Bicycle Mechanics - 1 day old... both wheels wobble.

I bought a Mongoose Ace bike from Toys R Us last night.

After assembly, I checked to make sure everything was tight, including the play in the wheels.

It's difficult to explain, but... tapping on the side of the tire with the bike standing still, there is movement. Not a lot of movement, but it's an annoying clicking and doesn't seem like it should be doing it. Both wheels have the same movement.

Is there something I need to tighten, adjust, etc.?

Also, can brakes be interchanged with better ones?


Thanks for any help,

Sean

The best bet would be to return the bike to the store, go to a local bike shop (LBS), and get a bike that is good quality and set up properly. They will stand behind the bike and work done on it.

If that isn't practical for some reason (cost?), still take the bike back and get them to adjust it for you, or get a different one, and keep doing it until you're satisfied.

If the LBS seems a little more expensive,
that's why, they usually get it right the first time, and if not, will make it right.

Good luck!

Possibly wheel bearings not tight enough.Take it back and spend a few dollars more on a decent bike from LBS.You start changing out parts and you are soon into the price of a better bike.

I appreciate your recommendations, however, $200 more from an LBS for tight wheel bearings is near extortion.

All I want is a bike that is mechanically sound. If I can tighten something to make the wheels not wobble, I'll do that.

My 12 year old son isn't a hard core BMX freak. He doesn't need a $400 bike.

Is there a way to adjust the bearings so the wheels don't wobble?


Thanks,

Sean

I understand what your saying, but it would be best to take the bike back and ask for your money back, then buy a magazine and look for a bargain in there.
Right at the moment they are off loading 2002 models because 03's are coming out.

I say this because my first bike came from Toys r us and I thought it was okay.
when I got it home the brake pads were missing,
then a chainlink jammed whilst riding,
then the bearings in the crank gave up the ghost,
the pedal apart and the tyres lasted only a couple of hundred miles before they had to be changed (i'm talking 300miles max).
I could go on but eventually I did what I recommend you do and since buying a good quality bike on sale I've had no trouble.

Believe me the bike is going to be trouble.

Ya get what ya pay for. Toy store bikes, and I'll include mass merchants in that bunch, are put together by people who know little, if anything, about proper bicycle set-up. I don't want to sound like a bike snob, but the price difference between an LBS and a 'Toy Store' bike is not extortion, it is the quality of the materials and the quality of what goes into getting the bike right the first time .

You have problems with your toy store bike from the get-go. Just imagine what will happen down the road as your child really starts to ride the bike hard and put it away wet.


I would sincerely suggest a visit to a bike shop or two to see what is available and if you could negotiate a price on something that will be suitable for your son. Sometimes is is better to "spend fifty dollars once, than twenty five dollars twice".

The local bike shop will almost always give you free tune-ups from 30 days to 6 months.I feel your child would be much safer on a well maintained bike.

Want to be a do it yourselfer? Buy a maintenance book and some proper tools.Not rocket science.Also try www.parktool.com for help.

If you do want to do-it-yourself, a good repair book with clear and concise instructions and plenty of excellent pictures is The Haynes Bicycle Book by Haynes Publishing. Haynes is very big in automotive and motorcycle repair maunals. Another is Bicycling' Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenace and Repair. They should be available at places like Barnes&Noble and Borders Books. Haynes is the best, IMO.

Mongoose was once a manufacturer of quality bicycles. Now the name means nothing.

Here are the options I see for you, Sean:

1. Return the bike to Toys R Us and have them make it right. Keep in mind that the next bike will likely have been assembled by the same caliber of mechanic who set up the one you have with the wobbly wheels. Eventually they may get it right for you.

2. Take the bike to a local bike shop with a qualified mechanic. He'll charge you a few dollars to fix the wobbly wheels, and will probably go over the bike to find anything else that the Toys R Us hacks messed up. He could even install better brakes. LBS mechanics make a lot of money fixing toy store bikes.

3. Return the bike to Toys R Us and get your money back. Apply it toward a better quality bike for your kid. I know that bike shop prices seem high, but you really do move into a new level of quality and service when you deal with a dedicated bike shop. Your local bike shop might even have a used bike that will work for you. I would rather have a used bike of good quality that has been worked on by a good mechanic than a brand new toy store bike.

