I'll refrain from commenting until after your next video when you burp that tire worse than Uncle Jimmy after his third plate at Thanksgiving, you're down to half the amount of sealant, and you probably a good POV crash video to go with it. :-)
Thank you for reviewing entry level bikes. I believe there is an underserved market for people who want to ride bikes, but don’t want to break the bank. I also appreciate your professional approach, rather than dismissing this bike as a BSO.
This is me to a tee. I haven't had a mountain bike since I was in high school. I bout a nakumura mountain bike and realized fast that a lot of the parts are not that great. I only wished I splurged enough to get a bike that was worth slowly upgrading.
@@TrailFeatures sure, but I love having an underdog frame. I know good and well my riding ability will never go beyond what that Schwinn frame can handle.
Junk for some people, but treasure for me. Saving money for 1 year and now I get my $400 bike and I really enjoyed it. 20 Km cycling everyday made my day.
I'm a first-timer and I bought a 2020 Schwinn Boundary (I liked KevCentral's reviews) $248.00 at Walmart. I don't see much difference except for the lock-out option on the shocks. I am learning a LOT because of the 2020 Boundary, both in riding and watching these videos. Believe me, there is a good reason for these 'beginner bikes'. Thanks for the video, good job!
I've found that the WalMart or other cheap bikes are actually pretty good, but you have to completely take them apart first and build them correctly. Once they are set up and adjusted, they aren't so bad.
The Axum seems to be good when ordered direct. The only thing I had to do was adjust the rear derailleur. I took a torque wrench to every bolt and only one or two were out of spec.
@malikgraham1824 I have a Kmart brand 3 speed that's 40 years old. If you build and set them up properly, then do regular maintenance on it, these department store bikes will last longer than you most likely.
Best upgrade I made was a sealed Bottom bracket. One ball bearing not there from factory and little grease. Also, after looking at video I may check headset grease level.
Awesome teardown! Looks like a good starter complete! 1. Remove kick stand 2. Get a pair of Tubolitos to reduce rotational weight 3. Change out brake/shifter cables with teflon coated ones for smoother controls That's all you'd probably want to do with this bike. Forks appear to continue to be the component barrier to getting into the next level of riding experience, and you might as well get a new hardtail at that point. Lack of grease is a sad reality with even the reputable brands. :(
I feel like channels like kev central (and yours) are making these companys realize they have a large segment of enthusiasts that want more than just a cheap bike. I feel like things are going to get interesting... Especially after seeing them put tapered headset capabilities on the bikes. Now we just need a company willing to make some decent quality budget upgrades.
Thanks for the video! Bought an Axum based on your first video a month ago to get into the sport. I've upgraded the pedals and brakes (MT200) and it's made the bike a lot more fun and safe. This video will help a lot when I upgrade the rest of the bike as parts wear out, and I get better at riding. Much Appreciation!
@@ElGranCarajo 1500mm, still a bit long though I've read you can trim them without re-bleeding. I just zip-tied them in front of the handle bars. Hasn't interfered with handling. Huge difference in braking power. Remember to bed the breaks before you hit the trails though.
To add on to that, If you don’t feel comfortable shorting the hoses on your brakes, a local bike shop would be happy to take care of that for a small fee. That way everything looks nice and tidy, and you can feel safe knowing a professional did the job for you.
@@TrailFeatures Thanks! I'll give them a try. By the way, my 16yr old is now on the hunt for GT Avalanche Comp because of you! He's been riding an 8yr old Hard Rock into the dirt and his birthday is coming up. Keep up the great videos and advice!
It's a great budget option to get on the trail and the dropper post edition is really nice. A budget Rockshock or even a cheap Chinese air fork plus hydraulic brakes and nicer derailer should be all that is needed to really make it worthy. Those items will add up to another 4-500 bucks so it does start to become a toss up whether to just pay a little more from buyer direct stores or go to the local bike shop. The frame is really nice, but so are most of them these days. If all you have is 500 bucks and want to ride something now, then this is awesome!
I was looking at this bike as an option when I was thinking about getting back into riding after a 20 year hiatus, but instead I hunted around on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist until I finally saw a bike that suited me in that budget. What finally caught my eye was an early 2000s Trek 8500 with nearly every upgrade that was available at the time. It's got a 27 speed Shimano Deore XT indexed drive train and hydraulic disc brakes, 26" quick release tubeless rims, a Rockshox Reba Dual Air fork with remote adjustable damping and poploc. The bike was well taken care of by an elderly gentleman (now in his mid 70s) who had custom ordered it new. I figured that even if I have to tear it down completely to grease and or replace bearings, worn gears or cables, that I'm still coming out ahead of what I would have had I purchased this Schwin for the same amount of money.
I still have my mid nineties Trek 7500 "Aluminum"...yep, those were the days when aluminum frames were considered to be like carbon fiber today. It's a bright, kinda faded, lime green with spring oii Trek in house forks and Shimano LX components. The frame geometry was very boxy in those days and subsequently extremely top heavy. I just keep it around for nostalgia as it seems almost dangerous to ride compared to my 2019 bike. Very cool bikes for the time. I paid $750 at the bike shop (on sale) which wasn't too bad even for the time. The Cannondale's were starting at 1200 bucks!
That frame is identical to look at to my Trinx. Trinx are a Chinese company that also make frames for other companies (one million per annum). Their own bikes are designed in Italy. My L size 21" framed X1-P was $300, delivered 29" wheels, 27 speed, hydraulic brakes, mag forks, remote lock out, Shimano everything. Very happy with the product. Subscribed, great channel for 60 y/o newbies like myself, although have ridden motorcycles all my adult life. Regards from NE Thailand.
I bought a Walmart bike branded as NEXT about 19yrs ago just over a $100 At the time I was racing mtb bikes and didn’t want to leave my expensive full suspension sitting around while I was in a store So I use the next to train on As I upgraded my race mtb I put those Parts on the next Now I’m almost 71 and still have the next and still ride it as my primary bike it just works for me Have a blessed day
I bought a Redline Zander summer of 18 from walmart for $147. Frame is basically a GT. Since then I've upgraded the cheap spring fork to a Manitou Markor air fork, raceface pedals and grips, racing Ralph tires, 40mm riser spoon bars and a 40mm stem. 2yrs later and it hasn't let me down on any trail, hitting it hard on the rocks or just tooling down the gravel. Love these videos on budget builds. Keep them coming cause this kind of content is what got me into mine. 👍👍🚴
I have a number of bikes. Some of them are Kmart or BigW specials. They cost a LOT less than $400. More like $150 Australian or about $110 US. The tyres were terrible. But the rest of the bike was fundamentally sound. HOWEVER it was not assembled or adjusted properly. So dismantling the bike, cleaning, greasing and adjusting everything made each of them into a much better bike. Replacing the tyres with good tyres has made them into a very useful bike that has covered large distances without fuss, wear or breakage.
@@Riley_1955 Ho, don't get me started. Presta valves encapsulate everything that's gone wrong with the bike market in the past 30 years. Short version: dumb gear changes no-one asked for. ("I know! How about tires you have to have a special pump to inflate!")
I would like to buy old style BB for my bike, but it was not available. Old style BB gives you control to grease and to adjust as often as you want. When you buy a cartridge, you have no idea if grease is in bearing or not and how much. Usually not enough.
I'm really surprised that the marketing folks at Schwinn would think it makes more sense to market the smaller bike as a "women's" model. Perhaps they're thinking the average shopper at WalMart would prefer it that way. I agree with your comment, it makes far more sense to market it as just a "medium" frame like all the "upscale" bikes do, paint it an awesome color, and sell it to both men and women. Pretty paint costs about the same as ugly paint, I've never understood that one. Women will ride a bike that's designated for "men" but men won't ride a "women's" bike. They'll sell a lot more of them that way. I kind of feel like they're not aware of how much cred they're getting in the mountain biking circles...you can't buy one of these anywhere (sold out) right now largely due to folks like you and KevCentral. I hope they figure it out! And no, WalMart bikes aren't junk, they're bikes. You wouldn't call a Jeep CJ7 junk because it's slower, doesn't stop and it doesn't corner as well as a normal car. You need to use it differently, understand what it's good at and what it isn't and use it accordingly. I think this thing is awesome for no other reason than it will bring legitimate mountain bikes to the masses and increase the sport. More riders means more nice trails in parks and rec areas, more bike lanes in cities, etc. Good for everyone!
I like to think of it as, don't make a bike for men or women, just make a bike that people like.👍 Also, as much as I'd love to think I have enough influence to cause a bike to sell out, it's actually just everyone wanting to get out of the house due to covid. every bike shop I've talked to has said they are slammed and can't keep things in stock! Tons on new riders getting into the sport, so everything that's affordable is flat out gone.
