Hambone

a guy talking about how his helmet saved his melon became a four day discussion on statistical analysis and design methodology.

This seems a legitimate bird walk to me.

KrisPistofferson

Good points, which is weird, since you seem to be vehemently opposed to companies who are honest about what they do and where their products come from, like Rivendell. Anyway, this'll probably get moved to P&R, as soon as somebody points out the obvious, such as "Walmart is detrimental to American society." It's a pity the mods are imposing such a mayonaise version of these forums, politically.

Coyote2

I've seen the movie. Please don't confuse it with balanced documentary reporting, as the film is a one-sided polemic. It presents many facts, but without context and without even paying lip service to any counter-arguments. As such, it is not to be taken seriously.

Your list includes some items which are just plain incorrect/inaccurate. (e.g., firing a worker for attempting to organize a union is a clear and unequivocal violation of the National Labor Relations Act which is enforced by the NLRB. Even Wal-mart cannot get away with that sort of violation.) Many of these claims are mere complaints about perfectly common and legal practices which are used by many other firms, both large and small -- such as importing goods produced in other countries, such as paying workers so little that they cannot afford health insurance and health care, such as strongly resisting unionization, etc. Hell, look at your bike -- I''ll bet some of its components, and perhaps even its frame, were made in Asia and even specifically in China.

I mean, really, consider the idiocy of some of the complaints raised in the movie: Wal-mart doesn't police it's parking lots? Neither does my locally-owned grocery store, nor does my locally-owned drug store, etc. These transgressions that you ascribe to Wal-mart are also the transgressions of many, many firms in our country. Wal-mart is simply an easy target for lazy minds.

Again, I am no fan of Wal-mart. But the problem is not Wal-mart. The problem is a society -- and a government -- that refuses to exert legal control over business by setting reasonable minimum wages, by providing nationalized health insurance (which all of us -- including the Walton family and Wal-mart shoppers -- would pay for), etc. And the problem is also that many people simply cannot accept that globalization -- which means that stores in the US will sell stuff made in other nations -- is here and is not going away.

iab

Sorry to hijack, but I needed to respond. Read this article.

https://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

To say Walmart's business practices are unethical would be an understatement. I don't know about you, but I would rather spend a couple extra dollars knowing my socks weren't made by an 8-year-old during their 12 hour shift to pay off their parents medical bill when they got injured in the same sweat shop.

shakeNbake

Goddamit, stick to the topic!

I bought my old MTB's tubes from walmart.

bccycleguy

I bought a small tube of glue at Wal-mart. It was actually made in the USA, as opposed to the glue I bought from my LBS the year before that was made in Taiwan.

I've never been able to tell if there is any difference between any of the tubes of repair glue, regardless where they are from. Although I buy Rema from Germany if it's available.

Phantoj

Wal-mart tubes are strictly Shrader, right? Does the Denali have Shrader valves?

ZachS

yeah, the truth is starting to bother people.

Ih8lucky13

Sorry, but you mention Wal-Mart and the shizzle is going to fly, and deservedly so

I don't shop there, because it would ruin my OCP status that I am trying to keep.

bmclaughlin807

$260,000 Oh my god!!!! That's like..... 14 cents per employee (14.44444 to be more exact)

There's a black manager at the store down the road from me.... a couple hispanic ones, as well...
I'm pretty good friends with one of the security guards that patrols the parking lot at the local Walmart.
I thought their prices were pretty standardized across all the stores... that kinda rules out 'Jacking up the prices after they have a monopoly'

I come from a small tourist town in Arizona... Walmart is the biggest single employer there, and one of probably only about 20 places where you can actually get benefits. Probably 75% of the jobs in the area are retail... Very low to minimum wage, and at least half of those are only part time.

Ok, ok... Back to the topic:

I buy stuff at Walmart because it's cheap, and will usually last me several months till I can afford to replace it with a better version. Hell.... the pedals on my main bike are from Walmart.... gotta hate needing to buy pedals at 7 PM on a Sunday. I'm sure I'll get around to replacing them sooner or later.

