Best Mountain Bike For Seniors (2024 Update)

It's a Large frame 29 inch tires, relatively wide tires. I use it for trails and typical mountain biking stuff. Great bike on and off road rolling over branches and all kinds of debris. I'm only 5'7 and I can ride this bike easily no issues. I was hesitant to buy it because of the advertised 6'0 height recommendation. I reach the bars comfortably then again I keep the seat post at its lowest position though. Disc brakes are fairly good for what they are. I ride normal and even some steep grades I've gone down. Assembly was easy, package was undamaged and for $228 price that was a great deal for a tall good mountain bike.MrE

Got mine a week ago that was basically half the nearly $500 price that they were initially being sold for.

The bike came quickly, in 2 days. It was well-packed. I have quite a bit of experience working on bikes so assembling it was a breeze. Important! Use caution unpacking the handlebars. On mine I had to remove the fork to get the cables routed correctly, if you do that do it carefully and see that the lower headset bearings remain in place on the fork crown, since I saw a few commenters had issues with this.

The derailleur came pre-adjusted but I noticed the chain they provide is a bit short for my liking. I added 2 links off a spare chain I had lying around, that made a noticeable improvement when shifting to the lowest (largest) gears.

A word about the brakes. Like others, I noticed they were quite weak when test riding. This had been the case on most bicycles that have lower budget mechanical disc setups. But there is an easy way to gain extra braking power and that is to use short-pull brake levers. These levers are made to operate with cantilever or caliper brakes. I immediately swapped the levers during assembly with a pair of short pulls from my parts bin, it made a big difference. You will have to readjust the inner pad to bring the pads closer to the disc, as well as re-center the caliper. The increased leverage of short-pull levers means shorter travel at the brake end. Why bike makers continue to use long-pull v-brake levers with these brakes… beats me. With a pair of these levers and about 20 hard stops to bed in the shoes my brakes work great.

Another thing I decided to check before riding was the bottom bracket. I took it apart and verified that the bearings were adequately greased and at the same time measured the axle shaft and bottom bracket shell width (the part of the frame it fits in) to order a cartridge bracket later on. The bearings the bike come with do have seals and are splined to accept a standard bottom bracket removal tool, which is really unheard of on a box store bike. For the curious the cartridge it takes seems to be a 72 mm by 125 mm. Someone correct me if I am wrong on the measurements. A cartridge bottom bracket is a cheap, easy upgrade that will make your bike much easier to maintain. BTW the crank side bearing cup is left hand thread.

The headset bearings are also worth checking for grease if you have to take off the fork. It's easy enough to fit back together.

I'm not a fan of the steamroller tires so I swapped those for 29 x 2.1. Doing that and removing the kickstand got rid of a bit of weight.

The bike offers a lot for the price I paid for mine ($245 after taxes). I can't even complain about the weight because it only weighs a few more pounds than the old chromoly rigid bikes I was used to riding. You get a micro adjust seat post, larger sized bottom headset bearings, a fork with a lockout, and alloy pedals. The bike also comes with the larger 31.8 mm diameter bars and a narrow-wide chainring.

The fork action is pretty crude but for my type of riding it will do. I read where people were having problems with the lockout breaking, always make sure it is unlocked before hitting the rough stuff. That might prolong the life of the fragile plastic lockout components.

The bike is pretty good out of the box, but some simple cheap upgrades really improve it. Ditch the factory seat, it is horrible. I also installed a longer handlebar stem with more rise.

So in the end I can say this is a sweet deal for under $250. At that price point it gets 5 stars, for the original price it would get 4. I am very happy with the bike. Perhaps the only gripe I have is that it has no rack mounts on the seat stays, which is a bit surprising.Jack Cooper

