Schwinn Meridian

Many of the negative comments you may read are posted by people who are not bicycle mechanics and have little/no experience putting together a bicycle. If you think putting a bicycle together might be challenging for you then you probably want to steer clear of an un-assembled Schwinn Meridian. Even knowing what I'm doing it took about 2.5-3 hours to get the trike assembled and that is only the basic assembly. It took 2-3 days of riding and fiddling with things to get everything adjusted properly. I've seen a few complains about Schwinn (Pacific Cycle's) warranty but I had no issues at all. The first hub unit stripped out the very first time I tried to ride it and the freewheel would just spin on it and the trike wouldn't move. I called up Schwinn warranty services and literally in under 5 minutes I was off of the phone and they were sending me out a new hub unit, freewheel and rear sprocket (just in case). As soon as the new hub unit and freewheel were in and installed I was riding in style. The seat that comes with the bike may be comfortable for lighter (under 200lbs) riders but for larger folks like myself I found it too "bouncy" and it always felt like I was leaning too much with the trike in corners. I replaced it with a Schwinn ultra-wide comfort seat with memory foam from my local Targer (I always use that exact seat on every bike I own). Speaking of corners, a trike is NOT a bike and therefore there is some learning to do. - Firstly you have to remember that you have wheels sticking out that can get caught on something, so no cutting corners close because either you will clip something and get into a terrible collision or your wheel will dip into the corner and cause you to flip/lose control. Just stay a couple of feet away from road edges and such and you're fine. - Also you'd think that you don't have to lean with it because it has three wheels, but it still has some play in it and when you turn (especially at any speed) I find that leaning with the trike helps the handling quite a bit. - Lastly, remember that it IS a three wheeler with one wheel in the front and two in the back, don't turn the front wheel really hard while going too fast or you can flip it. This seems to be a moot point since it's not a terribly fast bike anyway, but if you're booking it down a big hill or something at 20+ mph it's something to consider. As for fine tuning the assembly, you'll probably have to fiddle with the brakes for a while to get them just right and the fenders can be quite challenging to get lined up properly where they don't rub, you're best bet is to just leave them off honestly. My only real CON with this bike is the way it's geared, it's geared low but not super low. I find that it's hard to ride long distances because of this. At the speed I normally ride a bicycle (probably 5-7mph) I'm having to do a lot more pedaling than normal. If you ride very slow it's fine, or if you ride really fast and take little breaks and coast for a while it's ok, but I do wish it was geared differently. I will probably eventually replace either the rear sprocket or the freewheel for a larger model that will allow me to cruise at the speeds I like (moderately slow), it will greatly limit my top speed but I'm ok with that since I seldom break 10mph on this trike. All in all it's a great bike that I will end up keeping for a very long time. It's like having a little truck that you can throw things into and carry around. You can transport dogs, a small child (with a helmet of course), groceries, things you bought at a local garage sale, all kinds of things easily with this trike. Ride and handles great, Schwinn customer service is great. The only reason I'd say to steer clear of buying it is if you aren't committed to putting it together and taking the time to get it right. If that's the case then buy it from a local re-seller pre-assembled, even though you'll likely still have to do some tweaking.

