Our Review of the Schwinn Free Wheeler 2 double stroller
The Schwin Free Wheeler 2 is a really good double swivel wheel stroller for the price! A step up from the popular Schwinn Safari TT Double, the Free Wheeler offers high-end features you'd expect to get only from much higher-priced brands, but without the extra cost.
If you've done a lot of browsing around our site doing research, you know our team has said there is a noticable difference in quality between an economy-priced brand like Schwinn and an elite brand such as BOB or Baby Jogger, and this still holds true. But this year, Schwinn has really revamped its look with new sportier fabrics, plus the Free Wheeler double offers a lightweight, rust-resistant aluminum frame.
This is a big step up from heavier steel frames--you definitely notice the difference in weight when you're pushing a larger double jogging stroller like this one. So if you're on a budget (and who's not??), the Free Wheeler 2 means you can get a really decent, sharp-looking swivel wheel jogging stroller that's fully loaded without experiencing buyer's remorse.
The rundown: the Free Wheeler 2 has a rear suspension for a smooth ride--a feature very few double swivel wheel models offer. The handlebar is height-adjustable to suit different 'drivers,' and there is plenty of storage space for all the essentials you need when you're on the road. The sun canopy is a big improvement, offering your kids a lot of protection from those harmful rays. The swivel wheel will lock in place with relative ease, allowing you to jog lightly or negotiate bumpy paths.
You'll notice that some double swivel wheel jogging strollers have two front wheels, whereas the Free Wheeler double only has one. This doesn't affect stability, but if you are strolling with two children of very different ages, you might notice you have to compensate a little more for the weight difference when you're pushing. If you're a very heavy runner, you'd probably want to look into a stroller with a larger 16" front wheel instead--but for parents looking for a great all-around stroller, the Free Wheeler 2 double stroller is a fit. Good for walks, good for the park, good for the mall
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- Free Wheeler 2 In Use
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Specs
- Capacity
- 2 Children
- Maximum Seat Capacity
- 100 lbs.
- Stroller Weight
- 27 lbs.
- Front Wheel Size
- 12"
Dimensions
- Width
- 31"
- Ground to Handle
- 32" - 44"
- Stroller Length
- 37.5"
- Seat Back
- 18"
- Hip to Knee
- 12"
- Knee to Foot
- 12"
- Folded Dimensions
- 35.5" x 31.5" x 16"
- Adjustable handlebar height
- Easy to use one-hand fold
- Lightweight aluminum frame
- Zero-degree turn radius, ideal for negotiating tight spaces
- Plush padded cockpit for a comfortable ride.
- Secure 5-point harnesses
- Padded removable seat inserts
- Roomy underseat basket, plus storage pockets behind the seat
- Quick release wheels
- Rear wheel suspension
- Front wheel locks easily for added stability
- Protective sun canopy keeps children shielded from bright rays
- 5 Year warranty
| Schwinn Joggers | Free Runner 2 |
Free Runner ST 2 |
Free Wheeler 2 |
Safari TT Double |
| Fixed or Swivel Wheel | Fixed | Fixed | Swivel | Swivel |
| Frame | Aluminum | Steel | Aluminum | Steel |
| Wheel Material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Shocks | Y | Y | Y | - |
| Basket | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Visor | - | Y | - | Y |
| Price | $329.99 | $289.99 | $299.99 | $289.99 |
Schwinn Free Wheeler 2 double stroller Reviews
All Customer Reviews
- Average Rating:
- Highest Rating:
- Lowest Rating:
- Number of Reviews:
- 11
Great Stroller, especially for the money
Reviewer: Anita , Denver, CO
Date: September 07, 2010
While pregnant with our second son, I insisted on buying a double jogger, although my husband didn't think we needed one. Now that we've used it a few times, he's admitted he was wrong! Worth the price of the stroller already! This stroller is extremely lightweight, even with our two kids (2yo and 3mo) in it, you barely feel like you are pushing anything at all. The seats are comfy,the sun shade is great and it turns great and feels stable. The only negative is the bottom pocket for your things is not very big for a full diaper bag. For our use as a jogger this is not a problem. Totally love it and compares well to the much more expensive BOB.
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Easy to use, love it!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Reston, VA
Date: June 08, 2009
This is a great stroller if you jog lightly but still want it on swivel mode. It will not wobble. I find locked mode of any jogger difficult because I cannot steer well, but my husband prefers to run on locked mode. We both jog slowly. Note that even when jogging on locked mode, this stroller steers pretty well. You don't have to pop wheelies or jam up the front tire with brute force.
The seat angle gets a lot of talk. I find that they are great because the bar means my 3-year-old will fit for a long time. His legs don't just sit on the footrest and overhang it. And, my baby is perfectly content and has been since we started her in it at 6 mos. She is 19 months and loves it. The cons are as follows:
1. Flimsy basket, and it scrapes the ground if you go over anything raised.
2. It's heavy to push two kids in this, but I don't think that's a flaw. ANY jogger for two will be heavy. Note it steers like a dream and glides very well, so by heavy I just mean I can tell I am pushing my kids.
Now for some general information...