@@TrailFeatures Give yourself a little credit, I don't think the average WalMart bike shopper is looking to spend 400 or 500 bucks on a bike. Though I've lived in GA (from Maine) just long enough to forget that this time of the year in half the country folks are finally getting a peek of the outdoors for the first time in a while. So your point is well taken.
It might come down to tire selection but I didn't have an issue with seating mine tubeless that I haven't had with other tubeless ready rims and tires. My rear Aggressor seated with my little tire inflator that plugs into my cigarette lighter. I had to use a compressor for the front Minion but both seated with the satisfying pops. Neither lost seal when I let the air out either. I have one ride on them so far without issue but hopefully I'll get out this weekend and push them a littler harder and see. Testing these things is half the fun :) Edited to add: Goes without saying but great video as always.
Two ideas: 1) it would be great to do an ‘upscale’ video on this to test the potential of the frame. 2) Schwinn might to better to offer better spec and a rigid fork (I know - five years ago that would be anathema, but in the era of the gravel bike...)
Being 6'2", most if not all department bikes are way too small for me. As well as having the ability to kick start a seized engine (yes, I tried, it turned but didnt start) I need a sturdy frame. Most department bikes feel like they're going to shatter when I ride them.
Schwinns only mistake was not making multiple sizes. More parents are out looking for starter bikes for their young shredders to learn on. This may have been a decent starting point for them. But most 13y/o kids will not fit a large.
I would like to see it scaled down in wheel size too, so 27.5 (s/m) and a 26" (xs/xxs) see so many kids here riding around on 29ers and they can't lift the front wheel because the chain stays are way too long for their height.
I bought this and love it I upgraded the brakes and out of necessity changed to a hallowtech bottom bracket other than that I absolutely love this bike
I rode it for about 2mi and the chain kept falling off. After only about two hours of riding/fixing the chain (because of the crappy gear changer), I got my money back and said no more. The cassette rattles like crazy and even small jumps off curbs will derail the chain....not fun
The best part is that there's no bizzare/nonstandard components or frame construction. You can replace individual components as they break rather or you get sick of them with standard modern components. No threaded stem conversions or finding the nicest NOS freewheel you can dig up. My only concern is those kickstand holes. Seems like they create an opportunity to create a standing puddle in your frame if you don't plug them up.
i had a large frame Axum DP in red. the color grew on me. her name was Big Red. after two seasons and 400 ish in upgrades, i tapped out and bought a polygon xtrada 7
I have had the Axum DP for about a month. It’s my first mountain bike as an adult. I got it knowing that I would want to do upgrades, but I enjoy the wrenching. I’m a field service technician, so I already have a lot of tools and general technical knowledge. Could I have gotten something comparable at a bike shop for the same price after upgrades? Maybe, but where’s the fun and personalization in that? Wouldn’t I want to personalize that too? Also, I’m able to appreciate and better understand each component and its function, so if I ever upgrade to a bike store bike, I will know exactly what I want/need. So far, I’m running Shimano MT200 brakes for $55, Box Four Shifter and Derailleur for ~$90, Raceface Atlas Bars for ~$80, and an Ergon SMC saddle for $90. Also, I’m 5’8 and I don’t feel like the size is an issue. The bars definitely helped with that. I’m trying to decide what’s next, or if I just want to ride it like this for a while. If you buy this bike with a learning/project mentality, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Also, I enjoy the dropper WAY more than I thought I would. It’s worth the investment. I had the money for a nice bike shop bike, but I just couldn’t bring myself to drop that kind of cash not knowing if I’d stick with the hobby. So far, the Axum has been a hell of a gateway drug.
@@TrailFeatures I have to agree, the bikes Schwinn's been making look like they're higher-market then they are. (I got the newest Al Comp and it has a very nice silver-to-black fade going on)
I had 3 walmart bikes and they all have broke down. As i ride them i can hear components falling down the concrete road. I want a good durable bike but not want to expend too much.
I Like The Way That You Did This Because Daily MTB Rider Was Complaining A lot About This Bike When Riding It. Then You are chill, becuase Your Happy Because You are On a Bike!
To be fair, Josh and I have pretty different riding styles. I'm more punch through a rock garden while he's a go-full-send guy. That's why it's great for multiple people to review the same bike, it paints a better picture of who this bike is for and what it's good at. 👍
Flying Lap Productions what would be a good beginner bike? I’ve been watching a bunch of videos about it but they are contradictory to each other, any advice?
@@archetypex65 That's where your wrong. This bike has a lot of potential mostly swap ou the brakes and forks and then you have yourself a pretty nice bike to ride on green and blue trails so it's perfect for a beginner! To me no bikes are horrible im just happy if im on a bike and I think that Trail Features can agree with me. Today I was doing Tabletops with a hybrid bike and I was having the time of my life so yeah any bike you can have fun on!
@@jonathanwalker8310 as a beginner myself I did a ton of research. I wound up going to a local dealer of the brand I had set my mind on and went there to see if they had or were able to order the 2019 version of my bike rather than the 2020. I wound up saving almost $150 by doing that and the main thing I lost out on was the wheelset on the 2020 is tubeless capable while mine is not which to me isnt a make or break. I think overall and having watched this video and some others of the Axum, the biggest deterrent in my mind would be the groupset of components being schwinns own in house creation. Ultimately I think like many are saying here, the bike you can get out and ride in your price range is the bike you should purchase and go out and enjoy. Down the line if you continue to enjoy the sport and its in your budget you can upgrade what you have or even re-sell it and upgrade. Good luck and hope you find what your looking for.
my only issue with cheap bikes is the "whipped butter" they use as grease at factory.& the sloppyness of assembly.i find if you tear them down completely & reassemble them with precision & a good synthetic grease,they are surprisingly better & long lasting.the factories just throw them togather enough to barely function to save time.i have an old cheap aluminum kent 21 speed that still rides perfect.precice adjustments & maintenence is the key when working with lower end bikes.
This would be a nice commuter bike after putting slick tires and a rigid fork, maybe a swept back handlebar. And of course add some grease to the bottom bracket and headset. I actually like the standard square taper bb
Honestly (just answering the title) Walmart bikes are useable, you need to make sure that things are tightened and not to be too crazy... But everything that I do is on a Walmart bike... It can handle my 10-12 foot jumps and 5-foot drops as well as blue and black downhill tech :D. Nonetheless, I hope to upgrade soon...
I agree, Walmart bikes are fine! Some of these in-videos show too much rough riding to me! If you are riding for fun or exercise, then they are fine! If you ride a bike off cliffs, then yeah, it might not hold up! 😀
Why do some people hate kickstands? It seems pretty handy to me. Especially when making adjustments while out. They take up less space in the shed or garage if they are standing up instead of laying down. I also bikepack so it is nice for the bike to be vertical when loading gear on it.
They can come in handy for sure! When you get into more adventurous trail riding they can become a bit of a hazard. In my original review that I posted a few weeks back, you can see it flopping around in slow motion. That’s a very pointy metal object that you don’t want to say hi to you in a crash. 😬
@@TrailFeatures Ok thanks. I have seen several people post about removing them and I've never seen anyone explain why. I've had plenty of wrecks in the past but the kickstand was never a threat. I will look for your video that shows it.
Thanks for this video. I found one used (guy bought it during lock-down & rode it maybe 5 times) and looked at the bearings. Unlike the one you got, all the bearings had sufficient grease, but the head bearings had a couple of small aluminum shavings left from machining. The bike is fun to ride. Thanks for making me aware of this bike.
Man great review. Lot knowledge to pick up from your video. So much to absorbe my head was spinning! I'm a newb. This my first year riding so yea bro.....I really don't know up from down. I'm 50 years old and I'm getting started. I loved being on a bike since I was ,little kid. I picked up a Schwinn Boundry based on the fact that it was free and i thought it looked cool. So your videos on the Schwinn line got my attention. The Boundary frame seemed usable to me also. I'm a rebuild and upgrade junkie. So I'm thrilled to start out with it. Thanks for really great video. I subscribed.
I put a RockShox 30 Gold RL fork: 29” 120mm travel, solo air, QR, tapered steerer, gloss. They’re not hard to find. Also, don’t let bike shops tell you that it won’t fit. It will. I went to Trek and they told me “we don’t know these bikes. It probably won’t work.” Then I went to a mom and pop bike shop and some young guy slapped it on in twenty minutes.
Hey man! Just saw three of your recent videos (GT Avalanche review through this one) and I got so much out of them as a beginner who’s looking to learn more about bikes. Your videos are very well constructed. Just subscribed!