For the price, this is a very solid bike, with big potential. Out of the box, you will need to put the front wheel on, the pedals, and the seat. You will also need to attach the dropper post cable. During and or after that you will want to make adjustments to everything and ensure all bolts are tight. This is things like adjusting the brake pads, brake cables, shifter cable, derailleur stop limits, dropper post cable, brake lever and shift lever position, maybe even true the wheels, etc (this is standard for any bike you buy that is new). A lot of this you might not need to do, but you might so just keep that in mind with any bike you buy unless it's preassembled from a local bike shop. The few places I feel the bike really cheaped out on are a couple things: The handle bar grips, the seat, the pedals, the brakes, and the tires. The grips are useable but not that squishy. If you don't ride with gloves, it would be worth the $20 for some comfier grips. The pedals are perfectly fine for commute riding. If you plan on doing trails, I would opt for wider / grippier pedals. The seat is not that comfortable. If you plan to use this as a commuter you might want to opt for a squishier seat. I personally don't have a problem with the seat. I think it looks good and is comfortable enough. I don't commute with it so I don't spend that much time on my tush. The tires, while they are cheap cheap tires, it doesn't mean it won't be good enough. I think they're perfectly fine to start with. Rather on the large side that's for sure. Finding tubes for the stock 2.6" wide 29er tire is not as easily available as something like a 2.4" (though you can probably put a 2.4 into a 2.6 and be fine i think?). For regular commute I think the brakes are perfectly fine. If you're constantly mashing on those puppies on the trails are hard core hills in your commute, you might want to consider a hydraulic brake upgrade (but you might be able to get away with better rotors and pads?) For daily commute: the bottom bracket, headset, and forks are honestly just fine. Old school ball bearing style and the fork is a coil fork which will do it's job and absorb some impact. If you plan to hit trails, I recommend replacing the fork with an air fork. Even better if it has rebound adjustment. Something with 100mm of travel or 120mm. Also, the headset is tapered (this is a good thing for future upgradability). And while you're at it, since you're hitting trails, you should replace the crankset with one with an external bearing bottom bracket. This will withstand the abuse better. And since you're replacing the fork, might as well upgrade the headset bearing to basically any sealed style that's not the old school loose ball bearing style. I've done a ton of research into bikes of this class, and this one comes out on top in MANY ways. But Schwinn definitely needed to save money in order to offer a bike at this price.Patrick

This is an initial review of the bike. Shipping was quick. Got it way before Walmart estimated the delivery. The overall fit and finish is very good. No flaws at all. Easy to put together if you are even half way mechanical. Very impressed and like the bike a lot. Looks much higher end than what the actual price was. I read other reviews and the only thing people didn't like was the seat. It is a bit small and uncomfortable. I ordered a much more comfortable seat from Walmart and replaced the original one. I only had to adjust the gears a little bit and disc brakes. YouTube videos show how to do it. From manufacturer instructions I will have to true up the wheels. Beyond those little things it is a beautiful quality bike. Don't bother paying for expedited shipping. They shipped it from FL on a Monday and received it on Thursday in CT.LK

The bike itself seems to be of decent enough quality, but you should be aware of a few issues. Firstly, it is very easy for the bike to be damaged in shipping. The rear derailleur of my bike was damaged during shipping and I had to spend $54 to have it fixed. The second issue is vilano’s terrible customer service. I reached out to them after I assembled the bike because the derailleur was damaged and they refused to reimburse me for the repairs; they stated that the bike is advertised as needing tuning from the factory so it is normal to have to visit a bike shop. The problem with this is that it had nothing to do with assembly or tuning, it was entirely due to the fact that the derailleur was damaged either from the factory or during shipping. The third problem I’ve ran into so far is false advertising. The brake calipers in the promotional images and in vilano’s instructional videos are a different brand and design than the ones that are actually on my bike. While it is likely caused by a supply chain issue which is understandable, they should at least give a disclaimer. These brakes do not adjust or fine tune in the same ways as the advertised ones. This made the assembly process an extra hassle and an overall poor experience as I had to figure out how to adjust these strange brakes. The brakes also don’t appear to reach down far enough onto the disc, so the braking power is absolutely abismal for disc brakes, I’ve had cheap Walmart bikes with V brakes with significantly more power than these. Other than the previous issues the bike and it’s components seem to be of reasonable quality, and I do especially like the shifters derailleur (after getting it fixed of course.) I would strongly advise against purchasing this bike online, but if you can see one at a local bike shop and verify that it has the correct brakes it could be a good buy. If you ever have to deal with Vilano’s customer service however, expect a terrible experience.Ethan Stout

The two new Huffy bikes we had on same trail got flat and this one did not. Solid bike and good suspension for lower cost MTB.Daniel

