Last week I received my new bicycle and the packaging was good, meaning that the bicycle arrived in a very well-protected state. Assembly was also straightforward to figure out. However, as many have noted the manual is not model-specific and you have to make some educated guesses if you are following along with the book. Despite that, it took longer to unbox and find my hex wrenches than it did to actually assemble them.

While I have not had much experience with cycling, the bike that I just bought appears to be very well-built and sturdy, and the seat is comfortable. The grips are also comfortable to grip, and it is not heavy compared to my old mountain bike. I have the seat mount set out about one inch from the crossbar and it seems to fit me pretty well. After assembling the wheels on my bicycle, I found that they were out of alignment and it was difficult for me to adjust them. I also noticed that the brakes needed to be readjusted which I couldn’t do quickly. I took it to the LBS for a tune-up as soon as possible so that I could get back on the road as quickly as possible. If you are not well-versed in bicycle mechanics, we recommend that you take your bike to an LBS for a tune-up.

I also wanted a bike that I could use to bring my children with me and I had to choose between a carrier or a trailer. The Schwinn Discover 700c has had a few minor problems in the past with issues related to a coupler or even a hitch for trailers. However, these have since been corrected and are no longer present in this model. I searched for a long time, but I couldn’t find a single article that provided information about the exact type of coupler that is compatible with this bike. The Schwinn Coupler and the angled elbow coupler both seemed like they would be useful in some way, but neither one is correct for this bike. I was worried that I would not have any option but to buy a trailer with a hitch attachment and tow it behind, but I found that there were many options! The one that fit my needs the best was the trailer with a hitch attachment. I decided to go with the Copilot Model A hitch attachment. I wasn’t sure if it would fit, but it was designed to be mounted onto any tow-bar. It slid in without any adjustment needed and has been working beautifully ever since. It was a perfect fit! It has worked well so far with this particular bike, but I would suggest checking out a few other options before making a final decision.

Up until this point I have put about 150 miles on the bike and it has performed flawlessly. I did adjust the height of the seat a few inches higher than it was initially, so if you’re shorter than me (I am 5′-9″ and have an appx 30-inch inseam) then the bike will be proportioned just for you. However, I don’t think that the crossbar will be comfortable for you if you are much shorter. There are no mechanical problems with this bike and so far it has been great for a new cyclist to get started.

Overall very pleased with the bicycle on day one. I will update after putting a few miles on the bike. A very good bike. There have been no major issues with the bike so far and it continues to ride smoothly. No issues with the wheel durability and no problem with spokes breaking.