People, do you realize this post started in July and now it's near the end of September? Poor Caroline162, the OP if you might have forgotten, will need snow tires to go on her bike if she hasn't bought it by now.

Having gotten that off my shoulders I would like to agree with most everyone who hates to buy from Walmart. There is virtually nothing good they have done for this country since Sam passed away.

I personally hope Caroline162 did get a bike from some where, Walmart or not, and is enjoying it. She sounded like a very brave determined lady to post such a question in this forum to start with and I wish her well.

In case she is still following this thread, I would like to suggest that she have the pedals tightened by her neighbor biking friend if she hasn't done that already. I saw a young rider in a local charity ride this summer eat pavement when one of his Walmart half a** installed pedals broke off the crank arm. They use cheap 1/2" pedal threads and don't torque them properly so when they lossen up a bit they easily strip the threads.

Not my sale but if, after you read this entire thread, you want to try a Paver and not deal with Wal*Mart, here is your chance.

Mongoose Paver Bicycle - $85

http://southbend.craigslist.org/bik/938378082.html

http://images.craigslist.org/1fd1211...bc98b61866.jpg

OP hasn't posted in 4 months guys.

I wasn't posting it to her. She already has her Paver.

That's my posting, I bought a larger frame Trek mtb and have not rode this one for a few months. I bought this one when I decided to start commuting and quickly discovered it really was not big enough to fit me properly.I had mtb bars on it, but returned the originals to sell.

the little thread that could....

To the OP:
Now that it's been a couple of years, how did this bike hold up? What did you like and not like about it? Did you have any troubles? And did or are you still planning to get a more expensive bike or dose this one fit your bill of needs?
Thanks

Uhh, she hasn't posted anything on these forums for three years.

You might do better to PM her since that sends an email notification. Cause otherwise, it's not like they're going to just happen to stop by this thread after not being here for a few years.

Blimey The Return of the Living Thread

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=139320

I hope Caroline is ok. But, I have to say: it was anti-climactic to read all 13 pages of this thread only to find that there was no conclusion.

I've been looking for a bike and weighing the same things Caroline did. Considering the Paver for a week or two.

I ordered the bike today (site-to-store), $119. I'll post my thoughts after I receive it in a couple weeks. (I'll start a new thread, with a link to this thread; and update this post with a link to the new thread.).

Bio: I haven't ridden a bike for 30 years, but was heavily into the Schwinns with banana seats, sissy bars and ape-hanger handlebars. Then varsity 10-speeds in the early- to mid-70s. Looking for something just to ride errands, to the store, etc. I agree with those who warn against (or even hate) Walmart. I try not to shop there except for the super-discounted deals (just so it costs them money).

But, considering that I don't know if I'll really get into riding, and I'm unemployed, I wasn't going to spend $400 on an experiment. If it works out, I'll learn a lot and be motivated to buy a better bike.

I wasn't inclined to wade through a lot of Craig's list ads. I stopped by the local co-op, but nothing grabbed me (they seemed to be Walmart bikes).

I like the idea of assembling the bike myself. I'm watching a lot of bicycletutor.com videos. I'm going to put a lot of time into doing it right. (Maybe take it to the co-op and see if someone will help me.).

For me, this was the right choice. But, I understand the warnings. I think my only risk is that I could have a bad experience due to a cheap bike, and give up riding. I'll need to keep that in mind and give it a second chance if that happens.

The reason I bought this bike (beyond my personal economic circumstances): my Google searches found more than a few comments by experienced riders who said, "for Walmart, that's a pretty good bike." It sounded like it could be a decent bike for the money, and the greatest risk is poor in-store assembly.

More later.

EDIT: As promised, I started a new thread with my experience and conclusions here.

Welcome, congratulations and good luck!!!

If you are concerned about spending you money wisely at this point, than you should consider buying a used bike from craigslist or ebay. You can expand your options and get a better quality bike than buying a new, pooly built Walmart bike. You are on the right path by asking advise before making an impulse buy. Good luck with your search.

I didn't read any of this thread, I'm sure its been beaten into the ground. But my 12 spd 1972ish steel road bike is lighter then W-mart aluminum with carbon fork road bike by nearly 10 lbs. The bike was free to me. I can't think of any other reason needed.

That or collecting dust in the back corner of the garage. After returning a Wally bike to the daughter and her SO's house several miles away, only reinforced my belief in better quality/built bikes.

FWIW-I bought a paver in sept of 08 for $74 at the evil empire. Rode it through a Minnesota winter until sept 09. With 3,300 miles on it, I started having BB issues. So I feel I got my $74 out of the bike.

On the other hand, it did have it's problems. One of the pedals broke after 2 weeks. The wheels weren't true and shifting was clunky. I adjusted the rd and it was better but not great. A few things that I wasn't aware of that I found out with owning this bike were,
1: A 26" tube will work on a 700 rim for atleast 6 miles. :p
2: I could use 26" wheels on this bike and come up with a braking system to fit the smaller rims. I had broken 2 spokes with a careless bungie cord. I put 26" wheels on and didn't worry about it. I carried a lot of weight on this bike at times. Up to 40lbs on the rack and maybe 20lbs on the front at the same time.

A lot of reviews say the same thing. I'm going to buy replacement pedals in advance.

Another common complaint is that the tubes burst on the first inflation (or first 100 yards of riding). Do you have any thoughts on what might cause that? I'm planning to inspect the inside of the rim and hone any imperfections. Maybe replace the rim tape.

