[Broken Arm] Wal-Mart's Cheap and Defective bicycle

June 10, 2010 | Vanity

[rideharddiefast]

I"m doing the MS 150 in Minnesota this weekend.

Have fun, I was planning on doing it with a couple of friends, but decided to go to Myrtle Beach instead. Roads down here are very flat and fast. (except when you are pushing the wind)

[fredhead]

They don’t make them like they used to. We have three bikes purchased from Wal-Mart. On the two adult bikes, all the chrome has rusted and I’ve replaced the parts. On my daughter’s bike (a Huffy) I’ve had to replace the tires because they wouldn’t stay on the rim.

I have another bike. This one is still in excellent shape (mechanically) after all these years. It’s a Murray Wildcat banana bike that I got for Christmas in 1967 when I was 8 years old. Only toy I didn’t manage to destroy.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I would be wary about any bike that costs $74 new. I’ve spent that much just getting a bike tuned up and adjusted.

I used to buy broken bikes and fix them. My favorite was a college bike I bought for 5 bucks after someone left it rust the entire year chained to a bike rack. Spent the summer cleaning the rust and fixing it up, and it worked for me for years.

Although I did bend the wheel on that one, lept off a 4-stair sidewalk, but while I was in the air a dog ran in front of where I was going to land, so I turned the wheel to avoid him, and landed with the wheel sideways.

Now I’ve got a nice 32-spoke Schwinn mountain bike (I bought it specifically for the 32-spokes, because I had an electric motor attachment for that many spokes — it worked for years, but finally broke down (the electric motor).

If you do your homework, you can get some great bikes at yard sales and pawn shops.

[allmendream]

A bad bike is worse than having no bike.

It takes up all the room of a bike, but when you think you are going to actually ride it, it is a pain in the butt, breaks, uncomfortable, DANGEROUS, etc.

If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. Don't buy anything you are going to trust your life to from Walmart or from China (and almost everything at Walmart is from China).

[Katya]

Next time, check Craig’s list first... bicyclists like to trade up and sell their older bikes, my son has found astounding deals. I’ve had the same hybrid bike for what I think must be 14 years? It’s an older Giant bike and I remember spending about $300...only thing I’ve had done is brake cables and a tire.

[singletrack]

That bike in the photo is a 27 speed? Is there something I’m missing, internal hub gears etc? Wheres the derailluers?

[BreezyDog]

Better Picture from their website...

Bad Boy Ultra Jekyll or Hyde? You decide. The Cannondale Bad Boy can be either a stealthy street commuter or singletrack shredder. Compatible with either fat knobbies or skinny road tires, you can choose your daily personality. REFLECTIVE DECALS Don’t let the understated look fool you. The Bad Boy is outfitted with reflective decals for that extra ‘pop’ of visibility and safety. * Frame Caffiene * Fork HeadShok Super Fatty Ultra DLR, 80 mm travel * Rear Shock N/A * Rims Sun DS-2 Bad Boy w/eyelet, 32 hole * Hubs Shimano M475 * Spokes DT Swiss Champion, 14g * Tires Vittoria Randonneur w/Double Shielding, 700x28c * Pedals Wellgo C002 dual-function w/alloy cage * Crank Shimano FC-M443, 26/36/48, black, Octalink * Chain Shimano 9-speed * Rear Cogs Shimano CS-HG50, 11-32 * Bottom Bracket Shimano Octalink BB-ES25 * Front Derailleur Shimano Deore * Rear Derailleur SRAM X-7 * Shifters SRAM X-7 Trigger * Handlebars Cannondale C3, 20mm rise, 600mm wide * Stem Cannondale XC3 * Headset Cannondale HeadShok Si * Brakeset Avid Juicy 3 * Brakelevers Cannondale Fire * Saddle Selle Royal Viper RVL Chromoly * Seat Post Cannondale C3 Alloy * Sizes P, S, M, L, X * Extras N/A

[Joya]

I think I am going to take the money I was intending to put to a monthly fee to go to the gym and make payments on a DECENT bicycle instead ... Hopefully one for $500 from REI or some such ... just thinking out loud here, topher, thanks for the heads up.

[topher]

I will probably do the same... Save up for a better bike.

Or buy one from a pawn shop -- if I can verify it has not been stolen.

[steve86]

What I have been doing is starting with a collection of import bikes and then skimming off the cream — taking the best serviceable parts from each one and combining into a single decent bike. Not everyone is in a position to do this, but it has been working out well. Surprisingly, I found a really good 36 spoke wheelset on one (most Chinese are junk — would be afraid to hit a pebble with them), decent Bell tires from old inventory (new ones are Chinese one-season or one-ride junk), a strong frame (heavy), and the other parts. Occasionally I have to go to eBay for something like an acceptable seat stem, or crank (the hollowed out Chinese crank arms will snap and hurt you just as quick as a wheel failure). Sometimes I end up using a BMX handlebar or even a pitbike handlebar. These are kid’s bikes I’m talking about but I ride them, too. Also have a Cannondale road bike but enjoy the hybrid thrift store bikes just as much. Not really bike weather here now, though.