Will Walmart's $248 Gravel BIke...Gravel? Third Ride/Review of the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer.
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- Опубликовано: 4 сен 2024
- The G.1 Explorer has impressed so far. It's a surprisingly solidly built bike at its price point. And, unlike many other bikes sold at Walmart, it uses industry-standard parts and thus can be repaired and upgraded quite easily.
The G.1 Explorer impressed on its first local ride with its general competence. And it impressed on its second ride on the road with its general speed. But it is a gravel bike, so we need to see if it will actually gravel.
The route in this video includes some nice stretches through wealthy exurban horse country - the kind of place where people will spend $248 on dinner and call it Tuesday. The gravel here is pretty well-maintained, not too deep, no washouts or water bars or singletrack. But on this day there was plenty of washboard or corduroy gravel, which can be jarring on the wrong bike.
Let's go!
The first ride video can be seen here: • First Ride: Walmart Oz...
The second ride video (road) can be seen here: • Second Ride on Walmart...
#bicycle #gravelbike #walmart #ozarktrail #2wheelsgood
thanks for your honest take on this bike, I just got one to replace an older hybrid gt that I have been using to get out and exercise with, really looking forward to this when it gets here.
Best of luck with the new G.1! Will be curious to hear how it compares to your GT - I've always wanted one of those
Thanks for watching and commenting. I try to truthfully articulate the strengths and weakness of the bikes. I'll be riding it stock for the rest of the year to see how it holds up.
Hi John, just wanted to throw a quick update. I have to say this G1 is a lot of bike for the money. It's my first bike with drop bars so i'm getting used to that but it seems more effecient to cruise around on than my older GT so i'm looking forward to seeing just how much further my rides can go. My brakes either need some bedding or adjusting i'm not quite sure yet going to ride them out for another week or so and make a determination at that point. I have my bars rotated up a bit at the moment i'm not sure if thats good or bad but it is helping the transition coming from flat bars. Do you have yours mostly centered with the logo? I'm super impressed though with the G1 and I do hope that this gets the attention of other bike makers to maybe start introducing a little more budget friendly line of gravel bikes. Either way I am more than happy with this bike and plan on putting tons of miles on it! :)
@@mski4734 Thanks for the update. There's a good Park Tool video about bedding in brakes that may help. They also have good videos on how to adjust disc brakes - it's pretty easy. Once they are dialed in they are pretty good.
Regarding the handlebars - the bike is shipped with a stem with a little big of an angle to it so that the stem is horizontal (parallel to the ground). It's pretty easy to "flip" the stem so that it rises a bit and you don't have to lean over so far. Just 4 bolts hold the bars to the stem. Then two bolts hold the stem to the fork. If you do this, be sure to make sure that the bolts are tight - there might be markings on the parts on how tight. This was one of the first things I did and the bike was instantly more comfortable.
Enjoy the ride!
Love these videos. This is my first gravel/dropdown handlebar bike and I love it.
Appreciate the positive feedback! The bike is fun, isn't it? What did you ride before - a mountain bike? Enjoy the G.1!
Same boat here. Cycling would not be accessible to me if it weren't for this bike at this price point. I hope they continue to expand these types of offerings. I've only ever had the 90 dollar "mountain bikes" from walmart.
Thanks for watching and commenting. How much better is the G.1 compared to your $90 Walmart "mountain bikes" of the past? I love that you puts quotes around "mountain bikes" LOL.
@JohnMFlores I would say that only through experiencing the Ozark Trail G.1 did I understand that the cheaper bikes were more bike shaped objects than bicycles. My old bike feels to be at least 45lbs, maybe more.
The riding position and general rolling resistance of the G.1 really highlighted inefficiencies in the cheap models.
I would say riding a bike without suspension has shown how much extra weight that was, especially when you consider that I have never approached a downhill or single track in my life.
Now I feel comfortable on road and on dort/gravel roads, and I am looking forward to putting more miles on the bike as I improve my fitness.
Great insight. It's so funny how people get drawn into thinking that a full suspension mountain bike is what they want without realize that it comes at the expense of cost and quality at that pricepoint. Most people would be better off starting with simpler, sturdier, and more reliable and capable bikes like the G.1.
