General Cycling Discussion - wal mart bikes

I know you all hate wal mart bikes, but i need something and i only got 150 to spend. It will see mostly road and some LIGHT off roading. This is just to get me around. Now i am not sur of brand but i saw some at wal mart between 100 and 150. They had front shocks and a few had rear shocks. I think these might of been a mongoose. Now please don't get on a sop box about wal mart is junk and go to an lbs.. I just want to know if it will hold up to what i described. It will not get that much use, just a few trips to the store or what not.. So are these decent bikes?? And on frames, how much better is aluminum over a steel frame??

Thanks guys!! Later!!

For commuting, if you're on such a tight budget and want a new bike, a Walmart bike is fine. Hey, I used to have one. :rolleyes: If you have some time, you can get a better one (and possibly cheaper) if you go used ... LBS or eBay is cool.

For road riding, get one w/o a shock, if that makes any difference in the price. Steel and aluminum won't make much difference, so go with the cheaper option. ;)

My original MTB was a Wal-Mart Mongoose. Wasn't that bad for the price. Trashed the cranks and bottom-bracket the first year though. But I rode it almost daily and on trails. For what you describe, it will probably hold up for quite a while. You can always replace the worn out parts later. If you anticipate more extreme riding in the near future though, I'd look for something a little more high-end.

On a limited budget, try to avoid frills, such as suspension, which is worthless on-road and semiworthless on typical multitrack trails. If you do buy a *-Mart machine, be prepared to spend time and/or money replacing bearings. Better still, buy a good used bicycle from one of those myriad well-meaning souls who never got around to riding much.

Got a nice 2002 Fuji Supreme Hybrid bike for $149 at Performance Bike Shop here in San Diego- 50% off! I use it for commuting to work and running to the store. Great bike for light on- and off-road use. I love it! (Especially for the price.) I was at the Performance near my home a few days ago, and they still had one left. So if you live near one of these stores, it doesn't hurt to look.

If you're gonna buy from Walmart, then here's my pick

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2073253&cat=4180&type=5&dept=4125&path=0%3A4171%3A61903%3A61904%3A4180%3A4183%3A5297


It's so simple that there's not much to go wrong. Huffy also has a cruiser that's a little cheaper but not as stylish. Of course, you could probably find a "real" Schwinn cruiser for $100 or less if you start looking around.

For your $150, you could buy a piece of trash from ***-mart and watch it fall apart within 1 year, or, you could buy a decent used bike and use it for the next 5. The choice is yours.

I would certainly buy a used bike over a new *-mart bike anyday. I have a Univega custom Ten road bike I actually bought at a flea market, I fixed it up and rode it on a 250 mile ride... it cost me a whole $15 plus the cost of two new rubbers.. not a bad deal. You might want to find out what the classified section in your newspaper has to offer.. avoid road bikes (people think they can overcharge for a used one), Huffy, Murray, Roadmaster, Mongoose or Schwinn.. if you find something else, I say go for it.

Don't forget Ross, Columbia, Next, Pacific, Magna, etc.....

You could always buy that $150 Wal-Mart bike at a garage sale for $20. It probably would only have been taken for a ride 5 times!

:D

Well i know yalls opinion of wal-mart bikes is they suck. Well i got one tonight. I have no car..(i am almost 18) needed something to get around on. Well found an aluminum frame full suspension bike.. All shimano components, metal petals etc...It is made by dynacfaft. From what i was riding this thing is like a cadalack(sp??) It is going to work fine for my use. It only needed a few gear adjustments(iknow, if i bought from an lbs this wouldn't be neccesary, so please don't bring it up.) It was only a 100$$ normally 125$$ But i like it and that is all that matters.. Here is a picture of it.. It is the second one.. http://www.dynacraftbike.com/walmart_26_mens.htm

what ya think?? decent bike??

Later!!

As long as you enjoy riding it, that is what truly matters.

what ya think?? decent bike??

No, not by a long shot.

BTW, the frame is not aluminum, only the "finish". It's a steel frame. Take a magnet to it, if you don't believe me.

That's the problem with ***-mart bikes-they convince unknowlegable people that they are getting something more than they really are. I'll bet that bike falls apart quicker than a monthly bus pass expires.

