Best Walmart bike you can buy, but should you? - Schwinn Axum

I'm back with another review! This time we're going to see if Schwinn's newest mountain bike can change how we think about Walmart bikes!
Check out the Axum on Walmart: bit.ly/Schwinn_Axum
There is also a dropper post version of the Axum: bit.ly/Schwinn_Axum_DP
Check out my video on how to get bike parts for cheap: • How to Buy Bikes and P...
Watch Kev's review of the Axum here: • Schwinn Axum 29x2.60 M...
Watch Seth's Walmart trail ride video here: • Walmart MTB Trail Test
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#Budgetbikes #Schwinn #Walmartbike

[@TrailFeatures]

What do you think? Does this change your idea of what a Walmart bike can be?

[@blink3790]

absolutely~! love the content man!

[@splat1012008]

Great video. I bought my LBS bike 2 years ago, and this Schwinn has almost the same specs as it. Even better on some things, like the tapered head tube and 1 by drive train.

[@zaniix11]

I think it is a good starter, I wish they had at least offered one smaller frame option, it was too big for my son so I ended up with the AL Comp which I have made some upgrades to.

[@ArloCaneCorso]

J Rockvideo I’m 5’10 and the bike is awesome

[@jrockthecasbah]

Thanks Julian, congrats and stay safe.

[@K3NnY_G]

Honestly Schwinn's doing this right; sending them to the right people; free, and letting the bike speak for itself.

[@dylanbikesthings3633]

They are obviously confident in the product and rightfully so! They really played this right

[@Detroit_Q]

The sad but part is some reviewers are MTB snobs so they don't give it a fair shake. I watched a video where the guy complained about everything but did a review of a entry level Trek with just about the same components and gave it a glowing review before riding it. I am new to the MTB community and the rich boy snobs ruin the experience for me sometimes. The feel as though you need to spend a grand at minimum to even be worthy of speaking. Lol truly laughable.

[@erocker78]

@@Detroit_Q So true. I have a 29" Schwinn that I've beat on pretty hard and even abused and haven't broken it yet. In my opinion I think their frames, forks, stems, and bars are pretty tough. It's everything else that tends to be crap.

[@Detroit_Q]

@@erocker78 yeah I ended up getting the Axum and I love it. Everyone I tide with spent well over 4k on their bikes and I have no problem keeping up with them. I also dont mind crashing because my bike was only 500 and I know how to work on it because I did all the upgrades myself. I have a completely custom fitted bike with the parts I want for far less than they paid.

[@erocker78]

@@Detroit_Q that's bad ass man. I'm in the process of upgrading mine as we speak. It's an older model though but it still works. It's a 29" Schwinn Ascension (aluminum frame/SR Suntour fork). It came with mechanical disk brakes but they sucked. The wheels, tires, pedals and seat sucked too. So I've replaced all that plus the stem and bars. Got some pretty decent stuff too. Not sure about the wheels. They're coming from Amazon right now so we'll see lol...but they got good reviews.

[@eugenewall6620]

I have always told anyone who asked, "If it moves forward when you push down on the pedals, then it's a good bike.". As a former REI sponsored 24 hour mountain bike racer, I think any bike that gets someone out riding is a good bike.

[@TrailFeatures]

This. $1,900 isn’t chump change, but it’s a far cry from some of the crazy bikes people put on a credit card because a guy on reddit told them to buy it.

[@Manwichman]

No one should ever look down on someone based on their bike, not should anyone feel intimidated to go hit the trails...I guess snobs abound everywhere, such is the condition of the world now anyways. God bless n great vid brother 👍🙂

[@valentinomiller6251]

Precisely, but we know the world isn't like that. I do hate videos that endorse that stupid behaviour though: GNC, yeah I'm looking at you.

[@DFX2KX]

Exactly. My only caveat to this, as someone who's bought cheap bikes his whole life: If you buy a $99 bike, have $99 expectations. You're not taking a Huffy Nighthawk (I rode the bearings out of mine) down a downhill trail. It's not built with that amount of stress in mind. It'll do fine if you stick to the gravel trails and dirt roads. My $149 Merax Finiss? I would have trusted that bike, after repacking the bearings, on a rather mild Green flow trail without any jumps. That bike was $149. My brand-new AL Comp? Not sure about the rims (not to mention my ass), but the frame looks and feels sturdy enough that it could handle bunnyhops at the very least. Would need a more robust fork-but you can put tapered forks in these bikes now.

[@froznfire9531]

Yeah that´s what happend to me when I started out aswell... On my local biketrails, about 90% ride on full squishs and I came there with my 300$ big box bike... And they asked me how I could even ride on this without crashing all the time :( And I really felt like I would need a fully asap because of these people, not because of my riding... I went down there several times and it was totally fine, there were even people driving without any suspension... But in the long run, these people really scared me off in a way. I then started riding some more unknown trails to get away from all these bike enthusiasts and learned a ton and had way more fun. Nowadays, I also have my fully with me when I go there and encurage younger and new drivers to just send it, no matter what bikes they have (ok, it should have any suspension if they aren´t Sam Pilgrim^^).

[@FredLarracuente]

Agree brother! Sadly, there are stuck-up people in every sport, specially in cycling.