EDIT: I wrote this review about 16 months ago, and I still ride this Trike. It is still very, very strong and has proven its high quality. I ride 3 times weekly, and have lost about 40 pounds during the time I’ve been riding. It has no mechanical problems whatsoever, and is a blast to ride. I repeat what I said 16 months ago — BUY THIS TRIKE!! I'm an aging former bicyclist (68 yoa) that gave up two-wheeled transportation about 3 years ago. I bought this machine because of my desire to ride again, and my need for exercise. I chose the Schwinn Meridian single-speed because both "expert" reviews and user reviews are overwhelmingly positive, and at 6'3" of height/260 lbs this is one of the few trikes that I could fit on, without spending $1000+. Negatives: -- The front wheel is slightly out of true. Since it's the front wheel, that's not a biggie. It's very slight, not enough to affect braking, and probably won't get any worse because the wheel is not stressed. Both rear wheels are in true. -- There was one scratch on the frame, but after 3 days of use I've already forgotten where it is. It's about a half-inch long, not a deal breaker. I figure I'll probably scratch it up eventually anyway! Neutral: -- After about 35 years of serious, hard-core road cycling, it is surprisingly difficult to learn to ride a Trike! It's almost like learning to ride a bike for the first time, all over again. Turning is completely different tactically on a Trike, and riding straight on a slanted surface presents its own set of difficulties. Most of the learning curve is to figure out how to **not** lean, and remain upright, when turning. Positive: -- Workmanship and quality of the bike is excellent (except for the above-mentioned wheel). Everything is beefy, strong, and fits. Nothing was missing from the box, and the box was not damaged. -- The Trike rides very smoothly, with no noise other than the slight rattle from the basket and the tires on the road. -- Brakes on both ends are very good, but need to be adjusted during assembly. **Take the time to get them adjusted!** -- Assembly took 2 hours and 15 minutes, and was pretty easy. The caveat is that I already understood the basics because of my cycling experience (adjusting brakes, seat/seat post, bars, etc.) so for the uninitiated it may take longer. I worked slowly and did things carefully, so if you're a fast worker it may take less time. -- We Cyclists usually steer away from large, foamy, plush saddles like this one. They usually end up as torture devices. However, I have to say this big, pillowish thing is the most comfortable seat I've ever used on a bike. There, I said it. Yes, I'm surprised. -- Buy from Amazon. I ordered the Trike on a Monday, was promised free delivery for the following Sunday (6 days) and the bike arrived Wednesday - only 48 hours after I ordered it online. Amazon is really good at this stuff, folks.

Ok, all and all this seems to be a great bike for 249.00 you get a whole lot of bike.The frame is light weight (relatively) for such a large bike since it is aluminum. The tires are decent , seat is comfortable compared to most stock seats this one is not bad.I was worried when I read some reviews of the bike coming damaged and scratched since this would be a pain to box back up and return. I got the bike super fast , 3 days! The box was mangled! big hole like a foot long on the bottom and the hole box looked a mess like it fell down a flight of stairs ( not kidding) so I was expecting the worst. I unboxed it and to my surprise not a scratch or dent anywhere. The bike was simple to put together and it did come with instructions. Took about an hour to assemble but I kind of customized it so it took longer. Before customizing it I think it's a well made bike to begin with . I added a seat with back rest and ape hanger handle bars, a windshield , roof, front wheel motorized hub and battery. I gave the bike 4 stars because the rear brake sucks, won't even stop the bike from moving. The front caliper brake is fine. I'm going to check online to see if there is some other way to adjust it other than tightening up the cable. When pulling the rear break lever as hard as possible it doesn't do much of anything. Also being only one gear my legs are going a mile a minute when when I'm only going 12 mph. For my electric conversion it really sucks because once I get over 12 mph I can't peddle anymore and I like to pedal as well as use the electric. Riding it like a normal bike it pedals easy just can't go all that fast. I guess for my purpose I should have gotten a seven speed or 8. I would never pack it up and ship it back, way to much work. I looked for conversion kits but the ones I saw wouldn't work with this bike. For an elderly person this bike would probably be fine.I actually had fun driving it around and the electric conversion makes it really fun. I added 3 studded snow tires because my intentions for this bike was for driving to work in the winter without wiping out. I usually ride an electric 2 wheeled bike and have wiped out a few times. This should be much less stressful driving on ice. It's a nice bike for it's intended purpose , well built besides the rear brakes. I didn't put the rear fenders on because of the reviews of them being rather flimsy and rattling and hitting the tire sometimes. There not needed really since the water or mud wouldn't be thrown on your back since there not directly behind you. The front fender is fine. I'll post some pics here if I can. I love riding it with the electric conversion just wish it was geared higher. If any one knows of a conversion kit for the gears please post it . Thanks

