Many cities offer bike-sharing programs where you pay a small fee to rent a bike by the minute or hour. Look for bikes with rim brakes and a rigid frame with no suspension. Home Bikes and Cycling Are Walmart Bikes any Good? Manufacturers can also spend a bit more on the components when they arent spending money on more modern components and fancy features. If youre not familiar with bikes, it can be a challenge to tell the difference between the two. Sorry to hear that. Usually when customers have problems with bikes like these it's usually just from the cables on the brakes and shifters stretching and our customers bring them in at any time and we fix these issues for free in about 5 to 10 minutes. It shifted roughly no matter how many times I tried to adjust the derailleur. Happy riding!! I agree. Consider choosing a bike with fewer speeds or even a single speed. Also, almost on a daily basis a customer brings in a walmart bike to get rebuild for 80 bucks LOL!! For the $100-$150 price range, Walmart bikes cant be beaten. All Rights Reserved. If you want these features, you can always add them on later. Of course, the bike had some issues. Mass-market bikes from Walmart or other big box store bikes certainly arent for everyone. 1- front wheel got crooked and replaced. That's after 25 years later for first tire change. It's much higher quality than the bikes that the big box stores offer. These usually start between $300-$400 and offer an excellent value for your money. If you take decent care of the bike and ride it gently, it will hold up just fine. Both of the bikes that I currently own, I bought used. Check out my guide to buying a used bike for some helpful tips. For example, rim brakes are easier to build and cheaper than disc brakes. So, about 4 years ago I noticed walmart was hiring a bicycle assembler, so I was like well, what the heck. This is also a great solution for someone who cant afford to buy a bike. The bike has held up incredibly well considering the abuse Ive put it through over the years and the salty and sandy condtions Ive ridden it in. Pros and Cons of Budget Bikes. @Todd, yep, I built many of those and about half of them would not pass my inspection and would be claimed and sent back to the manufacturer and so many would be returned by customers. Even with those issues, the bike got me around my neighborhood just fine. We do the best we can, but many are un-fixable due to poor quality parts and frames. 99.9% of times, it was on paved roads. My Schwinn High Sierrathat I converted into a touring bikehad been sitting in some guys garage for over a decade. Walmart bikes are heavy, poorly made, and come with low-quality components. @Richard Haynes, Congrats on that deal!!!!!!!!! The above information is right on, I walked out of a thrift store with a Marin Rocky Ridgefor $2.00, yes, I said two dollars, and all I needed to do to it was clean it and put CO2 in the tires. It has developed a bit of rust as well. Some cities just dont maintain the bikes as well as they should. I only recommend products and services that I use and know. Thank you for reading! Forks/handlebars backwards, nut and bolts so lose that wheels actually would fall off so the safety of almost all the bikes was horrible!! Today, I own an OP Roller beach cruiser that I bought from Walmart for $99 in 2010. Walmart bikes do tend to wear out and require maintenance more frequently than name brand bikes. I went through all 200 bikes which were on the rack and about half of them I had to take them back to the back room and pretty much rebuild them and the rest I tightened and straightened them. The more basic bikes are preferable because the more basic components that they come equipped with are slightly higher quality and more reliable. The only issue Ive had with that bike was a flat tire. However, with that said, at the bike store I work at now so many of our customers have bought walmart bikes and they bring them to us to fix. Decent used bikes start at around $150. After all, when youre looking at new bikes, they all look nice. There are a few drawbacks to bike-share programs. Pros and Cons of Budget Bikes. Walmart also offers an excellent return policy and an optional warranty. Don't get ne wrong but Walmart bikes only have a certain milage before the bike breaks and costs more then the value of bike. I finally got tired of all the problems and updated to a trek fx 2 disc bike. Look for bikes that dont include any fancy accessories like racks, fenders, lights, a basket, a bell, etc. This is probably my favorite bike that Ive owned. If you can afford to spend around $300, you can get a much better bike if you go to a bike shop. Copyright 2022 - Where The Road Forks. Amazon is another great place to buy budget bikes. I occasionally used at the beginning and almost regularly as my main mode to commute when I started working. 