This is the only bike-oriented channel I am still subscribed to because of content like this. I think it takes me back to the very early days of BMX when almost any upgrades felt like Christmas.
Lowlife Illusion yotuoiuouuuououotoioiououuuouuououuoouuootutuootuuotuoouuuooouuouuuotuuoouuouuuuuyuouoouuoou yo uooouoyyyotuiyouuuuoutouuouuouuttuoiytouuutouuoouuooutouuouuoootuuuotuootuuuooutooouoouoootuouooutouuuuootuotuoo yo totoyooouutotouuuuouiuotouotuoiuouuouuoyuuotoutuuuuuouotuooutytouyoyoouioutotououuoiouytouuutouuouuouuuuototouotuuotuouutoutouuiuouuouutouuuoiuotuotuuooououuouuotuuooioiuouuouoyuuoyuouuiuoooio yo
I've only bought one because at the time I couldn't find a Shimano in a similar gear equivalent to what was on the bike. It's worked fine with no issues over two years and probably 300 miles. Only real difference I noticed is the freewheel sound is a touch louder then a Shimano. I'd would buy one again if I needed too.
Yeah. I also notice that the Sunrace 14-34 7sp freewheel is about the same price as the Shimano (on Amazon, anyway) and appears to have more even steps between gears. Shimano - 14,16,18,20,22,24,34 Sunrace - 14,16,18,21,24,28,34 Looking at that, the biggest reasons to go Shimano over Sunrace would be parts compatibility and longevity. To be honest, though, I don't know enough to know whether either of those would be concerns for a project like this one.
Thank you for setting the budget around 50 dollars, that's a lot more in my price range then your usual upgrade videos. Great job on the shopping and video, thanks.
Great advice for bike riders that don't want to drain the bank account. These are easy low dollar upgrades are easy to tackle at home. I'm getting ready to buy a new 29 inch mountain bike. I'm going to follow your great advice. Very cool I learned something new today.
Not so sure about that, treks starting mtn bike is around $456 or such and prob,twice this bike--$300 is still a non poor persons bike! :)) Just sayin.
Thanks for the video! Bought my son an Al Comp last summer at Wal-Mart for $198. Now we have a project for next summer. We ride street, but a cheap improvement for an already nice ride is good to know. Also I have another tip on grips for those without a compressor: Rubbing alcohol. Pour some on the front, a small flathead to lift will help, twist it to work it in. You may have to add a little more one you get the front going, then they slide right off like they were greased. They slide back on and the alcohol will evaporate.
I just discovered your channel recently. Really enjoy the approach you take with budget bikes, showing there are decent bikes to be had, and that there are upgrade paths. Hits me right in my interest zone. Thanks, very much!
.... and so we started all the fascinating world of the MTB! We start with something economical. We change parts and then jump, to something more PRO !. EXCELLENT VIDEO.
Here's another tip from someone who has worked for several years as a bike mechanic... Your "air compressor grip trick" is a good one, as long as the grips are only tight and not sticky. If they are actually sticking to the bars, and not just grabbing on the bars due to tightness, and ONLY if the grips are NOT open-ended (the ones which require separate bar-end caps for safety), then here is the "SUPER air compressor grip trick." 1) Look at your grip ends. If they are open-ended, forget it, this trick is only for closed-ended grips. If your grips already have small (1 to 3mm) drain holes in the middle of the closed ends, you can skip to step 3. 2) If you need to make a hole, anything with a sharp, ROUND point will work. I've seen people use a corkscrew (make for opening wine bottles), or a sharpened nail punch, or a very small screwdriver with the driver tip ground off. DON'T use a large screwdriver with a tip, because that will only create a gaping torn flap, and what you need there are small, easily controlled air holes. IF you have a good heat source and you are sure you won't burn yourself, heating the tip of your round sharpie will allow it to melt through the plastic, and it will usually leave a cleaner hole than poking a hole in cold plastic would. Another safety hazard that works, if you are very careful before, during, and after the making the holes, is a small, pointed soldering iron that you don't plan to use for soldering afterwards. Any of these plastic-melting strategies will create toxic fumes, so make sure you have plenty of ventilation, or do it outdoors. If you're not into all that, you can drill a hole in the middle of your bar ends with a cheap 1/32" drill bit, but don't plan on using that bit for anything metal, afterwards, because melted plastic is not good for getting drill bits to bite into harder materials. 3) Instead of using the narrow nozzle on your air hose to aim a stream of air generally towards the open end of your grips (the blow method), this method is all about CONTROLLING where the air goes (the air pressure method). Cover the OTHER grip (or the OTHER end of an un-gripped handlebar) with one hand, then put your air nozzle in the hole in the middle of the closed end of the grip which you are trying to slide on or off THIS END of the handlebar. This creates a bunch of air pressure, which will act as a friction reducer between the grip and the bar. 4) IF the grip does NOT slide on or off easily at this point, I would recommend a very short squirt of old-fashioned hi-test hair spray. It's slippery when wet, easily cleans off with water if oversprayed, and when it dries, it acts almost like glue.
That is what I did when I purchased a Schwinn Voyageur (which was on sale at the time) three years ago; removed all the low grade component parts and upgraded to better quality Shimano bike components. I even changed out the rim spokes. Now I have a great hybrid bike which I will be using to bike tour with in the near future and I didn't break the bank in upgrading my bike.
Keith Darman I’m a really fan of the SR Suntour Exipon. At around $175 of eBay it’s the best dollar for dollar fork I have found. Others can chime in but that’s my choice
I purchased this bike to have it built and proper and take and leave in Puerto Rico. Had so many parts and the nice thing is I rebuilt the rear wheel and swapped out the hub with. Freehub disc body type that can take a 10 speed cassette. I had spare parts and the bike is looking proper for when I ship it out. Thanks to you for insight on this bike. Didn’t feel comfortable bringing a bike or purchasing a bike I’ll only will use for 3 weeks out of the year but this build will come out nicely.
