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The Schwinn Phocus 1600 is a very masculine road bike that has been designed to be the perfect all-rounder road bike, it is specifically made to be quick on the road, lightweight to transport, and easy to store away too.
This is something that Schwinn has spent a long time perfecting over the years and they have gotten closer to this mark year after year.
It is clear to me that Schwinn has made significant efforts to make this road bike truly convenient to the rider and that is ultimately what we are all looking for.
SCHWINN PHOCUS 1600
Our Rating
PROS
- Excellent value
- Premium design
- Lightweight aluminum frame
- Rapid derailleur shifting
CONS
- Noisy gear shifting
OUR VERDICT
“We loved the Schwinn Phocus 1600 and it is one of our favorite road bikes to date, it provides excellent value for money and looks incredible too!”
Schwinn Phocus 1600 Review
As all of you know, I am a huge fan of road bikes and everything they have afforded me growing up and well into my adult life.
I have managed to keep myself thoroughly fit and have had so many awesome experiences on them too, including for commuting, pleasure and also a load of different competition purposes too.
Many bikes that I have owned or tested out in the past have been sub-par and I’ve replaced them in little time, however, over the years, I’ve become accustomed to a select few brands that seem to deliver time and time again.
Schwinn is certainly one of those brands and the Schwinn Phocus 1600 road bike is one of the finest models that the brand has ever produced in my personal opinion.
Schwinn is recognized all around the world in the road biking industry and their prestige is well deserved too, they have repeatedly produced stunning bikes like the Schwinn Phocus 1600 and will likely continue to do so long into the future.
“Schwinn has really pushed the boat out this time, the Men’s Phocus 1600 is a true world-beating road bike for riders on a budget!”
Nobody ever walks into a bike shop wanting a cumbersome piece that will take large amounts of effort to get anywhere.
I think that the Phocus 1600 is a true piece of master craftsmanship and it is available for very little money too.
The first point that I would like to touch on is the perfect riding posture that the Schwinn Phocus 1600 forces upon its riders, you are essentially always in a streamlined position when riding the bike and that lends itself to saving vast amounts of energy when riding.
Wind resistance really does make a huge difference when you’re on a road bike, the finest bikes always promote such a posture and the Phocus 1600 does this with style.
Not only is the frame key in this, but the handles are also ergonomically styled so that you are never uncomfortable when riding either.
Performance
The 34-pound, 22-inch frame is crafted out of aluminum and is fairly lightweight given its size. While it is certainly true that you can find lighter carbon fiber framed bikes and indeed aluminum versions too, very few exist that provide such a well-rounded experience.
Ultimately, the frame of your road bike is the base of everything, if you are going to invest in quality in any one component, this should be it.
The benefits are far-reaching and are much more extensive than the weight of it alone.
Firstly, the aluminum frame used is thin but offers stability to riders while also having the capacity to absorb the majority of road-bound vibrations too.
The frame on the Schwinn Phocus 1600 is paired with some gorgeous carbon fiber forks that also aid in this vibration absorption, beautifully coming together to produce a wonderfully smooth ride.
Test Ride
To add to this, the Men’s Phocus 1600 also comes with a selection of premium Shimano components including Shimano 2300 shifters – these do an exceptional job of enabling swift gear changes.
They work in perfect harmony with the actual gear shifters themselves, which are produced by MicroShift.
To add to this, the drivetrain is of the highest quality available for this price. It is comprised of a 14-gear speed derailleur, an SR Suntour crankset, and well-integrated gear shifters too.
We had absolutely no difficulty in transitioning between gears on the bike and would highly recommend this setup to absolutely anybody on a budget.
Furthermore, the fundamental base of the Phocus 1600 is well-built too. Both the wheels themselves and the wheelset function together as a lightweight pair of shock-absorbing kings.
All too often you will come across bikes with high-quality components, but the wheels themselves will be a massive stumbling block. This is certainly not the case here and to add to this you can also easily remove the wheels on this bike due to the quick-release mechanism in place.
This is absolutely perfect for the rider who is regularly on the move between places and wants to keep their bike secure at all times.
Similarly, another key feature that is required if you want your bike to perform well on the road is a set of strong and reliable brakes.
As a result of this requirement, Schwinn has ensured you will never have any such difficulties by including a pair of Promax caliper road brakes that are formed of an aluminum-based metal alloy.
Whenever you are on the road it is always refreshing to know that you won’t have any difficulty coming to a halt at any point.
The bike itself comes half assembled when you buy it and so it is not difficult to put it together once it arrives, we managed to get our model together in less than half an hour and we see no reason why you won’t be able to either.
It comes with extensive instructions and it is not difficult with even the most basic tool kit.
- Aluminum road frame with carbon fiber road fork provide...
- 16-speed shifter / brake lever combination offers precise,...
- High profile alloy double wall rims with paired spokes are...
Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Schwinn Phocus 1600 Specs
| Brake Style | Mechanical Rim |
| Color | White |
| Frame Material Type | Carbon |
| Weight | 35 pounds |
| Number Of Speeds | 14 |
| Package Height | 10.4 x 31.5 x 54 inches |
| Schwinn Phocus 1600 Weight Limit | 250 pounds |
| Size | 56CM/18′ |
| Wheel Size | 700 |
Conclusion
Overall we were thoroughly impressed with the Schwinn Phocus and will certainly be recommending it to those of you who are on a fairly strict budget.
This is a fantastic bike for the money and at less than five hundred dollars it is an absolute steal. It not only looks fantastic on the road, but it promotes a great posture and has all of the assets that a premium road bike would have, for a very cheap price too – great!
The Best Road Bikes I’ve Reviewed This Year:
#1 Tommaso Imola: This is my absolute favorite road bike for beginner to intermediate riders who use their bike regularly. It comes with a 24-speed Shimano Claris drivetrain, Corsa TC20 wheels, an aluminum frame, and ultracompact handlebars. Check out what the Tommaso Imola is going for on Amazon right now.
#2 Vilano Shadow 3.0: I really like this road bike for anyone who’s looking for exceptional performance on a tight budget. The Vilano has features, such as integrated shifters, which I would only expect to see at a much higher price point. It performs exceptionally well on the road too even for longer distances. Check out the amazing reviews it’s been getting!
Mark Plummer
Mark Plummer is an experienced bike mechanic who has built, repaired, and customized thousands of bikes over the years. A former mountain biking athlete, his cycling adventures have taken him all over the globe from the mountains of Scotland to the South Island of New Zealand. These days he enjoys the benefits of commuting to work and touring on his Dahon and Brompton folding bikes.This free cheat sheet will help you choose a folding bike by providing quick information on the 7 key considerations when buying a foldable bicycle!