4. Get some cone wrenches and do the work yourself. It isn't that hard but takes proper tools and some mechanical ability.

I know we all seem snobbish here. We don't mean to. It simply is the case that a real bike shop will give you a better product and better service than a toy store. You do get what you pay for.

Good luck!

EDIT: Oh, yeah. Wobbly wheels are probably a sign of loose bearings which do not get better by themselves. If he rides on those hubs, it won't take long before they are toast.

Instead of buying them flashy-looking new bikes from *-Mart, I have always provided my two sons with decent-quality used bikes. Son #2 did briefly own a Magna Glacier Point when someone stole his Peugeot juvenile mountain bike and left the Magna in its place. Despite years of experience building and maintaining bicycles (I just finished completely rebuilding a Campag. Chorus/Omega wheelset for the Bianchi), I was unable to maintain proper bearing adjustment in the Magna's wheels. Perhaps the ball bearings, the cones, or the races were out-of-round, but I was relieved when my son gave the Magna to one of his friends (who I hope still likes him ...). He now rides a well-used yard sale 1990 Ross Rock Machine with a 1999 Supergo closeout Shimano Parallax / Mavic wheelset -- nothing great, but vastly more reliable and enjoyable than the Magna. I was gratified that he could see through the Magna's attractive blue paint job to the mechanical junk underneath -- he hated the bike more than I did. This warms my heart as much as son #1's passion for classical music. I must be doing something right as a parent ...

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU A-HOLES? CAN'T YOU JUST ANSWER HIS QUESTION?
My guess is the locknuts on the hubs are just a little loose. This happens to $800 wheels too. It's not a big deal. Just tighen the nuts slightly until the play is gone.
Even if you ride without adjusting, a slight bit of play is not unsafe and could be normal tolerance for that wheelset.

Diamond Back has a full suspension bike for kids that is 250usd. Check it out. It would be a great bike for him because he will not out grow it's performance for some time to come.
Also, a bmx bike from a bike shop would only run about 150 to 200 usd. It will not be the best but it will be mechanicaly sound.

Slainte:beer:

Hey RacerX, take a chill pill! He asked a question and it was answered. Several different times. It's somewhat obvious that he doesn't have a knowledge of bikes, therefor it's difficult to tell him what to do. The best advice given was to take it back to Toys R Us and have them make it right.. Hopefully he'll get a bike that is correctly set up from the start. I don't think if you bought a new car you would be satisfied with 'tighten the lugs nuts' because your wheels were loose when you drove it home.

And your admonition that "Even if you ride without adjusting, a slight bit of play is not unsafe and could be normal tolerance for that wheelset.." is really off the mark! What is your definition of a 'slight bit of play'? You must be a bearing salesman. I doubt a slight bit of play is normal for any wheelset installed on a bike! No play is normal once the wheels are installed.

Give Zipp a call.

I think you are thinking the LBS will be $200 more it won't. YOu can get a Giant 24 Inch MTB for your kid for around $200.. so it is a bit more. But most LBS will atleast give you 1 year (atleast around her) free maintenance. One of my LBS will give 5 years with a new bike. THis far outweighs the extra money you spend now.

Thanks again for all of your input.

To summarize what's happened in this thread...

Q: How do I fix wobbly wheels?


Although it seemed to me that I was asking a mechanical question and how to "adjust-out" a wobble. Here are most of the answers I was offered.

A: Consult a LBS.
A: Keep returning the bike until I get one I liked.
A: Consult a LBS.
A: Return the bike to Toyrs R Us.
A: Consult a LBS.
See a pattern yet?
A: Answer his question. Probably a small adjust.
A: Consult a LBS. This guy doesn't know what the heck he's doing.
A: Buy a repair book.
A: Buy a repair book.
A: Consult a LBS.

I obviously don't fit into the "community" here. I apologize for wasting everybodies time.

If I could, though, offer one suggestion when new forum users ask a simple question that only requires a small bit of step-by-step instructions/walkthrough. JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION.

If I had $300 to spend on a bike, I'd buy it. I have $150. I don't want a MTB, I want a BMX. I don't want some tree-hugging, 40 year-old, bike repair lifer telling me (or not telling me), "Don't adjust it, pay me to", or better yet... "Since I spent $300-400 on a bike, you should too."

