Buying guide for Best women's Schwinn bikes
When you're looking for a new bike, it makes sense to opt for one made by a trusted manufacturer with an excellent reputation for producing quality, reliable bikes. You can choose from all kinds of women's Schwinn bikes, so there's an option for you whether you're a competitive road cyclist or you simply want to go for the occasional weekend bike ride with your family.
First of all, you'll need to decide whether you want a road bike, mountain bike, hybrid bike, cruiser bike, or commuter bike. Once you've figured that out, it's time to find the right size bike for a perfect fit. Then you can look into details such as suspension, brakes, frame materials, and color.
Luckily, you're in the right place to learn about all these features, plus more. We've also compiled a list of our top five women's Schwinn bikes, one of which might take your fancy.
Key considerations
Bike types
All women's Schwinn bikes fit into one of five categories: road bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, cruiser bikes, and commuter bikes.
Road bikes: Road bikes have thin tires, a light frame, and dropped handlebars to encourage a forward-leaning position. All this means that road bikes can go very quickly on smooth, paved roads, but they don't perform well on uneven surfaces.
Mountain bikes: Mountain bikes are designed for people who want to ride up and down rocky hillsides, across muddy, unpaved trails, and more or less anywhere off-road. As such, they have thick tires with plenty of tread for increased grip, suspension systems for a smoother ride over rough terrain, and straight handlebars with a raised seat for an upright riding position.
Hybrid bikes: These bikes are partway between road bikes and mountain bikes, making them good all-rounders. They can go fairly quickly on paved roads but also handle light off-roading well. They have thinner wheels than mountain bikes for increased speed but an upright riding position for improved control.
Cruiser bikes: Cruiser bikes are designed for casual cycling. They're great if you want to get around in a relaxed fashion without too much concern about speed. They have fat tires for stability and a wide, plush seat for comfort. They're usually single speed, so there's no need to stress about being in the right gear.
Commuter bikes: These bikes are primarily designed for people who want to cycle to and from work, but they're also great for general cycling in an urban environment. They have a tough frame to stand up to the rigors of city cycling, and they may have fenders to keep water and dirt from splashing on you, so you can arrive at your destination clean and presentable.
Size
You'll find two possible size scenarios when it comes to women's Schwinn bikes: some bikes are available in one size only, while others offer a range of sizes from extra small to extra large.
One-size: These women's Schwinn bikes are designed so that they'll fit most adult women of an average height (64 inches is the average in America). If your height is within a few inches of this, you can expect a one-size Schwinn bike to fit you perfectly.
Multiple sizes: If your chosen women's Schwinn bike has a range of size options, there's a chart to help you choose the correct size for you.
- Extra small: 60 to 63 inches tall
- Small: 63 to 67 inches tall
- Medium: 67 to 70 inches tall
- Large: 70 to 73 inches
- Extra large: 73 to 76 inches tall
Your women’s Schwinn bike may have either twist shifters or trigger shifters to change gears. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but many cyclists have a preference.
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Features
Frame materials
Women's Schwinn bikes have either a steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber frame.
- Steel is strong and has some natural shock-absorbing properties, but it’s heavy.
- Aluminum is lighter than steel but still very strong. It's a common material since it's affordable but light enough for bikes that need to go fast.
- Carbon fiber is the lightest of all. It's also the most expensive, so it’s generally found only on high-end road bikes.
Color
Some women's Schwinn bikes are available in several colors, while others only come in one color choice. While we wouldn't say color is more important than any other features, you might as well pick the color you like best if you have the option to do so.
Suspension
A suspension system helps absorb shocks, so it’s a common feature on bikes designed for off-road use, such as mountain and hybrid bikes. Suspension forks are the main suspension option on women's Schwinn bikes.
Did You Know?
If you find your bike doesn't fit quite right, you can change out the handlebar stem and saddle seat post to adjust your distance from the ground and reach to the handlebars.
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Accessories
Bicycle helmet: Schwinn Excursion Adult Helmet
Whether you're riding on the road or down deserted trails, it's important to wear a helmet. Not only is it a legal requirement in some areas, but it could save your life in the event of an accident. Schwinn makes a range of adult bike helmets that are of excellent quality.
Lights: Malker Bicycle Light Front and Rear Set
If you'll be riding your bike in low-light conditions, bicycle lights are an absolute necessity. These inexpensive front and rear silicone bike lights attach to your bike without the use of tools and are great for occasional use. However, if you ride your bike after dark for hours every day, you might want to invest in a sturdier option.
Bottle holder: Ibera Bicycle Water Bottle Cage
It's important to have easy access to your water on long bike rides, especially on hot days. This simple yet effective aluminum bottle cage from Ibera is an excellent option and comes with the bolts needed to mount it.
Women’s Schwinn bike prices
Inexpensive: These women's Schwinn bikes cost between $300 and $500. Most cruiser, commuter, and mountain bikes fit into this price range, plus some hybrids and the most basic road bikes.
Mid-range: These women's Schwinn bikes cost from $500 to $1,000. You'll find top-quality cruiser, commuter, mountain, and hybrid bikes at this price point, plus a couple of mid-range road bikes.
Expensive: High-end women's Schwinn bikes are priced between $1,000 and $5,000. These expensive bikes are exclusively road bikes, most of which are high-performance bikes suited to the most avid road cyclists.
You can buy tandem women's Schwinn bikes if the idea of riding on the same bike as a friend or partner appeals to you.
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Tips
- Consider how and where you'll be riding your bike. If you want a simple bike to ride to work, a cruiser or commuter bike is ideal, but it won't get you far in serious off-road conditions. For those, a mountain bike should be your top choice. Ultimately, how you use your bike will determine the best model for you.
- Check what type of brakes your chosen bike has. For general cycling, caliper brakes, V-brakes, and cantilever brakes are just fine, but for high-performance cycling and off-road cycling in muddy conditions, disc brakes are superior.
- Find out how your women's bike differs from men's bikes. There's no real difference between contemporary women's bikes and men's bikes other than size (since men, on average, are taller than women). In fact, many Schwinn bikes are unisex. Some women's models do have a lowered top tube, but this is a throwback to when female cyclists wore skirts. It isn't necessary on a modern bike.
FAQ
Q. How do I maintain my women's Schwinn bike?
A. Unless you do a lot of high-performance cycling, maintaining your bike is fairly simple. First, keep it clean using a non-abrasive soap and water to avoid any rust or other damage that can be caused by leaving wet mud and other dirt on your bike. Next, apply chain lube to the bike chain weekly. Depending on your bike, you may occasionally need to change the brake pads, cassette, or other parts, but if you aren't confident doing that, you can take your bike to a cycle shop or bike mechanic.
Q. Will my bike arrive fully assembled?
A. In most cases, your bike will arrive only partially assembled. It's easy enough to complete the assembly yourself with just a handful of tools, but if you're unsure, almost any cycle shop will be able to assemble your bike for not much money.
Q. I don't like the saddle on my bike. What should I do?
A. On most road bikes and mountain bikes, you'll have a narrow, firm saddle that offers more control, lets you change position more easily, and enables you to pedal more efficiently. On cruisers and commuter bikes, however, you're likely to find a wider, more cushioned saddle for comfort during a casual ride. Specific bikes have specific saddle types for a reason, but if you just can't get along with the one found on your bike, it's quite simple to switch it out for a new one.
