I have the same GX-7, only in orange and not chrome. It is my cruiser bike and I like to take it on casual rides with my GF. Sometimes, I will ride it with a slower group just to get in a good workout ride. It's a heavy bike and takes more effort but it is comfortable and shifts well. The brakes are the weak link but it doesn't go fast enough to worry about that.

Another plus is that it is a big bike riding on 29" tires. The 7 speed cassette is about all anyone would really need. My longest ride on it is 32 miles, with many 20 something rides. Most are around 16 miles. I bought it on sale for $129 and got $25 off for applying for a Walmart card.

I agree,,, I bought a specialized hardrock with two flats for $25.00 once fixed,, bike rides perfect,,,,,

Also would be helpful if there was a way to mark posters who are individuals affiliated with a bicycle store, either financially or emotionally (through brand or club association). Would be helpful to evaluate the value of their comments when they routinely and out of hand bash the use (and users and sellers) of bikes that do have an LBS provenance.

I'm going to make some assumptions before I reply:

1. You don't have the time to deal with Craigslist.
2. You don't have the know-how to choose and do repairs/adjustment of a used bike from a thrift store.
3. You don't want the risk of buying a used bike and finding that the cost to get it functional is beyond your budget.
4. You prefer a new bike.
5. You don't have much money to spend, perhaps $150 max.
6. You need a bike now (so can't save up).
7. You don't care how the bike looks.
8. You don't have significant hills to navigate.

Now, I want to be clear that I agree with those who say you are better off paying more for a better bike or developing the knowledge base to buy a used bike and fixing it up.

Nevertheless, considering the assumptions above, I think you need to get a cheap cruiser bike with a coaster brake, like the $119 Huffy Nel Lusso Cruiser or $80 Huffy Cranbrook Cruise bikes at Walmart. (If you can stretch the budget to $170, check out the Gravity EZ Cruz at bikesdirect).


The advantage of a cruiser is that it is very simple and has few cheap components to adjust or fail: no brake calipers (just a coaster brake), no brake levers, no shifters, and no derailleurs. Just a 35lbs collection of steel tubes and essential parts.


Consider that you may need to read up a little to learn how to make adjustments correctly. The bike will be heavy and not meant for hills. The handlebars are wide, so cruisers are not as good for urban environments with close quarters. In comparison to the $300 cruisers at your LBS, the Huffy cruiser OEM parts may be hard to replace, wheels may come out of true faster, parts may wear faster, bolts will be more likely to rust, and there is a greater chance (though still small) of catastrophic failure.


Best of luck.

,,,,,,now that was refreshing to read meme,,,,,,,

Ding ding ding!!!

I started seriously riding last year after I pulled my Walmart Roadmaster mountain bike out of the garage and started riding it. But I won't get back on it. I wouldn't say it's a total piece of junk, since if I needed a throwaway bike to abuse on some rough trail or something then it would be my first choice. But for everyday riding, I hated it.

First of all, it's very heavy at 40 pounds. Secondly, I hate the twist shifters on it, mainly that they won't stay in gear and you often have to hold the twisters so the gear doesn't change on you. And changing gears was always rough. Thirdly, this bike is too small for me, and was very hard to ride. It wore me out way too quickly, and my top speed on it was only around about 12 or 13 MPH. Maybe 20 if I was going down a hill.

The bike came from the store with wobbly wheels, and it took me a good long while of tightening some spokes and loosening others a bit before I could get them reasonably straight, but they still have a slight wobble in them. I suppose if I had enough patience and time I could get them just right, but since I don't ever plan on riding it again, why bother?

For some reason my left pedal kept coming loose from the crank. Happened to me on one of my rides about 10 miles from town, and if I hadn't had a multitool consisting of a set of pliers, I would likely had to have walked home. This wasn't the first time, either. I suspect the threads on the crank are worn out for some reason.

Aside from all that, the rest of the bike seems solid. Aside from replacing the seat, tires, and tubes, it's not needed too many repairs.