From Walmart I have:
Pedals (as mentioned already)
Schwinn Bike pump (crappy... I'll replace it soon)
The bell multi-tool... it works, and has most of the tools that I need
Seat pack (Wish it was a quick-release...)
1 tube (2 more on my older bike)
Multiple web-straps and buckles I use to strap stuff on my rack.
12" velcro strips... great for fastening stuff to the bike rack, or tying up loose straps.
Seat and two tires on my older bike
Oh... and two patch kits. Funny... they seem to patch tubes just as well as the kit I paid 4x as much for from the LBS
Oh... and the cheap-ass light so I could go home after dark (on the well-lit streets) without the cops hassling me.

Some things Walmart has never done to me:
Never tried to sell me a $5-$7 tool for $15.99 ....
Never tried to convince me I needed something I really didn't
Never tried to convince me that drive side and non-drive side spokes are the same length
Never sold me the wrong component, assuring me it was the correct one
Never been closed on the Sunday I needed to return said wrong component to get the correct one
Never snubbed me for not wearing expensive clothes

In summary:
I go to Walmart when I want something cheap, or need it now... no matter the time of day or night.
I don't go there if I need something specialized or of good quality... I get most of my groceries there... it's cheap. I DON'T get produce or meat there... I go to one of the grocery stores... the quality is better.
I wouldn't buy parts for a racing or good road bike there... (ok... tubes, maybe)

I buy from my LBS because I can get advice, and better quality, as well as specialty items.

pcastlouis

The last time I went to a Wal-Mart was at night to buy a tube. All the bike stores in the area were closed and I needed a spare for the next day. After almost getting run over in the parking lot, having an employee almost run over my foot with a pallet jack (I guess that's what that was) and witnessing several "probable" child-abuse cases, I got my Bell tube and vowed to never go back into one of those stores as long as I live. Those places are crazy!!! It seems like every time I go there I walk out depressed and feeling sorry for the human race. People are always yelling at their kids and couples seem ready to fight in the aisles.

I guess my Wal-Mart doesn't really care about cycling. They only had one tube for road bikes, and I think it weighs more than my front wheel. The valve on it is huge. I can't use it on my new wheels, so I just might give it to a program in the city that provides bikes for underprivileged kids. I have no other use for it.

DieselDan

ALL the managers at the LWM are African-American and the Sheriff required them to hire private security for parking lot security or risk a shut down for public safety. Heck, they are the third largest private employer in the county after the hospital and Marriott.

AndrewP

I have Walmart (CCM brand) string back cycling gloves at $5 CDN, great for getting the OCP tan on my hands. They are made with colour fast dye, unlike my previous expensive gloves.

jhota

i don't shop at Wal-Mart, but i bought a Schwinn pump at Target for ~$12 (on sale) with a dual-valve head and 160? psi gague. had it for two years or so now, and it still works. my riding partner's $40 Performance brand pump died within eight months. so he's back to using my cheapo Schwinn (which he did before he ordered the blingy thing from Performance). so there can be good deals at the 'mart-type stores.

here and there

Bought a Schwinn cyclocomputer at wal-mart for $10. 1226 miles later it's still working. Bought a floor pump there and am happy with it. Most of the other cycling accesories I've seen there looked pretty crappy.

catatonic

Most Scwhinn accessories are of reasonable build. I would be weary of the "off brands" though.

That said, I do use a schwinn bike computer...$15, and it even tells the temperature.

bmclaughlin807

I bought the schwinn comp there, too... not using it anymore only because I went and got a comp with cadence. The wiring pulled out of the Schwinn bracket... I had to open it up, re-solder the wire, then super glue it back closed. It still works, though!

hiromian

I have a walmart helmet which I just used for my 5th place finish for my first ever race so Its ok I think.

A new Walmart just opened up in my hood. Better i say along with all Ive talked to save the 30 year old corner store that closed down. All the other negative stuff sounds just like any other big prospering company to me. Big business sucks: if you don't like it and have trouble changing it then you are not unique.

Bizurke

I agree!!

