The Schwinn brand is one of the top brands in the bicycle industry and is progressing with time owning to its improving quality and use of better technology. The company which was founded by Ignaz Schwinn and his partner Adolph Arnold has become an American icon, responsible for some of the most popular conventional machines in the world. Schwinn has a resolute attitude to deliver and even after facing bankruptcy issues, the company bounced back to take a slice of the growing foldable market.
The Schwinn Hinge is the brands more economical product and is an ordinary commuting bike for urban dwellers, with limited features and not meant to do anything special.
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Rating:
3.50/5.00
Price:
$$$ on Amazon (September 2 2015)
Warranty
Schwinn offers a 1 year warranty. You need to register your bike online on the Schwinn warranty page in order to give the company key information which is used if you purchase is ever stolen or lost, to quickly recover it.
Pros and Cons:
Low Price Heavy To Carry For Long Distance
Carry On Bag No Strap Or Latch For Folding
Solid Quality Some Cheap Material
First Impression:
The bike has a nice look to it. It is not the most premium product and steel body does look cheap if you see it closely.
Detailed Review:
The Schwinn Hinge can be ordered online via Amazon web store and should reach you within a week with normal shipping or under 3 days with Prime shipping. The bike comes well-padded in a large brown Schwinn box and is very easy to set up. You only require to screw in a pedal and you are good to go. A mini wrench will be needed here to get the pedal held firmly. Some bikes may need to have the spokes tuned in order to prevent friction against the brake pads. A few adjustments here and there, and your bike should be ready. You must get the bike assessed by an authorised bike mechanic at your local bike store before you venture on the road with it.
Even though the bike is not as light as other Schwinn models or as well built as Dahons, but the steel body it comes with is still pretty tough and will last for some time. Of course, the price factor is a major obstacle for the Hinge to have premium quality built from aluminium or titanium. The bike comes in champagne colour, with a sparkling metallic finish and is made in China.
The bike does not have gears and is a single speed machine. This can be an annoying point for most off roaders, but if you are a city commuter the single gear will provide you with brisk enough speed to get around your business within time. It is not the fastest bikes, and is in fact slow compared to larger single speed counterparts but if you are looking for a good evening work out, this will make sure that your body is taken to task especially when climbing inclines and small hills. It is really not meant to be raced with and can perform adequately on solid asphalt in a campus like environment.
The foldable comes with front and rear brakes however there are no coaster brakes. The brakes are not the best quality and will be a source of nuisance when you decided to climb steep inclines, hence the cycle is not recommended if you live in a hilly area.
The Schwinn Hinge is not the most folding friendly bikes, especially if you have used a Brompton or a Dahon before. It takes time to get used to the folding method, which can be learned from the instruction manual. The small wheel size allow the bike to have a very small footprint when folded and can be stored easily in your car trunk or taken up or down a flight of stairs. However, due to the steel body it is not suitable to be carried for long distances.
A big bummer is that there is no latching or holding ability when the bike is folded and you need to buy bungee strings or latching straps to fulfill this gap and secure your wheels and handle post.
The fenders are made of plastic and work well. They do not break easily, especially if you take care and maintain them.
While the bike can easily support people of ranging heights, if reaching the handle bar is still a problem for you, you can get extenders installed for your easiness.
The bike rack is pretty solid and can even carry a kid behind you, or your daily luggage, boxes, etc.
The only real downside of the bike after purchase is the presence of a few cheap plastic parts which can crack and brake easily even if you handle them with care.
If you have problems associated with the parts of the bike, you can approach the customer handling department either by calling or visiting an authorized store. The after sales service of Schwinn is pretty good and you should get your matter resolved very soon.
Specifications:
- Black Color
- Folded Size: 26″ x 28″ x 11″
- 33 lbs Of Weight
- Steel Frame With A Low Stand
- Single Speed Gear System
- 20 inches Wheel Size
- Pull Brakes (Linear)
- Rear And Front Fenders
- A Quality Carry On Included
- 220 Pounds Max Weight Of Rider
- 42 lbs Shipping Weight
- Shipping Box Dimensions: 28″ x 14.2″ x 30.3″
Conclusion:
The Schwinn Hinge is a pretty okay bike for the money you have paid for it. You are not going to find any better machine in this price bracket and if you are limited by budget, you can go for it. The bike is easy to store in your garage or car truck so it has a big portability factor for this range. It is a bike which will last long if you use it in the city, on smooth asphalt and pavements, and give it regular maintenance time.
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