jlafitte 

Good work.

veganbikes

I think the kids bike I worked on yesterday was a Thruster, the brakes on that thing were so poorly installed, trying to get a proper chain tension without the wheel binding was a pain. I wouldn't want to see the adult version of it.

I would rather buy one of doze schweet technicolor dream fixies, sure I am paying extra for hideous colors but it's got them go fast deep v rimz for extra speedz. Hashtag: Thugggg Lyfe, Hashtag: Skinny Jeans at Urban Oufitters YOLO!

osco53

The Back brake works fine now, I put a set of those longish mountain bike brake pads on, found them in my brake box, lightly used but plenty of stopping power out back now.
I have a real nice new in the blister pack set of pads that cost me $20 but I'm sorry, not going on my Walmart Thrustie..

As for chain adjustment, easy peasy,
Hand snug the axle up and pull wheel back to where you like the chain slack set,,,,
Hold the wheel straight/lined up, and tighten ONLY the nut on the chain side while your holding things straight.
recheck the chain and bind down the other axle nut.
And for the bearing slack, dial them a little on the loose side so when You torque down your Done!

I freed up the crank with a crescent wrench,, yeah you read that right, had to back it off about 1/3 a turn,
Now the crank spins real nice, no slop,
reset BOTH wheel hubs, they were both a little tight.

The handle bar is only 21 Inches wide, gonna change that,
The plastic pedals stay for now, the seats ok,

This bike gets ONLY used stuff put on it,

Get this,, a friend handed me two wheels, super super expensive sets,
RED anodized, areo spoked, ceramic bearings,
only drawback is they are heavy, and inside diameter is only 13mm so about a 28c tire is max....

I dunno, I just dunno bout this, He says it will freak people out when they see this crappy cheapo wally bike with $800 wheels under it,,

The little bike rides fine,, I did 4 miles today, Should I Mount up the fancy rims ?
They are used so I am still In the 'Zen'...

And yeah I'll get a photo up If I put the fancy wheels on...

jhess74

I say yes, and go ahead with the pics either way.

On a (related) side note, I'd love to see someone deck out a Thruster frame with high end components and show up at a velodrome with it. And I want video of the reactions.

osco53

Ok I will, single track today, pictures after I get back..

I still don't see why so many say this bike is crap...
All any simple single speed bike has to do is roll down the road, and stop, It does.

osco53

The fancy wheel set goes back to my friend that gave them to me, the hubs are a bit too wide and would stress the frame,
as in break a weld on the first hard curb hop.

I did an 8 mile loop onnit this AM.

Not a single thing wrong with this bike for $69

Gonna get the paint off the rim sides so the brakes grab better,
A 3" wider handle bar is coming, $20 and yes Its new but cheap, I was thinking carbon fiber,,

So It will have a few new items, the bars and another set of mountain brake pads for the front.

That will put the bike finished with safe brakes at $100.

My LBS does something for first time customers you might find Interesting.
When they come in looking for kids bikes and in most cases have more than one kid, many cannot afford
the kid bikes bike shops carry.
So,
he has them go buy bikes from Walmart and bring them straight to him for a PROPER assembly.
That makes them a new loyal customer XD

The Pic's:
Longer brake pads,
Yep duct tape on the seat bolt so my inner thigh don't get ripped open, I will grind that bolt down smooth.
The fancy wheels,
The bike......



I did an Interstate overpass on my route, nice long grade for Florida, I managed to stay seated and pedal to the top, nice leg burn XD

okane

I was in sales and maketing for 23 years and this shop warms my heart. Instead of complaining about wally world, he makes it work to his advantage. There is a saying to the effect that there are no road blocks, only opportunities. Good Show!!!!!!

hockeyteeth

So it's not crappy that this bike does not stop safely as-sold? Or that it is assembled so poorly that most bearing will destroy themselves within a year? I'm all for riding cheap bikes and not caring about trends but don't pretend that it isn't a crappy bike when you mention needing to modify it for safety's sake. You are transforming it into a cheap, reliable bike. There's a big difference there.