In the end, a decent $100 used bike would last you longer. Live and learn...

Since you've already bought the issue is sort of moot but I'll throw in some observations anyways.

Normally I'd say avoid X-Mart bikes like the plague unless you're buying for a 7 year old. However, Bicyclist Magazine actually has a reasonably favorable impression of the current Schwinns. The big fly in the ointment is the "assembly" which just about guarantees that lower line components/bearings/etc won't reach even their potential.

So my advice would be (and is to anyone else) to get the bike in the box and pay a LBS mechanic $50 to assemble/tune it for you. Odds are you'll find one who wouldn't mind the cash and your bike will at least run as well as it can. Personally, I'd still look used first, so many "mountain" bikes out there..

D*alex, hate to burst your snob bubble but the frame is ALUMINUM!! a magnet does not stick!! And besides you should be glad i am riding a bike.. Even though it is a wal mart piece of trash, you should be glad i am riding. Most kids my age have a car by now, and wouldn't think of touching a bike. I am not hard on bikes and it should last me a while.. And besides some people can't afford a better bike. I bought this myself. I needed something to ride and this was all i can afford, so don't pick on my bike just cause you have a high dollar one..

Sorry to rant.. Snapper

snapper, glad you're into cycling. Ride and enjoy! As you ride more and more you'll know what you want and when it's time to upgrade you'll be able to do it with some excellent knowledge.

There are certainly some real elitist in cycling and even (dare i say it) in this forum. Ignore them in favor of the tremendous amount of really valuable information others are able to offer. My short time on this forum has proven to me that most people here are really great and really want you to buy the right bike for your riding style, budget and fun. They want to help. Listen to them. As for the others, ignore and try not to feel too sorry for them, in the end, they deserve our pity, not our anger.

Sorry for the preach, but I really agreed with Snapper's comment about being happy he's riding.

That said. To everyone who suggested a good used bike: Where can I find a decent, inexpensive ($100-150) used hybride/low end mountain bike??? I've been checking the paper and even doing some yard sales and no luck. Do I just continue to hope to get lucky or am I missing some avenues. No bike shops in my area (Central NJ) offer used bikes. Seriously, any help will be appreciated

W/O any LBS your search may be hit or miss. If you know what size bike you need the internet and particularly eBay offers opportunities. Any colleges nearby? Students dump their bikes as they graduate or transfer. Sheck bulletin boards in dorms/cafeterias/student unions.

Good luck.

As you said, it's good to be riding. I hope you get a satisfactory amount of use out of it. Hopefully by the time it wears out, you'll have enough dough for a much nicer bike. Believe me, once you've experienced quality, you won't want to go back. When I compare my Trek to my Huffy, I'm amazed I ever enjoyed riding the Huffy.

Yeah, garage sales are only usually good for the sub-$20 bikes (which were originally $79 ***-mart bikes), so, want ads are pretty much your best bet. Still, a trip to a NYC or Philadelphia bike shop that sells used bikes would give you more choice than you're likely to find in the Pine Barrens...

Garage sales.. newspaper.. e-bay.. um.. check at yoru LBS possibly they have a listing of people selling their old bikes.. thrift shops.. pawn shops.

Thanks, all. I think as the weather continues to turn nice here and people start thinking about cleaning out their homes, I'll find more ads and opportunities. Agree that the yard sale route is filled with $20 and under--Not what I want.

Ideal would be about a$100 used name brand bike in decent condition. The odds are in favor of a 2-3 year old low end trek or somthing like that.

I'm in NYC quite abit, so if you know of a shop that sells used bikes, like me know--have not come across one yet...Most shops tell me it's not worth the hassle. bikes need a lot of work and customers expectations are for a new, scratch free bike, but at a 1/3 of the cost!!

I was at XMart last night and looked at the $111 schwinn bmx, components were at least as good as the $200 bmx at the bike shop, frame, rims, brakes, everything identical. the bike needed some assembly adjustment as far as brakes and handle bars but that was it. used bikes are usually rust buckets, i've found two good ones in 5 years. I don't like XMart bikes but they have their place like if I worked at burger joint and had to park it outside during the shift, $53 roadmaster would be it or on school grounds same thing.