[@David-nq4ps]

The bike is your life line bombing a mountain you need a good bike are your ass is going to eat shit that way he had a full face helmet on the wallmart bike. The other guys had a bike helmet.i bomed a mountain in Rancho palos verdes on a wallmart bike .shocks feel apart bent the trims it was years ago.2002.i went back with a Giant down hill mountain kicked ass on the mountain bike for 1200 nice big different

[@JLawL]

I own a $7,000 enduro bike and I've had people smoke me down trails on $700 hard tails. Anyone judging you based on the cost of your bike is probably wasting most of their money for the sake of appearances. Luckily you see very little of that in the mtb community. Go buy this bike and see for yourself!

[@ondrej1112]

I personally disagree. From my experience MTB community is full of judgemntal people laughing at anyone who rides anything under 1000$. I've even had a guy tell me (when I was enjoying my brand new Orbea Alma H50) that there's no point in buying anything under 2000$ and that I might as well ride some trash for Walmart. The MTB community is incredibly toxic.

[@TannerWilliam07]

Are you a dentist?

[@farmerman651]

@@ondrej1112 I'm buying an 1000 dollar rockrider st900s

[@alvinmc5593]

my co-worker had a $4000 bike and he invited me to join him one day to ride a trail..I took my college bike (cost around $150) and we completed the trail without me getting left behind in my cheap bike....late he told me he was very surprised and impressed with my biking and I told him I rod cheap bikes all my life and was pretty good at it ...lol

[@TannerWilliam07]

@@alvinmc5593 Thank you, now I'm going to keep my $400 bike instead 9f a 1500 one 😂

[@tomecalm7]

Even cheap Walmart bikes can be decent. IF when you get it home you regrease ALL bearings, chains, and rollers. Don't leave it outside in the rain, and check things often.

[@derb7462]

Solid advise, even for "nicer" bikes

[@DFX2KX]

I just got an Aluminum Comp (the 2020 model Kev liked so much), and I can definately confirm the bearings in the back need grease. I think, given the sounds it's making, I might just figure out what bearings to get and just get slightly nicer ones in addition to the grease.... It already rides butter-smooth compared to what the Finiss did (see KevCentral's review on that one). I paid about the same for that bike as this one, and this one is *leagues* better.

[@mohdnormohdaminnullah4064]

Amen brother.. So true

[@RLSteffler]

And give the brakes a thorough clean!

[@MissingLinkMTB]

I've seen a lot worse for a lot more at bike shops. Not the shops fault, just what the manufacturer offers.

[@TrailFeatures]

Yeah, some companies do it better than others. I think a lot of them forget we all started off on green trails.

[@dylanbikesthings3633]

@@TrailFeatures That is so true! This is a great way to get people into the sport

[@Stncedr1ge]

Cough cough apallo,carrera(I own one) trek marlin series

[@Destin65]

Depends on the shop. Some shops here in outta-the-way Georgia will heavily mark up stuff because nothing is flying off the shelves. Or do so to take advantage of locals not being well-versed on cycling standards. And then there are the price gougers all over the internet that is driving up prices too. For weeks you couldn't even find a bike at a Walmart here, but there are thousands upon thousands all over Ebay. Bikes that were made exclusively for Walmart, being sold on third-party sites as "newly arrived inventory" and going so far as to take a $98 Huffy Crankbook and asking $300-500 for it. That's gonna destroy cycling in general, mountain biking for sure.

[@zigzagrz]

i'm sold on it, walmart here I come and with my mask on

[@crocsonletsgo9665]

Good luck finding one!

[@zwitch7635]

@@crocsonletsgo9665 buy it online then if you can't find it at Walmart

[@carlyydabestt]

Nothing left

[@zwitch7635]

@@carlyydabestt then get a syncr pro

[@DoroteoVilla]

Carla Dumajel found one but had to hunt

[@PimpolloMorales]

The quality of these videos is so astounding dude, this just LOOKS like a popular video

[@benjamingardner1718]

As a college student who is simply trying to make ends meet but loves riding; this is an awesome alternative. I have ridden Walmart bikes my whole life and even ridden some black diamond trails of them. However, they haven't lasted me more than a year or so. Thank you so much for heading light on this bike and the fact that you don't have to break the bank to have fun and adventure. I will definitely be looking to getting this bike.

[@MikeR65]

Benjamin Gardner you like living dangerously !

[@CGGarage]

Same here bro. In college too and will be looking into this

[@CGGarage]

@@jimb1117 I feel it. Currently riding a Huffy Blades bike... unsure the year.. got it for $60 down talking from $100. It's a good bike so far, especially for off roading

[@CGGarage]

@@jimb1117 but yea, my point... I'm into fixing old things up and using them... I'm only interested in this cause it's a nice cheap bike, and I like tinkering on stuff so this would be a fun project. I'm not gonna be a HARD mountain biker eirher.. mostly off roading, or casual trails when I finally hit the trails.

[@Karani0]

Hey, how's it holding up? I'm a highschool student trying to buy my first bike so this seems like a good choice for me, especially bc it's on sale rn

[@armandutan5901]

Since Schwinn used to share store shelf with Specialized back in the day, I would say that Schwinn is starting to find its niche again in the market having lost its way years ago. Lets just say they are on the right path and with a few better components (aka SR Suntour or RST), they are just a few dollars away from a good entry level to a great entry level mountain bike.

[@ertpecsertpecs]

Agreed. Looks like if they just went with a cheaper decent fork and a derailleur with a decent spring rate there wouldn't be much to complain about except for the weight. But for $400 you're not allowed to bitch about weight so you kinda got that going for you

[@Ajooba1982]

37 year old first time bike owner. This review could not have been any better. Thank you for your authenticity.