Regarding your post 3k mile BB issues, did you check if it was greased from the factory? I've read stories that bikes from big-box retail stores sometimes don't have any grease in the BB, neck or axles. So, I intend to disassemble and grease everything (even apply anti-seize compound on any aluminum threads).

I have plenty of time on my hands, so I'll put a lot of sweat equity into it. Get a good education on how to service a bike without the fear of dinging up a more expensive bike.

FWIW: I found this short video review of the Mongoose Paver:


#

I think you may be on to something there. It probably just has the rubber band around the inside of the rim for "tape" if that. I've learned not to trust those. $4 for a roll of Velox tape at my LBS is well worth it for my wheels. ;)

Good luck with the bike, though, AZ!

To casual readers of this thread wrestling with the big box store bike question, here's my experience. I've got a Target Schwinn hybrid as my current (starter) bike. I've been commuting on it for a year, and besides wheel issues (now solved w/ the purchase of a rear wheel w/ a Dyad rim - knock on wood...), it's served me well. It came w/ comparable components (derailleurs, etc.) to entry level Treks at the LBS that cost $100-200 more easily. I got my bike for $200 and have added accessories during the year (rack, rack trunk, fenders) that I can use on my next bike, which will most definitely NOT be from Target.

That said, it's been a great way to get my feet wet as it were, and my hands dirty (literally), as I've taught myself some basic bike maintenance (brake and derailleur adjustment, cable replacement, spoke replacement, etc.) IOW, not a bad starter bike. There are decent ones to be had at Wally World or TArget, but they're few and far between, and you have to be willing to learn to fix and adjust things to make it work, and likely replace a few components along the way. In my case, $200 of investments into wheels later, I wish I'd just bought used or spent more up front to get the better bike from the LBS. Would have been a wash in the end, probably.

Though I can't complain too much. I have put nearly 3,000 miles on the bike so far, have learned what I want a bike for and what my bike should be, and I know that the $1100 I'll sink into an LHT purchase some day will be well worth it! :)

If you will ride it, then there's nothing "wrong" with it.

Az2008- I read about the pedal problem also and hadn't replaced it until it broke. I think you would be wise just to do it right away. One of the screws on the grip shifter fell out even after I had tightend it once before. I think your plan of action is good and for $119, you will get your moneys worth. The handle bars I must say, grew on me after padding and handle bar wrap for multi hand postions. Just watch out if you dump it, the bar ends point back enough to send you to the choir. Oh I had forgot. I was T-boned on this bike by a small truck. It was right after he rolled thru a stop sign and just started to hit the gas and * BLAMO* Nothing happen to the bike but a broken clip for the cycleputer wire. My leg was sore for week but the bike handled it. Like I had said, I carried groceries a lot on this bike and always had some kind bag with me. I will see if I can find the pic when I road 95mi that day with a soft sided, double bowling ball bag being used as a top loader, a hiking chair on one side and some other bag on the other side. :)

IIRC there was a large thread on this forum where some folks bought Corsa road bikes with 105 gruppo via Walmart.com. The price was astounding!

What's the difference between a really good/qualified lawyer and an inexperienced one just out of law school? $300+ bucks an hour.
What's the difference between a W-bike and an LBS bike? Get the drift?
Quality may co$t, but quality la$t$ . . .
Having said that, why not walk a mile to to work?

FWIW, the mile to work lady was the OP. She hasn't posted in two years.

Otherwise, I agree. Unless you already have a bike, then it's not so bad. Biking is faster and more interesting than walking. Besides a one mile commute can easily be made into a 5 mile commute (or more) if you know the right roads! ;)

mongoose 100$
 

I would like to add, that if you are new and a little mechanically inclined/common sense. And wouldn't mind adjusting a derailer etc then at 100$ you can buy a decent entry level bike. You will have to buy a quality seat but beyond that , a little tinkering and tuning of the spokes(I even had to adjust my handle bars) you can be riding a comfortable ride. I will agree with previous posts of low quality assembly. My rims touched the breaks and I had to adjust and true the spokes before I started riding. I've now ridden it over a 100 miles and i am very pleased with my bike. I am a very experienced rider and my previous bikes have been 2 treks and 2 ralieghs. The Mongoose paver is a light aluminum bike for 100$. You can't beat the value if you're willing to deal with the mechanics. The 7 speed single shifter is decent for casual city commuting. very steep hills would be a chore on this bike. I recommend it

:lol:

After someone in the "ladies" forum compared me riding my Walmart bike while pregnant to abortion, I thought this message board was probably NOT the place for me, so I happily rode my Walmart bike off into the sunset... I had NO idea this thread would live on forever.

But someone I had emailed the thread to back when it first started alerted me that it did indeed continue to live on, so I thought I'd pop back in and give an update. My Walmart bike is a-okay :thumb: I am still alive, my unborn baby is alive and well, and other than the tubes needing more frequent replacement than I anticipated and having a really hard time finding the right size (Walmart doesn't carry them - ha!), I have had no problems with the bike. 2010 was the hottest year ever on record in our state, so I went from riding my bike to work quite often to not very much over the summer and then didn't get back in the habit in the fall. But a big bike shop just opened up within walking distance of my house, so I am actually considering getting a "real" bike now. But for my little less than a mile commute to work and tootling around with the kids, my Walmart bike has turned out to be well worth its $120. :)

Glad to hear it worked out so well for you. Hoping you get motivated to get back on the bike (something I have to fight with myself and my bike is a craigslist used bike I bought for about what you paid-what everyone was recommending you do instead-so the source doesn't effect the motivation that much).