Schwinn Volare

74/100
BikeRide Score
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Facts

Gender
Release Year
Brand
Wheel Size
Number of Gears
Gearing Type
Weight
30.0 lb
Suspension
Frame Material

Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Schwinn Volare. In summary, this is what cyclists think.

11 reasons to buy

  • Owners called the Volare’s color-scheme ‘gorgeous’, describing the fit and finish as ‘refined’ and the design as ‘sleek’.
  • The low price was a compromise for many owners, who considered the Volare an affordable and good-value deal.
  • Some riders said that gears shifted well and were easy to use, offering a good range.
  • Brakes were described as being anywhere from ‘half-decent’ to great, once adjusted correctly.
  • A lot of owners found the Volare easy to assemble.
  • It was described as a good beginner bike and as as introduction to road-cycling.
  • Wheels mostly arrived true and missing parts were not as common as some other cut-price online bikes.
  • The wider 28c tires offered on some Volare 1200s, were tougher and more forgiving on rough city streets.
  • The quick-release wheels were appreciated for their ease-of-maintenance.
  • It was common to hear that this bike was a decent weight for the low price.
  • A smooth and comfortable ride was experienced by a number of reviewers.

11 reasons not to buy

  • Axles offered a rough ride; with loosening bearings, grinding and sometimes snapping taking place.
  • A couple of customers reported a bent rear derailleur on a box-fresh bike.
  • There were many crank and pedal problems, which sometimes seemed to be due to user installation error - but at other times were threaded incorrectly or failed even after professional paid assembly.
  • Wheels were sometimes out of true.
  • Some consumers received loose handlebar grips.
  • One model of the 1200 had a front derailleur that was often very difficult to tune, even for local bike-shop staff.
  • The red saddle’s color rubbed off on some user’s pants.
  • Factory specced tires had a plasticky feel for some owners, who thought they lacked resilience.
  • For a road-bike, she’s a weighty beast. But for a budget commuter, 30 pounds isn’t too extreme.
  • On models that featured ‘Power Bicycle’ brand brakes, the stopping power was considered ‘unresponsive’.
  • Freewheel failure was an all-too frequent occurrence. This was the most-replaced component.

Bottom line

The Schwinn Volare comes in a few different guises; as a drop-bar road-bike with 14 gears, or as a 21-speed flat-bar road-bike with either disc or caliper brakes. At this price-point, I’m sure no-one is expecting a performance vehicle, but many owners really enjoyed riding the Volare and only found problems after thousands of miles. There were some concerning issues, particularly with tuning gears and the reliability of the freewheel, that marred what could have been just a simple starter bike. However, these problems occurred with irregularity.

Expert Reviews

0/100 based on 0 rated expert reviews

User Ratings

74/100 based on 309 ratings
  • 5 star
    52%
  • 4 star
    21%
  • 3 star
    10%
  • 2 star
    8%
  • 1 star
    10%

Rankings

Compared to other bikes
#302 Best Commuter
Bottom 20%
#69 Best Hybrid
Bottom 20%
#17 Best Schwinn Bike
Bottom 40%
#716 Best of All Bikes
Bottom 20%

Bike Comparison

Schwinn Volare in comparison to averages

Forum Discussions

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