There is a built in rain cover you just unzip if you need it. Genius! I just don't know what to do with the extra fabric when it's out, so I sort of jam it in the sun cover. The sun cover is large, and it unhooks from the back to pull down all the way. Pretty good as far as sunshades go. Makes it less aerodynamic when out, though. Like any parent knows, though, a good sunshade is a MUST on a jogger.
It does need a hand brake for hills, but we have few hills. The seats recline, each individually. The handle bar is covered with cheap material that will rip, but this is only aesthetic. You can always use tennis tape.
The seat pads are a little too cushy for my taste. The kids really sink into them. I suppose they are comfy, but on hot days they might be too much.
The handlebar adjusts, so short and tall (even 6'4" dads!) can use this easily.
I would never take this to the mall because I have my double umbrella stroller for that. The stroller is heavy to lift, like ANY jogger, though the aluminum frame is considered lightweight. It would handle beautifully in a mall, I just don't want to fold, unfold and transport it. Note it folds very easily with one hand. It does not lock when folded, though. I could not fit it in my Honda Civic. I suppose you could take the wheels off, but that's too much trouble. I would say this is a great stroller for jogging or just walking around the neighborhood. It's one of the only ones on the market where you can adjust the handlebar, so that might make the decision for you!
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Best for the money
Reviewer: Rebecca , Willimantic CT
Date: July 23, 2006
This is a quickie of what I think:
Cons:
1. Needs a hand brake. The stroller is 27lbs, my kids weigh 30+ and 20, that brings my total to about 80, which is too much to take down hill comfortably or safely. This doesnâ??t count a diaper bag.
2. Seatback height is way too low. It says it's good for children up to 38â?? tall, but my 3 year old is 37" and the metal frame in it hits her right in the middle of the head. I emailed the manufacturer and got no help. Other than they offered to sell me an additional seat pad.
3. The shoulder belts are way too big for infants. I have a huge 6 mo old (20+ lbs) and the chest/shoulder belts are still 3"+ too long for her. I have to crisscross them.
4. The bottom of seat is too long. Again, my oldest is tallish, but her knees barely make it to the edge and so her legs kinds stick out instead of resting on the (too narrow) footrest.
5. Parent console is tiny. I can barely get my essentials in it.
6. When your kids are different weights it will veer to one side a bit.
7. It is hard to pick up and put in car when itâ??s collapsed. Itâ??s just large and awkward and flops around. Some one on the petite side may have a lot of problems getting it into a car.
8. The manufacturâ??s customer service was slow to respond and/or generally unconcerned or defensive about my issues.
Pros
1. Folds really quickly and easily.
2. Goes in my trunk (a 4 door mid size sedan) no problem with room for other stuff. The Instep Safari seemed harder to get in and didn't fold down as small.
3. Assembled in about 10 minutes and was very easy to do.
4. Sunshade is big and can be adjusted to keep almost any sun out.
5. Adjustable handle height. This is an AWESOME feature and works very easily.
6. No prob getting thru doorways. Width seems very workable.
7. My toddler loves it. Both kids have slept in it.
8. Very easy to push. Will turn in place/zero turn radius.
I would buy it again, but only b/c there isn't anything comparable for the price. I have heard that some of the more $ ones still have problems, like they're very heavy or don't have a hand brake. It sure seems hard to get a great all-terrain swivel wheel double stroller no matter what you pay.
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Love this stroller for the price
Reviewer: Anonymous , Franklin, MA
Date: June 23, 2006
I think that this is a great stroller for two kids. My 2 kids are less than a year apart and both seem to enjoy riding in it. It is very easy to push. The only complaint I have is that the seats sit way back and sometimes my kids don't seem 100% comfy but don't complain so it can't be that bad.
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Don't buy
Reviewer: Tanya , Scottsdale, AZ
Date: June 23, 2006
I submitted a review when I first bought this stroller, before my second baby was born. Now he' here and I've used it more. I gave 2 stars; one for steering and one for ease of pushing. I'm not known to use this word, but I HATE this stroller. In fact I haven't used it in over a month. My 2 1/2 year old get's a bruise on the back of his legs from the bar that goes across the front. He also can't lean back because the seat frame hit's him in the back of the head. It's very narrow too. The visor doesn't cover enough. The brake is a pain to use, I think you need steel toed boots to undo it. I wish I could return it....
Comments from The Staff:
We have an easy 30 day return policy if just bought it. I'm very sorry to hear of the issues, but thanks for sharing. Clearly this does not happen with everyone who's bought it, but it sure raises concearn.
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Very wierd angle to the seats
Reviewer: Anonymous , Glendale, Az
Date: May 10, 2006
There is 1 thing that drives me crazy with this stroller. The seat angle is tilted in a recline position. It's not something you can adjust because it's the angle of the frame. My 4 year old doesn't mind too much but does look just a bit uncomfortable. My 1 year olds legs push up and when in the full upright position his top half gets pushed forward folding him into a ball. I've put pillows under the seat to minimize this but why spend almost $300 on a stroller that you have to "rig" to be usable. I have owned 5 double strollers in the last year and this is my 2nd jogger so I know exactly which features work for our family and which I can do without. I didn't buy this to jog with but to use for day trip outings, evening walks, trips to the beach or mountains etc... So maybe that angle works for jogging but for spending a day out with the stroller I think it will be annoying. I'll mention the only other items don't like and then onto the great features it does have. It badly needs a parent tray of some sort. It's a long way down to the basket to get your water bottle. The other thing it lacks is a hand brake. We were going down a hill and I didn't realize it was missing a hand break. We live in Az hills typically aren't an issue so it wasn't a feature I had even checked for. The stroller literally tipped backward when I grabbed it to slow it down.