Get some Wake bars, Wake stem and a cheap freewheel. You can get nice Black Ops 155 BMX pedals for $20 at most bike shops or on Amazon. I would go with Odi lock on grips. The real pricey thing is going to be the fork and front suspension. Even real entry level bikes have crappy forks starting out.
Thanks for the tips. I have a Schwinn and have been looking for ways to get a bit easier climbing without spending the money of going 1x10. The freewheel link is super helpful!
The ezra pedals are actually quite high end pedals with eastern being a well regarded company within the bmx scene. hence your surprise with how good they are. they are normally around 35 dollars though so you got them extremely cheap at 12
Thank you so much for this video! I bought this bike yesterday from a Walmart for $229 and plan on doing the upgrades! As of right now all items equal out to $75 so that will keep me right around $300
I followed your videos to buy and upgrade (not fully, but some part) my Hyper Hydroform MTB, couldn't be happier. I really like the whole series of this big box MTB reviews and upgrades videos. Very informative and helpful. I also enjoy very much upgrading the bike by myself, doing some mechanical job after work.
I love the build and I'm definitely going to check out some of those pedals too. As far as the Mega drive is concerned, I agree that it's an absolute essential for any 3x7 or basically any free-wheel set up that's on a heavier big box bike. I've done the same thing and the Mega drive really comes in handy and is quite durable. Kev is an artist! Great job!
I literally just picked one of these up. Has been in a garage, so it's brand new. Starting to shop for parts now. The cassette seems to be found only across the pond now, but I will prevail! Thanks again for your excellent work and inspiration!
@@KevCentral One other question. Rather than disassembling my bike, I'm looking on the pre-owned market for some forks. Do you happen to know the factory steering tube length? Thank! You're the best!
When buying a Walmart bike, you must replace the headset into sealed, bottom bracket into sealed, the forks into Rock Shox, adjust the rear suspension, upgrade the gears, upgrade the handlebars and stem. And of course upgrade the pedals. I know this from experience, I've upgraded my Schwinn with name brand parts off of Amazon, and it feels and looks 10x better then stock. If you're riding a stock Walmart bike through the trails, you're making a huge mistake and you'll regret it.
@@dragonhart1342 You're welcome dude, yeah ball bearings are trash. When I bought my Schwinn I instantly replace the headset and bottom bracket to sealed. I should do a review about my bike, but it's not done yet. And once you do installed the sealed headset or bottom bracket yeah definitely grease it up. That'll avoid it ever locking up or getting dried up.
@@dragonhart1342 One more thing you don't need an expensive 2k or 4k mountain bike, you can easily buy a box bike or Walmart bike for under $300 and make it perform like one of those expensive ones. In my opinion, if I had the money to buy one of those I still wouldn't. I think it's stupid and a waste of money. Anyways you have a great night. Thanks for the question. 🙂
I own this bike and tbh it's the best project I've ever worked on. I'm building it into a race bike whenever I can get parts and so far I've replaced the grips, pedals, repainted it completely in Matte black with a Monster Energy livery, and have changed the rear tire to a knobbier and wider tire
I recommend this guy to my beginner friends, when you start biking prices of parts intimidate!!!! After a while you will out grow these but its a good entry level way to get gear that works
Dude you have the vids I am looking for. I subd. This bike vs. GT Aggressor Pro vs. Nishiki Colorado Comp. Which would you buy in order? I posted a similar question on your other vid lol
Great video series! I'm loving these. One thing I would enjoy, is at the end if you would include a "if I had 50 more dollars I'd do X or 100 more I'd do Y."
So I was going to get the GT Agressor Pro but am not stuck between the Aluminum Comp or the Hyper Hydro Form.. Mainly for around the neighborhood and trail riding. Which would you recommend?
I once had to make the same decision and went with the Hard-tail Schwinn Aluminum comp. It's an awesome bike with potential. Took it on a somewhat aggressive trail and it held up quiet well even when I planted a 3 foot jump. Forks did bottom out but they held up nice.
Man, megaranges are great. All bog box bikes that use the 3x7 need those extra few teeth on 1st. I don't have too many hours riding on my MTB with the Wake Comp bars, but in the time I've used them one one goat track they feel very comfortable for the price.
I never thought of putting a megarange on my Finiss because it climbs so well with the gears it has, but I dunno now, That's pretty cheap for a freewheel.
Jasօռ udovich i don’t own the bike but probably just the cranks.. the square taper bottom bracket can work but the original cranks are riveted to the 3 gear wheels.. I’d recommend just looking on sites like AliExpress for a cheap upgrade, if you look for MTB cranks you’ll find cranks with a Narrowwide chainring and a hollowtech bottombracket (or just keep square taper) for not too expensive
Jasօռ udovich but pay attention to the gearing tho, let’s say the front middle one is a 32T chainring, if you can use all 7 gears fine (uphill,cruising and downhill) you can buy a 32T narrowwide chainring.. If low end is not enough, buy a 30T NW chainring (you’ll lose top speed) or go for a 32T NW with the megarange freewheel (14-34)
Thanks for the update Kev! I just bought the parts for my wife's bike the only difference is I exchanged for the wake stem! Love the channel keep up the great work Kev!
I was able to find 2 of the 14-34 sunrace megadrives for 20$ each. I did the same thing to two 26 huffy scouts, one gray and the other that matte blue. Lockon grips x2 720mm handle bars x2 Peddles cnc aluminum x2 Stem x2 Derailleur x2 -acera with the 13-15 jockey wheels and a avilio long cage, both are older models. Also trigger shifter/ brake levers combo for the gray scout. Those twist shifters are rough. The bikes are for my parents, they have some land and are getting up in age and trying to get back into outdoor activities. I'm trying to make them as enjoyable and reliable as possible before I drop them off. Your videos have been a big help. Total investment for both bikes is around 275$. One was 70$ at a pawn shop, the other was on marketplace for 60$ I got it for 40$.