I picked one up based on your prior videos. Did about 1:20 ride on a mixture of pavement, gravel road, neglected fire road, steep hills, and a bit of loose sand. I really enjoyed how it rode compared to my mountain bike on hard surfaces. Quite fast and efficient. I can see how an extra gear would help on the steep climbs. I think I need to adjust the shifting as it really makes a racket when large front and smaller 3 rear gears are selected. It will sometimes miss shifts as well. However, I really enjoyed the ride on this gravel style bike. I'm going to ride the heck out of it this summer and see what I can learn about my riding preferences. I had a lot of fun getting my cardio in today.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I really try to be honest with my videos, so it's cool to see that they helped you make a decision that seems to be working for you.
Regarding the gearing - the racket is likely coming from the chain rubbing against the front derailleur. Question - when you say "smaller 3 rear gears" do you mean physically smaller (the ones furthest from the spokes) or smaller by effort (the ones closest to the spokes)?
If you mean physically smaller, that shouldn't happen and you might be able to fix that by adding some cable tension to the front derailleur (there is a silver barrel adjuster on the front derailleur cable right by the headtube) or by adjusting the outer limit screw on the rear derailleur itself. Both of these methods will shift the position of the derailleur cage by a couple of millimeters, which is all that you need to stop the noise.
If you mean smaller by effort, you can also use the barrel adjuster to reduce the noise in the third gear but you'll likely still have noise in the smallest/largest gear and maybe the next one too. This is a limitation of all geared drivetrains that have two chainrings up front - the derailleur simply can't move out of the way at these extreme chain angles. These extreme chain angles aren't good anyway as they wear out the chain and cogs faster. Thankfully, the pedaling effort of the big/big gear is similar to the pedaling effort of choosing small/medium.
Plenty of videos on RUclips on adjusting derailleurs. Park Tools has the best.
Once again, thanks for watching!
@@JohnMFlores Thanks for the tips! It's the smaller by size rear gears I was referring to. I think the Walmart bike assembler just didn't get it setup correctly. As long as I can get it to run the physically larger front with smaller rear without issues, and the smaller front with larger rear, then I'll be set for what I need to do. I seem to spend most of my time on anything remotely flat or downhill in the physically large front smallest 3 rear gears.
The setup of the front derailleur is a bit finicky - the difference between getting it right (no noise) and getting it wrong (dropping the chain when you shift the front derailleur) can be a quarter turn of the adjustment screw. I usually ride around the neighborhood with a small screwdriver in my pocket, stopping frequently to make small tweaks until it's good. Best of luck.
There is an issue called "cross chaining". It's that rattling sound of the chain you hear when you're using gears that are to extreme for the gear set. If you're using the small chain ring (granny gear) and the "smaller 3 rear gears" that may be what's happening. It also happens with the big ring and the larger sprockets in the cassette. Although it won't damage your bike in the short term, you shouldn't make that a habit as it will cause damage over time. You might want to try using the small chain ring for the first four sprockets, the middle chain ring for the center four sprockets, and the big chain ring for the smallest three sprockets. Sounds confusing but, you'll get the hang of it pretty quick.
Unfortunately one of those "industry-standard parts" is a rear wheel that takes free hubs instead of cassettes. Would have been a significantly more upgradable platform if it wasnt for that.
Yeah, I talk about that in the video. I wish they had chosen a 1x9 or 1x10 drivetrain but I guess that would have raised the price.
Your letterbox style video works out great since the CC doesn't get in the way of the view. Keep the ride updates coming!
I appreciate that - I'm working on my visual style and language. And one thing I'm committed to is CC. The letterbox not only works for the CC, but I think it gives the footage an interesting vibe. I don't want to say cinematic but perhaps more focused on the riding because the stuff I am cropping off doesn't add much to the story.
Gotta plan a bikepacking trip with the G.1 next...
I like the 2x in the fron on my gravel bike. I would haveliked to have seen an 8x, or at least a maga range.
Yeah, I guess they couldn't hit the $248 price point if they went 2x8. Still, it's a good bike.
@@JohnMFlores
I agree on the 8 speed. That 7 spead is cheap.
Taking a 0 suspension road bike and putting slightly wider tires on it and calling it a gravel bike is just mind-blowing to me, that washboard looked extremely unpleasant. 😄
LOL, what's funny to me is that gravel bikes are slowly evolving towards drop bar mountain bike hardtails.