Well....... I've been searching in New York City for the past three weeks and found it hopeless. Even beater bikes that are decades old cost $150.00 at best. When the 3 speed deal fell through, I decided to head to ToysRUS for that Toy bike of my dreams.

This Saturday, I purchased a Pacific bike to use as a junk cycle in Manhattan. The dual suspension bike was so poorly assembled, only three gears were working. The front derailler is a mess. The headset was assembled incorrectly and the crank is making some clicking noise already.

On a positive note. The front break was assembled correctly. I guess the builder was told to do this right or else the store could face possible litigation. The rear break is a mess. The suspension does work but I'm not sure for how long. The paint job was very nice and I think this is where Pacific spent most of the money on when manufacturing the bike! It doesn't matter as this bike will last me only 4 months as the cycle will save me over $250.00. I also want to see how long this bike lasts as it will stay parked on the mean streets of Manhattan 24/7.

I could not recommend this bike if someone CANNOT fix bicycles because this cycle is DANGEROUS to ride. I'm serious. I'm going to spend the next 2-3 hours reassembling this bike from scratch so I can ride it SLOWLY in Manhattan to work for 15 blocks each day.

There were some cruisers in ToysRUS that I could recommend. The only reason why I didn't buy a cruiser was because it didn't have any gears and I wish one was a three speed. When I think about it, maybe I should have bought one of them as the 27 dual suspension mountain bike is a mess.

Folks. I could not believe how poorly this bike was assembled compared to my other bikes I purchased at the LBS. Seriously. I can't stress how terrible this bike was put together. Why can't these toy stores sell three speed hub gear bikes? It would be far better to have a hub gear bike with three working gears than a 27 gear mountain bike with 2 or 3 gears that work some of the time.

The only thing I like about walmart is that there is nothing they sell that you can't buy somewhere else.

Assembly and quality are the two things a LBS can offer that an "X-Mart" bike cannot. Shops cannot compete with the low prices. I've seen some poorly assembled bikes in the "X-marts" around here, but I know of some local mechanics who get some part-time work putting these bikes together for the stores. I've seen stuff that scares me, like 3 cross spokes that didn't cross. Suspension forks installed backwards. Front and rear cable reversed. All sorts of things. I've seen some stuff, that makes me wonder if the assembler was a disgruntled employee.

However, I've seen a lot of bikes that are/were fine. I really don't see the point in bashing "X-mart" bikes. The repair of said bikes can sustain a LBS for years!

L8R

I also might want to add the store clerks were looking at me kinda funny when I bought this toy bike. It's like they felt sorry I couldn't afford something better. They weren't aware I spent almost $2000.00 dollars on bikes the past three years and was going to use this basically as a beater cycle. Even the clerks knew the bikes were junk.

To be totally honest, I was happy with my purchase. I knew what I was getting (junk) and a new bicycle is ALWAYS a happy moment. That bike just about made my day and even though the quality was poor. I was beaming.

It's unfortunate for many people, this is the best they can do. If people could just save a few more bucks, you could have a much better cycle. Seriously. The bicycling experience is much better when you riding something that works.

What kills me is that ToysRUS sells thousands of quality products that work great but the bikes are barely functional. That angers me. If all their products worked as good as their bikes, this retailer would have gone out of business years ago.

Still. This bike just made me happy.

I just like bikes. Period.

Barkingdog,

check out Kopps bike shop in Princeton (you did say
central NJ right?).
They may not have a large selection of used
but I'm guessing they can point you in right direction.
Englishtown Auction?
There used to be a good LBS in Highland Park but
I don't remember the name (on the main drag to the
bridge into New Brunswick). Also its getting towards
summer, college letting out, you might check the
college papers to see whats available.

Marty

Snapper, don't get one of the full-suspension models. If I were you, I wouldn't even get a model with a front shock, as they are next to useless. Just get a vanilla model(i.e. all rigid, thumbshifters, yada yada). Then, convert it to a single speed and you'll be rockin' the suburbs.

I have the full suspension model. Unfortunately, most of the bikes ToysRUS sell are FULL suspension models or have front shocks. I don't care since my commuter is only expected to last 4 months.