2- shifting gears failed but I've been using the default gear since At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. They are often poorly assembled as well. SHHHH don't tell walmart LOL!!! Over the years, Ive owned about 5 Walmart bikes including a couple of mountain bikes, a BMX, and even a beach cruiser. In this guide, Well examine the pros and cons of buying a Walmart Bike. Over the years, Ive owned 4 or 5 different Walmart bikes. Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links, including links from the Amazon Serivices LLC Associates Program. As a kid, they were the only bikes that my family could afford. I bought it in 1997 a (Raleigh) Triumph Laser 15 26" for $99 CAD. Its important to pay attention to details. Share your experience in the comments below! Do you ride a Walmart bike? Oftentimes the bikes arent in the best condition. They offer an affordable option for someone who is just getting into cycling or someone who just needs a simple bike to ride around town. Even though I was hired to build bikes, these 3rd party companies would come in and "assemble" bikes and some of these guys would build about 40 bikes in a day and would make about 250 bucks to do a horrible job and I would go through all the bikes and pretty much re-assemble them. If the bike came with more expensive disc brakes, the manufacturer would have to cut corners somewhere else to meet their price point. Sometimes there's a neglect to clean. Also, many of these people would give me a tip of 20 to 50 bucks. I love rich people and thrift stores. Are they really that bad? I'm riding it when it's not raining or snowing. I'm just so glad I work at a very good bike store now!!!! They are paid per bike they put together and most of them don't care and don't even check gears or brakes at all. Walmart bikes can be dangerous to ride as well. Coil Shock Vs Air Shock for Mountain Biking: Pros and Cons, 3/4 Length Vs Full Length Sleeping Pad: Pros and Cons. Walmart has 3rd party companies come in to assemble bikes some of the assemblers do a good job but the majority of them don't do a good job at all. Some people prefer to give stuff away rather than trying to sell it. For example, the manufacturer can afford to ship the bike with slightly higher-end rim brakes while still meeting their price point. Obviously this bike was some rich kid's toy for a summer, then thrown into a garage until the tires went flat and dirt covered it over. I worked there for 3 years which seemed like 20 years and now I'm at a real bike store, working on real bikes, getting very good discounts from many real bike manufacturers. You can also ask your friends and family if they have an old bike sitting around. Its been a shockingly reliable and solid bike for the price. Well look at reliability, safety, cost, fit, durability, longevity, and more. In conclusion, it is one of the most robust bike you can see. There are a couple of reasons for this. Youll save yourself a lot of hassle and may even save money in the long run. My first day on the job I kept finding bikes built very bad. Piece of GARBAGE. So, I actually started calling these companies to come back and would have them fix their mistakes some did, but some would say no way while some would actually yell at me and a few actually threatened that they were going to kick my ass (good luck with that) LOL!!!! At the low price point of Walmart bikes, cheap rim brakes will perform better than cheap disc brakes. There are, however, a few occasions where a Walmart bike may be your best option. For an example of what a Walmart bike is capable of, check out this YouTube video of a guy riding a $100 Walmart bike across Florida. Bought a 7 speed Kent Bayside Cruiser from Wal-Mart for 123 dollars. If you ride regularly, you'll probably end up saving money in the long run if you spend a bit more and buy something better. Extra features like a rack or lights also mean the corners had to be cut somewhere else. Walmart bikes can be hit or miss. Walmart bikes are good to start off with if you don't use them much or for a family member to get into biking. So, the 100 bikes I brought to the back none of the brakes or gears were adjusted well at all. These parts may make the bike look modern, flashy, and higher-end but they usually perform terribly. How to Convert an Old Mountain Bike into a Touring Bike, 700c Vs. 26 inch Bicycle Wheels: My Pros and Cons List, Hardtail Vs Full Suspension Mountain Bike, How to Build a Low Budget Bicycle Touring or Bikepacking Setup for Less Than $100, Drop Bars Vs. Flat Bars: My Pros and Cons List. This is my opinion to let you think of better options. offer entry-level bikes. As