The washboard was manageable as soon as I let some air out of the tires. Thanks for watching!
My medium size is still in the Box, veen working overtime and it's extremely hor here anyways. Just got my new pedals yesterday and getting ready to order a new seat post and oversized seat. Be great to hit some trails and terrorize my neighborhood some more in September. I have heard about the brakes squealing on these bikes a lot. I guess cleaning the disc with alcahol and changing out the pads might help this? Thanks for the videos and have happy safe trails. 🤠
On my last ride, the brakes are less noisy, so I think that they're bedding in nicely. I'm kind of surprised at how well they are working - I can easily lock up the rear on gravel and the front bites well. Good luck with your bike, go terrorize the neighborhood (LOL), and thanks for watching and commenting!
Well I'd love to be off riding now but I'm back at work making that overtime. Plus it's 100 degrees out there or more, least we don't have to worry about mowing here for awhile. Have you looked at any Electric bikes yet? I like the Cyber bike and the Fat Bear plus. I also like the moped looking bikes. I don't have a motorcycle license so I have to keep it under 28 miles per hour. Not to sure the cops wouldn't bug me on the moped or not. They usually don't bother anyone but we have a new cadet police department opening soon, those trainees like to bug people.
I've rented ebikes from time to time; they've been hella fun. And they'd be super nice in the heat - you can get the cooling effect from moving without putting as much effort in. But I'm at the age where I'm trying to not get old and decrepit LOL, so I'll pedal while I can. But yeah, maybe I should look into a town ebike for the summer heat...
In the meantime, go get that bag and hope you find time to put your G.1 together and go for a ride!
Were you able to determine what was wrong with the brakes that they continued to rub after you released them?
it's an intermittent issue, maybe when I slowly release the brakes instead of releasing them quickly. It hasn't proven to be too bothersome
Just curious, if Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer is so revolutionary for the market at $248.00. Then what about Walmart's two previous offerings, The Genesis Bohe and Mongoose Grit? What did they lack in comparison, if anything.🤔
That's a great question; one that I had not thought about. I haven't ridden the Genesis Bohe so I have not idea about the ride quality. KevCentral did ride it and was pretty complimentary, but he did say that the tires weren't very good. And while it share much of the same 2x7 drivetrain with the G.1, here are some of the differences that I noticed:
- G.1 has internal cable routing/Genesis Bohe has external cable routing
- G.1 has downtube cage mount (thanks to internal cable routing)/Genesis Bohe has just one bottle mount
- G.1 has fork pack mounts/Genesis Bohe does not
- G.1 uses Presta valve rims and tubes/Genesis Bohe uses Schrader valve rims and tubes
- G.1 is $248/Genesis Bohe was $348 when introduced, $248 now
A lot of these little features aren't a big deal unless you plan on doing longer rides and trips. But even for short rides (in heat like we're having now), it's nice to be able to carry a second water bottle. I'll be testing out the G.1 on an overnight trip soon and will be using the mounting points that the Genesis Bohe does not.
Thanks for watching and the great question!
are you getting a lot of chain noise in certain gears, got the G1 recently and certain gears seem louder than others. Think lubing the chain will help with this?
Yes - it depends on what gears in the front and back that you use. If you use the smaller gear in the front and the smallest gear in the rear, you will get noise. That noise is coming from the chain hitting the front derailleur. Next time you get that noise, look at the front derailleur and you'll see the chain rubbing against the outside plate. This is call cross-chaining. It also happens when you use the big gear in front and the big gear in the bag; in this case the chain will be rubbing against the inside plate of the front derailleur.
This happens on all bikes with 2 gears in the front, not just the G.1. The answer is simple - don't use gears combinations (small-small or big-big) that make noise.
Instead of using the smallest on front combined with the smallest in the rear, try using the big in the front and the third largest in the rear. That gear is very similar to small-small and it doesn't make noise.
Does this make sense? It's a common problem. I may make a video about it.
@@JohnMFlores thanks for the info and great videos! keep it up!
@@JohnMFlores I just purchased the last one in my area. Really enjoyed your videos and would love more videos explaining this type of stuff. I’ve cycled before but I’m starting to get back into it.