My Finiss' personal touches mostly include scratches on the frame patched with the rommate's old nail polish (worked way better then I thought it would).
I had that same bike recently. I took off the front shox and replaced them with Marzocchi Bombers, changed the wheels to 26, installed an Easton stem and Easton bars.
OK...it's Complete! FrankenSchwinn rolls like the wind! Thanks to your video, and how it mirrored my thoughts about this bike I had just enough information to complete my upgrades except for one future that I am still considering which way to go on. So I got a race face carbon flat bar at 720mm and 31.8 width, had to change out the stock neck to a VP neck that was a little longer than I wanted but flipped upside down is perfect as I also changed out the front fork to an SR Suntour XCT that had an even longer post than the Schwinn. So the front end rode really high at first, so I changed out the front 27.5 inch tire for a 26 small block 8 on a generic double wall wheel I had laying around (brand new at least). Then I thinned the back tire down to 1.95 instead of the 2.10 that came on the bike. Add to that a change out of the rear derailleur to a Shimano Alivio and a Sunrace Mega 8 gear free wheel and new Shimano trigger shifters to boot. The finishing touch was the shimano XT clipless two sided pedal that are small but super tough. This build is mostly for commuting when I have to leave my bike locked up in a less desirable neighborhood and for just tooling around playing ingress... That's why I slimmed the back tire down and took the front tire to a 26". - the way the frame and fork and tires all come together make this bike more fun than it should be. I tend to grab it first more often then not even though technically it's my backup ride. Last thing left is that horrible front derailleur and 3 piece chain ring... I am thinking since I don't climb a lot other than city stuff and light trails I may go a single 52 tooth front ring, possibly elliptical but I am still thinking about what to do with the last piece that needs to be upgraded. Best part of all this.. I got the 8 speed freewheel, new in box with new in box shimano shifter's and new Alivio derailleur for $30 total at a yard sale! Freewheel was store marked for $56 alone and it was an olld sticker. Thank you Kev for your video that finally got my lZy butt inspired
Well thought out, easy to understand and bikes 🚲 in a price range MANY more people can ACTUALLY achieve. Quality can 🐝 had if u know what to look for. Cro-Mo metal is a great balance of price, strength and flexibility;-) U know ur bike materials!!! new sub here!!😜👌🖖
I have this exact make I got it to use till I get a real mtb but I wanted to upgrade it.. this vedio helped out so much thanks for leaving the links in the description really helped out keep it up 👍
So nearly everything you have listed is sold out with indications of if or when they will be available again. I would be interested to see an updated parts video
I’d love to see you review the Ozone 500 Men's Fragment 29 in 21-Speed Mountain Bike! I purchased mine from Academy and want to upgrade it further, but have no clue how to find what exactly fits the bike. I’d love to upgrade it on a budget like you’ve done here.
Depends on what you do with them. First time I watched this video I had just bought the schwinn and was happy with 99% of it. The one thing I needed was a better freewheel that was easier on hills. I bought a similar freewheel to the one this video suggested a 11 to 34 and the bike is awesome now. 99% of the time I'm on the road and use it in the winter months. I also have a vintage schwinn le tour and to be honest there's not a lot between them in terms of usability. Obviously they are totally different bikes the le tour is a road bike and the alu comp is a mountain bike.
Not many people are interested in it these days, thats why i said it does not suprise me you arent aware of the brand, eastern bikes isnt particularly a large brand
I've been enjoying your videos! This is exactly the Channel and content I was looking for, having grown up going through many of these big box bikes and tinkering with them. Keep it up.... p.s. The background music, when it had the soft ding tones was driving me nuts, as I didn't realize it was the music and couldn't find the source of it in my house.
I just bought my first (expensive for me, real low budget for a normal mountain biker) mtb yesterday. I might have to give those pedals a try 🤔 thank you!!
I have those mega range cassettes on my daughters bikes that are set up as 1x7 drive trains. It works great. Super cheap too. I will be trying out those pedals. Nice find.
Wow prices change fast! Now it is over $75 for just the pedals and the handlebars. I like the Mega range. I'm inclined to think I'd leave working handle bars, stem and pedal for later upgrades and try to make it a 1x7 with a shimano tourney first. Then maybe tektro brakes next. Then if the bike lasts more than a year I'd change the bars and pedals. On some folks bikes it is always the seat that must be changed first.
Did you have to make any adjustments when you put the mega range on? I just put one on mine and am having problems with the chain almost coming off when it’s on the big ring in the back.
Hey Kev! I work in a bike shop chain in the UK. There's a few companies that sell those pedals under different names. Most notably Nukeproof, with the Neutron EVO model. I'm not sure if they're just putting their name on them or if all the others are based on their design. a word of advice: The pedals are kind of held together with the bolt on the end. because the pedal body is plastic and those bolts are metal (alloy I believe), they don't grip very well. Therefore, they have a habit of working loose and causing play on the axle. So this is just to let you know that its worth checking those bolts from time to time. Just don't over do it otherwise the pedals will bind (A bit like how they are in the video) Love your videos man, keep up the hard work!
I got this bike today and now I see what you mean. I'm seriously considering the mega range. I also understand why you go with the 1x now. Great bike for the money so far.
I bought similar pedals 2 seasons ago by the brand ImRider on amazon. They have held up well. I did pull them apart and pack the inside full of grease.
I’ve always suspected they buy those freewheels in huge bulk order lots. So they get a economy of scale discount. It’s like plus and fatbikes coming with a more standard 32 tooth narrow wide front chainring. When they really ride better with a 28.