After my 4 month period, I'll post an update on the condition of my Pacific toy bike with a detailed review on the good, bad and ugly. It should be interesting.

lotek,

thanks, you're the second nod for Knopps, so I'll be checking them out. I've been to the highland park shop you're thinking of, I think it's called highland park cycles or something close. Seemed like a good shop, but nothing cheap -- I'm still thinking of a Trek for myself, so I may be back there. Englishtown didn't have a thing worth looking at, but I think it's still early in the season, I'll probably try them again, soon.

Any of you NJ folks familar with victory cycles up around springfield or around there? Just wondering if anyone has any experiences with them.

Looking at the current line up of the walmart bikes, it looks like the best deal they have is either the Schwinn cruiser that someone else recommended, or the Schwinn aluminum hardtail. I haven't seen the cruiser, but I recommended the hardtail to my 13 year brother ($140). The brakes are decent, as are the components. I don't like the shifters or the pedals very much and I can't speak for the quality of the metallurgy, but it will suffice for him until he's ready for the capability that a real bike will give him. I helped him to pick the least touched looking one off of the floor and helped him make the necessary adjustments before I let him ride more than enough to ensure there was no damage.
Quick story - I worked at Sears for the last couple of months that bikes were sold there. Someone bought one for his son, then rode it out into the parking lot without even looking at it or checking torque on the wheelnuts (something I do even with LBS bikes). He starts jumping curbs with it and guess what... the front wheel fell off. He hit his chin on the pavement. He called 3 MONTHS later to complain and say he wanted to sue.

Originally posted by iamlucky13
He starts jumping curbs with it and guess what... the front wheel fell off. He hit his chin on the pavement. He called 3 MONTHS later to complain and say he wanted to sue. Sounds like two and a half months after the incident he sat around getting oiled up with a few beers with his friends and told them his story. "You should sue 'em for all they got Fred." "Yeah, what a good idea. Never thought of that."

Try Dick's sporting goods

Try Dick's sporting goods

Sorry-they have mostly the same sorry collection of Sino-junk bikes, with a few 'slightly better' bikes (Diamondback, etc) which sell for roughly the same price as at the local bike shop!!! Gee, that makes sense....spend the same amount for no service after the sale!!! Hell, I even went there to check on prices for Yakima racks. Guess what-the bike shop was cheaper!!

I know it's bad to bump....but if you ahve to go wal-mart steer clear of roadmaster.

I used to have one of these, and it gave me nothing but trouble: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=4178&dept=4125&product_id=2073252&path=0%3A4125%3A4178%3A4180%3A4183%3A5304

Basically, after one month the headset started to make noises...and the brakes never worked right. The next month I started having problems with chains blowing off my chainring under load...then I had my front caliper brake get bent from having to stop suddenly (almost got doored).

The final straw ws when the chain blew off again, this time while I was trying to start from a stop...went over the handlebars. Turns out the crankset was warped....what the heck? The next day I went and bought my current bike.

Basically Roadmaster is not a very good bike...the parts are ridiculously cheap, even for wal-mart bikes. Get a wal-mart schwinn, mongoose, or even a murray...heck my old murray back in high school was far tought than that roadmaster.

Well i know yalls opinion of wal-mart bikes is they suck. Well i got one tonight.
what ya think?? decent bike??
Later!!

And then you get mad when someone tells you it's a heap of junk? :rolleyes:

Walmart give lifetime tuneups and a fitting before buying? LOL,i couldnt help it.

I have the full suspension model. Unfortunately, most of the bikes ToysRUS sell are FULL suspension models or have front shocks. I don't care since my commuter is only expected to last 4 months.

After my 4 month period, I'll post an update on the condition of my Pacific toy bike with a detailed review on the good, bad and ugly. It should be interesting.


HEY! This is an old post..

I guess I'll reply to my old post since I promised I would. Here's goes.

A.) The GOOD - The only good part about my Pacific Toy Store bike is that it's still working after having lived an entire year on the mean street of New York City. The brakes still work and that's what counts and the suspension still provides some relief from the potholes. The bike is basically a rusting crusier that crooks look the other way. I use the bike almost every day for my half mile journey and would not think about replacing it with anything more expensive.

B.) The BAD - The bike needed new tires after the 2nd month of use. The knobbies that came with that junker exploded one day and I was lucky to walk away. The brakes needed serviced because the small parts came apart when trying to adjust them after one month. I was able to find an LBS that did adjust them and found the bike really brakes much better than I thought.