Thanks for watching and for the kind comment! I'm planning on more videos of the G.1 Explorer. Enjoy the new bike smell and ride safe!
How tall are you and frame size did you go with... having to order off line... thanks for any info!
5'-8" with a 30" inseam and years of experience riding drop bar bikes. The 50cm Medium fits me great after flipping the stem. Folks of similar height but little drop bar experience have reported feeling like the handlebars are too far away.
Would i be costly to change the gearing on this bike ? I would love to get one but i know ill outgrow it too quickly and would like to upgrade it. Anyone know if it would be worth it ?
Thanks for watching. What about the gearing do you think you will outgrow? Do you think you'll need a taller/harder big gear or a smaller/easier low gear? I ask because there are inexpensive and not so inexpensive ways to tweak the gearing on the bike
@@JohnMFlores maybe turning it into more of a road bike. I currently have a 2x 7 and I always feel like I need more speed. Maybe a 3 x 7 ?
@@edg-m4459 the biggest gear on the stock bike is 46 front x 14 rear. If you pedal at 100rpm, that will get you up to 27mph. If you need more, you can either upgrade the front crank and chainrings, upgrading the 46 tooth to 50 or 52 tooth. Or you can upgrade the rear derailleur/freewheel to something smaller than 14, say 11 or 12. Upgrading the rear will require a new rear wheel, new rear derailleur, new cassette, new brifter, and maybe a new chain. Not cheap. Upgrading the front easier. But note that 27mph is really fast. Like pro level fast. If you are just starting out, keep the bike stock and enjoy it for a year.
@@JohnMFlores thank you really appreciate it.
I want a 50CM but there is none to be had....this sucks!
Be patient. F5 and don't hesitate when it shows up. That's what I did for two weeks. Best of luck!
I don't know if you've ever ridden a 1,000$+ bike, but uh you'd toss this thing in the nearest trash bin if you did. As a bike mechanic, we as a store won't even service walmart bikes because the service cost exceeds the worth of the bike. 😅Good to see people having fun on bikes though. 🙂
Coming from someone that has an epic sworks. I got this bike to put a kid seat on back to enjoy riding with my kid. This Walmart bike is surprisingly real good, yes servicing will cost more than the bike itself but for price I would just replace it or learn to work on it yourself. The simple fact is 90% people will not be able take advantage (skill) of $1000+ gravel or MTB that’s just reality……..
Have you ridden one?
@@JohnMFlores No, I've never ridden a Walmart bike or shopped at a Walmart since I was a teenager. I have no doubt it rides well out of the box though, will it still ride well after a few months of riding it? Probably not, could be worth a follow-up video. Not trying to shame anyone, I'm genuinely curious, as the bike shop I work as refuses to let us work on them. 🤔
I understand where you’re coming from about longevity…. That’s why I put it my chase sapphire reserve card which gives me 1 year warranty on top of the 90 days from Walmart….. so if goes bad I’ll get new one. I did put over 50 miles on it with a kid seat so far will see how it holds up.
Thanks for responding. As @LukeyLook says, it's a surprisingly decent bike; much better than the $100 Walmart dual-suspension mountain bikes and bikes that your bike shop won't touch for good reason. I suggest your shop reconsider your policy on the G.1 though. It's got a tapered head tube, threaded bottom bracket with a square taper, and other standard bits. If anything, I'd encourage folks to bring their G.1 for a 50 mile tuneup and regular maintenance. Establish a good relationship with a G.1 owner and they may come back when they're ready to upgrade their 2x7 drivetrain (which will frequently require a new rear wheel) and later when their ready to upgrade their whole bike.
Regarding durability, I was surprised that the bike handled the washboard gravel at speed without anything falling off. And when I got home, I gave the front wheel a spin and the bearings are still really smooth.
With your shop's experience, I understand your concern about durability. Me too. That's why I plan on riding the bike stock for at least the rest of the year to see how it holds up.
A well made 7 speed freewheel rear wheel will outlast most freehubs by many thousands of miles.
The Shimano brand 14-28 freewheel is also bombproof.
I run a cassette nowadays, but my son is still riding a Suntour 6 speed freewheel from the 80s.
I expect it to run another 100,000 miles with periodic chain replacement.
I expect my shimano 12-28 cassette to need replacing more often. Way more often.
Good to know! Thanks for watching.