It does have good features as well. The front swivel wheel is amazing. The push is unbelievably smooth and you literally can close it with 1 hand. it doesn't have a lock to keep closed, but is easy to close. The storage basket is shallow but easily accessible. The handle bar is fantastic! You can raise it or lower it to any heigh position you want. The sun canopy is pretty much the reason I settled on this stroller. I had compared quite a few and this sun canopy by far is the best out there. It's attached at the top by velcro straps. if you undo those straps it swivels completely in front of the kids if you're walking into the sun. Since it's a jogging stroller you assume most people will be using it outdoors and this is a feature I could not live without. I'm willing to put up with the annoying seat angle for the front swivel wheel and the sun canopy. The reason for the 3 stars is the seat angle. If they could correct that the other things are minor. If I have to bend over to get my water but my kids are comfortable- no big deal. But dealing with a fussy baby the entire walk because he keeps crunching into a ball ruins the whole walking experience. Overall a really well made stroller with lots of great features. Probably best for kids 18 mos at the youngest so they're big enough to not mind the seat angle.
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Great Stroller, with a few glitches
Reviewer: Amanda , Redmond, Or
Date: May 04, 2006
I am a mother of a three year old and a one year old. This stroller moves like a dream! I love that I can unfold it, put my children in it and go. It is very easy to use with one hand, easy to jog with. I have had a few problems with it, first the straps are way too big, they are even a little loose on my three year old. This is a little scary with small children. The seats sit back too far, and my chilren complain. Second, it sticks when you try to fold it down. I returned my first one and got another one, now my new one is doing the same thing. I have looked at other strollers, but I can't find one that has all the gadgets that this one has. Over all I think the stroller out wieghs the glitches in it.
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Swivel wheel is a MUST
Reviewer: Kathy R. , Concord, NH
Date: March 23, 2006
I absolutely love this stroller. Before my second daughter was born I had a Jeep 3 wheel stroller with the swivel front wheel and missed it so much, I had to have another swivel.
This stroller handles like a dream. Our road slopes pretty steeply in some areas and it was a wrestling match to keep my old (front/back) tandem on the road. With the Free Wheeler, I can easily steer and push with one hand (while I hold the dog leash in the other), even on the sloped areas.
Iâ??m not a runner, but we do a lot of outdoor walking with this stroller. As you can imagine a SBS jogger is not ideal for shopping, but that wasnâ??t my main goal. Walks to the park, around the neighborhood, and at county fairs are what this stroller is perfect for. The seats are very plush and soft and there is a lot of storage (behind each seat, underneath and the parent console). I have even stuffed my jacket behind one of the seats â?? making it a little more upright, which my toddler appreciates. The adjustable handlebar is great too and very easy to use. The frame is lightweight and about as narrow as youâ??re going to get for a SBS. The canopy was the deciding factor when I was comparing similarly priced models. This one cost a little bit more, but I really like that the canopy provides so much coverage as both my girls are fair-skinned and pretty sensitive to the sun. All 3 wheels pop on and off very easily to make it take up a little less space in the trunk, which is nice. It would have been nice to have a lock to keep it folded up, but a bungee cord works.
My children are 3 years old and 6 months old. The only flaw that I have found is that the harness is big, even for my 20 lb. 6 month old. The padded shoulder straps are nice, but they prevent the straps from being adjusted enough for a small baby. I had to thread the waist strap through the webbing of the shoulder strap to get her safely secured â?? but itâ??s working so I donâ??t really complain. I only mention it because it may be an issue for smaller babies.
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I'm absolutely thrilled
Reviewer: Rosa Friedman , Saugus, Ca
Date: March 05, 2006
I received my jogger three weeks ago after doing my research on line and compared several models. I was surprised to receive a rapid delivery, even though I selected regular shipping. On to the details...I use it regularly. I have a four year old and two year old, who love to be in it (from day one). I purchased it so that my boys could ride comfortably while we walk the dog. It's very light weight. I can pick it up by myself and place it in my truck. I'm a very thin woman and was surprised that I could lift it. The sroller appears heavy, yet is quite light (not much heavier than my single stroller). This jogger has a smooth ride, the seats have comfortable removable seat pads, my boys are so comfortable and I love that the canopy is not attached to the handle bar, which makes the canopy super adjustable so that the sun is NEVER in their faces. The handle bar is also a huge plus as I'm quite shorter than my husband. We adjust the handle bar either because of height or activity that we do. I'm completely satisfied with this product and have found no flaws. Anyone considering a double jogger purchase should have this model and will be as thrilled as I am with all the bells and whistles it comes with.
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