C.) The UGLY - The drivetrain is completely rusted. The bike no longer shifts and doing so drops the chain. I do exactly what the food vendors do and keep the bike on a very low gear. The wheels, chain and even the frame is now rusting. You would never ride this bike for more than 2 or 3 miles because the the condition.

I say just go to a thrift store, salvation army, goodwill, whatever. Buy an old bike for pennys (most under 10$ here), either fix it up yourself, or pay your LBS 100$ for the overhaul tune-up. Just steer clear of the same brands of bike you would find at Target, Wallyworld etc, cause they really aren't worth fixing up.

Or even more fun, just convert the bike to SS or Fixed, cause once you get fixed its a irreversable operation.

I bought a "Next Extreme" from Wal Mart for $345.00 (after taxes) and was very happy with it... for a while. I had an accident, and took the bike to a pro bike shop, who it turned out couldn't fix it. A special part connecting frame to deraileur was bent. A piece, not 2 inches long, made bike unridable. Went to Wal Mart and was told several times about how it wasn't their responsibility, to which I replied several times, "I know, I'm the one who broke it." I just wanted them to order the part or have their bike mechanic look at it, at MY expense. ( Warranty expired, and wouldn't have applied anyway). After 15 minutes of this I ended up leaving without having gotten anything done. So, I did a search for "Next Extreme Bicycles" etc... and came up with over 63,000 sites on the net, including this BikeForum. Not what I was looking for, but I like it :). So, when you by any bike, find out all you can BEFORE you buy. Is it a disposable bike, or can it be repaired?

I bought a "Next Extreme" from Wal Mart for $345.00 (after taxes) and was very happy with it... for a while. I had an accident, and took the bike to a pro bike shop, who it turned out couldn't fix it. A special part connecting frame to deraileur was bent. A piece, not 2 inches long, made bike unridable. Went to Wal Mart and was told several times about how it wasn't their responsibility, to which I replied several times, "I know, I'm the one who broke it." I just wanted them to order the part or have their bike mechanic look at it, at MY expense. ( Warranty expired, and wouldn't have applied anyway). After 15 minutes of this I ended up leaving without having gotten anything done. So, I did a search for "Next Extreme Bicycles" etc... and came up with over 63,000 sites on the net, including this BikeForum. Not what I was looking for, but I like it :). So, when you by any bike, find out all you can BEFORE you buy. Is it a disposable bike, or can it be repaired?

that's on lot's of bikes. just bend it back. if it's a replaceable hanger why didn't they just order ya a new one?

I've owned one bike bought from a WalMart type store (Canadian Tire actually) and it lasted me one night. The fork started going easy rider on me within a few hours. Here's what happened: My parents did not want me riding my much more expensive BMX bike to school which was starting the following Monday. So on the Friday night before we went out and got me a cheapie from Canadian Tire, maybe it was Toys R Us... Anyway when we got home I went out with a friend to get used to it and after a few drops off of curbs and bunny hops up them the fork was done. I stuck some BMX forks in them (Made Wheelies particularly interesting) and still rode the thing around but boy was it a beast and required constant maintenance until the frame finally went snap. Lasted a little more than a month.

I've never known anyone who has been a serious cyclist who has managed to get a bike like that last too long. Not that I know many who have bought bikes from such places. Best advice in this situation is to take a look at the used market. A used bike from a decent bike maker will easily be much stronger and more reliable than one of these bikes.

A good example to follow in this situation is to look at the bikes people are using as beaters on this forum. Are they using new WalMart bikes or picking up old bikes from reputable builders? We all know the answer to that and the really neat thing about that is some of these bikes are 10-15 years old and being used for daily commutes with little fuss.

Edit: Forgot to add WalMart is evil! :P

But seriously they are.

I've had great luck picking up bikes at Goodwill. Sometimes the better bikes are cheaper because they look older or have a few more scrapes. The Takara I just bought is basically brand new, and for $9.99. The tires are even perfect. Needs zero work to ride anywhere tomorrow. Probably hung in someone's garage for 25yrs.

You can also just ask around. The Jeunet I have a guy gave me after I put a "wanted" note on the company swap sheet. Was hanging in his garage, and he wanted it gone.