Mongoose Impasse 29" Mens Mountain Bike I decided to purchase a new bike about 5 months ago because I don't prefer to use public transportation and most of the area shops are between 5 and 7 blocks away from my home. I didn't think I would use it as much as I do though. Let me first start off by saying I actually paid for someone to put it together but was present and it only took about 20 minutes total with the add-on of a back seat basket that was purchased separately from the bike. The bike is slightly too high for me to get onto – but I am only 5 feet 5 inches tall. Other than getting on the bike though, I love everything about it. Switching gears is done with extreme ease and has excellent handling and maneuvering ability. I can conquer steep hills and roll over any debris that comes along my path. Our city has a few really great biking paths and I found myself more inclined to seek them out over the late summer and make our family outings a bit more active and challenging. I ended up using the bike way more than I initially thought I would and actually use our vehicle less often for quick store trips. It gives me a good excuse to shop for minor items alone and in peace. It also helps me to be more physically active because I will use the bike instead of the bus or our family car when possible. I absolutely love the bike and plan to continue riding until there's too much snow on the ground to conquer. I highly recommend the bike and the actual brand as a whole.Estella1

My bike was delivered to a "local" cycle shop for assembly. I was riding my new bike within 2 days of ordering it. I love my new bike a lot. I am heading out with it in about 30 minutes. Thanks again Jet. My new sofa which I bought through Jet will be delivered tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.Ralph F

Assembly instruction is not clear, very poor quality of pictures.After all the chain is working noisy like old broken junk , probably need to be adjusting or something.Not worth the money paid.bodek

probably have to tinker with it a little to get it just so, the seat… probably needs a better one… if u value your assets, tighten ALL the fitting on it with the appropriate size wrench (u do have tools, yes? ) I will probably get a CHEAP/WIDE $5 inner tube, cut the valve stem out of it and use it as a tread/tube liner so that thorns do not puncture the tire/tube; put it between the inner tube that is in there and the BACK tire… as I wud any bike as thorns are prevalent here and fixing 7 flats in 3 days because I was CHEAP and didn't get the HEVI WATE INNER TUBES on my last NEW bike was …. and education to do IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME so I didn't have to do it again… and again and again. SLIME is hard to get into the tires through the NARROW hole in the air thingy even with the Schrader valve removed. LOCKS, U LOCKS AND HEVI WATE CHAIN… if u want to keep the bike; as sometimes they ride off by themselves if left anywhere. cable "locks" are ornaments (don't ask how I KNOW this) and not worth throwing out. some gearheads have taken the bearings apart and greased them and have said they are tightened TOO TIGHT from the factory, but DO NOT LOSE THE BEARINGS!!! carpet catches bearings, hard floors=scattered bearings=bad. tires are said to be HEAVY compared to after market, but that is not all bad as once get the tires rolling… INERTIA KEEPS THEM ROLLING with a little effort so that is good. like kicking the clutch out on a BIG TRUCK on the highway… it will coast a LONG WAY with all that weigh/inertia built up in its mass/wheels/tires.18LiterDETROITDIESEL

First of all, it sure is a slap in the face to see the price drop $17 just two weeks after I got it. Now then, my experience has been much the same as other reviews. It is a barely "OK" bike, I guess for the money nowadays. It is built and billed as a "Mountain Bike" which is the furthest thing I intend to use it for. From what I gather, you would have to add another zero to the price to get a genuine, usable mountain bike. I am 68 years old wanting to get some exercise. And when I saw this Fat Tire bike, I had to have it. It is the closest I have seen to the old (even then) bike I had as a kid in the fifties and sixties. I will probably end up spending as much extra to make the bike marginally usable, as the bike cost to start with. It is in the shop right now and I'm not doing that much yet. The seat if terrible. The brakes, we'll have to see after they are adjusted right. I have a new seat ready to put on when I get it back. I had the shop put on a steering riser (probably not right term) to raise the handlebars. Keeping original bar for now but may have to replace that too. And replacing the brake levers. If the brakes don't improve (a lot!!) I'll either replace them, or sell the whole bike and get something else. I even got new pedals. The reflectors on the original pedals break off easily. The shifter is a PITA because it wants to change as you are gripping the bar. It should have been a lever or something. And high gear is not even as high as my old single speed. What good is THAT? I guess what it boils down to is that it is impossible to buy a Fat Tire Mountain Bike for $200 that is not a joke even for just plain riding down the street, let alone riding in the mountains.Tinman98