I doubt the majority here has tested any "Toy Store" bikes since they purchased their LBS Bike (BTW, when you use a phrases initials it's used WAY TOO MUCH!!!).

The those of you reading my reply saying, "We helped this guy, what's his problem."

Are all of you LBS sales people?

Sheesh


P.S. Next time someone asks a mechanical question, answer the specific question or ignore the post. The "Senior member" title under your nick just means you babble too much.

Was it something we said?

Sean_Wright;

Please accept at least one humble apology for the inappropriate responses you received on your query concerning “play in wheels”. Your question is quite valid and of merit:

I have adjusted numerous wheel bearings on K-Mart; Target; Toys-R-Us bicycles (including those labeled Mongoose) therefore speak from personal experience.

To adjust the wheel bearings you will need one special tool called a cone wrench. It’s easiest to pick one up at a bicycle specialty store, though Toy-R-Us may carry them also. I believe the Mongoose may have Joy-Tech hubs and require a 13mm size (Park Tool DCW1) cone wrench and you’ll need at least one other wrench (an adjustable crescent will work).

Remove the wheel from the bike (15mm bolt or adjustable crescent). Loosen the outside axial locknut, screw the adjustable cone tight against the bearings (with your fingers only!) and then reverse it by ¼ turn or so. Now secure the cone with the locknut. Test by pushing/pulling on axial, too much play? Try again, patience is the key. Now check that the axial turns without too much resistance.

This is the tricky part, what is “too much resistance?” EZ answer, with wheel on bike it should spin around numerous times before stopping. On quality equipment you’ll actually be able to get it to a point that the tire valve ends up at the bottom when the wheel comes to rest.

Special Note: on the rear wheel you’ll have to do your adjusting on the left side of the wheel (as you’re standing over the bike) because the cassette unit/freewheel blocks access to the right side.

Don’t get discourage if it takes some time (i.e. numerous attempts) to get it within reason. The next time it will be easier, trust me.

An issue I have discover with many new bicycles is the bearing grease is contaminated or somewhat lacking in quantity. This makes bearing adjustment more difficult. However to overhaul the hub (clean and grease the bearings) adds more complexity to the job, which may not be warranted in your case. You’ll know if you find it extremely difficult to eliminate all axial play and still have reasonable resistance.

Sean_Wright please realize you are main stream since Bicycle Retailer & Industry News recently estimated that all U.S. retailers sold 19.6 million bikes last year. Conservative analysis places aggregate retail bike sales last year at a total of approximately $2.2 billion. Specialty retail channel outlets (Local Bike Shops), were out paced by mass-merchant retailers, who are thought to represent about 57 percent of the overall market share. Big box stores now dominate in total bicyles sold.

Those who champion the “local bike shops” do have very logical arguments for their merits. However you asked a mechanical question, I for one again apologize for the numerous inappropriate answers you received.

I strongly suggest that the effete snobs on this board read the latest issue of Bicycling magazines article on PACIFIC CYCLE’s “Schwinn” in which the authors state it’s one of the finest values ever made available in mass-merchant retail outlets. PACIFIC is the vendor of your Mongoose bicycle Sean. Congratulations on your new bicycle I'm very happy that PACIFIC has lowered the barrier to entry into the wonderful world of cycling for you and is empowering millions into the sport who otherwise could not afford it

Cheers and God Bless...

I bought a Mongoose Ace bike from Toys R Us last night.
2 mistakes: cheap bike, lousy store. You got what you paid for....


Not a lot of movement, but it's an annoying clicking and doesn't seem like it should be doing it. Both wheels have the same movement.
You got what you paid for.


Also, can brakes be interchanged with better ones?
Not likely. Cheap bikes come with cheap calipers. these brakes suck. Nobody wants them, anyway. You bought a throw-away bike-people throw them in the trash when anything breaks. You got what you paid for.


All I want is a bike that is mechanically sound.
You won't get that from a toy store bike. You got what you paid for.


Is there a way to adjust the bearings so the wheels don't wobble?
Probably not without a press. You got what you paid for.


If I had $300 to spend on a bike, I'd buy it. I have $150.
$150 would buy a good used bike, even a BMX. Instead, you went for shiny paint on a piece of junk that likely won't last 6 months. You got what you paid for.

Why do even bother posting here? If you've ever read any of the posts here, you would know better than to buy a bike from a toy store. You would also know that we tend to be merciless to those who do....

