Unlike the other bikes above, this is a full-suspension mountain bike and not only has front forks but a rear shock. Going downhill is where the Axum’s limitations come into play. The first thing I noticed is just how loud the bike is over rough trails. To be clear, schwinn bicycles I’m not the type of rider who stops to track down every squeak and click; a little bit of noise is fine. However, this thing sounds like a one-man-band marching down the trail. The brakes squeak, the chain slaps, the fork clunks, and the kickstand wobbles.
Take a ride with me into the mountain bike models of both Mongoose and Schwinn as we dive deeper into comparing the two brands’ current mountain bike model offerings. Schwinn bikes tend to be more expensive than Huffy bikes. This is because Schwinn bikes are generally made with higher-quality materials and components. In addition, Schwinn bikes often have more advanced features than Huffy bikes, such as suspension systems and disc brakes. As a result, Schwinns became increasingly dated in both styling and technology. By 1957, the Paramount series, once a premier racing bicycle, had atrophied from a lack of attention and modernization.
The Schwinn High Sierra was a top-of-the-line mountain bike back in its day. Today, if you can find one, it makes for a perfect touring bike, commuter bike, or gravel bike. Since buying the Schwinn High Sierra, I have converted it into a touring bike and put about 1000 miles on it. When you look at high-end BMX or MTB bikes, it’s pretty clear to see that you can get into the thousands of dollars relatively quickly. The thing about Mongoose is that the bikes may not all have the top-of-the-line Shimano or SRAM parts, they are often outfitted with medium-grade components, but the frame construction is superb. As mentioned, the brand has a more specialized approach to the extreme sports side of things.
They are not making super high-end performance bikes, but they are making something for people that might want to go at weekends for a ride or a family group outing dragging the kids alongside. Judging by all the comments about it, I’m in the minority but I find it’s a fun accessory. I did remove the reflectors and also the “pie plate” on the cassette, again, schwinn mountain bike based on my own preferences for how I like my bikes to look / perform. My test bike arrived in a shipping box almost fully assembled. I only needed to attach the front wheel and handlebars, and screw on a set of pedals. 1949-Schwinn first started becoming mainstream with the Black Phantom, Tank Cruiser, which could be recognized by its balloon tires.
Few others come with a one-by drivetrain and none have dropper posts. For half the price, the Schwinn Boundary looks promising, though buyers get 20mm less suspension travel, one less gear, and no dropper post. The bike’s 21-speed gear shifters will help you nimbly navigate different paths and trails.
If you’re trying to choose between Schwinn and Huffy, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Ignaz Schwinn was born in Hardheim, Baden, Germany, in 1860 and worked on two-wheeled ancestors of the modern bicycle that appeared in 19th century Europe. In 1895, with the financial backing of fellow German American Adolph Frederick William Arnold (a meat packer), he founded Arnold, Schwinn & Company.
Shimano also claimed that Biopace was easier on the knees than round chainrings. When my Biopace crankset wears out, I will replace it with a modern round model. In my experience, this is helpful while riding in a low gear while climbing steep hills. While peddling at a high cadence on flat surfaces, the constant change of peddling speed feels odd. One of the things that have blown me away for years about Mongoose is the quality they offer. Mongoose has consistently, for over a decade at least, from my experience, led the way in delivering high quality at a fraction of the price of their competition.