One point, avoid the Schwinn's you mentioned, they both have light weight low spoke count wheels.
I and several others have had bad luck with them. One their 24 spoke wheels broke and dumped me
in the street last February.
Go for a 36 spoke wheel.
I started a year ago on an $80 Walmart bike, and now ride an old vintage Trek fitness bike.
When you get your bike, your need to ride it, every day,,, every day.
I started doing five and six miles a day, now I do 100's and today I did twenty in under an
hour.
I ride every day!