Kevin I suggest you & others consider the Sunrace Megadrive 13-34 8 speed freewheel or 14-34 7 speed one, instead of the Shimano you show. Reason ? The Sunrace has far more consistent tooth spacing and not that huge jump to that largest cog.
Nice job on the upgrades and I can’t believe you got all that for $55. I have always been a little afraid of buying those “cheaper” products now I may give it a try. It always feels good to make something better. I have plenty of friends that are interested into getting into biking but don’t want to pay a lot for their starter bike that this would be a great option.
I just picked up my Schwinn Aluminum Comp after work today, ordered online for store pickup planning on re-spoking the wheels with novatec or koozer hubs to accept a cassette 11 - 42 or 11 -46 is what I want to run already removed the front derailleur use it as a 1x factory has the two in one shifter/brake levers suppose I will need to change them too after a while the bars/stem/forks I will change the frame seems to have a better head tube angle than most big box bikes
Love the videos. It helps me find cheaper things. Like them pedals. Looking forward to the review. Bearings. Lol. I might end up buying them for a older road bike I use. The stem also. I don’t mind weight.
This is the only bike-oriented channel I am still subscribed to because of content like this. I think it takes me back to the very early days of BMX when almost any upgrades felt like Christmas.
Yup this channel doesnt make me feel poor for not having top of the line gear
Anyone know what for would best for this bike?
also try Seth Bike Hacks.
@@MELAVINKING yeah man
Any upgrade STILL feels like Christmas!
This man is a hero to all those on a really tight budget, God speed man.
Lowlife Illusion yooutoo yo otuotuotuoouiuotuuotuuuotiyoouyotroutouourtutouotouuououooouou yo
Lowlife Illusion yotuoiuouuuououotoioiououuuouuououuoouuootutuootuuotuoouuuooouuouuuotuuoouuouuuuuyuouoouuoou yo uooouoyyyotuiyouuuuoutouuouuouuttuoiytouuutouuoouuooutouuouuoootuuuotuootuuuooutooouoouoootuouooutouuuuootuotuoo yo totoyooouutotouuuuouiuotouotuoiuouuouuoyuuotoutuuuuuouotuooutytouyoyoouioutotououuoiouytouuutouuouuouuuuototouotuuotuouutoutouuiuouuouutouuuoiuotuotuuooououuouuotuuooioiuouuouoyuuoyuouuiuoooio yo
Lowlife Illusion t
Lowlife Illusion uotutouutotto y touutuuutouuruutouuottuotuuutuutouruutouuoutitoutoüü
Lowlife Illusion uoutotoytotououutouoruututototouutoutouttouutouto y touutoutouutotottoutuuttouüuutouutouutototutoyutotououü
This video is on Schwinn's LIKED playlist. Nice
Here's hoping they actually implement Kev's suggestions.
@@singletona082 q
Those upgrades would only cost schwinn about $25. Most box bikes would be better with a rigid fork. Great video!
@@CarGroves Yeah rigid ftw. Would be fast on roads, gravel, and nice packed dirt trails where most people be using for regular riding to get places.
😂🙌🏽
Sunrace is a good alternative to Shimano ffor multi-speed freewheels. The bearing quality is a little better, and sometimes they cost less.
I've had massive problems with them wobbling so bad that they can't shift hardly at all and swap between gears every pedal stroke.
I've only bought one because at the time I couldn't find a Shimano in a similar gear equivalent to what was on the bike. It's worked fine with no issues over two years and probably 300 miles. Only real difference I noticed is the freewheel sound is a touch louder then a Shimano. I'd would buy one again if I needed too.
Sunrace components are becoming more expensive every time, in Aliexpress is more convenient to buy shimano than sunrace
Caleb Allen sun run is NOT SunRace
Yeah. I also notice that the Sunrace 14-34 7sp freewheel is about the same price as the Shimano (on Amazon, anyway) and appears to have more even steps between gears.
Shimano - 14,16,18,20,22,24,34
Sunrace - 14,16,18,21,24,28,34
Looking at that, the biggest reasons to go Shimano over Sunrace would be parts compatibility and longevity. To be honest, though, I don't know enough to know whether either of those would be concerns for a project like this one.
Thank you for setting the budget around 50 dollars, that's a lot more in my price range then your usual upgrade videos. Great job on the shopping and video, thanks.
Definitely agree. While "sourced" parts are great, they're not practical for most of us as we don't have a stable of bikes to pull from.
@@MissingLinkMTB true that!
Great advice for bike riders that don't want to drain the bank account. These are easy low dollar upgrades are easy to tackle at home. I'm getting ready to buy a new 29 inch mountain bike. I'm going to follow your great advice. Very cool I learned something new today.
Thanks for keeping us budget buyers in mind, I'm sure im not the only one who appreciates it
Im glad to know now that the larger cog will work with the factory derailleur with that 3x7. Now I can upgrade mine. Thanks Kev...
How long you had yours?
I have a different bike but same drivetrain.
At around $300, that setup with, say, a low end SR Suntour fork would fill a large gap in the industry.
👍🏼
Not so sure about that, treks starting mtn bike is around $456 or such and prob,twice this bike--$300 is still a non poor persons bike! :)) Just sayin.
@Brisdad53 it is $150
@@IamNeighborlee A Trek bike would be $800 for an entry level bike.
Thanks for the video! Bought my son an Al Comp last summer at Wal-Mart for $198. Now we have a project for next summer. We ride street, but a cheap improvement for an already nice ride is good to know. Also I have another tip on grips for those without a compressor: Rubbing alcohol. Pour some on the front, a small flathead to lift will help, twist it to work it in. You may have to add a little more one you get the front going, then they slide right off like they were greased. They slide back on and the alcohol will evaporate.
