're on the shorter side I'm pretty sure they have a womans version that might be smaller (double check).- At least 2 of my family memebers are buying this bike and I might buy one as my gf's bday/xmas gift so we can ride togethe. Npi lolTips:- Buy a new seat. Ill try and include a link for a great one I found.- Even if your mechanically inclined READ THE DIRECTIONS and build it the right way. Or take it to a bike shop and ask them to set it up. I'm not sure of the average cost but would be worth it. You could also post on craigslist and see if anyone would take $50 to put it together for you (just an idea, not sure if its a good one, BE SAFE). I almost broke a tire part because I assumed and didn't read the directions.- Buy a good strong bike lock. Do NOT leave it out of sight without a lock even for a minute. I live in suburban upper middle class Metro Detroit and people have their bikes stolen all the damn. No violent crime so the paper mostly covers property crime. If you have to leave it outside unattended make sure its chained to something that can't be broke or moved as well. All it takes is 2 min and someone could throw it in their pickup.- Since news bikes are so easy to steal I am honestly looking into insurance for my bike. I get its only $250-300 but I have it on my phone and xbox for a cheap premium. I haven't looked into it yet but will later tonight. I would simply feel better paying $5 or $6 a month for a premium that would cover theft with maybe an $75-$100 deductible. Again I'm not even sure insurance exists for an entry level bike such as this.- If you're short on cash and have a good credit score and want a bike asap try applying for an Amazon store card. I got approved for 800 and got a gift card. I have 6 months to pay my balance before any interest is charged (no interest or %5 statement credit which is around $12.50 for the $250 or so I paid. I'm not trying to push anything on anyone but it's honestly a solid deal if you're low on cash, have decent credit or maybe want to build credit. You CANNOT use the amazon store card anywhere besides amazon though. The amazon visa is different and can be used elsewhere but the apr was abnormally high. Both options give amazon credit. I have seen different amounts shown.- Amazon prime has been awesome the 3 months I've had it and made this bike purchase possible for me. Imo its TOO good of a service to be sustainable. I guess delievery drones might end that thought. I was offered a $1 coupon to choose 5 day shipping over 2 day which was quite strange. Seems like Amazon knows its too good of a service for us shoppers. Anyway it came as it was scheduled 2 days later in new condition (no damage to anything).I know some other reviewsers have had issues with damaged parts out of the box and such. I would put that more on ups or fedex more than Schwinn. I have put around 25 miles on this bike (aint much I know) and would recommend it to anyone really. Unless you have a lot of extra cash to drop on a $1000 hybrid then this bike probably won't meet your needs anyway. It's very hard to find items on amazon with lots of reviews and a 4.5 or higher, which is usually what I look for. I get some people get faulty and defective items. Hopefully my bike doesn't break down 6 months down the line, in which case I'll update this review accordingly.This review went on longer than I intended but I felt that some general info about this bike would be helpful for people who (like me) have this bike in their amazon cart or wish list and are on the fence about bikes in general. I also am bored and wanted to practice my typing and writing before classes start (A professor had us do something similar to an amazon description before to try and sell a product that was underselling) Maybe it only helps 1 person but that would be worth. Biking is a great way to get in shape and is a better option for lazy beginners (like me but I'm slowly changing) than running imo. I know many people like me don't like spending close to $300 on a bike especially if they don't know much about them. It is definitely worth every penny and much better than those fake Schwinns at Walmart or a bargain brand bike (good for kids I should say).Links to accessories I bought with my bike. Cheap and well reviewed:A great simple bike lock at a great price. Not industrial strength but what is anymore? Would be very difficult to cut quickly and stealthily. Is key based and not combination based. I chose the key style because the key mechanism seemed more secure than the combination ones I have seen. I have seen pictures of combos just broke into pieces with a sad or mad owner in the backround bikeless.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C2B26PW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1A big comfortable seat that was a breeze to put on and feels great on my bum. My bum is wayyy out of shape and this seat has helped (did not totally eliminate soreness but greatly reduced it). I had bike shorts and a seat cover to go along with this aftermarket seat but after testing the seat the extra padding seemed excessive even for my big butt.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D16OCI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1A handy lilttle air pump that can be mounted on the water bottle mount (would replace a water bottle mount sadly but you can add saddle bags on the back)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T9AKR9Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am 5'6" female and this bike is perfect! It is comfortable and a great height. I wanted the look of the cruisers, but wanted to be able to keep up with my husband while biking. This bike fits the bill perfectly - it has the mud guards and the cute back rack, but it can keep up too! There are a lot of gears, I don't change them too much, but I do like having them instead of just 1 or 3 options like a cruiser would offer. I've ridden this bike to work (~ 7 miles one way) and it was a great ride. The seat is comfortable too. I would highly recommend this bike if you want a cute, sophisticated bike that can ride well too.Just know that you will have to take this to a bike shop unless you're a professional. It pretty much comes assembled, so my husband put it together, seemed easy enough - unfortunately he put the handle bars on backwards (looked normal to me! lol) and the fender in the front kept rubbing on the tires - also the gears felt weird and it was hard to pedal -- once we had the bike shop do the adjustments (~ $50) it was like a completely different bike! I would highly recommend just taking the bike to the bike shop and asking them to assemble it - that way they can't make fun of how you (or your spouse) assembled it in the first place lol.UPDATE 7.6.2013I want to provide an update to my review and respond to a few of the comment threads/questions here.I've now had this bike for 2 & 1/2 years and it is still working great! I love my bike and have been mostly happy with my purchase with just a few (minor) exceptions.I did not purchase any baskets or accessories so I can't comment or make recommendations on those (sorry), however, I will mention the back of the bike does have a piece that you can put a small bag and it will hold it down via spring action (i.e. Walgreens bag, small messenger bag, small zipped up purse, or similar).As for it being too tall for some people, I can understand why it may seem so and I do have to jump off the bike to dismount when I stop - I cannot touch the ground to stop, but as mentioned previously that would mean the bike is too small. I believe this is a good comfortable ride for someone of my size - I think if you are shorter (5'4" or under) than this bike will be too big. If I were to make a guess, I would say it is meant for someone between 5'5"-5'9". The seat does sit a little high.I definitely do NOT think this bike is good for off road riding. I had thought the same as others - that a hybrid could go off road. This thinking got me several flat tires :( and was very uncomfortable ride off road. This could be the type of tires that are on it - maybe if you changed the tires out it would work but honestly I would have just opted for a mountain bike if I was going to take it off pavement. I would consider this more of a leisure ride bike.The issues I have had with the bike are:1) The tires - I've had to have them replaced - this is probably common and I used a Living Social Deal for new bike tires when mine went out.2) The fender piece on the front comes loose and rubs on the tires no matter how many times I've had a bike shop "fix" it and my husband has to tighten it occasionally while we are riding. Keep in mind that when I received my bike it was missing the bolt and nut that is suppose to hold the fender on. Instead of sending it back I took it to the bike shop for the assembly mentioned above and they said it was no big problem and they put a bold and nut on it. I've continued to have problems with it though so I thought it was worth mentioning.Other than that I've been super happy with my bike. I think for the price it is a well made bike that has functioned how I wanted it to. If you are looking for more intense bike riding - for speed or off-road - then you will probably land up spending more than this bike costs. If you are looking for a great bike to take out on paved trails for sight-seeing and such then this is perfect. Good luck in your bike search!