Customer Reviews

Schwinn 2008 Sumac GSD Men's Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels, Medium)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Purchased this bike last week and so far am pleased. It arrived double boxed, no damage or scratches, which is always a plus. The assembly was easy and I was riding in less than 30 minutes. I had to adjust the disc brakes and brake cables, but that is to be expected. On my second ride the chain came apart. I'll shoulder some of the blame as I should have double checked it during assembly. I purchased this bike after reading the reviews and agree that the components and quality are far better than bikes of similar price.

People who know about bikes know that the Schwinn Sumac is not a department store bike. In fact, this bike is identical to the Schwinn Mesa GSD except for the paint colors. The Schwinn Sumac is a A-list bike with premium components, again all identical to a bike whose price is more than triple that of the Sumac. Check for yourself at BikePedia.com. Every component and part number match up exactly.

This bike comes completely set up right out of the box - and packaged very well, by the way. Install the front wheel, handlebars and pedals and that's pretty much it. The front and rear disc brakes are already adjusted. The front and rear derailleurs are perfectly in sync. Ride the bike and feel the fine-tuned ride this bike provides.

The shifters are absolutely top-notch. A flick of the thumb and the derailleurs snap into gear; no slipping, no grinding - it's one satisfying click. The disc brakes are such a nice touch, and work so well. I defy anyone to find a bike with front and rear discs anywhere near this price. Good luck.

One word of caution: this bike only comes in medium frame size, intended for riders 5'6" to 5'10". They're not kidding. I'm 5'10" and I fill this frame up to the max. The seat post is almost all the way up and I can just barely extend my leg. Keep this in mind before deciding on this one. But if you're in that height range, there is no better choice.

Don't let the Amazon or Pacific description mislead you. As one of the other reviewers said, the picture gives you a more accurate, well, picture. I would take the advice, too, on the comparison to the Mesa GSD; there are actual reviews of the Mesa on the internet. Disc brakes are nice, especially for this price. Took it for a midlevel rough ride in on the trails near here -- some rocks and roots, creek beds, mud -- the bike handled pretty well, though I vowed to changed the rear tire as soon as I could. The Kenda Komodos are not as aggressive as the name suggests and I found it hard to climb up the steeper rock beds without spinning out badly; took a fall at one point because of that. Otherwise, the bike is solid -- not the lightest bike, but also not the heaviest. Who cares about a few pounds though when you're kicking up mud and spraying creek water! The shifting was pretty solid throughout the range. Great deal for someone like me who only occasionally takes out the mtb; I'm a roadbike man usually.

Rode around 200mi on this bike so far, very few complaints. Not the greatest components but for the price can't beat it.
PROS- brakes are very strong!
rear derailer is very responsive
tires inspire confidence when conering
paint job has lots of metal flakes(not visible in photo)
seat(not too hard)
CONS- front derailer is lazy
bike frame is small for me 175 lbs. 5'11"
heavy
front fork is not rated for downhill/freeride

THIS IS NOT A DEPARTMENT STORE BIKE!!!!! This bike is identicle to the Schwinn Mesa GSD, right down to Schwinn's frame size system, N'Litened silver label alloy frame (yes alloy frame not steel) and all of the top shelf component's. I purchased this bike last fall for the bargain price of $295.99, it is even lower now and has performed great on my local bike trails. I would definitely recomend it to anyone on a tight budget looking for a rock solid 21 speed hard tail with disc brakes. (Med frame is for people 5 6" to 5 10"). Awesome Bike!!! :)

Just got this today after buying and returning several department store bikes. It's WAY nicer than those bikes in the same price range. The photo is accurate, the bike had disc brakes and not linear pull like the description says. For more details on components look up the 2008 Schwinn Mesa Disc on bikepedia because every part on the list is identical.