fofa

Greywolf & Gojohnnygo seem to be on a better track on this. Usually I refrain from these kinds of threads, just because they are more into opinion, BUT... Read a thread about the evil SUV's and how more poeple should be riding bikes. Now a bike comes along that (MAYBE, MIGHT, POSSIBLY) get more people riding bikes, and it gets bashed? If they sell 500 and it makes drivers more aware of cyclists on the street than a good thing has been done. If 5 of those decide to ride their bike on some errands rather than getting into that devil SUV and pump all that evil smog into the air, so much the better. If 450 of those sold decided they were crap, say 30 upgrade, even better. Seems like a win - win to me. I think we must remember, the more people riding, the better things can get. At least IMO.

RonH

Did you notice that the actors in the infomercial don't look like "real" cyclists? They look like the type who will go for a 2 or 3 mile ride once or twice a month.

wabbit

No, they look like people who are just getting into exercising and might be intimidated by 'real' bikes. If you're seriously hoping to get into shape, this bike won't do it, it'll only allow short rides and not very fast ones. Anyone who wants to get more serious will quickly get fed up and get a road bike, but are these the type of people who would make that leap? They don't look it to me.

BigHit-Maniac

Oh my GOD.

If people are SO DUMB that they can't even figure out how to shift a bike (not hard.. you either twist or push/pull a lever.. not rocket science here). then they should not be living.


These people are dumber than a box of rocks. Wait.. make that just the box, not even smart enough to house the rocks!

AHHH!!

The discust!

ChipRGW

Maybe they're not dumb. maybe they just don't WANT to shift gears. I know how to shift a tranny on a car, but I opt for an automatic. Does that make me dumb?
Maybe they just want a bike to ride around on leisurely. Maybe they just want to have an alternative form of exersize for when they don't feel like getting on the treadmill.
Maybe they just aren't so into bikes like most of us.
Maybe people who look down on other people who don't fit in thier personal demographic are just snobs.

BigHit-Maniac

true true.

lol.

John E

Well designed bicycle transmissions typically have a few redundant gears, but a large number of useful, distinct ratios. I get 12 useful gears on my 2x7 road bikes (52-44/14-28 and 50-42/13-26), 18 good gears on my 3x7 mountain bike (48-40-24/13-26), and 15 good gears on my 3x6 road bike (48-45-34/13-23).

Let's not knock automatic shifting. It is definitely not my thing, but if it encourages a few noncycling motorists to get out and ride, I am all for it.

fubar5

It seems to me the problem is the infomercial, not the bike. If it gets people riding, who cares if they can shift or not?

Nobby

WAIT! If it's different , then it MUST be evil!!!!! .

Death and/or destruction to anything different from whatever you choose to ride, tolerance be damned!

Paige

I had inquired as to how much shipping would be but the seller never responded. Wanted to get it for a hoot.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...576532003&rd=1

Pete Clark

I know this is a tangential issue, but I don't agree that my 24 speed has redundant gears. Sure, some are very close, but that's not the point.

I have a triple chainring. When I'm on the flat, I use the middle chainring. Those gear ratios work best on the flat. When climbing, I want the gears to step a little closer, so I often use my granny. When descending, I want the gears spaced further apart so I don't have to shift as often, so I use my big chainring.

Rich Clark

The problem isn't that the bike has an automatic shifting system.

The problem is that the bike is a $100 Chinese K-Mart bike with a gimmick that the company is charging an extra $300 for.

The problem is that the biggest problem with bikes for new riders is not the difficulty of shifting, but the fact that the riders experience sufficient pain and discomfort that they give up riding.

The problem is that without the availability of a sufficient range of frame sizes, and expert guidance in achieving proper fit, the typical customer for a Landrider is no more likely to get a comfortable fit on one of these than they are on a Pacific from Target.

The problem is that when the purchaser finally gives up and sells the thing at a garage sale, they're going to be even more bitter about cycling as a fun and practical pursuit because they overpaid so much.

As an over-50 rider myself, I know very clearly how important fit is to a middle-aged rider. It doesn't take much to achieve a fit that's bad enough to cause knee or back or wrist or neck pain. A younger rider may shrug off a level of discomfort that an older rider can't long tolerate. Yet that older rider is the target market for these bikes.

IMO, the shifting issue is mostly a straw man, a low-priority issue being made to appear important because it's so easy to build a marketing campaign around. It's much easier to label and pitch to a non-cycling audience than the issue of fit would be, and much cheaper to create a product that then "addresses" the "problem."

And don't you think that if a cheap autoshift design like this could actually be made reliable and effective, that the major brands would be all over it like a blanket? There's a reason you can't test-ride an Autobike in a bike shop.