I bought a wally bike but half of the components were loose. And im pretty sure its come with bent/ruined derailleur in the back that skips contantly and ive spent literal days working on it to no avail
Not a bad frame. But, is the derailleur dropout easily available when a replacement is needed? AND, I didn’t know about the tubeless tire issue. I’ll stay with tubed tires.
The Axum is like an upgraded Schwinn Santis, the upgrade being the tapered head tube and another bottle cage mount. The drivetrain is different too. I bought a Santis last year and put a Deore drivetrain on it and a nice air fork (that had a straight steerer). With about $800 total into it, the Santis is a darn good trail bike now. With the Axum, I think the parts on it are good enough to ride until they break and then you can upgrade to better. Ride now...upgrade later. A pretty good plan for the broke folk.
I am 5'6" and have the boundry. It is to big for me but its still way way more stable than my old 26er. My observation is this. I would probably go alcomp next time cause probably gonna replace every part as time goes by so the smaller frame would b better for me. But still prefer the larg frame 29" over my medium frame 26". Like its no contest.
@@zzzonezz Im 5'10 - 5'11 and boundary frames feels great to ride, but... stand over height is needlessly high and is a real nut cracker. Every other mtn bike frame is lower, what on earth is Schwinn thinking ?!
Reminds me a lot of my first mountain bike from 6 years ago. It was heavy. The components were cheap and of questionable durability. But, it got me out and cycling again. That fork in particular will be the biggest limiter, or at least it was for me. I didn't watch the linked video, but I bet the "lock-out" and adjustment don't have any real effect on the fork. My starter bike was fine as a grocery getter, commuter, and mild trail bike, but nothing beyond that because of that front fork.
Hey, so i actually purchased this bike about a month ago and I feel that i've already outgrown it in terms of riding capability. After taking it out on 4 long trail rides i've already bent the 2 largest gears on the rear wheel and had to disassemble the back wheel in order to straighten them back out. On top of that, the cranks creak an pop when pedaling hard, especially when climbing harder sections. It has also made me cringe several times when i go to pump a transition and slam the fork to the bottom of its 100mm of travel. Its difficult to complain about though, especially when upgrading some of the parts cost almost as much as the whole bike if not more.
Does the bike come with the tools needed to separate the parts to add more grease initially? Should I go through and undo everything to put loctite or other fluids on all of the joints and moving parts? I worry that they don't do enough at the factory.
Unfortunately, you would need to purchase the tools to do that maintenance. If you’re not comfortable doing that, your local bike shop should be able to do a once over on the bike just to make sure everything is dialed in.
According to Google, Walmart is the largest retailer of bicycles in the US. They must be doing something right. Unfortunately I need an XL frameset. Walmart doesn't work for me. Dicks Sporting Goods is my choice. Disassemble every new bike. Inspect, re-grease and adjust properly... and don't try to kill it, any retailers bike will last. Even a Walmart bike. But If you really need a performance bike, shop elsewhere.
I am really hoping this bike is still available in another 6 months. I am saving for it and as a result of family medical emergencies it might be longer than that. This is a great review and thank you for taking the time to make it.
Hey I saw that u said ur exited to wut they come up next year in 10:51 we’ll guess wut they put a better bike a schween axum dp which means same bike but with droperpost
I bent the back rim of their 98 buck mountain bike the first week getting groceries ... I turned it into a "walking wheel" also called "the great wheel" for spinning cotton.
Keep in mind that a $400 bike a year ago was actually a $350 bike before that but the import tariff on bikes made in China (almost all bikes) added about $50. For entry level I would steer clear of disk brakes. I feel they don't add that much in performance but do add about $100 to the sales price and replacement pad cost is pretty high. Pads need to be replaced every year or two, depending on how much you use it. Traditional rim type pads are quite cheap at about $7/wheel. If you are going to spend more than $250 I would look closely at a name brand like Giant. Try to buy in fall when there are closeout deals. You can get $50-100 off list but selection is limited.
Any issues with the tires staying seated? I’m deathly afraid of burping a non-tubeless-tubeless setup! Also: I haven’t see a square taper BB in YEARS #goodtimes
I should have read down before I commented. EVEN if you wanted to improve that frame, it is designed for QR, and it isn't boost. Good luck finding good wheel options. Josh didn't show what type of frame clearance it had either. I haven't seen anything that makes me see it as any sort of viable option for someone hoping to get a bike to ride for their first year. Has problems written all over it.
@willbros QR 141 (boost 141) uses the same flange distance as boost 148, the only diffrence is the endcaps. Hope, DT swiss, Stan's, and Spank all have conversion kits (usually ~$20 USD) to turn a 148 thru hub to a 141 QR. I'd prefer a true 148 throu-axle frame, but until that tech trickles down to bikes under $1000 USD 141 is the next best thing. 👍
After working on my grand sons al comp. I can see from these newer models wally world has come along way. Our Al comp is a much older bike with the trashy 3 crank ring & junk frt deraillur set up. New pedals and B.B. caged bearings & hub service got him back on the road. These newer models with the 1 X 9, 10 seem to be offering better componets and frames sizes out to large. But to buy these and expect to ride them straight away without service to hub & bottom B.B. is advocating disaster to happen sooner than later. Juggled around the idea of purchasing the orzark model or the kent tourivaill after seeing the branded $450-600 LBS offering pretty much the same componets. Except at least most if not all brand bikes in the prices mentioned offer cartridge BB though they probably are like $15.00 items but the bikes are set up by LBS...which can be a dice roll for a noobie to do who has no tools. At least using the LBS one might expect to have the bike perform outa the shop plus have connections for warranty or adjustment issues. For the wrencher with little budget these may be a cool project bike. We flipped...Norco won. Ordering their Indie 1X10 city / urban with 27.5 by 2 tyres. This model is like what the early MTB were like in my day....no suspension, straight bars roadie saddle, ballon tyres with knobs....maybe quick release hubs. To day these are called urban/ city...if someone would market a 1x6 7 speed for city that is more than enough but guess mix match cassette halves work too...not every place is flat like our state.... Lucky the kid likes city riding...told him to keep his Al Comp when he gets the wild urge to play in the dirt. I know the industry is heading towards 700C / 29er...after riding one on pavement ugh!....650b or 27.5 is much more nimble and easier to get to speed with a tyre wider than 700C roadie tyres.... Enjoyed the video....we follow the other two dudes; beam & kevcentral...cheers.
I bought one recently and I think overall it’s DECENT. The brakes suck and the derailleur is junk already. So I guess this means upgrade time. Any recommendations?
I second the box four recommendation. Installed mine today. Almost completely eliminated chain slap and any slip, and shifts so much better. You need the shifter and derailleur. Stock chain and cassette works fine.
I bought a 125$ bike from Walmart, but there were a few issues after only 7 months of use. Loose stand, slippery gears, malfunctioning brakes, misaligned steering I have a list 5 pages long
Thanks for getting the weight of the frame. I am impressed. I am thinking it might be worth the price and upgrade if the stock wheels are half decent. Only downfall is the rear QR dropouts. :(
I'm somewhat of a ghetto tubeless sommelier. If you don't mind the weight penalty, just add more tape. Electrical tape is what I use, but we've made do with gorilla tape in the shop before. On all my ghetto tubeless setups I have been able to seat them with a floor pump.
Thought about that, but this video is aimed at people getting their first bike. I'll tell them the risks and let them decide how clever they want to get. 😜
@@TrailFeatures I'm not trying to be mean, here, but that read as a bit dismissive. You did DIY tubeless and skipped the step that makes it work, then told a bunch of beginners not to try it when it didn't work well. People getting their first bike don't typically know what tubeless is, so including a whole segment on it doesn't mesh with what you said.
I apologize if I sounded dismissive. It's really tricky to give advice like this when you realize a lot of people are going to watch your videos. I showed converting them to tubeless to explain why it's not a good idea. I personally haven't had a chance to really test the tires tubeless due to covid, and I really didn't trust the tires to stay on the rims. If I can't guarantee something, I won't encourage it. The last thing I want to do is have a bunch of people convert this bike to tubeless and then have serious injuries result when it burps and peels off the rim.
Everything is entry level, but its proper for upgrades. The fact from the BB to the Stem everything in between can be swapped. This is also important because it means it's not a throwaway...massive advancement for an "entry level". Realistically, this bike is a Fork and BB away from no longer being a beginner beginner.
I think this one aksum's a pretty impressive bike for something that's sold at Walmart the only two corners I don't like the cut is with the headset bearings in the bottom bracket bearings they should have put a steel bottom bracket even though a square taper and sealed bearings in the headset but you can put a better tapered Fork into the headset I'll be Aksum and you can put like a king Creek headset with sealed bearings in it so it's a good frame was a lot of potential and being out light weight of aluminum that's pretty impressive so the swin axons made with high grade aluminum probably better than 6061
Well I'm 57 years old, I bought a few Walmart bikes and they've done whatever I put him through. Also you can build them up. I remember back in the day you just bought a regular store-bought bicycle and we abuse those bikes. I mean from going over the ramps. Riding in the woods you name it.