Pat

I had a bike from ToysRUs that I thought was fantastic, my first geared bike, a 21 speed! But the pedal on the non drive side wasn't threaded correctly, and would come off, even after we brought it in a couple times and had it screwed in hydraulically (sp?). The funny part, however, is that someone stole it from my backyard, and all I can think is that about a mile down the road the pedal fell off, and with any luck they crashed.

I say just go to a thrift store, salvation army, goodwill, whatever. Buy an old bike for pennys (most under 10$ here), either fix it up yourself, or pay your LBS 100$ for the overhaul tune-up. Just steer clear of the same brands of bike you would find at Target, Wallyworld etc, cause they really aren't worth fixing up.

Or even more fun, just convert the bike to SS or Fixed, cause once you get fixed its a irreversable operation.

I can't believe you didn't mention e-bay or police auctions! Trying to keep them off your turf? :)

Anyways -

If you do go eBay, here's an idea if you don't really know what size you're looking for. Go to a LBS and ask about picking up some lights for your non-existent bike. Tell them that you're broke and looking for a beater on eBay, but don't know exactly you should be looking for. Ask what size range they think you would need, what you'll be using it for, and if they have any recommendations on what brands you could look out for. Let them know that you'll probably be bringing it in once you get it for a tune up.

I think you might end up getting a really good bike that works really well, holds up a long time, quite possibly for around the same price as an X-mart.

It would also help you get to know your LBS, so you would have an idea of what the service is. If they're jerks about spending time with a customer with questions who isn't spending a lot of money, it might not be the best place for you. If they are cool about it and help you out, buy the lights and hit eBay!!!!!

I know you all hate wal mart bikes, but i need something and i only got 150 to spend. It will see mostly road and some LIGHT off roading. This is just to get me around. Now i am not sur of brand but i saw some at wal mart between 100 and 150. They had front shocks and a few had rear shocks. I think these might of been a mongoose. Now please don't get on a sop box about wal mart is junk and go to an lbs.. I just want to know if it will hold up to what i described. It will not get that much use, just a few trips to the store or what not.. So are these decent bikes?? And on frames, how much better is aluminum over a steel frame??

Thanks guys!! Later!!
I was about 12 or so. A familly member used my bike. Well, it got stoleden. Well, years later, he bought me one from Kmart. It was okay. At that time, I didn't know really anything about the names of bicycles, but I did know how to fix them. So when I got it home, I had to make it for me (of coures I had to make it fit me; adjust seat, handle bars, ect.). Well, I road that bicycle to work; about 5.3 miles one way. But to make that bicycle work, and perform the way I wanted(perfection), I had to adjust the hubs, staighten the rims, adjust the brakes, basikly, rebuild the bike. After going though it,(the bearing, head set,ect)the bicycle lasted for years. I'd go THOUGH it about every six months or so. And when I sold it, It was like bran new. So, if you get a bike, take it ALL apart, (wal-mart,K-mart,bike shop) clean every thing,and re-grease the bearing, adjust the brakes, re-true the rimes.Then you will know that the bike is like new.
p.s. I've never had a spoke brake on me from a rim that I re-built.

Sorry-they have mostly the same sorry collection of Sino-junk bikes, with a few 'slightly better' bikes (Diamondback, etc) which sell for roughly the same price as at the local bike shop!!! Gee, that makes sense....spend the same amount for no service after the sale!!! Hell, I even went there to check on prices for Yakima racks. Guess what-the bike shop was cheaper!!

I just bought a Diamondback Topanga Comp at Dick's that my local bike shop wanted $200 more for. Sure the setup was awful, but I tend to repair and adjust my own anyway. I've been a loyal buyer from my lbs, but the local could not come close to matching the price for the same bike. The salesperson TOLD me to buy the bike at Dicks and he'd have no qualms about doing major service in the future. The shop still fixes all of my other bikes and I still support their business. The $200 that I saved will no doubt be spent at my local shop in the future.

If you buy at a discount store or an auction....do your homework and compare component for component.

Recently Upgraded my "WalMart special" Roadmaster Mt Fury. with a Bell gel padded saddle and Shimano front and rear derailiuars from a wrecked MT bike.. Spell check. $40 was hard to beat. Next Im going to change the handlebar style. to the "riser" type.