Okay, Sean, you're right. We didn't give you exactly the answer you wanted. We suck.

Here's the advice we should have given you:

Go buy one or two specialized tools from your local bike shop (hereafter referred to as the LBS by common consent and forum convention). Follow Faith's meticulous step-by-step instructions with no illustrations. You don't need a book. It isn't rocket science, after all. It will just take a couple of hours of tinkering and frustration, that's all.


Look, the fact is, you bought a defective bicycle. It should have worked right when you took it home. It didn't. When you buy something defective, the best course of action is to return it for one that works. But you didn't want to hear that.

Contrary to what you may think, many of us have plenty of experience with toy store bicycles. We cobble them back together for our neighbors, friends and families. We know what they are made of. That's why we don't ride them--or reccomend them. There are a lot of people here who know and love bicycles. But you don't care about our opinions.

The bike you bought was assembled by toy store stock boys. I don't know about you, but I think I would rather have a tree-hugging, 40 year old bike store lifer...someone with knowledge, skill, training and experience...build my bike than a pimply faced minimum wage back room hack.

So, if you want to keep the bike, the advice to take it to your LBS to have the work done is actually pretty sound. Your LBS mechanic already has the tools and the know-how to fix your wobbly wheels. He might also put some adequate brakes on your cheap bike. He could check out a few other things as well that the stock boys might have overlooked. Yeah, you'll pay him a few dollars but most of us think it would be worth it. But that's not the advice you wanted.

Alternatively, you could pay those costs up front. Buy a bike at your LBS that has better quality components and has already been assembled by a competent mechanic. You'll get some service down the road as well, like a free 30 day tune up. Yes, it will cost more than a toy store bike. But you'll be light years ahead when it comes to quality and service.

But never mind any of that, Sean. You wanted us to tell you how to fix the cheap, badly assembled toy store bike that you bought for your son. We should have done exactly that and nothing more. We should have kept any other advice to ourselves. You're right. We suck.

So, good luck repairing those hubs, pal. And when you go down to the LBS to buy a cone wrench, be sure to introduce yourself to the tree hugger with the greasy fingernails. I have a feeling you'll be seeing him again.

Thanks RegularGuy. Well said.

Originally posted by D*Alex




Probably not without a press. You got what you paid for.




Why do even bother posting here? If you've ever read any of the posts here, you would know better than to buy a bike from a toy store. You would also know that we tend to be merciless to those who do.... Where do you come up with this endless stream of cra...uh,er applesauce?

Originally posted by RegularGuy
[B

So, if you want to keep the bike, the advice to take it to your LBS to have the work done is actually pretty sound. [/B] Interestingly,many LBS here have signs posted at the service area saying 'NO REPAIRS DONE ON DEPT STORE TYPE BIKES'. They apparently don't like em either,don't need the hassle,and have plenty of other work to pay the rent.

Originally posted by Sean_Wright
Thanks again for all of your input.


P.S. Next time someone asks a mechanical question, answer the specific question or ignore the post. The "Senior member" title under your nick just means you babble too much. Try www.parktool.com or buy a maintenance book. Both are good places to start.With all due respect to Faith and her PC response,you did get some solid advice.

I must say a few people in this thread have stated that they do not mean to come off as snobs but where offering very valid advice. I just mentioned the MTB as a example, you can go to a LBS and get a BMX bike for about $180.. And as I said kids are hard on bikes, just as adults and the maintenance that comes with them will pay off in the long run for the extra few dollars.

I see nothing wrong with toy's R Us bike's, just can't expect them to last that long or stay running as new very long. I bought my son one last year, since I knew he woudl outgrow it real quickly. he was 4 at the time and now is 5 and has outgrown it and will buy him a new one this year, and figure he should fit it a bit longer so will go to the LBS.

Originally posted by pokey
Interestingly,many LBS here have signs posted at the service area saying 'NO REPAIRS DONE ON DEPT STORE TYPE BIKES'. They apparently don't like em either,don't need the hassle,and have plenty of other work to pay the rent.

Been there.

He took one look at the bike and told me not to bother. He said he couldn't justify taking my money to repair a bike that he knew would be back in a week or two with the same problems.