Estas bicicletas, pese a ser de baja gama, son confiables, adquirí un modelo híbrido, he recorrido más de 3000km, recorrido ciudad, ruta, montaña y senderos ligeros pese a ser rígida y con llantas 700x40c (unas maxxis que le coloque), las únicas piezas que le actualice fueron los cambios delanteros y traseros de la marca Shimano Acera, un asiento más adecuado y las ya mencionadas llantas.
I would like to say that I bought this bike a month ago and so far stock had been amazing, I had to tighten some things and adjust the brakes. 4.5/5 would recommend for someone with not much money and starting out Edit: I brought it back a month later and returned it because the rear detailer broke after no trail ride just a few jumps and around 10 miles on road, then bought a Cannondale trail 7. I belive I made the right choice
I got mine for $199 (the newer 2020 model to boot), and my only complaint is one of the bearings in the back rim is making noise. Seeing as my LBS isn't open anymore... I get to go figure out what size cone wrench they used and sort it out myself.
@@DFX2KX it sucks they sold out everywhere :( I'm considering paying 300 for it on craigslist since I cant seem to find a bike anywhere near as good as the al comp
May I suggest that when you buy a big box store bike, take it to a bike shop and have them give it a once over. Too many times some "unqualified dude" is building these in a rush and with no training on bikes in the back of the store. I've came across several that needed work before hitting the trail just for safety reasons alone I suggest you have a qualified person tighten it up and adjust the derailers.
Why? Do you not have a local bike shop that rents? Most will apply up to 2-3 rentals toward the purchase of their first bike if bought there. If you KNOW there's no way even someone new is going to ride a Walmart bike more than 6 months if they end up liking it, then look what you have....something with zero resale value. Here locally, he could rent twice and see if he even liked it at all....$140.00 total for two full days. Then...buy an entry level Hardtail with an AIR fork, and DISC brakes, for about $800.00 ($660.00 after applied rental fees)...maybe less on sale, and it would be a bike he would ride for 2 years while learning...or more if it's an infrequent hobby. As it is....if he likes it, he's got a bike that with old school dropouts for quick release axles, not 148 boost, and he might get $100.00 for at a garage sale....maybe. And he's back in the shop...paying ANOTHER $800.00. It doesn't add up. Get something decent up front if he likes it at all, and at least you'll get about 50% of your money back, and be out the same amount. To me...the $450.00 is just wasted money. RENT and try MTB'ing, and THEN buy something that will hold up right from the start.
You know that and I know that, but he couldn't see it that way. Hindsight is hindsight, for a good reason. Worst case, their daughter can ride it as her beginner mtb in a few years.
@@willbros1499 My lBS doesn't rent at all, and all they sell are expensive ass treks. So not every place has what you guys got. Also, doesn't this have disc brakes? Hell one version even comes with a dropper. For $400 a person cant upgrade this to be as good as a $6-$800 bike? You're not wrong about resale value...but $600 upfront is kinda stiff for people who may not keep riding. Hell, even $450 can be pricey. I legit ride trails on my 3rd hand trek road bike that's a size to small lol. I think we should be encouraging people to buy these bikes...it'll just drive down more expensive bike prices, or force them to give us more for our money. If walmart is giving us 1x cassettes, with disc brakes, tapered forks, and proper mtb geometry...and they sell...then those $800 bikes have to come down in price or increase in features to value.
@@Faq-ubeach .....Fair points. And I sound pretty harsh. I actually think Walmart and other dept. store bikes serve a purpose, which is getting people hooked. For quite a few people, they can actually ride mild trails on dept. store bikes for at least long enough to see if they like it or not, and then start saving for a better bike. But....a LOT of shops won't even service them, so it limits options. It's just my experience that trying to enter into that $800.00 level will give people a better experience out of the gate, increase the likelihood they will get hooked, and have at least some resale value....or be used as a back up bike later.
@@willbros1499 So I thought about your comment over the past day or so, and I think you're probably right. I still stand by my points, but after more thought I think I'm undervaluing the durability of LBS level stuff. It's easy to look at all the advanced LBS level features you get with said big box bikes...but they don't mean a damn thing if they don't last. So yeah, a marlin 5 and a schwinn axum may perform the same out the box, but over a year the axum probably needs repairs. I think the best bet for beginners would be LBS 2nd hand bikes....which unfortunately don't exist at the moment due to covid :/
I paid over 400 for the Schwinn boundary northern Idaho they're a little more expensive some reason it's almost 600 for that bike I don't know price gouging in certain areas
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Did I add too much sealant, or not enough? 🤔
Trail Features not enough glitter ✨😂
Yes
I'll refrain from commenting until after your next video when you burp that tire worse than Uncle Jimmy after his third plate at Thanksgiving, you're down to half the amount of sealant, and you probably a good POV crash video to go with it. :-)
You're going to need at least another full bottle.
Trail Features perfect amount, amazing video. Loved every second of it 🤘
Thank you for reviewing entry level bikes. I believe there is an underserved market for people who want to ride bikes, but don’t want to break the bank. I also appreciate your professional approach, rather than dismissing this bike as a BSO.
Thanks! Not everyone wants to send it deep on a bike, so it's good to have realistic ideas of what their options are.
This is me to a tee. I haven't had a mountain bike since I was in high school. I bout a nakumura mountain bike and realized fast that a lot of the parts are not that great. I only wished I splurged enough to get a bike that was worth slowly upgrading.
I would be curious how it would perform if the forks and more functional brakes were swapped, frame looks tidy
I'm old enough to remember when "POS" ALSO meant "Product of Schwinn." I'm glad they are upping their game.
Thats what bikesdirect does. Better bikes than walmart, cheaper than bike shop
i wish they could sell the "frame only options". i would love to have it custom built.
I think the people wanting to build up a bike would go for a used frame to keep it cheap, or pony up for a frame with boost 148 spacing.
@@TrailFeatures for sure a used frame, thats how I built literally all 5 of my bikes
Have a look on chain reaction cycles. Brand X do a super cheap frame
Merida Frames! Bang for buck
@@TrailFeatures sure, but I love having an underdog frame. I know good and well my riding ability will never go beyond what that Schwinn frame can handle.
Junk for some people, but treasure for me. Saving money for 1 year and now I get my $400 bike and I really enjoyed it. 20 Km cycling everyday made my day.
People who call it junk barely ride hard and buy expensive for the placebo.
In my country these bikes are like midrange
@@drillusion5196 in my country these bikes last 3 seconds before being stolen
@@SirDella yea same just park your bikes and lock it with chains ⛓.
@@drillusion5196 I'm talking about a locked bike lol
I'm a first-timer and I bought a 2020 Schwinn Boundary (I liked KevCentral's reviews) $248.00 at Walmart. I don't see much difference except for the lock-out option on the shocks. I am learning a LOT because of the 2020 Boundary, both in riding and watching these videos. Believe me, there is a good reason for these 'beginner bikes'. Thanks for the video, good job!
I've found that the WalMart or other cheap bikes are actually pretty good, but you have to completely take them apart first and build them correctly. Once they are set up and adjusted, they aren't so bad.
That's just what I did. My Jeep and camping gear cost enough, I had to spread the budget. The great part is getting more use out of my tools.
@@stephenhunter6507 I'm interested in what camping gear you purchased and hows it holding up
The Axum seems to be good when ordered direct. The only thing I had to do was adjust the rear derailleur. I took a torque wrench to every bolt and only one or two were out of spec.
How long would you say these bikes last
@malikgraham1824 I have a Kmart brand 3 speed that's 40 years old. If you build and set them up properly, then do regular maintenance on it, these department store bikes will last longer than you most likely.
Best upgrade I made was a sealed Bottom bracket. One ball bearing not there from factory and little grease. Also, after looking at video I may check headset grease level.
Awesome teardown! Looks like a good starter complete!
1. Remove kick stand
2. Get a pair of Tubolitos to reduce rotational weight
3. Change out brake/shifter cables with teflon coated ones for smoother controls
That's all you'd probably want to do with this bike.
Forks appear to continue to be the component barrier to getting into the next level of riding experience, and you might as well get a new hardtail at that point.
Lack of grease is a sad reality with even the reputable brands. :(
Grease must be expensive. What do you want for 400 dollars.
Clearance at $230. Got one. I think for that price it's a crazy deal.
Yea I just order a 19” at clearance for $228. That’s $220 to put into upgrades.
Same, I'm planning converting mine to middrive electric (bafang bbs02 + 52v 17.5ah), Schwalbe Big Apples 2.3 filled with FlatOut, hydro brakes
Really like the uh.. breakdown of the bike build haha. I wish all bike reviews were this thorough!