ETA: I must say that my wife also absolutely hates her Walmart bike and won't ride it. I can't complain about these bikes too much, though, because they were given to us as Christmas presents one year. But I do understand why some call them BSO's.

When I started college, I brought my department store mountain bike (a Magna) with me. I hadn't really used it until then.
The dept store MTB lasted about 4 weeks of actual use before I decided I needed something "better".
I bought a new bottom-of-the-line Trek MTB from my LBS (local bikes shop). It was a huge improvement over the Magna. It was stolen a few weeks later.
I bought a new ~$100 Huffy from Walmart that looked very similar to the untrained eye to my Trek. That thing literally lasted 2 weeks before gear teeth started falling off. 2 weeks! I returned it to Walmart.
I went back to the LBS and bought another bottom-of-the-line MTB. It held up for years with minimal maintenance.

Older and wiser now, I'd recommend a cheap new single-speed from BikesDirect or your local bike shop. Used bikes can be a great deal, but you really have to know what you're looking at. If you have a local friend or family member who is bike-savvy, buying a used bike is an option.

Well I'll tell you one thing don't skimp on the toilet paper,,, you gotta get the good stuff,,,,,,

Not all Walmart bikes are created equal. I'm wary of anything with suspension, or anything that looks like a cruiser, because those types of big box store bikes do tend to break down and they are at least inconvenient to repair.

Look for hardtail or road bike having sub-entry level Shimano components and 3-piece crank assemblies and I think you'd be fine.

Amen!!

Up until about 10 years ago, most of my bikes were basically BSO's, some being a little better than others. At that time, I had been riding a Mongoose for a couple of years that I bought from Walmart. Having a somewhat decent knowledge of bike mechanics, I was able to keep it in somewhat good shape. Not much I could do though when the frame cracked. In need of a bike, I scoured the area thrift stores and also craigslist. Found a Giant Sedona for a steal at a Salvation Army thrift store. The lady on the sales floor had no idea how much to sell it for, so she asked if $35 would be too much? I snatched it right up. The difference between that bike and the Mongoose was phenomenal. It made such a difference in the quality of my rides I was amazed for many weeks afterwards. I still have that bike, although nowadays it's relegated to trainer duty.


:)

nevermind

Frank's Wife just passed away.

He took care of her for a few years til she passed.

Used his bike to get away from the house when he could.

WHY can't some of you be nice.

See someone on a bike and you don't know squat about them.

On a nicer, or at least neutral note, has the OP chimed back in at all?

You can get a better bike for cheaper on Craigslist. :thumb:

Some are good and some are bad.

No ,,,,,,he has left us here holding the thread,,,,,,

My guess? The OP got the Walmart bike and doesn't want to tell us...

There's my honest opinion, you're welcome.

There, i FIFY, lol

Please no more name calling.

Not many people are willing to admit that a cheap BSO is absolutely fine for exactly what most people do with them .... kids, beat them to death as fast as they outgrow them, and adults circle the block a couple times and use them as rust collectors.

Half the people who buy them probably don't use even the limited capacity these bikes offer ... and most people who have $100 for a bike and don't know what an Allen wrench is ....

I like riding Walmart bikes around Walmart while shopping.

We've got two down at the house in Florida. We use them to ride on the beach. Hose them down after rides. They're creaky & often require service. But, they're going on about 7 years now & still operating. By the way, I am a skilled mechanic. I've completely rebuilt many bikes. If you want to go cheap you got to learn how to wrench on stuff. I can fix everything except a broken heart & the crack of dawn.

I voted no, but that is assuming one is speaking of a bike for an adult, and assuming the adult can afford something else. The quality is good enough, in my opinion, for kids who are just going to beat them up anyway and also are growing, etc. I think they are better than not having a bike too. However, if you can afford more, then I would go with a bike from LBS because they are soooooo much nicer to ride. This will make a big difference in your riding comfort, etc., and this will mean you are more likely to continue to ride.