ALL bikes need adjusting. Loose hubs are not uncommon on bikes from $100 to $2000. Cone wrenches and tightening is NOT a big deal or mean defective wheels.
Brakes are upgraded on $1000 bikes as well! You've never upgraded parts before? Why is it any different for this guy? People join up to get some simple mechanical tips and get a bunch of crap on 'You don't know any better. So forget your question and do what we say because you are a child and need to be told what to do.'

Maybe some of you are defective. What is wrong with you people? Pull the stick out so the collective BS can blow through for gods sake!
Maybe they should change the name of the forum to BikeSnobForums. A big, fat middle finger to all of you that should know better.

Originally posted by RacerX

Brakes are upgraded on $1000 bikes as well! You've never upgraded parts before? Go ahead and spend more on a brake upgrad for your toy store bike than you paid for it.Put it in contex,then upgrade till you puke.

contexT, upgradE, NOT my bike. STFU.

Originally posted by RacerX
contexT, upgradE, NOT my bike. STFU. Hey, it's just bicycles,not rocket science.Don't blow a tube over it.

What worries me is, when his kid's bike craps out before labour day, he'll probably be bored all summer, have no wheels, and then will turn to drugs......................

The hubs can be adjusted, but you'll have to do that before every single ride. It will cut your time to get a quality used bike from a LBS.

Originally posted by danka24
The hubs can be adjusted, but you'll have to do that before every single ride. It will cut your time to get a quality used bike from a LBS. Really? WHY??

Originally posted by pokey
Really? WHY??

It's bound to loosen up while the wheels are spinning.

Originally posted by RacerX
ALL bikes need adjusting. Loose hubs are not uncommon on bikes from $100 to $2000. Cone wrenches and tightening is NOT a big deal or mean defective wheels.True
Brakes are upgraded on $1000 bikes as well! You've never upgraded parts before? Why is it any different for this guy? Because of the cost of the upgrade vs. price of the bike. For an equal amount of money he could go to a LBS and get a BMX WITH the friggin brakes he wants on it. People join up to get some simple mechanical tips and get a bunch of crap on 'You don't know any better. So forget your question and do what we say because you are a child and need to be told what to do.' If it were done right the first time he wouldn't have to fix to begin with.

Maybe some of you are defective. What is wrong with you people? Pull the stick out so the collective BS can blow through for gods sake! You're the one spazzing.
Maybe they should change the name of the forum to BikeSnobForums. A big, fat middle finger to all of you that should know better. If you would read the g*damn posts we told him to [list=1]
Take the thing back to Toys "R" Us to have them make it right. Cost= $0
Go to a LBS to see what they have to offer in the same price range or for a little more.. Cost of looking = Free good advice = Priceless
We've given him resources told him how to do it etc but still you act like an a$$
[/list=1] If he doesn't like the advice we give because he thinks that bikes are toys and should be bought at a g*damn toy store that's his problem quit beating on us for giving him our opinions on how to get the most for his money. There wasn't one post on this entire f'in thread that told him he has to go out and spend 18 bazillion dollars on a Moots Mootineer or anything of the sort. If his kid isn't worth spending say thirty dollars more for a bike that will survive the riding that kids do with the backing of people who will actually fix the damn thing when it does break (as opposed to the toy store where they won't do crap except sell you a new one). No wonder kids don't ride bikes anymore...the only ones they see are the POS X-mart bikes that fall apart all too quickly.
. Now why don't you take your all offended self out for a ride and lose the 'tude :crash:

Originally posted by danka24


It's bound to loosen up while the wheels are spinning. WHY?? WHY??

Originally posted by Raiyn
If you would read the g*damn posts we told him to [list=1]
Take the thing back to Toys "R" Us to have them make it right. Cost= $0
Go to a LBS to see what they have to offer in the same price range or for a little more.. Cost of looking = Free good advice = Priceless
We've given him resources told him how to do it etc but still you act like an a$$
[/list=1] If he doesn't like the advice we give because he thinks that bikes are toys and should be bought at a g*damn toy store that's his problem quit beating on us for giving him our opinions on how to get the most for his money. There wasn't one post on this entire f'in thread that told him he has to go out and spend 18 bazillion dollars on a Moots Mootineer or anything of the sort. If his kid isn't worth spending say thirty dollars more for a bike that will survive the riding that kids do with the backing of people who will actually fix the damn thing when it does break (as opposed to the toy store where they won't do crap except sell you a new one). No wonder kids don't ride bikes anymore...the only ones they see are the POS X-mart bikes that fall apart all too quickly.
. Now why don't you take your all offended self out for a ride and lose the 'tude :crash: Damm,that's good!