Ever since he was a little boy, my autistic son has tried to learn how to ride a bike. Year after year no matter how hard he tried, he just could not keep it upright. He'd watch his siblings and his neighborhood friends riding their bikes. We tried scooters to no avail. His friends would try to ride slow enough so he could run alongside them to the park to play. Frankly, it just broke my heart seeing the longing in his eyes. Then, right before Christmas, I found the Schwinn Meridan Black Cherry 3 Wheeler. As much as I wanted to give this to him for Christmas, it would have been too much of a tease considering all the snow this year. So I was going to save it for his 15th birthday this May. Well, Spring Break brought warm temps, sunshine and his friends out with their bikes. May 23 was too far away! It did take me a couple of hours to figure out how to get it together, and I never could get the back fenders on to where the tires weren't rubbing against the hardware inside the fenders, but that's okay. It still looks awesome. The absolute best thing about this bike though? The smiles and laughter from my son as he experienced for the very first time the previously unknown freedom of riding a bike. He has been riding it non-stop (the video games have been ditched!) and waving back at all the neighbors who see him and call out. He feels like a celebrity. lol He stops at his friend's houses to show the bike off and he thinks they're jumping up and down cheering for the bike, when it's seeing him riding the bike that has them so happy! I LOVE what this bike has given my son. A whole new world has opened up for him and you can't put a price on that. It was worth every penny and more. If you could have seen his face, the light in his eyes.... pure joy. Yes, this mama had tears in her eyes. For your typical rider.... yes, I did get in a lap on it myself lol.... It is pretty comfortable and very easy to ride. We have small inclines and was able to make it up a few and had to get off and push on a few. Truly not a big deal, but something to keep in mind. Hopefully, I'll eventually figure out how to get those back fenders on without rubbing the tires since they do make a sweet looking bike even sweeter. The front brakes I'll probably just take off. Maybe it's just the old school in me, but back breaks are where it's at, right? Finally, just in case there was any question about it. I highly recommend this bike. Special needs AND typical kids and adults. As my son says... This bike is SWEEEEEEEET!!!

IT'S AMAZING AS I WAS JUST LOOKING AT A PICTURE OF MYSELF AND MY AUNT SITTIN ON A GENUINE SHCWINN ROCKET FLYER IN SHREVEPORT LOUSIANA IN 1954 AND WHAT A WELL MADE IN THE U. S. A. BIKE IT WAS I SHOULD HAVE A T-SHIRT MADE OF IT. I WAS FIVE NOW I AM 65 HERE IN CALIFORINA, I DECIDED TO POST THIS PHOTO WITH THIS REVIEW, WHAT A WELL MADE BKE IT WAS. FIRST THE BAD THEN THE GOOD WORDS. I MUST SCOLD SCHWINN FOR MOVING IT'S OPERATIONS TO CHINA. I REALLY COMMEND AMAZON FOR GETTING THE BIKES HERE WITH OUT DAMAGE WHICH I FEARED. PUTTING THE BIKES TOGETHER WAS NOT HARD AT ALL. YES TWO PERSONS ARE BETTER BUT I MANAGED. I DO WISH THAT SCHWINN HAD A PARTS BREAKDOWN AND MAINTENCE MANUAL WITH THE BIKE A MORE THOUROUGH MANUALWOULD BE NICE.. I ALSO THINK THE MASTER LINKS FOR THE CAHINS THAT ARE SUPPLIED ARE A HUGE JOKE, I PREFER THE OLD STYLE- ONE PIECE MASTER LINKS WITYH THE SOLID LINK AND CLIP WOULD BE MUCH STRONGER. I HAD ONE CHAIN "REAR SPROKET'' JUST BREAK AFTER INSTALLING IT WHAT'S UP WITH THIS?? LOCKED BOTH CLIPS ON EACH SIDE ANDTHE CHAIN JUST BROKE. I JUST CONVERTED THE BIKES OVER TO DIAMOND CHAIN MADE IN THE U. S. A. I BET THESE WON'T BREAK? THE BIKE THOUGH IS REALLY A GREAT WELL THOUGHT OUT DESIGN. IT'S GREAT FUN TO RIDE AND LOVE THE BASKET IN BACK WHICH COMES APART WITH TWO PULL PINS AND LAYS FLAT IF WANTED. THE BAND DRUM BRAKE IN BACK IS OK BUT THY NOT PUT A DISC BRAKE SETUP ON THE FRONT ANTD THE BACK? IT'S TIME TO MODERNIZE BRAKING ON ALL BIKES AS SMALL DISC BRAKES WOULD BE A REAL PLUS.A small hydraulic cylinder would do the job as the motorcycles have of course. NOW FOR THE GOOD. THE BIKE IS REALLY NEAT AND A JOY TO RIDE. I WISH THAT SCHWINN WOULD HAVE PUT AT LEAST A FOUR SPEED HUB ON THIS BIKE AS THE HILLS GET A LITTLE ROUGH AT TIMES. YOU CAN CONVERT IT TO THAT THOUGH AS KITS ARE AVALIBLE. I PLAN SOON TO INSTALL AN ELECTRIC FRONT HUB MOTOR KIT AS MY WIFE AND I ARE IN OUR SIXTIES SO A LITTLE HELP WILL BE GOOD AT TIMES. SO YOU CAN PEDAL AND CRACK A LITTLE THROTTLE AT THE SAME TIME IF NEEDED. IN ALL SHWINN SHOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT THE U. S. IT'S SAD TIMES FOR OUR INDUSTRY. "BRIBG IT BACK" BUT THE BIKES SHOULD DO ALL WE DREAMED AND ARE GREAT FUN TO RIDE THANK YOU!

