Schwinn Ridge AL Womens Mountain Bike 26 Inch Wheels
Hit the trail with confidence with the Schwinn Ridge AL women’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, 26-inch wheels, a Suntour alloy crank, rust-resistant powder coating, and an adjustable quick-release seat. The women’s Ridge AL carries a five-year warranty.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Good bike for the money, but not for taller women
I purchased this bike along with the men’s version for Christmas. Had no problems with assembly (accidentally got the fork on backwards and was hitting my feet on the front tire, but fixed that in 2 minutes), but it did take an hour or two. Based on online reviews, I thought it would need a full front and rear derailleur adjustment, but only some minor barrel adjustment was needed on both. So far, my husband and I have only been on one moderate trail, and there were no problems with his, but a small plastic retainer on my bike popped out on the derailleur. Reassembly without some very special pretensioning tools was not an option, and it was too late to return to Amazon. After a quick and easy call, Schwinn/Pacific Cycles is sending a derailleur at no cost. While I will have no problem attaching a derailleur, others may have to take it to a bike shop and pay for service, whereas if they had purchased the bike at a good bike shop, the part would have been replaced at no cost AND installed for free. I found you couldn’t beat the price, even if I do love the local bike shop.
Other than the problem mentioned above, we have both been very pleased. Smooth shifting after light adjusting, light frame, almost everything came preassembled. I am 5′8″, and I am probably the upper limit in height that can be accomodated on this bike. The Men’s bike is a very nice alternative.
5 Stars As a gift…
for my girlfriend. She hasn’t ridden since she was a child but loves it. She took to it very quickly and it fits very well. She even loves the color scheme which has a purple tint in the blue that is not so apparent on the laptop screen.
4 Stars Good bike, fun ride
I’ve had this bike for nearly two months now, and I think a chronological look at my experience with it would be best suited for this review, illustrating why this bicycle was just right for me and why I give it 4 stars.
I wanted a bike that I could use to commute. I didn’t know much about bikes except the very, very basics and hadn’t rode one in over 10 years. I did some research, learned about frame height, the different types of bikes, compared prices, read reviews, etc, and decided to go for a mountain bike for its upright riding position and the rough patches of the streets I’d be riding on. Of the bikes that fit my needs, I liked this one best for its choice of colors.
The bike arrived with all its parts. The instruction manual explained things as if everyone knows the anatomy of a bicycle, which made things difficult (what did I know about derailleurs and barrel adjusters?), but with my brother’s help was able to get it together in less than an hour. One of the last steps is adjusting the derailleurs (the gear shifting mechanism). The instructions say that while the bike is adjusted in the factory, one MUST readjust it before riding. Since it seemed to be shifting well enough without me on it, out of fear of messing it up I didn’t do this and went to ride the bike.
I fortunately didn’t have any accidents on account of not making all the needed modifications from the get-go. The handlebars would come loose after a while, so I began to carry an Allen key with me. But after the third time I tried positioning them so the brakes would be further down, and the handlebars haven’t come loose since. Shifting was sloppy, noisy, and sometimes missed a gear, but I figured this was due to skipping that last step in the assembly. There was also a clanking noise coming from the right pedal. I found answers to these problems online. A video helped me adjust my derailleurs, and I oiled up the joint between the pedal and the crank. The clanking noise stopped, but some shifts were still sloppy. However, I soon found this was due to poor technique on my part. I don’t know what the “proper” shifting method is, but if I stop pedaling for a second, shift, wait a second, then start pedaling again, it makes the shift quickly, quietly, and doesn’t skip gears.
As for comfort, when I went on a one-hour ride for the first time, I felt a bit sore when I got back home, but the discomfort subsided on its own. Subsequent rides of equal length leave me a teeny bit sore when I get off the bike, but it quickly goes away. Given that I probably won’t need to ride for longer than that, for me it is unnecessary to change the seat. The handlebars are comfortable, and the brakes and shifters are also easy to use.
Now that the bike is properly adjusted and not making that clanking noise, it is a totally awesome ride. No worrying about gas prices or harmful emissions here! Moral of the story: don’t think a product is faulty if you didn’t do everything you were supposed to do, and this is a great bike!
5 Stars It’s a decent bike for the $$
I bought this bike because of the price basically. Not so much because of the Schwinn name anymore because they may as well call themselves Pacific Cycle in China. This bike is made entirely there with the lower end parts to prove it. But it’s not all bad. In fact, I have a lot positive to say about this bike.
- It’s actually very light. They must use a different aluminum in this one then their other bikes carried by Wal-Mart cause those were all a bit heavier. It’s an easy bike to lift up on my roof racks.
- Welds are perfect on the frame and elsewhere.
- The pre-assembled parts were for the most part done right and tight
- Nice light aluminum rims
- Once tuned-up, the v-brakes are strong
- COMES with a water bottle
- Knobby tires are decent quality
- Shimano rear derailleur is not the best but not bad either
- Plenty of documentation on how to adjust everything (the v-brakes needed some Googling though)
- Very well packaged
Here are some things that could be better:
- Spring shock instead of gas makes for somewhat unnatural feel
- Seat is basic and uncomfortable
- No rear rim quick disconnect, only front
- Generic front derailleur
- Combined Shimano shifters and v-brake handles makes for upgrading one or the other impossible
Even though this bike is made with lower-end components, the frame is very light and solid. When it’s all tuned up, this bike operates very nicely. If you’re debating on whether to pick a Schwinn up at Walmart, Target or elsewhere, get it here instead. I’ve tested the Schwinns at those stores and they are all a bit lower-end than this one. Also, I think the $199 shipped is a good deal. Get this bike if you plan on doing light trail riding or cruising.
5 Stars great bike for the price
Had searched all over the web for a budget good bike for my wife who had never ridden a bike before. I found this one, and after reading the reviews I chose it. I don’t regret it.
Rides solidly, feels strong, and has been ridden by my sister, brothers, etc on trails following me on my Mongoose Pro Wing Elite, and the Schwinn coped more than adequately.