Due to its tubular steel frame, the 26 inch Mongoose Dolomite seven speed fat bicycle is heavier than 26 inch fat bicycles constructed of aluminium or carbon fiber. However, a new aluminium fat bicycle frames will cost no less than $900.00; carbon fiber fat bicycle frames prices start at about $2,000. As a direct result of the enormous price difference I decided to purchase the Dolomite just to try out a fat bicycle with the full entention of purchasing a far more expensive model if I enjoyed the larger design. I was surprisingly blown away! The Dolomite had arrived at my front door in only two days. I discovered assembly to be rather simple, but as a safety measure I walked the Dolomite ten blocks to my neighbourhood bicycle repair store for an overall examination; at the bicycle shop both disc brakes were properly calibrated, grease was added to the handle bar support collar, a water bottle cage was placed onto the frame, tires were inflated to proper pressure and then were placed in their recommended rotational direction. Finally, the seat pole was adjusted to a safe and comfortable height. I paid my service charge, quickly place my helmet on and then brought my bicycle onto the New York City streets. The ride was so comfortable due to the large amount of inflated rubber between the road bed and the large 4 inch rims. In addition, at slow speeds and at accelerated speeds the tires are constantly providing exceptional traction; I remained in full control of the bicycle as I effortlessly floated above the New York City man hole covers, large steel plate covers, pot holes and the ubiquitous sewer drainage grids. The weight of the bicycle is an attribute when descending steep hills, but when ascending hills be prepared to pump vigorously. The gears do shift rather accurately to their corresponding numbers, but not the smoothest shift. Due to its price, aesthetics, quality of design and durability I strongly recommend the Mongoose Dolomite Men's 7 Speed Bicycle.JNemorin

We got this bike for my wife who is 5'-3" and it fits her perfectly. She tried a 26" bike and it felt just to big. The seat post is about 12" and with about 9" from the seat to the minimum insertion point. Somewhere in between my wife can seat on the seat and stand on her tiptoes. This is the height she needs to comfortably bend and straighten her legs to pedal efficiently. For her the frame is perfectly sized, there are no issues with the pedals hitting the ground or the front wheel hitting your foot when turning. My wife just (re)learned riding a bike a couple of months ago and before that she was not a person who was eager to (regular) exercise. Now, she enjoys riding her bike most days, to our son's school, and she also rides along for my 2 (sometimes 3) mile runs. We also do longer rides (5 to 7 miles) during the weekend. We added a cargo frame and attached a milk crate with zip ties to make it more practical. We can carry quite a few groceries like this. This is also a good place to keep her helmet, gloves and lock. Although he was quite satisfied with the bike from day 1, we eventually had to change the seat to a wider and more cushioned seat shaped for women and also changed the handle bar grips to some that are more ergonomic. This bike is a great value (for about $200), it is amazing that Walmart can sell them at this price. but I guess that they make it up when you consider we also picked up a helmet, bell, grips, seat, extra tube, repair kits with multi tool, water cage and under seat (tool) bag. All in all, this bike has injected a fun activity to my wife's day.Roberto

I’m a weekender, casual rider but mostly using this for physical therapy, post surgery. I spoke to the Walmart employee who assembles the bikes. Very nice person, but he said he spends about 20 minutes assembling and adjusting. It showed. Brakes weren’t to bad and were even better once I tightened all the disc bolts. Front derailleur needed complete adjustment and the rear was only slightly better. Unfortunately, after a 1 mile ride, the rear gears are slipping and will need another adjustment. The shifters work, but aren’t built to last. Cheap plastic. They were the same as the AL Comp $298 and another Schwinn at $350. Once adjusted, they work well, but then again, I’m coming from twist shifters. The brakes are low end. Normal dIsc brakes apply pressure to both sides to slow you down. These press on 1 side and flex the disc into the other pad. Still better than my old rim brakes. Seat doesn’t seem to bad. Will probably still replace it with memory/gel. I’m not going on long treks, 6-10 miles in 1-1.5 hours a few times a week as physical therapy. This bike is HEAVY! 42lbs is a lot. About the same as my MTB from 30 years ago. Fine for me, but might be to much for others. I definitely wouldn’t recommend you take this on any heavy trails. Front fork and plastic pedals would probably crumble. This is a good weekender bike for those looking to get active. It definitely needs adjustments. Don’t even think about taking it off the floor and for a ride without it. I’ll have to write more once I actually have some more saddle time.JM

