Everyone wants to make sure they get the best bang for their buck when it comes to buying a bike. I mean, even a supposedly cheap bike isn’t that cheap anymore, especially considering the state of the economy today. And therein lies the beauty of product reviews.

I purchased the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike several months ago. Granted, this isn’t a top-of-the-line bike by any means, as it’s not equipped with every feature known in the bike world, but it’s not priced as such either. In terms of price and features, I would rate the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike as higher up in the mid-range. That being said, it actually has a lot of attractive features relative to the price of the bike.

I found the solid aluminum MTB frame very nice as it has withstood a lot of abuse, yet is still light enough for a noticeable performance improvement over most steel bikes. Another big positive about the Schwinn Ridge AL men’s mountain bike is that there’s a five-year warranty that ensures manufacturer coverage regardless of abuse.

The SR suspension fork is another great quality. This feature has been especially helpful to me as I often have a heavy load on the bike with a loaded basket and rear rack. I have also enjoyed the quick release front wheel and seat as an anti-theft feature.

When it comes to braking, the front and rear linear pull brakes have proven to provide very powerful and fast stopping power.

Trigger shifters have 21 speeds and are incredibly easy to use. My twelve-year-old daughter, a novice cyclist, could shift gears smoothly and easily.

This bike has really stood out aesthetically, with stainless alloy wheels and a rust-resistant powder coating.

I see a problem with the bike. The placement of the front tires has something of a design flaw. It’s positioned where my foot hits when I make a sharp turn. I have not fallen while riding the bike, but this could cause a serious fall for inexperienced riders. The good news is that I learned to briefly stop pedaling at the top of a tight turn after only using the bike a few times.

All things considered, I am very happy to have the Schwinn Ridge AL Men’s Mountain Bike and see it as a positive investment. Sure, there are better, more equipped bikes on the market, but I would have paid two to four times as much for them. In this price range, I consider this bike to be one of the best buys available. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to buy another. I would also recommend the bike to anyone else who is looking to forgo the frills and just buy a simple, tough, reliable, easy to ride and affordable bike.