The Schwinn Koen kids bike series presents itself as a fantastic entry point into the world of cycling for young riders. Available in a vibrant array of colors and designs across five different sizes, parents are highly likely to discover a Schwinn Kids Bike that perfectly fits their growing child.
Schwinn Koen Bike Review: A Budget-Friendly Option for Young Cyclists
RATING: Recommended
MSRP: $125+
BEST FOR: Kids seeking a robust and dependable bike for everyday neighborhood adventures without a hefty price tag.
SIZES: 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″, and 20″ (Suitable for children aged 4 to 10)
SEAT HEIGHT: 24.5″ – 29″ (20″ inch model)
WEIGHT: 27.8 lb. (20″ inch model)
BRAKES: Coaster brake, Dual Hand brakes
TRAINING WHEELS: Not Included
Reasons We Recommend the Schwinn Koen for Kids
- Affordable Quality: Offers a solid build quality that’s easy on the wallet, making it an excellent value proposition.
- Appealing Designs: Boasts eye-catching, bold designs, complete with fun number plates that are sure to be a hit with kids.
- Extensive Size Range: Available in a broad spectrum of sizes – 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″, and 20″ – ensuring a perfect fit for various ages and heights.
- Comfortable Upright Riding Position: Designed to position children in a comfortable, upright posture, enhancing their riding experience.
Key Considerations Before Purchasing a Schwinn Koen
- Exceptional Value: The Koen stands out as a remarkable bike for its price point. While not the absolute top-tier bikes available, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option in the same budget range.
- Coaster Brake Standard: All Koen sizes come equipped with coaster brakes. While some models include hand brakes, their reliability may be questionable.
- Sizing Guidance: Given the wide array of sizes, if your child falls between sizes (refer to the size chart below), it’s advisable to opt for the smaller size to ensure better control and comfort.
- Elm for Girls: The “girls'” counterpart to the Koen is the Schwinn Elm, offering similar features and size options within the same product line.
In-Depth Look: The Schwinn Koen 20-inch Bike for Neighborhood Exploration
The Schwinn Koen truly shines as a fun and reliable bike tailored for neighborhood riding. It’s expertly designed for navigating everyday obstacles like curbs, visiting friends nearby, or enjoying family bike rides to the local park. While it might require a tad more effort to initiate movement compared to some pricier 16-inch bikes, once in motion, our testers experienced pure joy tackling curbs and small jumps with ease on the Koen.
Overall, the Koen excels in its intended purpose: delivering an affordable, kid-friendly bike perfectly suited for neighborhood adventures. While it may not be the lightest or most agile 20″ bike on the market, its attractive price, enjoyable ride quality, and durability make it a solid choice that is expected to last through multiple children.
Schwinn Koen Sizes: Ensuring the Perfect Fit for Your Child
A standout feature of the Schwinn Koen series is its extensive size variety. Unlike many kids’ bike lines, the Koen includes not only standard 12″, 16″, and 20″ sizes but also the less common 14″ and 18″ options. This comprehensive range significantly increases the likelihood of finding a Koen that fits your child perfectly at each stage of their growth. It’s important to note that all sizes, with the exception of the 20″ model, are equipped with training wheels to support younger learners.
Schwinn Koen Rider Height Recommendation Chart
| Wheel Size | Child’s Height |
|---|---|
| 12″ | 28-38″ |
| 14″ | 36-40″ |
| 16″ | 38-48″ |
| 18″ | 42-52″ |
| 20″ | 48-60″ |
Our hands-on experience testing the Koen series suggests that if your child’s measurements place them between two size ranges, opting for the smaller size is generally advisable. Schwinn Koen bikes tend to run taller compared to other kids’ bikes. This height is partly attributed to the Koen’s notably tall handlebars, but the frame itself also contributes to a higher minimum seat height compared to many other 20″ bikes. Therefore, measuring your child’s inseam prior to purchasing a Koen is highly recommended to ensure the best fit.
For instance, our tester, who typically wears size 7/8 pants and has a 24.5″ inseam, comfortably rides some 24″ bikes. However, on the Koen 20″, he was actually on the shorter end of the spectrum for that size.
As illustrated in the image below, our tester’s arm position is quite elevated on the Schwinn Koen, even with the seat height set just above its minimum. It’s likely that the handlebars would be excessively high for a child shorter than him. In contrast, on the REI REV 20″ bike shown on the right, his arms are positioned much lower, and the seat height is near its maximum extension.
Handlebar Height: A Unique Feature of the Schwinn Koen 20
According to Schwinn’s official height recommendations of 48″ to 60″ for the Koen 20-inch model, our 52″ tall (with shoes) 8-year-old tester also fits within the height range suggested for the Koen 18″, which is recommended for children between 42″ and 52″.
So, what should you do if your child technically fits into two different sizes? Based on our experience with the Koen 20″, if your child is somewhat hesitant or falls on the smaller side of a size range, choosing the smaller size is the better strategy, particularly because of the higher handlebar placement on the Koen models.
Braking System: Understanding the Koen’s Brakes
The 20″ Schwinn Koen is equipped with both dual-hand brakes and a traditional coaster brake. While the addition of dual-hand brakes on a budget-friendly bike is theoretically a welcome feature, the hand brakes’ subpar quality means children will likely rely almost exclusively on the coaster brake for stopping.
The primary issue with the hand brakes lies in their single-pivot caliper design. They prove challenging to align correctly, and even when properly adjusted, they tend to lose alignment quickly.
Furthermore, the painted sidewalls on the wheel rims can compromise the hand brakes’ effectiveness, especially in wet conditions, as the brake pads may slip along the rim surface. Consequently, it’s crucial to ensure your child is proficient in using both the hand brakes and the coaster brake before they ride the bike.
Schwinn Koen vs. Competitors: How It Stacks Up
| Feature | Schwinn Koen 20″ | Royalbaby 20″ |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 27.8 lb. | 32 lb. |
| Seat Height | 24.5 – 29″ | 24 – 24.5″ |
| Coaster Brake | Yes | Yes |
Final Thoughts: Is the Schwinn Koen a Smart Purchase?
If you are in the market for a durable and enjoyable bike that doesn’t stretch your budget, the Schwinn Koen emerges as a top contender. While the Koen doesn’t rival the high-performance of premium specialty bikes, it is significantly more affordable and wasn’t designed to compete in that higher category. Built to endure through multiple kids and withstand the rigors of neighborhood riding, including countless curb hops, the Koen is an excellent choice for young, everyday cyclists.
For more outstanding, budget-conscious bike options for both boys and girls, be sure to visit our page: Best Cheap Kids Bikes.
FTC Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links. No monetary compensation was provided for this review. The bike reviewed was provided by Schwinn. All opinions and images are the property of Two Wheeling Tots LLC. All content and images are protected by copyright and should not be reproduced or used without permission. Please see our Terms of Use.