Make sure you buy this bike assembled at Walmart. If you have to assemble it yourself, it is a tremendous amount of work. Brakes and both front and rear gearing requires a great deal of adjustment. Manual is very good on how to do the assembly and adjustments. Had to return first bike, the front fork was bent and could not be used. Seat is very narrow and will probably need to be replaced with a wider seat. Once bike is assembled and adjusted, it works very well. Shifting is smooth and reliable. But, it is impossible to use all 21 speeds, as the chain bend is too much for certain combinations and is not recommended. All in all, it is a good looking bike and rides smoothly.Gerald

I am a Male and I intend on sharing this bike with my daughter. I am 5’7.5” and my daughter is 5’3” and the size is just right for both of us. I bought it in a local Walmart. I was lucky enough that they have a few units in stock and that I was able to test ride it. I was really impressed and it exceeded my expectations. This is a great starter bike. For the price, of $198, it is a great deal. The bike is sturdy, even if made of steel and not aluminum, it is not too heavy. The shifters and brake levers used are not shimano but are good and sturdy enough and crisp. The front derailleur used is also not branded but is good enough in shifting the chain without problems. The rear derailleur used is Shimano Tourney and it gives a smooth shift into the gears. The front brake has a mechanical disc brake and the rear has a V-type brake. The brakes are crisp and nice, but the rear brakes are squeaking everytime I apply it (might just need a little bit of adjustment, nothing biggie). I rode it in cement and asphalt surfaces and the ride is really smooth. I can’t attest to off-road riding though, I haven’t tried it. The seat is comfortable, and the handle bars are placed in good neutral and leisure driving position. Over-all the bike is really good, I love it!Banono

I bought this for my wife. Note that this model of the Sidewinder has an aluminum frame with a threadless headset; the older model was a steel frame and quill headset. You won't find many aluminum frame bikes for a buck and a half. This bike weighed 31.6 lbs on my scale fully assembled; pretty good for a basic bike. The components are otherwise basic but functional. A basic Shimano Tourney rear derailleur provides index or "click" shifting from a twist grip. The front derailleur is not labeled and is a "friction" or linear shifter, meaning it does not "click" into gear but you have to move the derailleur guide the appropriate amount with the twist shifter on the grip. But they are functional and work well. Front fork is a no name basic spring with maybe 2" of travel. There is no preload adjustment. The seat was a little firm for my wife's taste; I exchanged it with a more padded one. Brakes are linear pull brakes. The tires are unlabeled. They are 2 x 2.5 with a modest knobby pattern. Suitable for all around use including casual off road, though if your primary riding is on the street you might want to opt for more narrow tires with a solid center bead. Rims are reported to be alloy and look like they may be double walled, but there is no label indicating it. Spokes are black, probably steel. The bike comes with a kickstand. I was disappointed to find there were no quick release mechanisms for either the front or rear wheels. One of the answers to a question for the black frame with pink fork version of this bike erroneously indicated there were quick release wheels. I ordered this bike on-line and assembled it myself. It's not difficult but I am experienced working on bikes. The instructions that came with it were clear and complete. The wheels were true. The brakes and front derailleur needed adjustment. If you are not handy with tools you might want to have a bike shop adjust it for you. Overall, a good basic aluminum bike for the price I paid. It is suitable for casual street and off-road use. It is noticeable lighter than the same sized steel frame bike my wife had. My wife likes it and says it rides well, and she likes the lighter weight. It's a pretty good bet for a bike in this price range.Iriemon

Unbelievable! Good thing we started with the front wheel. The front fork was welded on wrong. It is twisted. You cannot even put the wheel in. It was just unbelievable that Schwinn would make such a careless and obvious mistakes. I didn't even read the 1-star reviews, but now I see that there are many reviews with the same issue. Plus, when I tried to return the product that I bought online. It said that it is not returnable. But the return policy for the bike said that it can be returned within 90 days of purchase and that it "can be" returned to the store. I will try returning to the store, but I shouldn't have to. Return policy on the description page also said, "Most items soldUnsatisfied