[@TrailFeatures]

Glad to help!

[@DFX2KX]

Welcome to the amazing world of bicycles! (If you haven't ridden them much at all, don't worry. The pain in areas you never thought would hurt stops after like a month. I'm being reminded that I've not ridden in a year....)

[@Ajooba1982]

DFX2KX lol looking forward to it!

[@DoroteoVilla]

I've had this bike for two months now: I pretty quickly changed the brakes to Shimano MT-200's, saddle, nicer pedals, Rockshox 30 Gold fork, better grips, chain guide in lieu of a clutch derailleur for now. I have two other branded dual suspension bikes that are in the mid 1000s and yes, they have much better rides but I have to give it to Schwinn. They've created The Mustang of mountain biking. Low entry cost for the bike with great possibilities for upgrading/modding. The geometry feels very comfortable , especially with the 2.6 knobbie wheels. No, it's not a Trek Carbon frame bike but c'mon, for the money I am beyond happy especially the way it rides now. All told, with what I've invested, it rides as well or better than bikes that are three times it's price. Now I see why they're hard to find at Walmart.

[@teacfan1080]

Man, back in the 70's, Schwinn was the bike king. In my neighborhood growing up, if you didn't have a Schwinn, you basically had nothing! In the town I used to live in, there is still a bike shop that specializes soley in Schwinn! Don't know how well they're doing though. In 2007, I got a Schwinn Cimarron "mountain bike". This is something you wouldn't have want to use on rough trails. It had some inferior parts but I changed those out. I put tires that were good for pavement and dirt roads. I never took it on hard trails. It was mainly a commuter bike. Once I had it set up the way I liked it, it was a good bike to get around. Hopefully Schwinn continues to improve their bikes and stay in the game. This bike you featured is a good bike for a nice casual easy trail rider for those that want to experience off roading.

[@dmp4096]

I really feel ya on that 70s thing. Everyone I grew up with wanted a Schwinn. It was the gold standard. So coveted I ended up having 2 of them ripped off... a Schwinn Varsity and then a Continental... loved those bikes. Heavy as hell but I could ride down the middle of the street sitting straight up in the saddle. They shifted nice! Other bikes I've had since made me really want index shifting since they were so twitchy... Ahhh....

[@zone4garlicfarm]

Serious cyclists in the 70's weren't riding Schwinn. They were riding more expensive European road bikes. Mountain bikes weren't a thing yet. Schwinn made great kid's bikes because they didn't break. At 11 years old we didn't know or care that a Schwinn was heavy. We knew that if you had a Schwinn you didn't have to worry about bearings falling out, brakes failing or gears not shifting right. Other bikes meant more tinkering and repairs. When you're 11 years old those things are what makes a good bike.

[@marcp.1752]

Schwinn had it's time, back into the day, exactly. Nowadays, it seems it's just a sticker, on a 0815 Walmart Bike, sad, but true. I'd get any decent, cheap brand bike as substitute, for instance, on ebay small advertisings, there are a lot of good bikes under 400 bucks, one could check out, with decent specs. Many years ago, i bought a 26" RS Reba SL for just 130 bucks, excellent condition.

[@keithchristner4522]

this bike looks very much like my Trek X-caliber, but with much lower end parts. i'm really glad that Schwinn seems to be stepping up their game. also, I see a lot of people saying this is only available at Walmart if you order it online, not true. I actually saw 3 of these in my local Walmart up on the rack. in fact, and the time I was looking at it, another customer was looking at it too, and asked, "Who in their right minds pays $400 dollars for a bike? That's outrageous!" lol

[@saintless]

I know it's just a name, but I miss bikes with the Gary Fisher label. :(

[@mvanalst2003]

I remember watching and liking this video when you first released it, a year ago now. I was tempted to make the order at the time, but it didn’t make sense. One year later and I just placed my order for the 2021 Dropper version in red (looks neon orange to me). I’m very excited and I have you partially to thank. Thank you sir!

[@nobodyspecial313]

I think the biggest selling point is that you can upgrade/fix this bike. A newbie probably won't notice the short comings, and it would be easy to upgrade the parts one at a time when they start to hold back the rider's skill level. I think $300 in upgrades (fork, derailleur, brakes) would make this a competent trail bike. Compared to just buying a better bike to start with, it's not as cost efficient, but it is much easier to swallow the lower initial purchase price and pay-as-you-go. Especially for someone who is unsure of their commitment to the sport.

[@ertpecsertpecs]

I used to ride an 80s schwinn predator when I was a kid. Back before schwinn sold out. This video makes me smile

[@BikingRoots]

Awesome video, cinematography, editing, and info. You made excellent points on the lack of sizing and the short comings of the bike but also stressed that you get a good amount of value out of the bike. I love to see it has a 1x standard, good width bars, and wide tires. That trail looks fun! Keep up the good work and stay safe

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks!

[@jeremie8730]

Good delivery and presentation, closeup shots of the bike are awesome, tone of voice has a calming effect due to your flat accent without any irritating high pitches. You earned a new subscriber, sir.

[@FrankMendez1969]

I got one last month for my birthday and I simply love it...

[@jjr1314]

It’s nice to see a bike at Walmart that can at least safely get a beginner out on the trail. As their love for mountain biking grows and skill progresses they can decide at that point to upgrade the bike or move up to the next level bike. But at least they haven’t lost a bunch of money. Good video. Justin and I always enjoy your uploads!