Magnetic forces, generated by rotating bearings, cause stationary leftside (when viewed from the nearside) nuts to...........oh never mind!

The guy most likely felt like we were attacking him if he did not read carefuly and with a open mind.

The advice was from people who ride bikes, and no truly what they can handle. The guy did not listen to the advice, and automaticaly assumed that bikes at a LBS where going to start off at $300 which is untrue. Rather then take the advice even with a a grain of salt and check out a LBS.. jumped to his own conclusions.

Maybe people were a bit harsh with their advice, but he treated everyone back the same way.

And he put down the LBS and the mechanics their and some on this forum work at LBS and that is insultive to them...

Originally posted by pokey
Interestingly,many LBS here have signs posted at the service area saying 'NO REPAIRS DONE ON DEPT STORE TYPE BIKES'. They apparently don't like em either,don't need the hassle,and have plenty of other work to pay the rent.
I was sitting at the coffee shop in our local shopping centre with a bunch of cyclists recently when a woman walked past carrying a bike in a box from a department store. The owner of the LBS was there with us and he just smiled. He knew he'd make a few bucks when they got the thing home and finally got frustrated trying to put the thing together.

He is constantly fixing and adjusting stuff on toy store and department store bikes that are put together incorrectly.

I think the real issue for me is that I wouldn't want my kids on a sub standard bike. Bikes are vehicles that can carry the rider at relatively high speeds. I don't want bits to start breaking when my little girl is travelling at 25km/h. Just because bikes are fun doesn't mean that they are toys and they shouldn't be thought of in that way.

People checking out this forum are probably thinking... "Wow, people have answered the wobbly wheel question forty times!!!"

I had a time constraint of 1 day to receive advice on adjusting bearings on wobbly wheels. Five replies later, everyone was jumping on the LBS bandwagon.

I was nothing but open-minded. The whole reason in coming here was to get an answer for one question. I didn't need a review on Toy Store bikes in general.

My twelve year old son doesn't ride everyday. He doesn't ride on a bike ramp, use the pegs for grinding, etc. He needed something that looked good, was mechanically sound and within a budget (< $150).

Besides the wobbly wheels and brake adjustments, the Mongoose worked. Adjustments are standard in my opinion.

Since I didn't receive advice (a sales pitch is more fitting), I went to the "LBS" and looked again at something I thought was comparable to the Mongoose.

I ended up returning the Mongoose and getting a Red Line Double XX Special Edition for $269 + tax.

The funniest thing to me about the whole deal is they recommend bringing the bringing the bike in for adjustment after 30 to 90 days of riding.

The "Bicycle Mechanics" forum, with the exception of two or three actual help posts, provided excellent advice about where I should take my money and what I should do with it.

Thanks again for everyones input.

Originally posted by Sean_Wright
My twelve year old son doesn't ride everyday.
Encourage your son to ride everyday. Bicycling is something that can bring a smile to his face for a lifetime.


Originally posted by Sean_Wright
The funniest thing to me about the whole deal is they recommend bringing the bringing the bike in for adjustment after 30 to 90 days of riding.
Pretty standard. This usually involves adjusting cables, which stretch after use, so that the brakes can effectively be used (and shifters if equiped).

Glad you got things straightened out. Make sure you invest in a helmet for your son too. And if you don't have a bike, go get one to experience the joy of being a kid again and get a chance to spend some quality time with your son.
:beer:

THat is one thing I highly suggest RacerX, get a bike go with your son.

I remember as kid, me, my brother and dad would go on rides together it was alot of fun. I'm just teaching my son to ride his bike right now, he is progressing nicely. I'm hoping we can go ride together real soon :)


There is a break in period on bikes, the cables to the brakes do not come pre-stretreched on average, so with the constant tension they will stretch out a lil'bit. That bike should last your son for YEARS to come!

If I came across as snobbish (partially guilty, I fear!) or unhelpful, I apologize. Exchanging the Mongoose* for a better machine was a good move, so I suppose all is well that ends well.