I have this bike! Got it tuned at my local bike shop and I love it! Just rode 19 miles on it a few days ago
Did you bought the parts and told them to install them? How much did it cost?
I just discovered your channel recently. Really enjoy the approach you take with budget bikes, showing there are decent bikes to be had, and that there are upgrade paths. Hits me right in my interest zone. Thanks, very much!
Please do a few more upgrades to this bike. I would love to see the potential.
.... and so we started all the fascinating world of the MTB! We start with something economical. We change parts and then jump, to something more PRO !. EXCELLENT VIDEO.
Ooh I live in North Carolina so those pedals where made by a pretty well known Bike brand here that’s why they shouldn’t be crap
More videos like this. This will help a lot of people that do not have money to buy expensive bikes. Salute to you guys!!!
I always liked ezra's pedals which are originally designed for bmx..I've never seen them that cheap
looks like a steal for sealed bearings never heard of them but might pick up a set.
Me too
Nathan Brown checked his link, they are NLA 10 hrs later?
Go Clunker, they’re back on Amazon but they are now at $35.
price went up to $40 now
Here's another tip from someone who has worked for several years as a bike mechanic...
Your "air compressor grip trick" is a good one, as long as the grips are only tight and not sticky. If they are actually sticking to the bars, and not just grabbing on the bars due to tightness, and ONLY if the grips are NOT open-ended (the ones which require separate bar-end caps for safety), then here is the "SUPER air compressor grip trick."
1) Look at your grip ends. If they are open-ended, forget it, this trick is only for closed-ended grips. If your grips already have small (1 to 3mm) drain holes in the middle of the closed ends, you can skip to step 3.
2) If you need to make a hole, anything with a sharp, ROUND point will work. I've seen people use a corkscrew (make for opening wine bottles), or a sharpened nail punch, or a very small screwdriver with the driver tip ground off. DON'T use a large screwdriver with a tip, because that will only create a gaping torn flap, and what you need there are small, easily controlled air holes. IF you have a good heat source and you are sure you won't burn yourself, heating the tip of your round sharpie will allow it to melt through the plastic, and it will usually leave a cleaner hole than poking a hole in cold plastic would. Another safety hazard that works, if you are very careful before, during, and after the making the holes, is a small, pointed soldering iron that you don't plan to use for soldering afterwards. Any of these plastic-melting strategies will create toxic fumes, so make sure you have plenty of ventilation, or do it outdoors. If you're not into all that, you can drill a hole in the middle of your bar ends with a cheap 1/32" drill bit, but don't plan on using that bit for anything metal, afterwards, because melted plastic is not good for getting drill bits to bite into harder materials.
3) Instead of using the narrow nozzle on your air hose to aim a stream of air generally towards the open end of your grips (the blow method), this method is all about CONTROLLING where the air goes (the air pressure method). Cover the OTHER grip (or the OTHER end of an un-gripped handlebar) with one hand, then put your air nozzle in the hole in the middle of the closed end of the grip which you are trying to slide on or off THIS END of the handlebar. This creates a bunch of air pressure, which will act as a friction reducer between the grip and the bar.
4) IF the grip does NOT slide on or off easily at this point, I would recommend a very short squirt of old-fashioned hi-test hair spray. It's slippery when wet, easily cleans off with water if oversprayed, and when it dries, it acts almost like glue.
Thank you. I will be doing this along with a fork upgrade. Do you know any forks that would fit/work?
Thanks for the upgrade vid, Kev. Removing/installing grips with a little bit of alcohol works great. No air compressor, no problem.
My bike rocks wake handle bar and stem. Its pretty cool 👍
That is what I did when I purchased a Schwinn Voyageur (which was on sale at the time) three years ago; removed all the low grade component parts and upgraded to better quality Shimano bike components. I even changed out the rim spokes. Now I have a great hybrid bike which I will be using to bike tour with in the near future and I didn't break the bank in upgrading my bike.
I’m sure you’ll find a home for the fork. Keep the videos coming!
I could really use it to replace the busted fork on my hard tail kev would you consider giving it away?
What fork would you guys suggest for this bike?
Andrew Hoyt i would love to use that fork. Can i pay the shipping?
Yuniesky Bernardo Garcia it’s in Kev’s hands. He can do with it as he sees fits
Keith Darman I’m a really fan of the SR Suntour Exipon. At around $175 of eBay it’s the best dollar for dollar fork I have found. Others can chime in but that’s my choice
I purchased this bike to have it built and proper and take and leave in Puerto Rico. Had so many parts and the nice thing is I rebuilt the rear wheel and swapped out the hub with. Freehub disc body type that can take a 10 speed cassette. I had spare parts and the bike is looking proper for when I ship it out. Thanks to you for insight on this bike. Didn’t feel comfortable bringing a bike or purchasing a bike I’ll only will use for 3 weeks out of the year but this build will come out nicely.
@kevcentral it would be nice to see you do a quality a d budget Amazon build
I second that
BusStop Chronicles o
Get some Wake bars, Wake stem and a cheap freewheel. You can get nice Black Ops 155 BMX pedals for $20 at most bike shops or on Amazon. I would go with Odi lock on grips. The real pricey thing is going to be the fork and front suspension. Even real entry level bikes have crappy forks starting out.
Thanks for the tips. I have a Schwinn and have been looking for ways to get a bit easier climbing without spending the money of going 1x10. The freewheel link is super helpful!
The ezra pedals are actually quite high end pedals with eastern being a well regarded company within the bmx scene. hence your surprise with how good they are. they are normally around 35 dollars though so you got them extremely cheap at 12
I have eastern tires on my 26inch
Thank you so much for this video! I bought this bike yesterday from a Walmart for $229 and plan on doing the upgrades! As of right now all items equal out to $75 so that will keep me right around $300
How about using that bike to test a suspension seatpost ?