I received the bike today. First thing noticed was, contrary to what it says in description that it has front and rear disc brake, only the front has disc brake. Rear has just the regular linear pull brake. The assembly instructions are kind of universal; looks like they send the same for all their bikes and leave it to the customer to figure out which section to use. The pictures are confusing and doesn't match the instructions. To make things worse, front wheel axle washers and nuts were missing. I am not keeping it.Praju

The rims arrived damaged and wouldnt fit the bike properly, one of the brake cables were damaged enough to render it useless… the adjustments for the components on the derailleurs are not even close to an accurate adjustment in which case is impossible to adjust properly unless its brought to a bike shop where they specialize in that kind of stuff everyday. also the chain is stretched out or maybe wrong size but it doesn't sit on the gears as it should. the frame so extremely heavy in fact i feel its too heavy in my opinion. I WOULDN'T recommend buying this product without first checking it out in person.Misty

This bike is very appealing to the eye. Nice frame however the front breaks are a real pain. I returned this bike due to it being built improperly. The break line was rubbing aginst the tire. The bike seat was torn and the front breaks rub against the break pads. If you are knowledgeable about bike building and breaks then this will be a great bike of not then buy at store where its already built.Paula

I received the bike today. First thing noticed was, contrary to what it says in description that it has front and rear disc brake, only the front has disc brake. Rear has just the regular linear pull brake. The assembly instructions are kind of universal; looks like they send the same for all their bikes and leave it to the customer to figure out which section to use. The pictures are confusing and doesn't match the instructions. To make things worse, front wheel axle washers and nuts were missing. I am not keeping it.Praju

The rims arrived damaged and wouldnt fit the bike properly, one of the brake cables were damaged enough to render it useless… the adjustments for the components on the derailleurs are not even close to an accurate adjustment in which case is impossible to adjust properly unless its brought to a bike shop where they specialize in that kind of stuff everyday. also the chain is stretched out or maybe wrong size but it doesn't sit on the gears as it should. the frame so extremely heavy in fact i feel its too heavy in my opinion. I WOULDN'T recommend buying this product without first checking it out in person.Misty

This bike is very appealing to the eye. Nice frame however the front breaks are a real pain. I returned this bike due to it being built improperly. The break line was rubbing aginst the tire. The bike seat was torn and the front breaks rub against the break pads. If you are knowledgeable about bike building and breaks then this will be a great bike of not then buy at store where its already built.Paula

Great bike – on par with a Trek or Cannondale but has hydraulic brakes. All Shimano gears, hubs, brakes and quality rims. I would recommend after purchase to have a local bike shop assemble or do an adjustment after a few miles.Geoff

I purchased the bike for my nearly 14 year old grandson who is approx 5'7", probably a bit more. It's an absolute perfect fit. It was becoming difficult to find both the right size and look in the store. So we sized him in a store and decided to purchase directly from Huffy bc of the reputation of quality and service. That Tekton blue (not sure I have the correct color name) is "awesome" says the teen. I think it's gorgeous. His mom and dad assembled it with out much difficulty and has since left them feeling like empty-nesters because he's been all over God's green Earth each day. Just like my GenX kids…gone until the street lights start to come on with a random groups of kids stopping by now and then for a snack and a drink. Thank you Huffy! He couldn't be happier!!! And I'm Grandma of the year, lol!GrandmaMoo

Great bike. Only three minor complaints. Seat is very uncomfortable, brakes are difficult to adjust, and front derailleur hits chain in certain gears, making a clicking sound while you’re riding. I read the directions on the brakes and was doing it correctly I think but they just move around regardless of what screws you tighten, making contact with the wheel uneven and inconsistent.Joec

This bicycle is very comfortable to ride, but it's not heavy. It has 21 speeds to choose from. It makes me feel the fun of riding a bicycle. The appearance is so fashionable. I like it and wanna share my experience.rj-depot

I really enjoy it the price is great, and it does the job very well. I ride the bike around he city and to college, and its great. Great product.valdfran_klytc