[@TrailFeatures]

That's a big reason why I decided I liked the direction Schwinn was going. Anything you put on this bike can be resold or moved to a new bike.

[@BlindstuffMTB]

Quality review. Really dig the depth you go to while testing and filming bikes.

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks, man! I appreciate it!

[@slaytanic777]

Picked up one of these in 2022. Been riding BMX. This is my first big wheel bike at 47 years old it's quite the change and adjustment. The seat and reach is the first thing I noticed that will take some getting used to at 6'1" I opted for a shorter stem and taller bars. But I think I'll really enjoy it once I fall into the groove. Great video. New subscriber 🤘

[@jasonlewis6914]

I like the frame. I went a little crazy on my upgrades. Went from a 500$ James trail X 8 speed tourney. To a 10 speed xtr drivetrain and xtr brakes. Fsa afterburner wheelset titanium handlebar.

[@mtb_alan]

Nicely done, Joseph! It's nice to get such an in depth look at a Walmart bike. You hit so many good points.

[@TrailFeatures]

I appreciate that!

[@MRrobert7200]

Nice review, especially for a 1st time mountain bike buyer. Appreciate your straight forward approach by not getting too technical. This Schwinn Axum Mountain Bike appears to be a really good value for the casual rider, of which I am one. I just today purchased this bike and I am very impressed with the overall look and quality design for this price point. Looking forward to getting out to get some exercise on some basic trails. Thank you for your review.

[@mrsa101]

finally got my son's axum. instantly out of the box threw a rockshox judy, 27.5 x2.8 tires/ wheels and mt200 brakes and seat off my trek roscoe. i can't say it's not fun. actually feels great he is loving it. he actually asked to hit more trails today. he has never done that....... next the drive train.

[@jf0314]

I live how you gave a shout out to Kev Central. Nice video!

[@spritemanplus4700]

Wow a company sent you a bike and told you that you could honestly review it? Very honorable I'm already considering it

[@braugonzalezf5656]

I just got my axum with a lot of lucky checking almost every day online. Before this i spend 6 months making my research to get my best value for money... in the midtime i went to pretty hardish trails in my huffy bike well with this junky bike i had lots of fun... kill in it with guys on a 3k even 7k dlls bikes... jumping cornering bunny hoping shredding climbing getting down hill much better and faster tham them... with old rubber rim breaks... seeing all this Santa Cruz behind me... the bike always help but you will make rhe difference. After all this time now putting 400 dlls got my axum looks amazing... just with a 800 dlls total am head to head with a 1300 trek Roscoe... Thanks to my previus 24inch walmart huffy getting improvment on my skills i will enjoy my axum to the maxx!!! Enjoy what you have to ride!!!

[@Bryanbobber]

Just bought mine this Morning. Raining here in New England but this weekend is looking good for a nice first ride. We shall see! Great Video!!!!!!!

[@andrewkellerhals1361]

Schwinn was once the pinnacle of bikes in the BMX market and made a lot of headway in the MTB world, then just sort of fell off. It would be nice to see them make a comeback

[@chriscasterbassmaster]

They are coming back.

[@brax0210]

I'm novice bike rider I only do asphalt trails lol with my kids but I must say I had no idea that bikes were such a wormhole. Great content and great channel

[@APlagueOfButterflies]

Chicago made Schwinn bikes are some of the best ever made. I honestly wish the modern company would honor the legacy and get back to those days.

[@johndrolett6231]

I'm 59 years old, 6'3", 215. I want a capable bike to try trail riding with She Who Tolerates Me, who has quite a bit of experience cycling. The last time I rode a bicycle off pavement was before I got my drivers license on a Frankenstein Schwinn Stingray. There are two things I'm concerned about: first, crashing and hurting myself, and second, spending a bunch of money on a bike... then crashing and hurting myself! :) I've been all over craigslist and FB Marketplace looking for something used to suit me but I'm coming up empty. This review showed me some very important things, one of which is that this bike uses standard parts for repairs and (highly unlikely) upgrades. I appreciate your review. I'm giving this Schwinn Axum very serious consideration.

[@joen3992]

Pacific cycle/Dorel owns the major brands so for them to create a bike like this makes sense. Wish I could find this bike in Canada. Upgrades I'd do: Microshift Avent 1x9. Rockshox 30 TK solo air and proper hollowtech bottom bracket. Oh and a proper cane creek 40 headset. Its a sleeper of a bike.....cheap and simple.

[@anubhavraj9167]

Epic intro. Jesus! Had me hooked so much, that I bought it yesterday.

[@Medyo]

My first bike was a 26 in Schwinn Protocol/Ditch 3.0. 12 years old now and racking up miles still. Knowing its limitations and shortcomings and understanding and tapering expectations to the practical, it can really go long long enjoyous ways. I am into my 4th road bike yet I have still not given up on my Schwinn. Cheers for the review!

[@WheelersAtLarge]

Nice review and good to hear something positive about a budget bike👍I had a Giant stolen, didn't know what I wanted so bought the cheapest disc brake bike I could find to keep me going in the short term. Worked out pretty well, great on trails and occasional single-track, never went near anything technical though, coil fork and brakes were horrible for that but as brakes were disc I new I could upgrade and forks are replaceable. 40/50 mile days in the summer we're not unusual. Have now upgraded some parts and converted it to a really fun 27.5" gravel bike. This type of budget bike especially with modern(ish) geometry is a great starting point if you like tinkering. Leave it stock until parts wear out or make incremental upgrades when money allows to turn it into something a little special. Always more expensive in the end of course but no big outlay or monthly commitment. Better to ride something affordable than stay at home dreaming of a superbike IMO.