Background: I am a "value bike" fan in general, have owned a couple of Schwinn bikes previously, and numerous other not-too expensive bikes, which I mostly maintain myself. I have had quite an adventure with this trike. I purchased it for my father who is getting quite old and has balance issues to accompany me and his grandkids on the local, mellow bike path. One feature I really appreciated that I didn't notice when I purchased it is the "locking/parking brake" which allows you to ensure the bike doesn't move when parked on a hill or while mounting/dismounting. The basket is also huge and sturdy, as is the frame (though kinda heavy). The assembly was fairly straightforward, although you will need various-sized wrenches (17mm, 15mm, and smaller) and a screwdriver and such. I got mine put all together, and we rode it around a bit, but after a few hundred yards, the pedals started "slipping" and wouldn't drive the wheel. Further inspection, and talking to Schwinn customer support revealed it was a defective freewheel. They offered to send me a replacement for the whole forward drive axle (brake, freewheel, secondary chain drive)... but said it was backordered, and would take a while. In the meantime, I looked and found one I thought would work on Amazon: ACS 22T X 3/32 Crossfire Gun Metal and a "spanner wrench" tool to remove the old one: Park Tool SPA-6 Adjustable Pin Spanner . Good news, that worked, and the new freewheel seems to be a bit more sturdy than the old one. So, this bike ended up costing me a little bit more than I expected, but now that it's working I only have a couple of complaints: It only has one gear, of course... but I expected that, and the rear fenders are a bit ill-conceived, they aren't well supported by the struts to the frame, and wiggle a lot while riding... which isn't that big of a deal, except for the bolts used to secure the rear reflectors, etc. protrude and can scrape the tire as they wiggle, causing wear. I guess you can leave off the reflectors or the entire fenders if you want, to remedy this. There is also a slight "pull" to one side on the handlebars I haven't been able to quite figure out, but I think is due to a manufacturing defect in the fork. Minor, but annoying. Also, I saw reviews saying the tubes were cheap... and they are right, the rubber is oddly not very "expandable". One actually ruptured when I pumped them up to the prescribed pressure. So... as always, you get what you pay for, and this really is one of the cheapest tricycle options out there... expect to live with a few annoyances and possibly invest some additional time/money... In general though, it's a perfectly fine adult trike... nice design for older folks, especially.

I bought this bike after a bad accident on my other bike where I broke my femur in four places.I spent two months in a wheel chair and almost two months using a walker and finally another two months using a cane.All this time I missed my bike and thought of ways to electrify my wheel chair and now finally have a great way to get around without limping around.This is even better than an electric wheel chair. I wanted to ride a bike but do not have full mobility with my right leg.So the three wheeler made sense.I checked three other companies for three wheelers all three were much more expensive and two where 24 inch wheels. I wanted 26 inch as I have a 26 inch 48 volt Electric Hub motor that I put on the Schwinn. I ordered this bike through Amazon.com and got it in 5 days. It would have been nice if there were instructions included but I was able to assemble it with ease. The screws used to assemble the fenders are cheap and I replaced them with better ones.I did take it to a bike shop to get the wheels trued.(balanced) not many bikes come with perfectly balanced wheels.Cost $10 each wheel. This is a good bike I enjoy using it and am powering it with a 48 volt Crystalite hub motor.It is well constructed and sturdy.With the motor I have gotten speeds of over 26 MPH.I do not recommend that speed but mention it as the bike has good balance and coasting abilities there is very little drag. I used my other bike as transport to and from work before my accident and I plan to start using this one next week to travel back and forth to work.It is only a distance of 4 miles and can easily power both ways. The rear basket is an added touch that is really helpful it can carry enough groceries and several 12 packs.I also bought the wide saddle seat thats makes for a really comfortable ride. If you are thinking of buying this bike I recommend it 100% even without a motor it is sturdy and well made. The added basket makes it easy to do errands around the area. I am 61 years old.