I feel like channels like kev central (and yours) are making these companys realize they have a large segment of enthusiasts that want more than just a cheap bike. I feel like things are going to get interesting... Especially after seeing them put tapered headset capabilities on the bikes. Now we just need a company willing to make some decent quality budget upgrades.
Thanks for the video! Bought an Axum based on your first video a month ago to get into the sport. I've upgraded the pedals and brakes (MT200) and it's made the bike a lot more fun and safe. This video will help a lot when I upgrade the rest of the bike as parts wear out, and I get better at riding. Much Appreciation!
Glad to hear you like the videos! Those are solid improvements to the bike.
MT200 800mm/1500mm or the 1600mm? Please advise, Thank you!!
@@ElGranCarajo 1500mm, still a bit long though I've read you can trim them without re-bleeding. I just zip-tied them in front of the handle bars. Hasn't interfered with handling. Huge difference in braking power. Remember to bed the breaks before you hit the trails though.
To add on to that, If you don’t feel comfortable shorting the hoses on your brakes, a local bike shop would be happy to take care of that for a small fee. That way everything looks nice and tidy, and you can feel safe knowing a professional did the job for you.
@@TrailFeatures Thanks! I'll give them a try. By the way, my 16yr old is now on the hunt for GT Avalanche Comp because of you! He's been riding an 8yr old Hard Rock into the dirt and his birthday is coming up. Keep up the great videos and advice!
It's a great budget option to get on the trail and the dropper post edition is really nice. A budget Rockshock or even a cheap Chinese air fork plus hydraulic brakes and nicer derailer should be all that is needed to really make it worthy. Those items will add up to another 4-500 bucks so it does start to become a toss up whether to just pay a little more from buyer direct stores or go to the local bike shop. The frame is really nice, but so are most of them these days. If all you have is 500 bucks and want to ride something now, then this is awesome!
I was looking at this bike as an option when I was thinking about getting back into riding after a 20 year hiatus, but instead I hunted around on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist until I finally saw a bike that suited me in that budget. What finally caught my eye was an early 2000s Trek 8500 with nearly every upgrade that was available at the time. It's got a 27 speed Shimano Deore XT indexed drive train and hydraulic disc brakes, 26" quick release tubeless rims, a Rockshox Reba Dual Air fork with remote adjustable damping and poploc. The bike was well taken care of by an elderly gentleman (now in his mid 70s) who had custom ordered it new. I figured that even if I have to tear it down completely to grease and or replace bearings, worn gears or cables, that I'm still coming out ahead of what I would have had I purchased this Schwin for the same amount of money.
I still have my mid nineties Trek 7500 "Aluminum"...yep, those were the days when aluminum frames were considered to be like carbon fiber today. It's a bright, kinda faded, lime green with spring oii Trek in house forks and Shimano LX components. The frame geometry was very boxy in those days and subsequently extremely top heavy. I just keep it around for nostalgia as it seems almost dangerous to ride compared to my 2019 bike. Very cool bikes for the time. I paid $750 at the bike shop (on sale) which wasn't too bad even for the time. The Cannondale's were starting at 1200 bucks!
That frame is identical to look at to my Trinx. Trinx are a Chinese company that also make frames for other companies (one million per annum). Their own bikes are designed in Italy.
My L size 21" framed X1-P was $300, delivered
29" wheels, 27 speed, hydraulic brakes, mag forks, remote lock out, Shimano everything.
Very happy with the product.
Subscribed, great channel for 60 y/o newbies like myself, although have ridden motorcycles all my adult life.
Regards from NE Thailand.
I bought a Walmart bike branded as NEXT about 19yrs ago just over a $100
At the time I was racing mtb bikes and didn’t want to leave my expensive full suspension sitting around while I was in a store
So I use the next to train on
As I upgraded my race mtb I put those Parts on the next
Now I’m almost 71 and still have the next and still ride it as my primary bike it just works for me
Have a blessed day
10 years ago, got a schwinn 700c road bike. Broke. Got it fixed, upgraded at a bike shop. Rides like a champ.
I bought a Redline Zander summer of 18 from walmart for $147. Frame is basically a GT. Since then I've upgraded the cheap spring fork to a Manitou Markor air fork, raceface pedals and grips, racing Ralph tires, 40mm riser spoon bars and a 40mm stem. 2yrs later and it hasn't let me down on any trail, hitting it hard on the rocks or just tooling down the gravel. Love these videos on budget builds. Keep them coming cause this kind of content is what got me into mine. 👍👍🚴
I have a number of bikes. Some of them are Kmart or BigW specials. They cost a LOT less than $400. More like $150 Australian or about $110 US. The tyres were terrible. But the rest of the bike was fundamentally sound. HOWEVER it was not assembled or adjusted properly. So dismantling the bike, cleaning, greasing and adjusting everything made each of them into a much better bike. Replacing the tyres with good tyres has made them into a very useful bike that has covered large distances without fuss, wear or breakage.
its always a challenge to decide whether to upgrade or go for a whole new bike. Owning this bike, it would be a tough choice for sure.
Walmart bikes can either be a gold mine, or complete trash.
Schwinn is undoubtedly the best bike brand Wally World has to offer.
I would rather have a reliable tubed setup than a questionable tubeless setup. Nice video!
True.
Me too all day everyday......And I also hate those european valve stems.
Same
Thinking after the upgrades needed out the box, I could have bought a LBS bike
@@Riley_1955 Ho, don't get me started. Presta valves encapsulate everything that's gone wrong with the bike market in the past 30 years. Short version: dumb gear changes no-one asked for. ("I know! How about tires you have to have a special pump to inflate!")
i bought the younger brother to the Axum, called the Boundary. i have sent it down a black diamond trail before and its held up pretty good.
You do know that you can throw an extra lap or two of tape and fix the bead issue, right?
If you’re using proper rim tape that’s gonna be a lot of laps, money, and weight. But I won’t stop someone if they feel that’s fine for them.
Excellent job on the video, I especially liked the audio. It was clear and at a pace that was easy to follow.
I would like to buy old style BB for my bike, but it was not available. Old style BB gives you control to grease and to adjust as often as you want. When you buy a cartridge, you have no idea if grease is in bearing or not and how much. Usually not enough.
I'm really surprised that the marketing folks at Schwinn would think it makes more sense to market the smaller bike as a "women's" model. Perhaps they're thinking the average shopper at WalMart would prefer it that way. I agree with your comment, it makes far more sense to market it as just a "medium" frame like all the "upscale" bikes do, paint it an awesome color, and sell it to both men and women. Pretty paint costs about the same as ugly paint, I've never understood that one. Women will ride a bike that's designated for "men" but men won't ride a "women's" bike. They'll sell a lot more of them that way. I kind of feel like they're not aware of how much cred they're getting in the mountain biking circles...you can't buy one of these anywhere (sold out) right now largely due to folks like you and KevCentral. I hope they figure it out!
And no, WalMart bikes aren't junk, they're bikes. You wouldn't call a Jeep CJ7 junk because it's slower, doesn't stop and it doesn't corner as well as a normal car. You need to use it differently, understand what it's good at and what it isn't and use it accordingly. I think this thing is awesome for no other reason than it will bring legitimate mountain bikes to the masses and increase the sport. More riders means more nice trails in parks and rec areas, more bike lanes in cities, etc. Good for everyone!
I like to think of it as, don't make a bike for men or women, just make a bike that people like.👍
Also, as much as I'd love to think I have enough influence to cause a bike to sell out, it's actually just everyone wanting to get out of the house due to covid. every bike shop I've talked to has said they are slammed and can't keep things in stock! Tons on new riders getting into the sport, so everything that's affordable is flat out gone.
@@TrailFeatures Give yourself a little credit, I don't think the average WalMart bike shopper is looking to spend 400 or 500 bucks on a bike. Though I've lived in GA (from Maine) just long enough to forget that this time of the year in half the country folks are finally getting a peek of the outdoors for the first time in a while. So your point is well taken.
Really liked the outside temperature check clip. I thought it was funny. Good job putting forth the humorous editing effort.
It might come down to tire selection but I didn't have an issue with seating mine tubeless that I haven't had with other tubeless ready rims and tires. My rear Aggressor seated with my little tire inflator that plugs into my cigarette lighter. I had to use a compressor for the front Minion but both seated with the satisfying pops. Neither lost seal when I let the air out either. I have one ride on them so far without issue but hopefully I'll get out this weekend and push them a littler harder and see. Testing these things is half the fun :)
Edited to add: Goes without saying but great video as always.