a kid, I rode a cheap Walmart mountain Mongoose bike for years without any problems other than a few flats and a broken pedal. @sean, so glad you got the FX2. For casual riding, Walmart bikes offer a decent value. Components changed: front wheel, tires and brake pads. Maybe the frame was cheapened so the manufactuerer could afford to include a rack. These bikes generally offer the best value. First, basic bike parts are simpler to build and cost less. Kickstand broke and crank bearings seized and jammed breaking the chain after only having it 28 days! I looked up the FX 2 disc and it looks like a great bike. Walmart bikes arent nearly as bad as people claim them to be. Maintenance is performed once annually. I bought my Fuji Touring bike used for less than half of the retail price. The bike is stored indoors during winter. All of the major bicycle manufacturers such as Trek, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. Sorry for the long story. Yeah, some of the bikes are hit or miss. The most reliable and best quality Walmart bikes tend to be the most boring and basic models. I wish I can upload pictures. As you can see, there are more cons than pros. People like to trash Walmart bikes for their questionable build quality, reliability issues, and poor performance. Good luck with your Trek! Some good places to look for a used bike include Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, garage sales, thrift stores, and bike shops. but when you do long distance 6 miles or more each day you need a better bike that can withstand the milage and has good brakes. 3- rubber fatigue of default tires. Well, I don't work there anymore thank God!!! If youre willing to put in a bit of work, you can find a quality used bike for less than $100. For more info, check out my guide to buying a bike on Amazon. Try to choose a bike without any fancy features. My experience with a Walmart bike is exceptional. During college, I bought a $100 fixed gear bike that I used to commute to class and for going on grocery runs. Distance on average per workday is around 10km round trip. Are Walmart Bikes any Good? Its best to avoid the flashy-looking bikes with disc brakes, suspension, lots of gears, or fancy accessories. It has flaws like any bike has but the upside is you get a better warranty and more reliable bike that will fit you and is assembled correctly from factory specs. As a kid, I rode my Walmart bikes hard and didnt really have any problems other than needing to adjust the derailleur once in a while and replace broken plastic pedals. Great score! That said, there are quite a few drawbacks. P.S Forgot to mention I was the only person in my state employed by walmart that new the correct way to build bikes and somehow customers at many other walmart stores found out about me and would bring their horribly built bikes to me to fix them. Bike share can be a great alternative to buying a bike for multi-modal commuters, those who dont ride often, and people who live in a small space. Cheap parts wear out quickly, break easily, and need to be adjusted frequently. beach cruiser that I bought at Walmart for $99. I actually ended up selling it for more than I paid for it. I rode the bike for a year before selling it and upgrading. Yeah, thrift stores in affluent areas are great places to look for bikes. Hoping your bike is still doing good!!!! I could say my bike has gone over 12000km roughly and still working. I am a bike mechanic, and I was having a hard time finding a job at a bike store because all the bike stores in my area were fully staffed. With all of this being said, if you have a budget of $200 or more, I highly recommend you go with a used bike or even splurge on a bike shop bike. Walmart bikes arent nearly as bad as people make them out to be. In fact, most people are better off avoiding them altogether. The suspension was also pretty much useless. Metal fatigue My one complaint was that the brakes were pretty weak. Before taking the bike, briefly inspect it to make sure its in decent condition. It's a pretty good bike and we sell a lot of them. Mostly thanks to the memories Ive made on it. It's so nice not having to deal with bikes like these anymore and the angry customers as well!! When compared to a Walmart bike of a similar price range, these entry-level name-brand bike shop bikes offer: Personally, I would much rather ride a cheap name-brand bike than an expensive mass-market box store bike. Some offer surprisingly solid quality and reliability while others are complete junk and should be avoided. Problems encountered: In my opinion, buying a used bike is the best option for anyone on a tight budget. Durability and reliability issues are common.
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