osco53

You like scolding people,, ok what ever turns you on.
Stock the bike did have useable brakes, They will stop the bike, just not to most people standards.
This bike is crappy to bike snobs I understand that. Its crappy compared to my multi thousand dollar LWB recumbent or my Mountain bike.
But for the many many thousands of working families Wally bikes are their only option.
And for a large portion of the worlds population bikes are the ONLY option for transportation and need to be simple and cheap.
A computer, internet, access to these forums, makes us all wealthy people, what cha say bout that ?
I volunteered at a county supported bike training day for a small poor community. The county brought out a 28 foot enclosed trailer packed full of all kinds of bikes from kiddy big wheels to 26" adult bikes. Most were walmart bikes. county money ya know.
Many kids came with their own bikes, Myself and a buddy adjusted chains, brakes, seats and pedals as fast as we could.
By lunch I had fixed a dozen flats, cracked up tires, loose spokes , you all get the picture.
These bikes, these P.O.S. bikes all worked, most had some rust, most were several YEARS old and had endured serious child abuse...
Every single one of these crappy bikes were from Walmart and many were handed down to the smaller brother or sister...
I think wally world bikes are great for people who cannot afford overpriced or expensive hi tech bikes. They bring uncounted thousands into bike shops
as they grow up or become financially viable.
Wally bikes like many do just fine if cared for,,
As for being heavy boat anchors ?
they make kids stronger.......
Have a nice day and go ride your bike then contemplate this, "On The Tree Of Woe" Mr.hockeyteeth

I hope this does not start drama, I like to let people express their opinions with out scolding them but I figured you
deserved a reply. I am out of here,, byee.

hockeyteeth

My major problem with your view is that it supports an industry with no regard for developing a long-term interest in cycling. These bikes are not made cheap to be reliable; they are made cheap to be sold to low-income demographics and maximize profits with no regard for safety. The production and consumption of most department store bikes perpetuates the notion that bicycles are toys, not tools for a healthy lifestyle.

Department store bikes do not seem to provide an enjoyable riding experience for the vast majority of people I encounter. I have worked in a shop for 7 years and hear the story over and over again about how someone bought a department store bike but it didn't fit comfortably or work very well and so they stopped riding it almost immediately. Our society needs to promote and prioritize healthy lifestyles, not entertainment and conspicuous consumption. And it really is despicable that in our country people are not taught the basics of personal finance and are kept enslaved in debt and unable to afford worthwhile expenses.

Lastly, you are making an illogical argument that the bike does not stop very well without modification but also that it stops just fine as-is. That honestly makes no ****ing sense.

osco53

Good points there.. I hear ya..

The Lastly thing;;; I guess I was speaking in general and did not expect to be scrutinized technically about a $69 bike.....
It stops fine in the eyes of the unknowing, those who have not had better,, Key word Stops and it will when stock.
Modification makes it stop better, to MY standards.

Lighten up, go ride a bike and chill, I'm gonna..

osco53

Ok mountain bike brake pads on both ends, Used pads on the rear, new pads on the front.
The Thruster stops fine now. I can lock, slide and swing the rear end out now, I'm good.

This bike gets nothing but rides now..
Gonna save up a $100 and get a Purefix frame set for my next project.. After I rebuild a bike trailer I got at the flea market for $15

osco53

FYI

I got about 80 miles on the Thruster, an 8 mile route I take times,,, anyway,

Not a single problem.....

Nice cheap bike,, Just sayin.

TejanoTrackie 

Nobody cares.

Just saying.

FarHorizon

Can't leave it alone... Good things about this bike:

1. It's now less than $100 AFTER TAX
2. It's so fugly that you won't need a lock - no self-respecting thief would take it
3. OK - I can't think of a third thing...

Kent Thruster 700C Men's Fixie Bike, Black/Red - Walmart.com

katsrevenge

My fiance has been riding the black and red version stock for a while now. He even commuted nearly twenty miles per day for a few months on it. I wanted to fix it up some but he'd rather wear the parts out first.