A dropper?
I followed your videos to buy and upgrade (not fully, but some part) my Hyper Hydroform MTB, couldn't be happier. I really like the whole series of this big box MTB reviews and upgrades videos. Very informative and helpful. I also enjoy very much upgrading the bike by myself, doing some mechanical job after work.
Congrats on the build!
Just goes to show, you don’t have to spend big bucks to have a decent bike.
I love the build and I'm definitely going to check out some of those pedals too. As far as the Mega drive is concerned, I agree that it's an absolute essential for any 3x7 or basically any free-wheel set up that's on a heavier big box bike. I've done the same thing and the Mega drive really comes in handy and is quite durable. Kev is an artist! Great job!
Why do you like wide handle bars? I squeeze through tight spaces!
Because wheel jammed (wedged) between two big rocks or roots will not snatch such wide bars out of your hands.
Wide bars let you breathe well and leverage again st the bars when shoving pedals to clear a hill
It feels totally different with wide bars. It's more comfortable and you have a lot more control. Not to mention the aesthetic.
Having a great day. Thanks Kev you too! You are a crafty shopper! Everyone needs to thank and appreciate you!
We need a project schwinn Aluminum comp pleaseeee
Yes pleeeeze
I literally just picked one of these up. Has been in a garage, so it's brand new. Starting to shop for parts now. The cassette seems to be found only across the pond now, but I will prevail! Thanks again for your excellent work and inspiration!
Congrats. Are you looking for the megarange freewheel?
@@KevCentral Yes. I can get one from China, but hadn't found one in the states. Did find similar ones, but not the same.
@@KevCentral One other question. Rather than disassembling my bike, I'm looking on the pre-owned market for some forks. Do you happen to know the factory steering tube length? Thank! You're the best!
When buying a Walmart bike, you must replace the headset into sealed, bottom bracket into sealed, the forks into Rock Shox, adjust the rear suspension, upgrade the gears, upgrade the handlebars and stem. And of course upgrade the pedals. I know this from experience, I've upgraded my Schwinn with name brand parts off of Amazon, and it feels and looks 10x better then stock. If you're riding a stock Walmart bike through the trails, you're making a huge mistake and you'll regret it.
Im a noob, what do you mean "into sealed"?
@@dragonhart1342
For example FSA is a great sealed headset. Because some of those Walmart bikes come stock with ball bearings headsets.
@@LeaveNoTrashBehind OH! thank you, i didnt realize that was a thing. Thought I just "sealed" it up with more/better grease >.>
@@dragonhart1342
You're welcome dude, yeah ball bearings are trash. When I bought my Schwinn I instantly replace the headset and bottom bracket to sealed. I should do a review about my bike, but it's not done yet.
And once you do installed the sealed headset or bottom bracket yeah definitely grease it up. That'll avoid it ever locking up or getting dried up.
@@dragonhart1342
One more thing you don't need an expensive 2k or 4k mountain bike, you can easily buy a box bike or Walmart bike for under $300 and make it perform like one of those expensive ones.
In my opinion, if I had the money to buy one of those I still wouldn't. I think it's stupid and a waste of money. Anyways you have a great night. Thanks for the question. 🙂
I own this bike and tbh it's the best project I've ever worked on. I'm building it into a race bike whenever I can get parts and so far I've replaced the grips, pedals, repainted it completely in Matte black with a Monster Energy livery, and have changed the rear tire to a knobbier and wider tire
The problem is the garbage alloy schwinn frame. It does seem like a fun project to upgrade a super cheap bike. Might do it someday.
MORE SCHEINNNMNN ALUMINUM COMP PLEASE
I recommend this guy to my beginner friends, when you start biking prices of parts intimidate!!!!
After a while you will out grow these but its a good entry level way to get gear that works
Dude you have the vids I am looking for. I subd. This bike vs. GT Aggressor Pro vs. Nishiki Colorado Comp. Which would you buy in order? I posted a similar question on your other vid lol
Great video series! I'm loving these. One thing I would enjoy, is at the end if you would include a "if I had 50 more dollars I'd do X or 100 more I'd do Y."
So I was going to get the GT Agressor Pro but am not stuck between the Aluminum Comp or the Hyper Hydro Form.. Mainly for around the neighborhood and trail riding.
Which would you recommend?
I once had to make the same decision and went with the Hard-tail Schwinn Aluminum comp. It's an awesome bike with potential. Took it on a somewhat aggressive trail and it held up quiet well even when I planted a 3 foot jump. Forks did bottom out but they held up nice.
Was watching your old videos for a good big box bike when I noticed a new video in my feed... made my day! Thanks!
Kev check out xoss forks on amazon budget gas forks that will fit that bike
I agree with you on the Mega-range freewheel. All the 3x7 bikes should have that as standard.
Man, megaranges are great. All bog box bikes that use the 3x7 need those extra few teeth on 1st. I don't have too many hours riding on my MTB with the Wake Comp bars, but in the time I've used them one one goat track they feel very comfortable for the price.
Yeah, that 34t comes in handy for all these sub $500 bikes that're all pretty heavy to begin with!
I never thought of putting a megarange on my Finiss because it climbs so well with the gears it has, but I dunno now, That's pretty cheap for a freewheel.
You must have been reading my mind because I have this same bike and want to upgrade the gearing! Thanks so much Kev!
Same. What would I need to convert this to a 1by drivetrain?
Jasօռ udovich i don’t own the bike but probably just the cranks.. the square taper bottom bracket can work but the original cranks are riveted to the 3 gear wheels.. I’d recommend just looking on sites like AliExpress for a cheap upgrade, if you look for MTB cranks you’ll find cranks with a Narrowwide chainring and a hollowtech bottombracket (or just keep square taper) for not too expensive
Jasօռ udovich but pay attention to the gearing tho, let’s say the front middle one is a 32T chainring, if you can use all 7 gears fine (uphill,cruising and downhill) you can buy a 32T narrowwide chainring..