Two ideas: 1) it would be great to do an ‘upscale’ video on this to test the potential of the frame. 2) Schwinn might to better to offer better spec and a rigid fork (I know - five years ago that would be anathema, but in the era of the gravel bike...)
Bought that bike 2 weeks ago! Amazing 🤩 just lined up the chain tonight. It can take a beating!!! Very good mountain bike
Being 6'2", most if not all department bikes are way too small for me. As well as having the ability to kick start a seized engine (yes, I tried, it turned but didnt start) I need a sturdy frame. Most department bikes feel like they're going to shatter when I ride them.
Schwinns only mistake was not making multiple sizes. More parents are out looking for starter bikes for their young shredders to learn on. This may have been a decent starting point for them. But most 13y/o kids will not fit a large.
I would like to see it scaled down in wheel size too, so 27.5 (s/m) and a 26" (xs/xxs) see so many kids here riding around on 29ers and they can't lift the front wheel because the chain stays are way too long for their height.
They make axum in medium and large now
The sealant amount cracked me up! Nice job, as always
Glad you liked it!
I bought this and love it I upgraded the brakes and out of necessity changed to a hallowtech bottom bracket other than that I absolutely love this bike
I would like to see this bike ridden for about 700 are 800 miles on mountain bike trails an see how all the parts hold up
I rode it for about 2mi and the chain kept falling off. After only about two hours of riding/fixing the chain (because of the crappy gear changer), I got my money back and said no more. The cassette rattles like crazy and even small jumps off curbs will derail the chain....not fun
The best part is that there's no bizzare/nonstandard components or frame construction. You can replace individual components as they break rather or you get sick of them with standard modern components. No threaded stem conversions or finding the nicest NOS freewheel you can dig up. My only concern is those kickstand holes. Seems like they create an opportunity to create a standing puddle in your frame if you don't plug them up.
That part of the frame is a solid section, no tube area for water to ingress. 👍
i had a large frame Axum DP in red. the color grew on me. her name was Big Red. after two seasons and 400 ish in upgrades, i tapped out and bought a polygon xtrada 7
I have had the Axum DP for about a month. It’s my first mountain bike as an adult. I got it knowing that I would want to do upgrades, but I enjoy the wrenching. I’m a field service technician, so I already have a lot of tools and general technical knowledge. Could I have gotten something comparable at a bike shop for the same price after upgrades? Maybe, but where’s the fun and personalization in that? Wouldn’t I want to personalize that too? Also, I’m able to appreciate and better understand each component and its function, so if I ever upgrade to a bike store bike, I will know exactly what I want/need. So far, I’m running Shimano MT200 brakes for $55, Box Four Shifter and Derailleur for ~$90, Raceface Atlas Bars for ~$80, and an Ergon SMC saddle for $90. Also, I’m 5’8 and I don’t feel like the size is an issue. The bars definitely helped with that. I’m trying to decide what’s next, or if I just want to ride it like this for a while. If you buy this bike with a learning/project mentality, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Also, I enjoy the dropper WAY more than I thought I would. It’s worth the investment. I had the money for a nice bike shop bike, but I just couldn’t bring myself to drop that kind of cash not knowing if I’d stick with the hobby. So far, the Axum has been a hell of a gateway drug.
2019 Raceface Chester pedals are on clearance at REI for $40. Definitely a small worthwhile upgrade, made a big difference on my Axum.
Are you thinking about upgrading the fork ?
Just start with a fork. The fork one that bike looks like garbage and would break on most mountain single tracks.
Really wise move to offer S/M size, but I agree. Make it unisex with a neutral color.
Yup! my GF even said the current colors look pretty cool!
@@TrailFeatures I have to agree, the bikes Schwinn's been making look like they're higher-market then they are. (I got the newest Al Comp and it has a very nice silver-to-black fade going on)
My friend has a Schwinn too, and it does ride pretty well. Not as good as my Megatower, but its not bad at all.
These bikes are so fun to modify and they taught me a lot about bicycle maintenance.
The problem with this bike is I CANT FIND IT ANYWHERE
ivanwiththevans order online and get the DP model.
Just got 2 2wks ago...dp and standard model...just keep checking online
I had 3 walmart bikes and they all have broke down. As i ride them i can hear components falling down the concrete road. I want a good durable bike but not want to expend too much.
Mine has lasted its first season, looking forward to a lot more!!
I Like The Way That You Did This Because Daily MTB Rider Was Complaining A lot About This Bike When Riding It. Then You are chill, becuase Your Happy Because You are On a Bike!
To be fair, Josh and I have pretty different riding styles. I'm more punch through a rock garden while he's a go-full-send guy. That's why it's great for multiple people to review the same bike, it paints a better picture of who this bike is for and what it's good at. 👍
He complained about the bike because the bike is a piece of crap. 🤦🏻♂️🙄
Flying Lap Productions what would be a good beginner bike? I’ve been watching a bunch of videos about it but they are contradictory to each other, any advice?
@@archetypex65 That's where your wrong. This bike has a lot of potential mostly swap ou the brakes and forks and then you have yourself a pretty nice bike to ride on green and blue trails so it's perfect for a beginner! To me no bikes are horrible im just happy if im on a bike and I think that Trail Features can agree with me. Today I was doing Tabletops with a hybrid bike and I was having the time of my life so yeah any bike you can have fun on!
@@jonathanwalker8310 as a beginner myself I did a ton of research. I wound up going to a local dealer of the brand I had set my mind on and went there to see if they had or were able to order the 2019 version of my bike rather than the 2020. I wound up saving almost $150 by doing that and the main thing I lost out on was the wheelset on the 2020 is tubeless capable while mine is not which to me isnt a make or break. I think overall and having watched this video and some others of the Axum, the biggest deterrent in my mind would be the groupset of components being schwinns own in house creation. Ultimately I think like many are saying here, the bike you can get out and ride in your price range is the bike you should purchase and go out and enjoy. Down the line if you continue to enjoy the sport and its in your budget you can upgrade what you have or even re-sell it and upgrade. Good luck and hope you find what your looking for.
my only issue with cheap bikes is the "whipped butter" they use as grease at factory.& the sloppyness of assembly.i find if you tear them down completely & reassemble them with precision & a good synthetic grease,they are surprisingly better & long lasting.the factories just throw them togather enough to barely function to save time.i have an old cheap aluminum kent 21 speed that still rides perfect.precice adjustments & maintenence is the key when working with lower end bikes.
I will not disagree with this.
also, i did convert my wheels to tubeless on this bike, and it does have a tapered headset, which is missing from most bike shop entry level bikes.
Joe: Let's Take a break to see how it's warming up outside"
Me: 🤣🤣🤣
P.s. That's one sick shirt you are rockin! :P
Colorado: We leave our weather playing on shuffle.
Hi alex
If im not mistaken your shirt are from amstradam right?😁😁😁😁👍😎
If im not mistaken your shirt are from amstradam right?😁😁😁😁👍😎
@@TrailFeaturestrue but NM has really weird weather too, snowed for two days and now is 70 degrees out. The mountains are wack.
Just ordered one it's on sale now !
This would be a nice commuter bike after putting slick tires and a rigid fork, maybe a swept back handlebar. And of course add some grease to the bottom bracket and headset. I actually like the standard square taper bb
Honestly (just answering the title) Walmart bikes are useable, you need to make sure that things are tightened and not to be too crazy... But everything that I do is on a Walmart bike... It can handle my 10-12 foot jumps and 5-foot drops as well as blue and black downhill tech :D. Nonetheless, I hope to upgrade soon...
As a kid who rode Walmart BMX bikes/bikes in general for almost my whole life, i can't agree with this more.
Well, some of these bikes are built in simple manner but still quite good, others are just pure crap.
I agree, Walmart bikes are fine! Some of these in-videos show too much rough riding to me! If you are riding for fun or exercise, then they are fine! If you ride a bike off cliffs, then yeah, it might not hold up! 😀
My Axum is (still) better than yours 😝
Don’t tempt me... 🤔
Trail Features Challenge accepted? 🤷♂️
🤷♂️
@@TrailFeatures don't break the train
🤷♂️
🤷♂️
Why do some people hate kickstands? It seems pretty handy to me. Especially when making adjustments while out. They take up less space in the shed or garage if they are standing up instead of laying down. I also bikepack so it is nice for the bike to be vertical when loading gear on it.
They can come in handy for sure! When you get into more adventurous trail riding they can become a bit of a hazard. In my original review that I posted a few weeks back, you can see it flopping around in slow motion. That’s a very pointy metal object that you don’t want to say hi to you in a crash. 😬
@@TrailFeatures Ok thanks. I have seen several people post about removing them and I've never seen anyone explain why. I've had plenty of wrecks in the past but the kickstand was never a threat. I will look for your video that shows it.
it should be noted this bike is more designed as a project bike, and a beginner bike, so the frame has to be nice.