[@chrisanderson5860]

I think I saw you out filming that. That’s an AWESOME trail

[@kevinJames6986]

I’ve had one of these for a year now and I love it. I bought it from a bike store and it was used but you couldn’t tell. I ride at least 20 miles a day and sometimes 50. I get the push to buy really good bikes but not everyone can buy a 1000 bike. I will upgrade sometime this year but I’m really happy with it. I’ve owned about 6 Schwinns in my life have always liked them.

[@dylanbikesthings3633]

This is a fantastic review and explanation of this bike! Also very smart for Schwinn to send it to you for a review

[@johndrolett6231]

Completely agree.

[@RidingWithSeb]

It would be interesting to see what more high-end components would do to the bike. A better drivetrain, air/oil fork and hydraulic disc brakes would probably make it more compatible with that trail you rode in the video!

[@bikecommutingmadeeasy8048]

Awesome review! Keep up the quality content Joseph :)

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks!

[@WalkerBikes]

Hey man, great video! I like the review style and a good breakdown of info and opinions

[@adamdavis354]

Great video dude! Every time i see footage of that trail it gets me more exited to get out there and ride it for myself!

[@TrailFeatures]

We’ll get back out there eventually, we just got a hunker down a little bit for everyone sake. 👍

[@BigTruckBigRV]

Question, for roughly $50-100 more you can get either a Giant Talon or Trek Marlin 29er with Hydraulic brakes, better shifters, and overall quality. Is it worth paying a bit more to you?

[@oklahotb3217]

I can answer that. I work in a shop that sells Trek and I also just got this bike. Marlin 5 is $550 with a 3 x 7 drive train, Tourney level shifters and deraileurs, Tektro hydro disk brakes, 135 QR rear, straight head tube, sun tour xce fork with no lock out. Axum is $400 with a 1x8 wide range cassette, while the drive train is off brand, in my opinion it is much better than the Tourney. It has much more positive engagement in the shifter itself and flops around far less that a Tourney would over the same terrain, Tapered head tube, Boost 141 QR rear, slightly inferior fork with a lock out, better geometry for the frame, wider rims and tires. Change the brakes to $60 dollars for Shimano MT -200 brakes and you are at $460 and have better brakes than the Marlin 5. Add a 120 mm Sr Suntour Epixon air fork for another $170 and you are at $630. Marlin 6 is $660 with a much worse fork, 2 x 8 drive train with similar level quality of shifters and deraileur lesser brakes, still no tapered head tube, still no boost 141 qr rear. Change the shifter and deraileur to Box Components Box 4's for $90 and you are $720 with a clutch deraileur. Marlin 7 is $800 with lesser fork, same brakes, lesser drive train with no clutch, What the Trek has going for it over the Axum: Shop assembly and support, sized frames, and higher quality aluminum in the frame making it lighter. Axum's frame is made of cheaper aluminum so it is heavier to achieve the same strength a better, more expensive aluminum would have to be. If the Axum fits you and you don't need shop assembly and support, I would go with the Axum because it has a whole lot of potential to make it a really solid bike and has features that you would have to step up to the Roscoe to get and those start at $1020. I never thought I'd say this but Schwinn has raised the bar for entry level bikes by including frame specs that really shouldn't cost any more to manufacture. It will be interesting to see if the majors take notice and trickle stuff down to their entry level line.

[@BicMichuM]

Had a marlin 7..small tires sucked

[@Dopeassbikevids]

You arnt getting a talon for hundred more.if so lemme know where I can get one.

[@dylan-5287]

The fact the schwinn only comes in one size says a lot. I'd take the trek all day, mostly because the frame is so much better. Both bikes will need some upgrades but one has a solid start. Personally I ride vitus so I like a good deal lol, but trek all day over the schwinn.

[@KingOfEden12]

You should look up the Nishiki Colorado Comp at Dicks Sporting Goods if you wanna talk about sub $500 mtbs

[@XaviarCraig]

The fact that its all standard parts would make it great for someone who is genuinely looking to get into MTB and wants to grow with their bike. You could totally slap on like a fox34, a lower end SRAM eagle, some better tires and have a very good ride.

[@Fred_the_1996]

A rockshox Recon and a Sram SX Eagle are more within the realm of what'd be worth spending on this bike

[@eshskis1]

Thank you for the fair and honest review Schwinn should be pleased..

[@urg0nnah8me]

It's funny to hear you say Schwinn is shedding their big box persona. I remember racing bmx as a child and the dopest bike I ever owned was a schwinn. I had other bikes...redlines, GT's...all kinds of bikes, but that baby blue Schwinn with the white CW bars and 3 piece cranks was something to behold.

[@stephenlee2894]

Great point in that more people can ride without having to spend closer to $1000 by the time it's all said and done. Bottom line, get on your bikes and ride!

[@50mtb44]

My first mountain bike was a $50 Walmart bike. Before I invested in a "nice" bike (around $500 at the time), I wanted to make sure I liked it. Rode that orange WM bike for 3 months straight. Discovered I loved mountain biking (been riding now for 25 years) and have been progressively buying nicer and nicer bikes (4 to date). So what happened to the WM orange machine? Ran it into the ground. Within 90 day the wheels were knocked out of true so bad, they would not spin at all, and I found a small crack in the frame. Ended up giving the bike away. But learned I loved MTB ... and always have a soft spot in my heart for entry level WM bikes. Thanks for sharing. BTW, I purchased a $400 (on sale) hardtail for my young son from REI. Think it was Co-Op DTR 1.0 in xxs. Great machine. He has been riding it for several years while learning the sport. He climbs up and down Green Mountain Trail on it all the time. Have not had to make a single repair (other than replacing tires and tubes). Derailleur still shifts perfectly (with zero maintence). So impressed with that bike.