If low end is not enough, buy a 30T NW chainring (you’ll lose top speed) or go for a 32T NW with the megarange freewheel (14-34)
Hey +KevCentral - when are you going to review some BikesDirect bikes?
I watched this and your other Comp videos...picked one up yesterday! Really excited to ride it and do some upgrades! Thanks again Kev
Has anyone gone to buy those Ezra pedals lately? They hiked the price up to $35 😂
Supply and demand homie
$39.99 today. And Amazon supplier Bike853 has a 87% pos. rating in the last 12 months. Thanks Ezra. Pay more, more risk getting product.
Thanks for the update Kev! I just bought the parts for my wife's bike the only difference is I exchanged for the wake stem! Love the channel keep up the great work Kev!
Soon Kev will just control the bike industry
I was able to find 2 of the 14-34 sunrace megadrives for 20$ each.
I did the same thing to two 26 huffy scouts, one gray and the other that matte blue.
Lockon grips x2
720mm handle bars x2
Peddles cnc aluminum x2
Stem x2
Derailleur x2 -acera with the 13-15 jockey wheels and a avilio long cage, both are older models.
Also trigger shifter/ brake levers combo for the gray scout. Those twist shifters are rough.
The bikes are for my parents, they have some land and are getting up in age and trying to get back into outdoor activities.
I'm trying to make them as enjoyable and reliable as possible before I drop them off.
Your videos have been a big help.
Total investment for both bikes is around 275$. One was 70$ at a pawn shop, the other was on marketplace for 60$ I got it for 40$.
Actually I think this is the very essence of the the mtb scene, what is a bike without the personal touch
My Finiss' personal touches mostly include scratches on the frame patched with the rommate's old nail polish (worked way better then I thought it would).
I had that same bike recently. I took off the front shox and replaced them with Marzocchi Bombers, changed the wheels to 26, installed an Easton stem and Easton bars.
I am getting megaRange for my hrdroform.
Put one in my hydro and it made a great deal of difference. Very cheap upgrade and a lot of bang for the buck. Super easy install.
The Sunrace MFM300 7sp freewheel is a fantastic upgrade and better gear spacing than the Shimano HG Mega Range.
Excellent :) . thats phenominal to only spend less than 60$ and yet get better performance out of a lower end bike. thats really cool.
Them pedals look exactly the same as my Nuke-proof Neutron pedals at double the price.
OK...it's Complete! FrankenSchwinn rolls like the wind! Thanks to your video, and how it mirrored my thoughts about this bike I had just enough information to complete my upgrades except for one future that I am still considering which way to go on. So I got a race face carbon flat bar at 720mm and 31.8 width, had to change out the stock neck to a VP neck that was a little longer than I wanted but flipped upside down is perfect as I also changed out the front fork to an SR Suntour XCT that had an even longer post than the Schwinn. So the front end rode really high at first, so I changed out the front 27.5 inch tire for a 26 small block 8 on a generic double wall wheel I had laying around (brand new at least). Then I thinned the back tire down to 1.95 instead of the 2.10 that came on the bike. Add to that a change out of the rear derailleur to a Shimano Alivio and a Sunrace Mega 8 gear free wheel and new Shimano trigger shifters to boot. The finishing touch was the shimano XT clipless two sided pedal that are small but super tough. This build is mostly for commuting when I have to leave my bike locked up in a less desirable neighborhood and for just tooling around playing ingress... That's why I slimmed the back tire down and took the front tire to a 26". - the way the frame and fork and tires all come together make this bike more fun than it should be. I tend to grab it first more often then not even though technically it's my backup ride. Last thing left is that horrible front derailleur and 3 piece chain ring... I am thinking since I don't climb a lot other than city stuff and light trails I may go a single 52 tooth front ring, possibly elliptical but I am still thinking about what to do with the last piece that needs to be upgraded. Best part of all this.. I got the 8 speed freewheel, new in box with new in box shimano shifter's and new Alivio derailleur for $30 total at a yard sale! Freewheel was store marked for $56 alone and it was an olld sticker. Thank you Kev for your video that finally got my lZy butt inspired
Well thought out, easy to understand and bikes 🚲 in a price range MANY more people can ACTUALLY achieve. Quality can 🐝 had if u know what to look for. Cro-Mo metal is a great balance of price, strength and flexibility;-) U know ur bike materials!!! new sub here!!😜👌🖖
Awesome a new Kev central video has been uploaded, this is the best part of my week thank you so much Kevin keep up the good work.
And the Ezras are now unavailable. The Kev curse strikes again!
NatetheAceOfficial they're back in stock, but they changed to price to $35
Yeah, I just noticed that as well. Either a promo price or the store realized it priced it too low.
Thx for us budget buyers
What $11.99 for those good looking pedals. Amazing.
The regular price is $35 for them. He got a really good deal, kind of jealous hahah
As of sept 2019, $39.99 ! ! !
I have this exact make I got it to use till I get a real mtb but I wanted to upgrade it.. this vedio helped out so much thanks for leaving the links in the description really helped out keep it up 👍
I need those petals they stole my name!!
So nearly everything you have listed is sold out with indications of if or when they will be available again. I would be interested to see an updated parts video
Schwinn bikes are good dude the are well built and have good parts
@Solomon Johnson they still are boi
Good is a relative term ... I consider my Marlin 6 a good bike but the Schwinn would never compare to what I considered good.