Only thing that has happened is the chain guard snapped when it was banged against a post.

FarHorizon

About how large is the frame? Wally-World doesn't say, and from the photo, I'd guess about 52cm. But I see "reviews" where 6-foot guys say it fits fine, so I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The only way to reconcile the contradictory fit info is to assume that the factory ships whatever size frame they happen to have in stock and whatever you get is what you get.

So @katsrevenge, how tall is your fiance? How high did he have to raise (or lower) the seat to get it right? And, if you don't mind, could you post a photo of the bike that you have?

Thanks! FH

jlafitte 

Tis true. The welds on those things have to be seen to be believed.

FarHorizon

Hi @jlafitte -

Since you've actually seen one (I haven't), how large is the frame? I've heard reports from 52 to 57 cm, but that is a WIDE range! Wally-World is apparently selling them as "one size splits all," but they don't give any frame size. I understand the crankset is plastic??!! I also understand that the front brake is made from recycled Coke cans? I also read that the decals could be peeled off to hide the brand? What's your take? Details would be appreciated.

The one "review" that I managed to Google said every bearing on the thing was set way (WAY) too tightly, and that they also had little grease in them. What grease was there was dirty & may have been recycled cooking grease?

Any idea as to the seat post / bar / stem sizes? I'd assume (probably a bad choice) that the bottom bracket is standard English threads?

IF the frame is big enough for me (and it's a serious IF), then it might be worth the price for the frame alone. Provided it's sound, I don't really care about the cosmetics.

jlafitte 

The main points I remember are that the materials and workmanship are abysmal, and that it weighed probably around 30 lbs. I took the trouble to look at it with the idea of buying them to fix up for resale at the co-op. But after a couple minutes it was clearly not a good idea.

Do yourself a favor, forget the Thruster and wait for a craigslist bargain. But if you're determined, here are a boatload of 5-star reviews, the first is actually pretty informative: https://www.walmart.com/reviews/product/17206771

FarHorizon

No problem. If it comes in and it's too small / too cheap, the local bike co-op has offered to swap me a nice vintage Nishiki for it!

T13

Nishiki>Thruster

katsrevenge

I'm not sure what to measure. Seat tube? B is 5'8-9ish. Normal man height. His inseam is a 34, if that helps, LOL. Seat is not stock and is maybe 3 or so inches up. It is a tall bike. I'm 5'3" and there is no way I could straddle it. These are the best pictures I have of the bike.

Pic I took for the bike registry:


B on it.


B beside it.



And no, there are no rack mounts. I used little clamp things with rubber from Lowes to mount that.

It's a cheap bike, yes, but it seems sturdy enough. A heavier guy might want to change those cranks though. Edit: Yes, you can peel the decals. We did. It does get looks and complements now, LOL. You will need to grease the things. ALL THE THINGS. Frame is sturdy, welding isn't that bad, about the same as the bikes direct bike I own. And I'd say it weighs 25ish pounds. My mixte is 30 and that thruster is way lighter.

FarHorizon

Absolutely AWESOME, @katsrevenge - Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. It is greatly appreciated. If your guy with the 34 inseam can use it, I'm pretty sure I can too.

I've got enough spare parts in the bin to change anything that might need it (cranks, pedals, bars, levers, brakes, etc.). I figure that if the frame fits, I got my Ben Franklin's worth. I doubt that I'm much heavier than your handsome future hubby, so this should work.

Thanks again for the photos - they're very helpful!

katsrevenge

Not a problem. I enjoy spreading the joy of cheap but decent. I know he's gotten the money out of it already; if only in saved gas.

B is maybe 160, soaked. He has a metabolism that lets him stay there on a diet of fatty crap. But I digress, LOL. When bit start to go it will be refitted as a more upright bike. I've started picking up bits here and there. Might even throw a 3 speed hub on it. They are sure cheap enough.