---UPDATE 6/25/2014---- To make a long story short I am returning the bike today (will take it apart pack it and ship it believe it or not). Reason being that all the issues below are still a problem, but today my son was riding the bike and the seat let loose (even though we had just tightened it and done a safety check of the entire bike two minutes before. The whole bike flipped over and on top of him. This has gone from annoying and aggravating to downright dangerous. Cannot believe this is a Schwinn product, but happy to be a Prime member so that Amazon is paying for the return shipping. --------Original Review---------------- I bought this based on the reviews, but I have to say I am very disappointed with the quality of the materials, assembly instructions, and functionality of this bike. Most reviewers complained that the item arrived with damage or missing pieces and that the assembly instructions were not too great, but I am handy so I took the risk. My bike arrived very well packaged and will all needed parts. As for the instructions, I agree there needs to be more detail and better images so that you can figure out the more difficult parts, but it was not as bad as many had indicated. That being said, it took me two days and three trips to the hardware store to get this together. The delay was not due to lack of instructions, but because several bolts that I needed to be removed in order to attach the front fender could not be removed from the bike (i.e. they were stuck solid). No amount of WD40 would loosen them and to make it worse the bolts are such soft metal that any attempt to use a ratchet, screwdriver, pliers, adjustable wrench, you name it, resulted in the bolt totally stripping. I overcame the bolt issues by using wire to attach the fender to the bike (not high tech or professional but it worked). Then after I attached the rear fenders, I realized that as you spin the wheels, the fender shifts position and rubs against the wheels. The bolts holding the fenders just keep loosening up, so I eventually had to get plastic ties to attach the fenders to the basket so they would not vibrate loose and rub the tires. Next was all the squeaking! I got the bike together, got the fenders stabilized, got the brakes adjusted (that took about two hours alone!) then I go to ride it and the squeaking and rattling of the bike drove me nuts. Had to spray the whole underside of the seat with WD40 to get it to finally stop squeaking every time I moved the slightest bit. Then I oiled and greased every moving part and it still rattles when I ride it. Needless to say for an almost $300 bike I am not happy at all. But it is not worth sending it back because I will not take it apart and shipping it fully assembled will be ridiculous. Aside from all the construction, assembly, and noise issues, I personally found that when riding the bike it follows the angle of the road. So unlike a regular bike where you balance the bike and can shift your weight to compensate for the grade of the road, on this bike if the road is really tilted you will tilt with it because the two back wheels are following the grade of the road and you cannot compensate for this. So if you are only riding this on very straight flat roads, no problem, but if you want to ride on a park trail (like me) or on roads that have a tilt, it will not be that comfortable or easy. It also does not handle hills well at all. When you hit a hill there is just too much drag in the back and you have to get off and walk it up the hill. Finally, the wheels do not brake if you turn them backwards, so you have to rely on handbrakes alone. This is not a big deal unless you are looking for foot breaking as well, which is what I was expecting. In conclusion, the concept is great but really cheap bolts, bad instructions, and design flaws.I would not recommend this bike at all.

Found the rear fenders badly damaged as received but the shipping box was OK indicating the fenders were packaged knowingly damaged by Schwinn. Tried to have just the fenders replaced but Amazon required the tricycle be returned and send me my money back. Also, the rear axle assembly seemed tight to turn and it required quite an effort to pedal. The tricycle itself was made out of quality parts and it was nice otherwise. Still no funds returned after a week and a half after it was returned.

Es un excelente artículo, w de armar y muy cómoda, fue una excelente compra

c’est beau mais les frein étaient brisés j’ai acheter des nouvelles qui mon couter 120 $ et c’est difficile à monter mais j’aime faire le vélo