Thanks for this video. I found one used (guy bought it during lock-down & rode it maybe 5 times) and looked at the bearings. Unlike the one you got, all the bearings had sufficient grease, but the head bearings had a couple of small aluminum shavings left from machining. The bike is fun to ride. Thanks for making me aware of this bike.
Man great review. Lot knowledge to pick up from your video. So much to absorbe my head was spinning! I'm a newb. This my first year riding so yea bro.....I really don't know up from down. I'm 50 years old and I'm getting started. I loved being on a bike since I was ,little kid. I picked up a Schwinn Boundry based on the fact that it was free and i thought it looked cool. So your videos on the Schwinn line got my attention. The Boundary frame seemed usable to me also. I'm a rebuild and upgrade junkie. So I'm thrilled to start out with it. Thanks for really great video. I subscribed.
What size fork could I replace mine with as an upgrade
I put a RockShox 30 Gold RL fork: 29” 120mm travel, solo air, QR, tapered steerer, gloss. They’re not hard to find. Also, don’t let bike shops tell you that it won’t fit. It will. I went to Trek and they told me “we don’t know these bikes. It probably won’t work.” Then I went to a mom and pop bike shop and some young guy slapped it on in twenty minutes.
Hey man! Just saw three of your recent videos (GT Avalanche review through this one) and I got so much out of them as a beginner who’s looking to learn more about bikes. Your videos are very well constructed. Just subscribed!
Glad you like them!
I bought a wally bike but half of the components were loose. And im pretty sure its come with bent/ruined derailleur in the back that skips contantly and ive spent literal days working on it to no avail
Not a bad frame. But, is the derailleur dropout easily available when a replacement is needed? AND, I didn’t know about the tubeless tire issue. I’ll stay with tubed tires.
Great question! Yes, replacement hangers are available. I actually had to order one last year.
The Axum is like an upgraded Schwinn Santis, the upgrade being the tapered head tube and another bottle cage mount. The drivetrain is different too. I bought a Santis last year and put a Deore drivetrain on it and a nice air fork (that had a straight steerer). With about $800 total into it, the Santis is a darn good trail bike now. With the Axum, I think the parts on it are good enough to ride until they break and then you can upgrade to better. Ride now...upgrade later. A pretty good plan for the broke folk.
🙋♂️ Short man here. I'm all in on a S/M frame. I'll even take a pink bike.
playgroundchooser how tall are you I need to know what size bike you use I’m shorter too
elijah. I’m 5’3 on a good day
I am 5'6" and have the boundry. It is to big for me but its still way way more stable than my old 26er. My observation is this. I would probably go alcomp next time cause probably gonna replace every part as time goes by so the smaller frame would b better for me. But still prefer the larg frame 29" over my medium frame 26". Like its no contest.
Try the Al Comp it may be a good fit
@@zzzonezz Im 5'10 - 5'11 and boundary frames feels great to ride, but... stand over height is needlessly high and is a real nut cracker. Every other mtn bike frame is lower, what on earth is Schwinn thinking ?!
Reminds me a lot of my first mountain bike from 6 years ago. It was heavy. The components were cheap and of questionable durability. But, it got me out and cycling again. That fork in particular will be the biggest limiter, or at least it was for me. I didn't watch the linked video, but I bet the "lock-out" and adjustment don't have any real effect on the fork. My starter bike was fine as a grocery getter, commuter, and mild trail bike, but nothing beyond that because of that front fork.
This is some good content. Great editing and your presentation style is really relaxing and watchable
Hey, so i actually purchased this bike about a month ago and I feel that i've already outgrown it in terms of riding capability. After taking it out on 4 long trail rides i've already bent the 2 largest gears on the rear wheel and had to disassemble the back wheel in order to straighten them back out. On top of that, the cranks creak an pop when pedaling hard, especially when climbing harder sections. It has also made me cringe several times when i go to pump a transition and slam the fork to the bottom of its 100mm of travel. Its difficult to complain about though, especially when upgrading some of the parts cost almost as much as the whole bike if not more.
Thats why most people think bikes like this are a waste of money. We all make mistakes and channels like this kind of promote them in a way.
Does the bike come with the tools needed to separate the parts to add more grease initially? Should I go through and undo everything to put loctite or other fluids on all of the joints and moving parts? I worry that they don't do enough at the factory.
Unfortunately, you would need to purchase the tools to do that maintenance. If you’re not comfortable doing that, your local bike shop should be able to do a once over on the bike just to make sure everything is dialed in.
According to Google, Walmart is the largest retailer of bicycles in the US. They must be doing something right.
Unfortunately I need an XL frameset. Walmart doesn't work for me. Dicks Sporting Goods is my choice.
Disassemble every new bike. Inspect, re-grease and adjust properly... and don't try to kill it, any retailers bike will last. Even a Walmart bike. But If you really need a performance bike, shop elsewhere.
Of course they are. You can get a bike for cheap. Parents aren't caring about high end stuff for their children.
I am really hoping this bike is still available in another 6 months. I am saving for it and as a result of family medical emergencies it might be longer than that. This is a great review and thank you for taking the time to make it.
It's now on clearance for $228, so you may already have enough.
Hey I saw that u said ur exited to wut they come up next year in 10:51 we’ll guess wut they put a better bike a schween axum dp which means same bike but with droperpost
I bent the back rim of their 98 buck mountain bike the first week getting groceries ... I turned it into a "walking wheel" also called "the great wheel" for spinning cotton.
"Why don't we take a "brake" from all this excitement..." nicely done👍
Can we get a table with all the component weights? It would be useful to those thinking of upgrading parts.
Great vid! I own a "Walmart bike" and love it. I give it light use and for this, it's been great.
Keep in mind that a $400 bike a year ago was actually a $350 bike before that but the import tariff on bikes made in China (almost all bikes) added about $50. For entry level I would steer clear of disk brakes. I feel they don't add that much in performance but do add about $100 to the sales price
and replacement pad cost is pretty high. Pads need to be replaced every year or two, depending on how much you use it. Traditional rim type pads are quite cheap at about $7/wheel. If you are going to spend more than $250 I would look closely at a name brand like Giant. Try to buy in fall when there are closeout deals. You can get $50-100 off list but selection is limited.
7:44 Is he into gaming also cuz i can see an core i9 in his self which is very expensive but good
Any issues with the tires staying seated? I’m deathly afraid of burping a non-tubeless-tubeless setup! Also: I haven’t see a square taper BB in YEARS #goodtimes
Honestly, I put tubes back in them shortly after filming. I just didn't trust them. 😬
Trail Features good call!
PS: I need to schedule a “how to shoot B Roll solo” session with you. That’s hard as heck, and you do it VERY well.
I should have read down before I commented. EVEN if you wanted to improve that frame, it is designed for QR, and it isn't boost. Good luck finding good wheel options. Josh didn't show what type of frame clearance it had either. I haven't seen anything that makes me see it as any sort of viable option for someone hoping to get a bike to ride for their first year. Has problems written all over it.
@willbros QR 141 (boost 141) uses the same flange distance as boost 148, the only diffrence is the endcaps. Hope, DT swiss, Stan's, and Spank all have conversion kits (usually ~$20 USD) to turn a 148 thru hub to a 141 QR. I'd prefer a true 148 throu-axle frame, but until that tech trickles down to bikes under $1000 USD 141 is the next best thing. 👍
After working on my grand sons al comp. I can see from these newer models wally world has come along way. Our Al comp is a much older bike with the trashy 3 crank ring & junk frt deraillur set up. New pedals and B.B. caged bearings & hub service got him back on the road. These newer models with the 1 X 9, 10 seem to be offering better componets and frames sizes out to large. But to buy these and expect to ride them straight away without service to hub & bottom B.B. is advocating disaster to happen sooner than later. Juggled around the idea of purchasing the orzark model or the kent tourivaill after seeing the branded $450-600 LBS offering pretty much the same componets. Except at least most if not all brand bikes in the prices mentioned offer cartridge BB though they probably are like $15.00 items but the bikes are set up by LBS...which can be a dice roll for a noobie to do who has no tools. At least using the LBS one might expect to have the bike perform outa the shop plus have connections for warranty or adjustment issues. For the wrencher with little budget these may be a cool project bike.
We flipped...Norco won. Ordering their Indie 1X10 city / urban with 27.5 by 2 tyres. This model is like what the early MTB were like in my day....no suspension, straight bars roadie saddle, ballon tyres with knobs....maybe quick release hubs. To day these are called urban/ city...if someone would market a 1x6 7 speed for city that is more than enough but guess mix match cassette halves work too...not every place is flat like our state.... Lucky the kid likes city riding...told him to keep his Al Comp when he gets the wild urge to play in the dirt. I know the industry is heading towards 700C / 29er...after riding one on pavement ugh!....650b or 27.5 is much more nimble and easier to get to speed with a tyre wider than 700C roadie tyres....