RichC

Dannihilator

As I said, I don't have issues with the bike itself, if someone wants to ride one of these, it's their freedom to. My problem is with their website and infomercial.

wabbit

I don't think they're dumb because they don't want to shift, I think they're dumb because they're being taken in by an ad for a product which is overpriced crap with a gimmick. They could get themselves a decent bike and one that fits them better and won't cause all kinds of back problems. I see people, especially middle aged women, riding these bikes where they can barely reach the handlebars- they're holding on with two fingers and wobbling around. Not very safe for anyone.

thomspins

haha the Landrider is crap! I saw it on tv once and couldn't believe what I was seeing; wanna hear something cool though, My grandma went to doctor and he said she needed to start exercise...she went to the LBS and got an awesome Raliegh Cruiser with a 9 speed internal hub thing.. i like to ride it down the street sometimes b/c it shifts so great.. huh.. who knew...

robertsdvd

24 gears?! mmmmm, single speed... mmmmm, 3 speed hubs.... that's all I needs -- one speed or 3 in the more hilly areas.

Feldman

Probably nowhere near as good as any entry-level LBS mountain or hybrid bike. A store in my area signed a deal with the devil when they opened up five or six years ago; they rented the place out for a day to be used as a set to shoot part of the Autobike fraudfomercial--their sign and logos were in the thing and they had to keep an Autobike around for a couple of years, even worked on a few. I hope they talked the Autobike victims into sending the things back and sold 'em Cannondales or Fishers!

john999

The seat is too wide - you will get chafing on your legs.

The cables are enclosed their entire length - they will rust and snap with a month (even $99 Kmart bikes have exposed cables nowadays).

The fender is useless - it is not long enough or flared at the bottom to prevent you getting a stripe on your back.

There is no front fender.

There is no carrying rack.

The claim 'it is comfortable to ride, sitting up instead of squatting down' is false :

1. That is not comfortable riding - it strains your back.

2. That frame has a wide castor and seat angle for 'comfort' riding rather than racing - but you would still be hunched over the bars with the seat put up far enough not to strain your knees. They have taken a basic bike frame designed for the local (Chinese) market and added a few frills.

RonH

I saw the LandRider infomercial again this morning when I got out of the shower. Haven't seen it in many months. If it weren't for the terrible image it portrays of "real" cyclists and "real" bikes it would be funny.

I kept waiting for to come on and offer a free rotisserie oven with every bike purchased.


I couldn't get over the fact that they kept saying that "with the automatic transmission you don't have to look to shift gears" and what a break-through that is for safe cycling. It allows you to keep your eyes on the road. And they mention how this allows you to see more of the scenery while riding.

Who looks when shifting? :confused: I always thought shifting was instinctive. Isn't instinctive the same as "automatic"? Something that you learned to do, just like keeping your balance while riding?


Whoever is stupid enough to fall for this load of crap deserves one of these ... er ... ah ... "bikes".

oscaregg

Bike stores should all buy one of these--leave it on the floor and it'll make entry=level Treks, Cannondales, etc., look like an even better deal than they already are!

uciflylow

Like the local shop told a fella I took out there to look a new bike over. "Just go over to Wal-Mart, ask to ride a bike and try it out, if they will let you, come back here and then ride one of mine". He is picking up his 4500 Trek this evening!

D*Alex

I thought this thread died months ago.....
Seriously, anybody that takes advice on buying a bike from Ron Popiel should have his head examined!

fubar5

I have 9 high gears, 9 middle gears, and 9 really easy gears....Oh wait, mine isn't automatic....crapola. I love on the website where they answer the question of size..."The correct frame size is determined by your inseam measurement. If you don't know you're inseam, an easy way to determine the length is to measure the inside leg seam of a full-length pair of pants from the crotch seam to the bottom of the hem."

LOL, yeah right!!!! I don't know about you guys, but I don't have jeans where the crotch seem is right up in "there"...I like to have things a little free....So if I did like they say, my inseam measurement would be an EASY 4 inches to short... maybe even more. Oh well, at least I'll have automatic shifting! Lookout Lance!! I'll kick your butt yet! Because with my kick arse bike I'm always in th3 right gear! You aren't!!

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm just being sarcastic because the FAQ's at the website are so funny.

OmahaRider

I just feel sorry for the poor shmucks who don't know any better---that actually spent money on these overpriced pieces of crap.

wabbit

The thing with those pieces of crap is that you can't get any kind of a decent workout. A friend of ours got a bike last year , not a landrider but some piece of junk from Canadian tire or something. He's not exactly into fitness. For the money he spent he could have gotten a decent second hand road bike or hybrid. You can't really ride bikes like that for more than a few blocks, so what's the point? You'd get a better workout on a stationary bike!