I think many of us are extremely sensitive about the entire bicycles-as-toys mentality of the American public. Furthermore, any 12-year-old kid with a mechanically inferior bicycle will not tend to embrace the sport (been there, done that, with my own son). I want people to enjoy cycling and to recognize the bicycle as the extremely enjoyable, economical, energy-efficient transportation alternative it can be. A little extra quality goes a long way -- congratulations on finding a high-value "sweet spot" on the quality-versus-price curve.


* I sadly note that son #1's first 20"-wheeled bicycle was a Mongoose Decade freestyle, with a CrMo frame and crank, bulletproof 48-spoke wheels, passably decent bearings, etc. The marque certainly ain't what it used to be.

I let my young son pick out his own bike. We looked all over town including the bike shops and the department stores. He picked out a bike from either Toys-R-Us or Walmart, I can't remember. I just kept my mouth shut. He liked it best because it looked cool. That was good enough for me.

We took it home. I tuned it up. It had a couple of things that needed attention - mostly nuisance stuff - just a little tighening needed. After that, though, it worked fine.

Kids these days don't ride bikes all that much to really notice the quality of the machine. My kids ride bikes probably 500% more than the average kid their age, but it still isn't that much.

I'm just glad to see people on bikes. I don't care if it is new or old or from X-Mart or HolyMolybikeshop. If somebody is riding a bike, it is a good thing.

In my humble opinion, I think the X-mart bikes serve their purpose and are built for the market they serve - low use, short life, low price.

Originally posted by Kev
THat is one thing I highly suggest RacerX, get a bike go with your son. Kev, I'm riderx - not RacerX, some interloper who has a similar name ;) - I think you'll notice a difference in our personalities.

Redline makes some really good bikes (especially the SS MTB's), and is probably the best deal for the money going. For a few bux more, you got a bike that will still be worth something when he either outgrows it or tires of it. Oh, BTW, the kids that really know bikes will tell him that it's cool, too. He wouldn't have heard that on a Mongoose anymore....

People were acting like this guy was an idiot for buying a bike from a toy store. How many people here got thier first bikes from a LBS? I bet not too many. The guy didn't ask where he should go to buy a bike, he asked how to fix one he already bought. Fortunately for him, he did take it back and bought a better bike, but there are plenty of people for whom $250 IS too expensive. I guess some people think that bicycling is only for people that can afford to spend more money.
My niece wants to buy a new bike for her 5 year old. He has an x-mart bike that is too small. She is a single mom with a "deadbeat" ex. She is on a very tight budget. I am NOT going to send her to a LBS to spend 150.00 to buy a bike that is not going to be any better than one she can get for 52.00 at toysrus. One LBS near me has a teeny tiny little "Specialized" that is his size. What would be the point? Would he be tearing up and down the driveway more than he would on a Huffy? Yeah, I know that "theoretically" the LBS bike is a "better" bike, but, as I always say, "until you can upgrade the motor, what's the point of having that much bike?"

My last bike was a Roadmaster POS. It worked pretty well for a POS that had 0 maintenance over it's 10 year lifespan. No, it didn't get a lot of use, but neither do most toy store bikes. If a person rides enough to know the difference, they will be able to judge which LBS bike they want to buy. In the meantime there is NOTHING wrong with "x-mart" bikes. Provided they are used as intended.

Further, just because you went to a LBS, doesn't mean you got a good bike. I bought my last bike from a bike shop. Yep, the RoadmasterPOS came from a real bike shop. Another LBS near me sells Mongeese, Schwinns, Jeeps (which others on this forum have classified as "toy store" quality) and other bikes of this ilk. Lots of people shop there, and pay more for these bikes. Oh, and this is the same shop that told me that I could just pick out a bike I liked and they would adjust it to "fit" me. There are no mechanics there, so don't tell me they do a better job assembling these bikes.

In general, the first responses to this guy were pretty raw. Nice way to treat a newbie to the forums. I'm glad I didn't get this kind of response when I first arrived here.

My view on this (as if anyone really cares) is
that Sean's son, at 12 years old, will ride the bike,
probably emulate his friends and ride ramps,
grind pegs, and all of that BMX stuff.
I'd be surprized if he isn't trying that already.
Remember being 12? Remember trying to launch
that balloon tire bike off some jump?
yeah, I thought so...

Marty