“You think that’s a Schwinn?” Brad Pitt’s doofy trainer character laughingly asks John Malkovich’s apoplectic CIA spook in Burn After Reading. The implication is that his bicycle (a Bianchi, for the record) is of finer stock. But we’ve always had a soft spot for the brand, which has a history dating back 125 years and an impressive portfolio of efficiently engineered bikes that are both affordable and stylish. The latest example? The Schwinn Axum, a new mountain bike that costs — wait for it — $398.

We wouldn’t blame you for raising an eyebrow at such a low price tag. We did too. But while no one would mistake this bike for, say, a $9,520 Specialized S-Works Epic Hardtail AXS, the Axum packs a surprising array of promising elements into its sub-$400 package. Intended for rough terrain and cross country trails, the bike boasts a light aluminum frame, a front fork with 100 mm (4 inches) of travel and a trigger-shifted 1×8 drivetrain for simple transitions.

The Axum also features burly 29-inch wheels with 2.6-inch wide knobby tires that should truck over everything from curbs to rocks, mechanical disc brakes for reliable stopping and internal cable routing, should you choose to upgrade to a dropper post. The full package weighs in at a reported 35 pounds, which is nearly twice as much as the 19-pound Epic. But considering the Axum is also nearly 24 times cheaper, it has the makings of a frisky entry-level mountain bike. We can’t to get take one out on the trails and see for ourselves.

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