[@warrenmays2300]

Very informative and helpful for me as a newbie doing research on KZbin!

[@theted1601]

Great video and review. I concur with other commenters...the best bike for someone is the one they can afford and the one they have fun on. Keep up with the great content.

[@briangarner]

I had a Schwinn Moab in 98 that was great!! Rockshox and Shimano, great frame, with beautiful welds. They used to make decent stuff, for a short time anyways.

[@ertpecsertpecs]

Used to have an 80s schwinn predator myself. Seeing this video about them how they're almost coming full circle since selling out made my day, well hour at least.

[@bethsmith1003]

Brian Garner I still have my Moab from way back then. It’s been through so much yet still works great

[@avocette]

I'm personally more of a frame buyer (the components can wait), so I would really appreciate it if companies offer budget, modern frames with thru axles and a lot of compatibility.

[@REMAX_CCA]

Nice review, thank you! There is definitely a place for "Walmart bikes". I own an Ironhorse Walmart MTB, and I love it. I give it regular maintenance, and don't abuse it. I know there are limits to what it can do. It has given me several years of enjoyment. I bike about 1,500 miles per year.

[@c.brown7625]

Great review. I definitely enjoyed the video. Thank you for encouraging people to get out and ride, no matter what they afford.

[@TrailFeatures]

Glad you liked it!

[@dylanbikesthings3633]

This bike can potentially be extremely important for the growth of the sport!

[@DARisse-ji1yw]

Bring back the steel Chicago Schwinns !

[@raheemgahelable]

This is an awesome, positive, video! It offers great ideas for beginner riders!

[@TrailFeatures]

Glad you think so!

[@jeezscott3088]

Love your videos and I am an older just getting into bikes. What I've been doing is buying bikes on the cheap and thanks for the info.

[@MTBTrailMagic]

High quality production as always Joseph. The bike is certainly a looker.

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks!

[@blink3790]

awesome video! can you do a teardown video on the gt avalanche? because i really want to buy it as my own bike, and i have been saving up for a long time, and i think its the best option in where i live! if you could that would be awesome man!! really enjoy your content lately. Amazing quality and sound in the video. never give up on the channel just because you have 21k. the subs will come fast, because you have everything that an amazing YT channel would have!!!

[@TrailFeatures]

Well, I do have a lot of spare time now. 🤔

[@blink3790]

@@TrailFeatures that isnt a yes, but i'm very thankful that you even read my comment, thank you!

[@ertpecsertpecs]

@@TrailFeatures yeah man, I just found your channel today, keep it up. You got one more subscriber

[@nevil6833]

I got a walmart hyper carbonx mountain bike on my bucket list, and i should probably add this one.

[@motov8-garage832]

Get the schwinn axum, I did, you wont regret it, they also had the hyper carbonx and it was like 630$!!! In my opinion not worth it, plus the front wheel was way! To close to my foot to where it hit it turning the wheel kind of sharp either way..by alot seriously. The 29 inch rims are too big for it I feel..unless you got tiny feet, I'm size 11.5 and no way it would work..not to mention the bike isnt worth the 630$. All that said I got the axum and love it. Word of advice take the bike home take it apart and go over everything and put it back together properly and to your liking😁👍..walmart bike mechanics should be givin a broom..not a hammer and crescent wrench that they use to build there bikes lol😄

[@meditativedestinations3117]

WOW, AWESOME video... I learned so much! I'm just looking to make a few laps around my block for weight lost. Forget the bike, my bones couldn't handle all that rough terrain.. Ooh no. Thanks a lot though. This bike is perfect for me!

[@DrewskiTheLegend]

It looks really good! I own 5 bikes which are all well above your typical big box bike, ranging from a couple hundred to close to 5 figures. I actually sorta want one of these. Cheap to run and screw around with and maybe like a good kick around the pubs and breweries kind of bike. Kudos to Schwinn for challenging the accepted standard that big box stores have established for bikes.

[@Stolas1777]

I think what’s important and shines about this bike is if you put halfway decent hydraulic brakes and a fork thats even just a budget air fork you will end up with a bike that rides and looks like it is three times the price

[@DFX2KX]

That is if you can get the brakes that come with it off. I swear to God that Park Cycles used a bloody impact gun on mine... I got the back one loose finally, but wow. Hydrolic brakes are definitely on the list of to-gets.

[@commandertaco1762]

I hope schwinn gets better and maybe gets back the old association of quality with their bike

[@OLKIEMTB]

I know everyone gives you high marks on the video quality but I think that your videos content is top notch! Keep it up!

[@rcjoe406]

When you asked the 2 guys how much the bike cost was priceless given they were riding 2k plus bikes lol

[@caseylewis2835]

I think the walmart Schwinn and Mongoose bikes have improved a ton in the last 2 years and with a few upgrades make good bikes. Excited to see how much they come up on the next couple years.

[@TrailFeatures]

Schwinn, yes. Mongoose? Eh… Not so much…

[@larryc1616]

Update?