I've gotten some cheap gloves, a pump, some tubes, and a lock at WalMart and for the most part I'm happy with all the stuff, cept maybe the gloves (they serve as back ups). I got a $12 computer at target and it actually works better than stuff I see for $25-45 so I'm pretty impressed with that. You can get some good accesories from wal mart/target but I wouldn't suggest getting a bike there unless it's for your kids or something.

GP

I bought a WM bike a couple of years ago - a Schwinn single speed beach cruiser. It worked fine. I would never buy a multi-speed bike there but there's not much to go wrong on a cruiser.

BroMax

Thank you!

In the United States slavery was outlawed a century and a half ago; we have child labor laws, minimum wage & overtime, requirements for safe work environments. I do not understand why we still allow retailers in our country to sell goods made under conditions so far below our standard.

I'm not willing to be a market for goods produced under unfair labor and trade practices. It's a scandal that so many are willing to do so in order to save a little money.

To mention the likes of Walmart in the 21st century is going to provoke a similar reaction to the mention of slave markets in the 19th. Some will be in favor and some against but few will be indifferent. If a response such as mine or iab's is annoying, all I can suggest is that one avoid provoking it.

xSandmaNx

Oh people and their politics. You make me chuckle.

Anyway, I always view Wal-Mart as a game... A guantlet if you will. For sure (and despite their claims) Wal-Mart is not set up to be easy, convenient, or pleasant. However, if you are wiling to run the gauntlet you can score on some great deals.

Here's the game:
1) Your goal must be to go to walmart, buy something, and get out. You don't go to walmart to "shop". You don't go to have a good experience. Go to the mall or Rodeo Drive for those things.
2) As soon as you enter the store (before, actually... you should always park closest to the garden center... you'll see why later), you should make a direct route to the location of the first item on your list. You should pick up the item without looking at anyhting else.
3) Dodge the man with the forklift thing.
4) Proceed around the store in the most efficient manner possible, never stopping at a destination that was not on your list.
5) Avoid the mom hitting her kid. And the overweight guy deciding which ice cream to buy.
6) *Walk as fast as you can* Going to walmart should be an anaerobic excersize.
7) Once you have successfully picked up all of the items (which all cost less than at the mall, or any other store), head directly to the garden center to check out. If there's no line, check out and be out in record time.
8) If there is a line, make a mental note of the last person in line, and run to sporting goods, electronics, jewlery, whatever's closest.
9) Check out. Use a card and use the keypad machine as quickly as possible. Glare at the clerk. Grab your bags and run back to the garden center
10) Laugh at the person who you noted in step 8 and leave in almost-record time.
11) Pat yourself on the abck for successfully running the gauntlet and scoring on an inexpensive, quick, efficient, and successful shopping trip.



happy Wal-Marting (not to be confused with shopping)

linux_author

- don't have any Wal-mart bike parts, but i do get nearly all my bike clothing at Wally World...

- in particular, i was faced with spending $25 and up for cycling jerseys in my size... at Wally World i found workout shirts in the same fabric as nashbar, supergo and performance jerseys in my size in seven different colors for $7 to $11... (i've also found some nice cycling shirts at Target and Marshalls in the 'reduced' racks)...

- i also found six pairs of workout shorts that, in conjuction with Nashbar's liner briefs, provided me with six lightweight, comfortable bike short sets for less than $25 each! yes, this approach does not provide the same quality as a nice Pearl Izumi or Canari short, but works just fine and is within my cycling budget...

- i try to buy 'made in the U.S.' when possible (such as my Merlin and Serotta), and have even purchased some items from Boure (U.S.-made cycle shorts)... but i have found, at least for me, the above items provide me with comparable quality at one-quarter to one-half the cost of 'regular' bike clothing (which is made overseas anyway)...

donrhummy

Nothing, I repeat NOTHING, is worth buying at Walmart. I don't care if they have a $10,000 bike on sale for $1. I will not support them.

cuda2k

+1

+1 on the gloves being junk

and the cables and housings are pretty much junk as well. I may put them on a walmart mtb if one lasted long enough to need new cables, but a friend and I had all kinds of issues using them on a build of a steel roadie last fall.