Schwinn has been regularly coming up with bikes for both men for many decades. Their foray into women's bikes has been a relatively new development, but they have proven their worth without much struggle.
The Discover hybrid bike is a fantastic example of their achievement. Brands will rarely come up with dedicated men and women's bikes in the same line or the model. But Schwinn has cleverly offered us this bike that caters to both men and women. And I don't mean the unisex design. These are separate bikes.
Today I will be reviewing the Discover hybrid bike for both men and women in this post. I will also talk about the differences and similarities between the two models to the best of my ability.
Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bicycle Review
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This in-depth review of the Schwinn Discover will cover all the features, including the frame, gears, and brakes, wheels, and tires. Of course, I will be covering the design component and the aesthetics of the two bikes as well. To keep it simple, I will first talk about the men's bike, followed by the women's bicycle for every feature that I will be covering.
Related: Best Schwinn Hybrid Bikes Reviews
Without further ado, let's kick start this review with the framing and the materials used in its construction.
Frame and fork
The Schwinn Discover women's hybrid bike has a frame and fork made of aluminum. This, of course, makes the bike robust and durable. The front fork suspension comes into play to isolate vibrations and make your rides smooth without being at the mercy of bumps.
Similarly, the Discover Women's hybrid bike also features an aluminum frame making it durable and robust. However, the aluminum in this one is a cross-hybrid. Same as the men's bike, the women also comes with a front suspension fork that gives a smooth ride on the roads.
The crank of the Discover Men's, as well as the women's hybrid bike, is made of alloy.
Gears and brakes
When it comes to the brakes of the Discover, both the two bikes share a similar setup. Both of them come with 21-speed combinations with a twist shifter. This allows you to shift between gears seamlessly.
Although you will not be taking this bike out on extreme terrain, this is an excellent gear assembly that will take you through multiple road conditions with ease.
This can be seen in the brakes of the bikes as well. The Schwinn Discover men's and women's hybrid bike is equipped with linear-pull brakes. This type of brakes comes with significant advantages, and I elaborate them below.
- One, their stopping power is excellent and precise. Few bike brakes can come close to this type of brakes.
- Two, they have less to no maintenance.
- Three linear brakes are widely available. You will easily find a replacement or repair if you run into any sort of trouble while on the road with this bike.
- Four, they are very reasonably priced. Compared to their excellent performance and other advantages, the unbeatable price is just the icing on the cake.
Wheels and tires
Both men and women versions are 700 C with a tube of 700 X 35 CC. Similar to the frame, the wheels of the Discover are also made of aluminum, making it lightweight yet sturdy.
The treading on the tires is top-notch, so you can expect it to have excellent traction on the roads. Tires of the Discover hybrid bike, both men's and women's, measures 28 inches, so they fall in the sweet spot without being too thin or thick.
Saddle
The saddles on the Schwinn Discover women's hybrid bike are among its best feature that facilitates comfort while riding. It is padded with synthetic leather, which keeps you comfortable even while riding for extended periods.
Discover also has a saddle stem that can be adjusted so you can be assured that you will be comfortable irrespective of your size and height.
Handlebars
Among all the features of the Schwinn Discover women's hybrid bike, the one feature that I am most excited about is the handlebars. In the men's bike, the handlebars are swept back with an upright profile. This reduces the strain on your back, the hips as well as the arms as you can assume a vertical riding position.
This is mirrored in the women's hybrid bike with the sweeping handlebars. Additionally, the stem of the handlebars can be adjusted, which is fantastic for all riders.
Female riders of all sizes will have no problem taking this bike out for long-distance rides. The ability to ride a bike with less to no strain on the body is an important feature that all riders, irrespective of whether you are male or female, will appreciate it.
Design and Aesthetics
Among all the features, the design and aesthetics of the Discover bike are where there is a significant difference between the men's and the women's bikes. The men's bike features a standard top tube that is slightly angled. This step-over design will appeal to a lot of male riders.
On the other hand, the Discover women's hybrid bike has a low top tube, which makes it effortless to mount and get off the bike for female riders. In fact, I think this feature will enable riding in skirts and shorts without any problem.
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Both bikes take the same approach when it comes to gear carrier at the rear. This is a feature that will be indispensable when it comes to taking the bike for shopping or running errands. The gear carrier is also a reason that makes this bike an excellent choice for those in the business of delivering papers et al.
A design component that I like the most about the Discover is the addition of the fenders. Most hybrid bikes like the Schwinn GTX either come with a provision for adding the fenders, which you then have to purchase separately. Or they are no provisions at all. But Schwinn made this addition, which is very practical.
This keeps the dirt off of the rider as well as the rear gear, which is much appreciated. But the fender is made of plastic rather than alloy or aluminum. This might cause you to question its durability. Of course, it is not a cheap plastic component, but the durability of the fender is debatable.
The Schwinn Discovery 700c women's bike have different aesthetics, and I elaborate on them below.
The hybrid men's bike is mostly black, with a white accent in the body. However, women's hybrid bike is contrastingly white. It is accentuated with black accents and components in the form of the seats, the pedals, tires, and the handlebars.
Among other features, this differentiation of color between the two bikes reflects the brand's effort to make their bikes very personalized.
Pros and cons
Now that I have dissected the Discover hybrid bike for both men and women, let's take a look at the pros and cons.
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Pros
Cons
Conclusion
Having considered all the features and the pros and cons, I can readily say that the Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bicycle is an excellent choice for city commuters. This is a hybrid bike, no doubt, but it may not be suitable for rough terrains.
However, it comes with an impressive range of gear speed, i.e., 21, which is among its best feature. You will also love the lightweight aluminum frame, the comfortable seats, and the ease of adjusting the handlebars to your preference.
A design component which I found very practical is the difference in the low top tube for the female riders as well as the difference in colorways between the two models. These are seemingly minute components. However, they make all the difference between male and female riders while riding a bike. I love the Discover hybrid bike from Schwinn, and I invite you to check it out too. The women's hybrid bike can be viewed here.
Also read: Best Bike for Women Beginners
Last Updated on October 14, 2023 by Daniel White