[@caseylewis2835]

I actually gave those bikes away and went back to skateboarding but my friend still bombs fast downhills on the Mongoose Ledge I gave him

[@arbjful]

Great content, absolutely love it.

[@TrailFeatures]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@dylanbikesthings3633]

This was such a good video!

[@bigjames4rmpa]

I bought the 29" schwinn TAFF 8 speed and it's been great for city riding with my kids.

[@bowieread6355]

Can I just say your channel logo is awesome

[@PetePuebla]

This bike is like the Galaxy A series of Samsung smartphones. Sure it's not flagship, but will get the job done for the budget consumer.

[@TrailPOV]

It seems like a great idea for someone who is just getting into MTB, wants a bike that doesn't fall apart after 3 rides, and wanting to ride forest roads and some smooth singletrack. People rode way less performing bikes back in the beginnings of MTB and still had a blast!!

[@TrailFeatures]

Throw some Shimano MT200 brakes on with a shorter stem plus 780mm bar and you have a pretty sweet setup!

[@TrailPOV]

@@TrailFeatures True enough. It's great they use standard mounting dimensions such that you can do that :)

[@bhuuthesecond]

Thank you! Back in the early 90's a hardtail was considered 'high end' and people still went onto the mountain and the bicycle didn't instantaneously disintegrate. Modern bicycles are unnecessarily over specced and over built. Not everybody is wanting to place in the Red Bull Rampage believe it or not.

[@bobcrane8783]

Trail Features wake handle bars and stem are a good option on amazon, around 30 dollars for them. And you could also get a pair of fooker pedals, which look and feel nearly identical to race face chesters, but are half the price.

[@TheGrayWolf81]

@@bobcrane8783 I've seen a handful of people in the reviews stating the Wake components like the handlebars aren't safe because they broke. Stuff like that is worth spending a few bucks more on from a reputable brand.

[@chriscasterbassmaster]

Have one myself and started with it stock and then upgraded it. love it.

[@jasondaniels205]

My first road bike was a schwinn. It was reliable and all my memories of it are beautiful✨

[@innocentbystander5057]

I will always have a soft spot for Schwinn bikes. Back in the day, right before they sold out to walmart, I went looking for my first real BMX bike as I was getting pretty serious about BMX and my Academy Royce Union bike was trying to kill me. Rode several bikes at the shop but I fell in love with the Schwinn Super Stock 2. I raced and wrecked that bike all over the state and at any competition I could go to. It never let me down and it still works great to this day, 20 years later. If I could get into this sport with a Schwinn bike, I would be hard pressed to pick a different manufacturer.

[@ShutUpandRideMTB]

Mind blown! The Schwinn Axum mountain bike is an easy recommendation for someone new to the sport. Also, you're 6'2?

[@TrailFeatures]

Yup!

[@lakesidelaunchers4307]

Shut Up and Ride MTB hey man I checked out your channel subbed love it started my own channel if you won’t to check it out

[@JohnBooth]

Having seen many walmart assembled bikes, the rear sticker on the back of the fork is a great idea.

[@TrailFeatures]

I will not lie... Thinking about Chad in the back room putting these bikes together gives me anxiety. 😬

[@JohnBooth]

@@TrailFeatures Unless things have changed Chad gets paid by the bike so speed is his friend and grills are what he's good at.

[@ertpecsertpecs]

The funny thing is that they probably hire a company to build them. 23 years ago when I first started working, I had a job a Kmart, idk if you had them near you, and I worked in sporting goods since I knew how to drill bowling balls. Kmart wouldn't allow me or any one of its employees to "build" the bikes. They hired some company that had one guy for my area that would go around and build bikes every once in a while. I guess it was to rid themselves of any liability due to shitty builds. Sure, I can sell you guns, ammo, knives, bows and a bunch of other lethal stuff, but I guess building bikes was the line in the sand that they wouldn't cross. I would bet other big box stores are the same.

[@DFX2KX]

@@ertpecsertpecs Walmart does actually have their own people build bikes (you can take the bike back to walmart to have them fix it if you find something wrong as well)... But, well. Yeah... I'd go to my LBS first, or like I did with my AL Comp: Just have them send me the box and do it myself.

[@eMikeBike]

I've bought 6 Schwinns in the past 13 months. Purely, I had a Schwinn obsession. As a kid, I never got one. All my neighborhood buddies each had one. I had a Western Flyer! Now the first one I bought was a 26" sidewinder and it was great for three months, then too small. Moved to 29ers due to my height and weight. Love the Santis, but settled for a Boundary, then got run over by a distracted driver on my commute--would love to try the Axum, but Walmart doesn't seem to have any more decent Men's MTB style bikes on their shelves. I have since bought two Hyper 29ers, one Carbon and the Blue Explorer hardtail. I did own the red explorer for 24 hours, but my battery would fit in the triangle and I am eBike Mike!!!

[@56fordthunderbird]

thanks so much for the info and taking me along via youtube

[@TheCrashingDad]

the fact that it uses standard parts and a tapered head tube.... big deal. This is better than the $400 hardtail i started on... (that retailed for $600.... and i ended up putting about $600 into it! lol) GREAT vid Joseph

[@TonnahG]

Could be a great conversion to a gravel bike, add a rigid fork and some dropper posts

[@TrailFeatures]

Could be, though the GT Avalanche I reviewed would be a better candidate I think. MUch smoother ride.

[@davevincent3030]

Great video Dude, very helpful 👍

[@stanleywilson2844]

Something to think about. Thank you

[@abadatha]

I ride a $1300 Diamondback Sync'r, and honestly, a built up Axum could be a nice bike for very little money compared to the bottom-end FS bikes.

