Now, the entry-level and budget-friendly Schwinn Axum delivers all of this, plus a surprise or two beyond the official spec sheet. Schwinn is also environmentally friendly, using recycled plastic and rubber materials in parts of the bikes including seats, pedals, gears, and tires. The High Sierra isn’t a very good mountain bike, by today’s standards. It doesn’t have any suspension, it’s heavy, and the steering is a bit slow. Most people who buy these bikes don’t use them for mountain biking. It’s also a good idea to inspect the drivetrain components and brakes.
As the pads wear, they hit the rim closer and closer to the tire. If you’re not careful, they can start rubbing on the tire and destroy it. If you’re not a Prime member (why aren’t you?) and your mountain bike purchase comes from a third-party retailer, it will likely come with free shipping offered by retailers who want to stay competitive.
They are mostly used on downhill tracks, dirt trails, and roads which are not very passable. I got it to ride with my son that had just picked out a Siera.. We both still have these special bikes, but his sits in a garage while I ride mine daily. Nearing my 80th birthday, the daily ride is only about 4 miles around the hood but it still climbs the hills and flys back down again.
Forks suck, even worse when locked-out, with a nasty clunk. (I usually ride full rigid)
Left the kickstand on, made a ton of noise, but never deployed. Small diameter grips not comfortable almost immediately. 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, based on my own preferences for how I like my bikes to look / perform.
The Traxion has some excellent abilities and is much more suited to a trail than on the road. If you’re at the height of 5’8″ to 6’2″, this bike is going to suit you. If you require smaller, the Protocol below is the right bike for you. Schwinn High Timber will suit users from 4’8″ all the way to 6’2″ depending on the wheel size and model. I’d agree that we should be critical of technologies that add a bunch of cost and complication to our already expensive sport. (Strava said otherwise, a top-10 time on a familiar trail, without pushing for it)
Tire grip lacking.
I’m having a hard time reconciling what you have said in this article with what the bike shop says. A Schwinn High Sierra in decent condition can sell for anywhere from $100-$300 depending on the condition and the market. If schwinn mountain bicycles someone is asking more than that, it’s probably not a very good deal. You’ll also want to inspect the wheels to make sure they’re in decent condition. The Biopace crankset seems to work but it feels a bit funny at first.
Some riders even do a drop bar conversion for gravel riding. You can install more narrow or wider tires to suit the terrain you plan to ride. If you don’t like the roller-cam brakes, you can easily upgrade to U brakes.