Introduction
Entering the market with a highly competitive price of $130 onwards, The Schwinn SmartStart Bike series provides an excellent service for its price. The bike comes in many color options, such as blue, orange, pink, and red, so you have diverse colors to select from. While the review is centered on the 16″ variant of the bike, the specifications are somewhat similar to other models. Read the full article to know if this bike is meant to share the adventures of your little angel.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The front handbrake and coaster brake are provided with the bike
- Steel frame that absorbs most of the vibrations while keeping the bike lightweight
- An ample wheelbase of 711 mm offers more clearance and room for pedaling
- Extremely budget-friendly, starting from just $130
- It comes with training wheels, quick release seat clamp, and a number plate
- Chainguard adequately covers the hazardous areas involving chains.
Cons
- Caliper brakes are used in the bike that can quickly go out of alignment.
- Many customers had problems while assembling the pedals and afterward.
- Exposed bolts may pose a problem for kids
- No kickstand, bell, or reflectors provided with the bike
Summary
The Schwinn SmartStart Bike is an affordable $130 kids pedal bike. The bike has a tubeless 16″ wheel, with both the front and the rear wheel equipped with brakes. The frame is built out of steel and can be selected from 4 different shades- blue, pink, red, and orange. The steel makes the body sturdy and helps keep the weight around 20.6lbs/9.34kg. The bike is a great fit for 3 to 5 years old, thanks to its adjustable seat (20.5″ – 24.5″). Kids can also make use of the pair of training wheels that come along with the bike. In addition to that, features like a number plate, quick-release clamp, and limited-time warranty are also available. But with so many perks, a few elements are also missing from the picture. The bike lack features like a bell, reflectors, and kickstand, and comes with exposed bolts.
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Paint job
The smartstart series comes in various color options such as blue, pink, red, and orange. The punchy shades with a glossy finish add a very positive appeal to toddlers and adults alike, making the classy and unique design irresistible to the eyes. The stickers used with the paint job resonate with the color scheme and add a well-defined finish to the bike. The number plate adds a nice touch to the overall design of the bike. All the color options are available on Amazon to purchase at a similar cost, which is a good sign.
Material and Strength
The bike’s mainframe is constructed out of steel, placing it on the lighter side of the scale. Weighing 20.6 lbs/9.34 kgs, it is one of the more lightweight bikes I have encountered recently. The tires are made up of Nylon based fiber and are tubeless. I was pleased to see it as it didn’t jeopardize the comfort on account of cutting costs. A concern with the built design was the exposed bolts that peeked out of the frame. Although these bolts support the rigidity of the frame, they can pose a problem for kids. The handlebars stay sturdy and are ready to take on any jerk faced by the rider. The saddle is padded and can be considered a better product than many of its competitors. The bike has a front caliper brake and a coaster brake, which seemed reasonable considering the bike’s price. The overall built quality of this bike can be rated perfect for its price.
Safety and Stability
A front caliper brake and a coaster brake are provided in this bike, although some customers have complained that the front brake is tough to adjust and quickly goes out of alignment. Bell and reflectors are not provided with the bike. The handlebar has a good grip, having bumpers on each side for the toddler’s safety. The number plate on the handlebar makes the bike more appealing to the eyes. The chainguard effectively covers the hazardous area containing the chain and protects the child. So, considering all the safety features provided by the bike, I was pretty satisfied with its performance.
Wheel and Comfort
The 16″ wheels provide an excellent clearance and comfort to the rider, especially when he loves to ride on off roads. The tires are made up of nylon-based fiber and have an incredible grip, ideal for off-road surfaces and paved ones as well.
Training wheels are provided with the bike that helps a learning kid to balance appropriately. The quality of the wheels is good, considering the price range of the smartstart series.
The seat is adequately padded, delivering lasting comfort to the rider. It also comes with a quick adjustable seat clamp that helps fix the height of the saddle quickly. The height of the seat ranges from 20.5″ – 24.5″, providing vast scope for the growing kid for riding the bike.
The bent handlebar fitted in the bike provides more room for the body and maintains an upright position of the rider while putting too much strain on theirs. The number plate infused with the handlebar naturally increases its beauty to the next level. Unfortunately, the handlebar is non-adjustable, which I think should have been looked upon while designing the bike.
The pedals, while being of superior quality to their counterparts, do have some adjustment issues.
Overall, the comfort of this bike can be deemed suitable for this price range.
Extra Features
The bike comes equipped with various features and functions, considering which The Schwinn SmartStart Bike can be viewed as a value for money product. But if you want to enhance the experience of riding your little angel, the company also offers various accessories as an add-on for the bike. The bike can be customized beautifully by riding helmets, a bike trainer, water bottles, bicycle bags, air pumps, rechargeable front and back bike light sets, and much more.
The manufacturers provide a limited warranty on the bike’s frame and parts as long as the warranty is claimed by the bike’s original owner and is a manufacturing defect. So the bike stands tall in the segment of extra accessories and warranty.
Conclusion
As I conclude this article, I can say that The Schwinn SmartStart Bike series is for anyone going on a tight budget. Providing a plethora of options in color variants, it has every shade to grab the attention of adults and toddlers alike. The frame is very lightweight and made up of steel, absorbing most of the vibrations. The wheels that are made up of nylon-based fiber perform well on paved and off-road surfaces alike. The seat is adequately padded. The number plate and training wheels as an additional accessory left a positive appeal in my mind. Overall, this bike can be a good companion for kids between the age of 3-5 years.
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