Enjoyed the video....we follow the other two dudes; beam & kevcentral...cheers.
My first Mt Bike was a 1992 schwinn Paramount 30 with Deore DX gruppo, cost was $500.00. I might end up picking this bike up.
1:23 When was the last time you wore out a chain ring?
I bought one recently and I think overall it’s DECENT. The brakes suck and the derailleur is junk already. So I guess this means upgrade time. Any recommendations?
Box four and mt200 breaks. 👌
SLX 11 - 46 cassette
@@catalysts17az38 you think it would fit?
It will not. You will need to upgrade the rear derailleur, shifter, and chain if you get an SLX 11-46. I believe that's only available in 11speed.
I second the box four recommendation. Installed mine today. Almost completely eliminated chain slap and any slip, and shifts so much better. You need the shifter and derailleur. Stock chain and cassette works fine.
Afrer 4 years riding my axum. Ive officially replaced every component but the dp and frame.
I bought a 125$ bike from Walmart, but there were a few issues after only 7 months of use. Loose stand, slippery gears, malfunctioning brakes, misaligned steering
I have a list 5 pages long
Thanks for getting the weight of the frame. I am impressed. I am thinking it might be worth the price and upgrade if the stock wheels are half decent. Only downfall is the rear QR dropouts. :(
I'm somewhat of a ghetto tubeless sommelier.
If you don't mind the weight penalty, just add more tape. Electrical tape is what I use, but we've made do with gorilla tape in the shop before.
On all my ghetto tubeless setups I have been able to seat them with a floor pump.
Thought about that, but this video is aimed at people getting their first bike. I'll tell them the risks and let them decide how clever they want to get. 😜
@@TrailFeatures I'm not trying to be mean, here, but that read as a bit dismissive.
You did DIY tubeless and skipped the step that makes it work, then told a bunch of beginners not to try it when it didn't work well.
People getting their first bike don't typically know what tubeless is, so including a whole segment on it doesn't mesh with what you said.
I apologize if I sounded dismissive. It's really tricky to give advice like this when you realize a lot of people are going to watch your videos. I showed converting them to tubeless to explain why it's not a good idea. I personally haven't had a chance to really test the tires tubeless due to covid, and I really didn't trust the tires to stay on the rims. If I can't guarantee something, I won't encourage it. The last thing I want to do is have a bunch of people convert this bike to tubeless and then have serious injuries result when it burps and peels off the rim.
Got mine for $218 on sale for a second bike when I have guests. I ride it too…rides solid!💯✔️
Everything is entry level, but its proper for upgrades. The fact from the BB to the Stem everything in between can be swapped. This is also important because it means it's not a throwaway...massive advancement for an "entry level". Realistically, this bike is a Fork and BB away from no longer being a beginner beginner.
I think this one aksum's a pretty impressive bike for something that's sold at Walmart the only two corners I don't like the cut is with the headset bearings in the bottom bracket bearings they should have put a steel bottom bracket even though a square taper and sealed bearings in the headset but you can put a better tapered Fork into the headset I'll be Aksum and you can put like a king Creek headset with sealed bearings in it so it's a good frame was a lot of potential and being out light weight of aluminum that's pretty impressive so the swin axons made with high grade aluminum probably better than 6061
FYI, harbor freight sells an oil-less compressor for like under $80. Might be cheaper than Co2. Pancake or sausge style tanks avail.
Well I'm 57 years old, I bought a few Walmart bikes and they've done whatever I put him through. Also you can build them up. I remember back in the day you just bought a regular store-bought bicycle and we abuse those bikes. I mean from going over the ramps. Riding in the woods you name it.
Your editing is getting better every video
Thanks!
I bought a $200 mtb since this is all I can afford. Did some few upgrades and now its serving its purpose. My bike never fails me.
Estas bicicletas, pese a ser de baja gama, son confiables, adquirí un modelo híbrido, he recorrido más de 3000km, recorrido ciudad, ruta, montaña y senderos ligeros pese a ser rígida y con llantas 700x40c (unas maxxis que le coloque), las únicas piezas que le actualice fueron los cambios delanteros y traseros de la marca Shimano Acera, un asiento más adecuado y las ya mencionadas llantas.
I would like to say that I bought this bike a month ago and so far stock had been amazing, I had to tighten some things and adjust the brakes. 4.5/5 would recommend for someone with not much money and starting out
Edit: I brought it back a month later and returned it because the rear detailer broke after no trail ride just a few jumps and around 10 miles on road, then bought a Cannondale trail 7. I belive I made the right choice
Can’t find much on the Scott aspect 940. Seems to be a really good bike but there aren’t many videos
The Al Comp looks like a really good bike for the $250 asking price.
I got mine for $199 (the newer 2020 model to boot), and my only complaint is one of the bearings in the back rim is making noise. Seeing as my LBS isn't open anymore... I get to go figure out what size cone wrench they used and sort it out myself.
@@DFX2KX it sucks they sold out everywhere :(
I'm considering paying 300 for it on craigslist since I cant seem to find a bike anywhere near as good as the al comp
Frame is very nice.
May I suggest that when you buy a big box store bike, take it to a bike shop and have them give it a once over. Too many times some "unqualified dude" is building these in a rush and with no training on bikes in the back of the store. I've came across several that needed work before hitting the trail just for safety reasons alone I suggest you have a qualified person tighten it up and adjust the derailers.
I just recommended this bike for a friend's husband who's trying out mtb. Upgraded the pedals and he's ready to go.
Why? Do you not have a local bike shop that rents? Most will apply up to 2-3 rentals toward the purchase of their first bike if bought there. If you KNOW there's no way even someone new is going to ride a Walmart bike more than 6 months if they end up liking it, then look what you have....something with zero resale value. Here locally, he could rent twice and see if he even liked it at all....$140.00 total for two full days. Then...buy an entry level Hardtail with an AIR fork, and DISC brakes, for about $800.00 ($660.00 after applied rental fees)...maybe less on sale, and it would be a bike he would ride for 2 years while learning...or more if it's an infrequent hobby. As it is....if he likes it, he's got a bike that with old school dropouts for quick release axles, not 148 boost, and he might get $100.00 for at a garage sale....maybe. And he's back in the shop...paying ANOTHER $800.00. It doesn't add up. Get something decent up front if he likes it at all, and at least you'll get about 50% of your money back, and be out the same amount.
To me...the $450.00 is just wasted money. RENT and try MTB'ing, and THEN buy something that will hold up right from the start.
You know that and I know that, but he couldn't see it that way. Hindsight is hindsight, for a good reason. Worst case, their daughter can ride it as her beginner mtb in a few years.
@@willbros1499
My lBS doesn't rent at all, and all they sell are expensive ass treks.
So not every place has what you guys got.
Also, doesn't this have disc brakes? Hell one version even comes with a dropper. For $400 a person cant upgrade this to be as good as a $6-$800 bike?
You're not wrong about resale value...but $600 upfront is kinda stiff for people who may not keep riding. Hell, even $450 can be pricey.
I legit ride trails on my 3rd hand trek road bike that's a size to small lol.
I think we should be encouraging people to buy these bikes...it'll just drive down more expensive bike prices, or force them to give us more for our money.
If walmart is giving us 1x cassettes, with disc brakes, tapered forks, and proper mtb geometry...and they sell...then those $800 bikes have to come down in price or increase in features to value.
@@Faq-ubeach .....Fair points. And I sound pretty harsh. I actually think Walmart and other dept. store bikes serve a purpose, which is getting people hooked. For quite a few people, they can actually ride mild trails on dept. store bikes for at least long enough to see if they like it or not, and then start saving for a better bike. But....a LOT of shops won't even service them, so it limits options. It's just my experience that trying to enter into that $800.00 level will give people a better experience out of the gate, increase the likelihood they will get hooked, and have at least some resale value....or be used as a back up bike later.
@@willbros1499
So I thought about your comment over the past day or so, and I think you're probably right. I still stand by my points, but after more thought I think I'm undervaluing the durability of LBS level stuff.
It's easy to look at all the advanced LBS level features you get with said big box bikes...but they don't mean a damn thing if they don't last.
So yeah, a marlin 5 and a schwinn axum may perform the same out the box, but over a year the axum probably needs repairs.
I think the best bet for beginners would be LBS 2nd hand bikes....which unfortunately don't exist at the moment due to covid :/
I paid over 400 for the Schwinn boundary northern Idaho they're a little more expensive some reason it's almost 600 for that bike I don't know price gouging in certain areas
Good ‘ol capitalism.