gpsblake

https://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...073#long_descr

Ostuni

i would have to upgrade that kickstand to carbon...

bbp

rofl, they turned a giant SUV into a road bike.

JoeTown244GL

A road bike with grip shift - WTF?

AlanS

Please don't speculate whether it was made in a sweatshop in Taiwan. We can't afford to lose any more bandwidth.

ginger green

I think you would be better off spending 150 bucks at a garage sale. Here is a quick analolgy - Just becuase you can buy a 4 dollar toaster at xmart - why would you?

LordOpie

A guy who is barely passing his high school classes and usually stocks the olives and pickles is the one who assembled that bike.

PS: I sell Life Insurance. PM me, we'll talk.

Eatadonut

I will HAVE to go test that out next time i'm at wal-mart.

Cheapest quality aluminum, lowest end shimano parts, no-name high-profile wheels...oh man, this should be fun. I'll take up a collection, rebuild the bike, and tell you guys how it works out.

I'll lay down $50 right now that my new-to-me 1989 bianchi I bought for $100 outperforms it and outlasts it in every single way.

I just can't see what good can come of taking a wal-mart quality mountain bike, making the tubes thinner, and making the wheels bigger and thinner.

clfjmpr44

The scary part is that at first glance (not looking at the spec sheet obviously) it has a pretty sweet profile...
I'll take up a donation in VA to make the purchase as well. Then I can meet with all the VA/DC/MD folks and they can take it for a ride, if it is rideable that is. Release forms all around!
Taking $5 donations...will set up meeting point for rides...
A

50mph

That bike really made me laugh, and the first post was hilarious. But i think the funniest part, i don't know if you noticed... the bike only comes in 57cm. Grip shift on a road bike is just plain ridiculous too. Nice kickstand though, looks nice and sturdy, carbon would knock about 15 pounds off.

Get yourself a solid used bike that fits you.

alanbikehouston

It is difficult to find a road bike in a first rate bike shop for under $500. So, there is a unmet need for a less expensive road bike. However, my guess is, THIS is not the bike that will meet that need.

twahl

What I think is funny is that this damn thing shows up about once a month, with somebody asking what we all think of it. And we reply.

clfjmpr44

First time I've seen it...I mean its a Denali, so the blinkers at least work...right?

Eatadonut

really? i live at walmart when I'm up at school, and I've never seen a road bike there. Unless by once a month you mean once a month for the past 3 months. then maybe.

aadhils

I would'nt buy it if I had money to throw away! That bikes listed under the category of 'toys'. Anyone who sells a cheap roadbike considering it a toy is'nt worth paying attention to. Also I dunno if 'that toy' would survive a 100 mile tour.

gpsblake

I didn't realize others has posted about this before. However, I was curious about two things.

1) If anyone has actually purchased one
2) More detailed specs like tire width (700cc x ??) and gear ratio

Since I ride Walmart bikes with great success, I'm curious about this bicycle. If I see one at my local Walmart, I'll buy it and try it for a week and see how it works out.

Cheers,
My 1,950 bike tour on a Walmart bike
https://biketour.ne1.net

twahl

I've never seen it in the stores, just on their web site, as referred to by folks looking for opinions on it. It's been brought up pretty frequently, usually by forum newbies but not always. I don't intend to be critical, I just think it's funny that it surfaces pretty often, and the things that are said about it are pretty similar each time.

gnosbike

Check ebay.

aadhils

dam is that a schrader valve I see?

slvoid

Heh the sad part is, put that into the hands of a pro and he'll out ride 90% of us here on that piece of sh1t.

Grip shift on a road bike.. how the hell did they get that on the bars to begin with?

gattm99

I think this is great. All of you making fun of this bike aren't seeing the big picture. Most people buy bikes at Wal-Mart, this is sad but economically most people don't have the money to plunk down 600 dollars for an entry road bike. Becasue of the bikes that are sold at Wal-Mart most people I see riding are on THE BIGGEST PICECES OF SHAT POSSIBLE, huge Y-frame pieces of full suspension garbage that bounce up and down like a pogo stick. Trying to ride on of these is like riding through quicksand. This roadbike is no quality machine, but it will be A WHOLE NEW WORLD of effeciency compared to the standard wal-mart ride.

Now just think most people, especially kids, riding around on these pogo stick bikes may have never experienced a real effecient ride. This road bike could open their eyes, and leave knobby tires and full suspension out in the woods where they belong!

mrchristian

Hey gpsblake! I read your journal a while ago on how you rode that walmart schwinn across the US...very very impressive (no doubt you are high on my heros list). I seriously think you would be better picking up a used bike for probably less the cost of this thing. I got a schwinn traveler (before the name was sold to Pacific cycles who now just rebadge their bikes with the name) road bike out of my neighbor's dumpster for free and it cost around $30 worth of stuff to get it on the road again (until I accidentally crashed it that is). Compared to this WalMart bike, it was more comfortable since it was made from a good lugged steel (lighter also), has better components (even in the 80's), and VASTLY more reliable. I bet the wheels would perform better also. You can pick up some sweet deals at thirft stores and garage sales. There is a lot of talk of bikes like this in the classic and vintage forum. You'll probably get some more sentimental value out of it too.

I've never toured by any stretch of the imagination, but this is just my opinion of what MIGHT work for you.

Good luck!

B.T.W. I bought my Motobecane Mirage for $320 new off of eBay and i'd easily compare it with any entry level bike in the $600 range. Far more expensive than the Walmart bike, but i'd still say its a possibility.

simplyred

I'd buy it for my commute.
But it's 57 cm... awwww.... I'm a 55...
It just doesn't fit the bill - let's see, next possible commuter - Cervelo r2.5 chorus?
I mean... it's not Record, but I think it'll do

Honestly, I think it'd make a decent commuter bike. But I worry about who assembled it - that's all. The bikes @ X-Mart aren't un-rideable; we see people on them everyday. They just don't try a 40 kph sprint - so, on a morning commute I really wouldn't mind this as a beater.

clfjmpr44

Real strong point Gatt, you really nailed it on the head with this one. All of the day-laborers in my area are pushing around these "NEXT" brand mountain bikes on the sidewalks, they have to weigh a good 30+ lbs. Now that there is a real economy road bike, -- I think Twahl (although I love a lot of his posts) is pulling our leg about the walmart road bike being an old repeated post -- I think these guys are going to find the going a whole lot easier. Good for Walmart!
In addition, people who can't afford the $550 to $600 new-road-bike-entry point, might buy one of these and discover their passion. More cyclists is a good thing in my opinion.
A

gpsblake

mrchristian,

Thanks for reading the journal and thanks for the advice. I'm not a big fan of road bikes mainly because I like a smooth ride. When I was younger, I had a nice Raleigh road bike when I was in England.

Just this thing caught my eye and if I see one at Walmart, I might buy it and try it (after I check it to make sure it is assembled properly) by taking it for a 50 mile spin then returning it. Maybe it's me but I rarely see a real road bike at the thrift stores here in South Carolina. If I saw a Trek/Giant for 40 bucks at one, I probably buy it as a project.

Cheers