!: A Review of the Schwinn Protocol 1.0 Dual Suspension Mens Mountain Bike - Budget Brilliance?

This is a review of the Schwinn Protocol 1.0 Dual Suspension mens mountain bike, a good and competent entry level all terrain mountain bike.

The marketplace for budget full suspension mountain bikes is fairly crowded at the price level that the Schwinn Protocol 1.0 is aimed at; it needs to be doing something good to compete. Well, the initial impression is that for the price, the specification is nigh on unbeatable. Sure there are cheaper fully sprung bikes but these are not to be compared to the likes of the Schwinn.

For an entry level ride - please don't confuse sub 0 full suspension bikes to be "proper all terrain bikes", the Schwinn Protocol has a kit list to make the competition weep , an aluminum frame, 24 speed Shimano quick shift, Suntour forks and a disk brake at the front, so all in all a very comprehensive specification.

So, what is it like to ride? Well, by chance I managed to get a Mongoose Status to compare it against - both bikes being aimed at the same market and price point, and it was apparent that both bikes are very capable performers both on the street and on the trail. An afternoon in the woods, both on trails and in the mud showed that the Protocol can mix it up safely and well, the lighter weight against the Mongoose being apparent, but not as noticeably as the stats sheet suggests.

A little assembly was required on delivery, adjustments required to the brakes to stop them binding, but in truth nothing that I haven't had to do on all of the bikes I have either owned or tested.

So, what is the overall verdict - tested for several days on lots of terrain where the bike may well typically find itself the bike's quality shone through. Not as light as the likes of a Trek or Marin, it certainly didn't disgrace itself. Tested back to back against one of its closest rivals in the Mongoose it genuinely comes down to what fits best and personal choice. If you are in the market for a cheap full suspension bike you can do a lot worse than invest in the Schwinn.

Why buy a used mountain bike when you can get one of these at a discount?