[@markanderson8677]

I don't know much about bikes and ride mainly on dirt type trails and around town but I'm considering this bike. I'd be interested to know what upgrades you feel would be worth considering. I did test ride the Axum and the seat was one thing I'd probably change out right off the bat but don't know much beyond that as far a good bang for the buck.

[@abadatha]

@@markanderson8677 as a commuter it might be ideal. The front end is where I'd change everything, and that's also where the most cost comes from. Some forks are incredible, some are less. If you're a lighter guy the spring fork would probably be pretty average, but I'm a fat dude, so that fork just wouldn't work out for me. Other than a new fork I'd want some hydro disk brakes and maybe a dropper post since they can be had pretty cheaply these days.

[@oklahotb3217]

You are the first person who I've seen review this bike say that it is Boost 141 in the rear. That is a big deal and makes the idea of buying into the sport with this bike and being able to turn it into a much more capable bike as you go. I work in a bike shop and a shop at the $400 price point has rim brakes, 26" wheels, straight steerer and old geo. This bike is hands down a better deal as it sits stock and a infinately better deal because you can realistically upgrade it and not be tossing money in the toilet. Given the modern standards, you could take any upgrades you did on the Axum and move them to a new bike down the line if you so desired. I'm currently sitting on enough parts where I could pick one of these things up and turn it into a very solid bike for a back up bike or a loaner. If I hadn't just done a frame up build this weekend, I would be picking one of these up. I have a soft spot for projects and this bike really interests me.

[@TrailFeatures]

I thought it was 135 QR also until mtb savant pointed it out when we were chatting about it. Blew my mind and really changed my opinion on the longevity of the frame.

[@oklahotb3217]

@@TrailFeatures as far as I can see, the only thing remaining to see is long term durability of the frame construction itself. If I had to guess, I'd guess its probably durable enough for 95 % of riders, which definitely includes me. Looking forward to your break down video.

[@braugonzalezf5656]

Do you know where i can find that hub covert part or can you share rhe link where did you bought it

[@acdvfb]

Not a mountain bike guy, but as someone who has lived in midwest/southern cities with pothole issues this seems like a cool bike for rough roads.

[@KenOtwell]

I'm 64, just retired and getting into biking again. I bought this 2 months ago (The DP version) and I've put a new seat and bars with a 3" riser - and a simple chain guard - and I love this bike. Granted I don't do double blacks (mostly just down stairs in the park for roughage) but I just love the way it handles. I feel like I'm a kid again the way I can just throw it around and it sails over anything (again... mostly stairs and curbs.). I may or may not replace the fork next season, but even then I would have less than $750 in it and I think it's a steal. p.s., the dropper post is absolutely necessary - even at 6'2" this is a tall bike when set up right.

[@fuelhemi426]

How this bike would fare with 27.5 plus size tires??? Just a thought. Very good video. KevCentral brought me here.

[@TrailFeatures]

fuelhemi426 I would not put 27+ on the bike, it would lower the bb even more. ☹️

[@fuelhemi426]

@@TrailFeatures yeah, you mentioned that the BB hanged a bit too low.

[@feldybikes]

People from the Calm app: get in touch with this guy to record a sleep story. His voice is too relaxing not to. (To be clear this is in no way implying this video is boring. Quite the opposite)

[@Bobbijgofast]

When do you think we will see a tear down video? Looking forward to it!

[@crtinde]

Fantastic review ... also I love that you make a point of addressing the brand-name snobbery that is often associated w/ a sport where folks can commonly pay 4-5 figures for a bike. Gets more people into the sport, and also it just seems more practical to get something "solid" to start that you can upgrade over time. For instance, it's hard to find ANY sub-1000 bikes w/ an air fork, but you get an Axum and then upgrade w/ basic air fork and MT-200 hydraulic brakes, and you have something that is functionally a bit better (and probably lighter) than a Marlin 6 for about the same overall price.

[@mikemcleoddean]

This model is currently “rolled back” and going for $228. The new model is still same price.

[@brucedavidson7422]

I believe I heard that Walmart requires all bikes sold in their stores to have a kickstand

[@LTPottenger]

Most people want them anyway. The idea one ounce of steel will ruin a bike is f ing hilarious. Thumbed down this video for that retardation.

[@Destin65]

Kickstand is a tool no different than a shifter. Just like you see people buying a bike and removing the kickstand, so too you'll see a lot of videos where people buy a 21 speed mountain bike and strip all the shifters and derailleurs off to make a single-speed. ;-)

[@seanporter113]

I have a Schwinn S-25 dual suspension bike that I bought from Target I believe. I have had it in my family for about 8-10 years. It has been ridden on everything from beginner to advanced trails. And the only thing that I have had to replace is the rear derailleur (broken hanger: upgraded from SRAM X3 to SRAM X4). My 17 year old is now learning to mountain bike on this bike... It works flawlessly and as things break, we will upgrade them.

[@chriskat7560]

My first bike was a generic 90's Walmart style hardtail steel mountain bike with a rigid fork. Was a awful bike and a pain to ride, but i learned a lot of my mechanic skills with it. Later a bought a modern hardtail MTB but a didn't like it, now i'm more interested in retro mtbs from the 90's because are cheaper and i have so much fun on the dirt roads and trails. This schwinn looks so cool and i'm sure is much better than the unknown generic bikes are selling here. Greetings from Argentina!