I’d love to see you review the Ozone 500 Men's Fragment 29 in 21-Speed Mountain Bike! I purchased mine from Academy and want to upgrade it further, but have no clue how to find what exactly fits the bike. I’d love to upgrade it on a budget like you’ve done here.
this is really sad...schwinn, mongoose, redline, these were the big brands back in the day. now they're just cheap box brands. :-(
Depends on what you do with them. First time I watched this video I had just bought the schwinn and was happy with 99% of it. The one thing I needed was a better freewheel that was easier on hills. I bought a similar freewheel to the one this video suggested a 11 to 34 and the bike is awesome now. 99% of the time I'm on the road and use it in the winter months. I also have a vintage schwinn le tour and to be honest there's not a lot between them in terms of usability. Obviously they are totally different bikes the le tour is a road bike and the alu comp is a mountain bike.
No lol, they're really good bikes
F*** yeah, I'm going to Walmart. Your my hero Kev. You make too much sense. Keep it up.
Unsuprising you dont know of eastern, eastern is a bmx brand hence the use of chromoly and low price
I don’t ride bmx. Never have.
Not many people are interested in it these days, thats why i said it does not suprise me you arent aware of the brand, eastern bikes isnt particularly a large brand
I've been enjoying your videos! This is exactly the Channel and content I was looking for, having grown up going through many of these big box bikes and tinkering with them. Keep it up.... p.s. The background music, when it had the soft ding tones was driving me nuts, as I didn't realize it was the music and couldn't find the source of it in my house.
Same thing here ... had to mute my audio twice to confirm that background ... ha.
Those little upgrades really make a budget bike look awesome.
I just bought my first (expensive for me, real low budget for a normal mountain biker) mtb yesterday. I might have to give those pedals a try 🤔 thank you!!
Congrats!
Well done. This is what starts a newbie into building a bike. Just tweaking your BB bike is enough to start someone on the slippery slope :D
I have those mega range cassettes on my daughters bikes that are set up as 1x7 drive trains. It works great. Super cheap too. I will be trying out those pedals. Nice find.
You just give Schwinn the best advice!! And like all your other projects this is beginning to look good
Thank you so much I really needed some better components for my bike only thing I have so far are some decent lock on grips and hydraulic disk brakes
I like those mega range fws. low rider on Amazon sells one that’s 12-34 with a wierd gap, like 21, 24,32,34
Great video for those of us on a budget. Well done.
Wow prices change fast! Now it is over $75 for just the pedals and the handlebars. I like the Mega range. I'm inclined to think I'd leave working handle bars, stem and pedal for later upgrades and try to make it a 1x7 with a shimano tourney first. Then maybe tektro brakes next. Then if the bike lasts more than a year I'd change the bars and pedals. On some folks bikes it is always the seat that must be changed first.
Did you have to make any adjustments when you put the mega range on? I just put one on mine and am having problems with the chain almost coming off when it’s on the big ring in the back.
Hey Kev! I work in a bike shop chain in the UK. There's a few companies that sell those pedals under different names. Most notably Nukeproof, with the Neutron EVO model. I'm not sure if they're just putting their name on them or if all the others are based on their design. a word of advice: The pedals are kind of held together with the bolt on the end. because the pedal body is plastic and those bolts are metal (alloy I believe), they don't grip very well. Therefore, they have a habit of working loose and causing play on the axle. So this is just to let you know that its worth checking those bolts from time to time. Just don't over do it otherwise the pedals will bind (A bit like how they are in the video)
Love your videos man, keep up the hard work!
Would some threadlocker work to stretch time between maintenance runs?
I recently upgraded my bike’s handlebar for a wake best bicycle mtb handlebar too, the 780mm version! It’s absolutely brilliant!🔥🚵🏼
I got this bike today and now I see what you mean. I'm seriously considering the mega range. I also understand why you go with the 1x now. Great bike for the money so far.
I bought similar pedals 2 seasons ago by the brand ImRider on amazon. They have held up well. I did pull them apart and pack the inside full of grease.
I make this exact bike into a single speed.I only bought a chain tensioner on amazon
I’ve always suspected they buy those freewheels in huge bulk order lots. So they get a economy of scale discount. It’s like plus and fatbikes coming with a more standard 32 tooth narrow wide front chainring. When they really ride better with a 28.
Kevin I suggest you & others consider the Sunrace Megadrive 13-34 8 speed freewheel or 14-34 7 speed one, instead of the Shimano you show. Reason ?
The Sunrace has far more consistent tooth spacing and not that huge jump to that largest cog.
They are bmx pedals, 5mm allen wrench on the dust cap you can get to the bolt and loosen them up.
The undercut in the weld on the rear dropout (above the hanger) @ 8:26 is really freaking scary looking.
I love it I'm already looking to upgrade my frame on my mountain bike and it helps that your doing this as I don't have the money
Nice job on the upgrades and I can’t believe you got all that for $55. I have always been a little afraid of buying those “cheaper” products now I may give it a try. It always feels good to make something better. I have plenty of friends that are interested into getting into biking but don’t want to pay a lot for their starter bike that this would be a great option.
The megarange freewheel is an awesome upgrade to any off-road bike. I've installed them on my fat tire bikes
I just picked up my Schwinn Aluminum Comp
after work today, ordered online for store pickup
planning on re-spoking the wheels with
novatec or koozer hubs to accept a cassette
11 - 42 or 11 -46 is what I want to run
already removed the front derailleur
use it as a 1x
factory has the two in one shifter/brake levers
suppose I will need to change them too
after a while the bars/stem/forks
I will change
the frame seems to have a better head tube
angle than most big box bikes
Wow. That’s a lot of bucks right out of the box. Good luck with your build.
Love the videos. It helps me find cheaper things. Like them pedals. Looking forward to the review. Bearings. Lol. I might end up buying them for a older road bike I use. The stem also. I don’t mind weight.
Loving the wake handlebars on my comp. Thanks Kev
I'm watching this thinking about how Schwinn actually listened to Kev and now we have very nice 2020 Al Comp