When I was in Bentonville, a mechanic at a local bike shop told me that the two Walton boys who run Walmart these days, are mountain bike maniacs. I think it's fairly obvious at this point that the Walmart boys are paying a lot of attention to bicycles and what they offer for casual users and people who want to try a new sport.... The mechanic told me that he sometimes sees a helicopter flying overhead to a local Bentonville trail, with two bikes attached to the landing skids...it's the Wallmart boys helicoptering to a mtb ride again.
@@user-kk9ez9hg4z sponsored for about $25 million worth of trails and public infrastructure improvements - amazing what can happen when a wealthy benefactor gets involved
I live in Bentonville. Most if not all of the current and new trails in Northwest Arkansas are funded by the Walton Foundation. At least the mountain biking trails. @@user-kk9ez9hg4z
The Walton's have a foundation that they run and through those foundations they achieve the things trail related. Use to live in the heart of it. It was great to just open your door ride out for 20+ miles and come back without having to turn on your vehicle.
this is how you help out beginners. the price is always the main thing that every beginners are concerned at. "bang for your buck" reviews are always the best.
mind blown. I'm going to buy this. Moved from Texas back to Reno, NV with my wife and kids, spent a small fortune during the move, left all my bikes behind, I really can't afford much right now, this is unbelievable to me. Thanks for doing this!
I'm just trying to manage expectations here, this is a department store bike. Don't get huffy when a bike shop refuses to work on it, working on disposable things is just not viable.
@@willflint8443the good thing about the parts on this bike is: you don't need a lot to service it yourself. The brifters would be my main concern, as I've never seen them in the shop, but in a worst case scenario you can always upgrade to entry level shimano ones. The cassette is as easy as they come. Not the greatest range, but all you need is a cassette puller, which isn't all that expensive either, in case you need to replace it. Bottom bracket is made from alloy, so you're not too likely to mess them up if you work on them. So all in all, although we as a shop are careful with accepting repairs for discounter bikes, this one seems solid enough to work on. We wouldn't build it for a customer, because whenever we did that, customers tried to blame us for breaking something, but common repairs shouldn't be an issue. Other workshops may have a different view on that, and I know quite a few who won't work on a bike they didn't sell themselves.
I love how you consistently drive home the message that you can enjoy and get into bicycling without breaking the bank. The fact that you truly have a passion for sharing the sport you love with as many folks as possoble really comes through. Keep up the good work...in a world of "gear snobs" your content is a breath of fresh air! Been riding since the early 90's and only recently spent more than $900 on a bike (used) that I woulda never brought new..yet have waited up on the trails for plenty of friends on 4 figure bikes!!!
@@shanemcman3665 Exactly, it's become ridiculious. In my yunger days I loved when I'd say "on your left" as I climbed by someone pushing a bike that cost 2 to 3 times more than what I was on!
Love your bravery for walking around with the helmet on and talking to yourself like any other crazy person !😂 25 years ago that would have been a mid level bike at $850.. The level of manufacturing has risen especially on the low end. Lots of options.
Just found one (not at my nearest Walmart, but one 10 miles away). I was beginning to believe I would not be able to find one. Took it home, very excited. Now to adjust it for my needs.
I think these modern, “better”, Walmart bikes have the same sort of general vibe as the cheaper options from major names. Like a low spec Cannondale trail or something. It’s a solid frame with cheaper parts on it. And for most people if those cheaper parts are adequate, then the whole bike is adequate. And for most people, and especially people buying a bike at Walmart, adequate is all they need or want. The real issue with department store bikes was always build quality and proprietary parts. And seeing new names at Wally World like Ozark Trail where they’re using normal parts and they’re built well, there’s the major issues gone. Then it comes down to just Walmarts assembly and the longevity of the lower end components. But I think products like that are reducing the trend of cheap bikes being ridden into the ground and thrown out. Since there’s a perfectly fine frame there, it’s not out of the question to change out parts as needed.
My two cents. If they are loose bearings, I would replace the factory grease and put in high quality grease and ball bearings in the hubs/headset right away to get a huge boost in longevity and performance. You will notice it for sure. Great video! First time I have ever considered riding a gravel bike, after watching this video. Thanks!
Yes at least shoot some grease into the hubs, and adjust them, before riding. I've never had factory built wheels, even expensive shimano, come with properly adjusted hubs, they're always way overtightened. Could be the source of some of the sound he was hearing. Would also do to check the spoke tension, although factory built wheels these days are often pretty true and tensioned properly. My guess at that price would be that they are loose ball cup and cone hub bearings. If not, then not an issue.
@@dougfromsoanierana that could cost you another 248 dollars… for it to make sense, you have to learn how to do maintenance yourself…. and insist that the bike is properly setup before you leave the store with it…. of course for that, you need to have the ability and knowledge to know what properly set up is…
Anyone who grew up in the 90s with 90s walmart bkes probably understand how insane these bikes are nowadays haha they almost feel like spaceships for myself! as long as its not 70 pounds, i always feel great whenever i pick up the cheapies... haha
I bought this bike today and set a personal best speed. Compared to the heavy mountain bike I was riding, this thing is a beast on roads! Your review along with others helped me buy my first bike with my own cash, and it's been a blast so far.
I've seen a number of your videos now. Your channel is really chill for a bike channel and you're easy to listen to also. I just started biking again at 47 after not doing it since about 12. Subbed.
For what seems like a decent bike and that cheap, I'd definitely recommend taking to your local bike shop and have them take it apart, making sure all the bearings are properly greased and that the bottom bracket is spinning smoothly. Great find!
I just bought one today. That noise you are hearing is the chain dragging on the front derailleur! I got the same noise. I spent an hour trying to adjust it. My chain was still draining on the front derailleur. I finally just tweaked the front derailure by twisting it slightly. The front brake was a real pain too! After going through and tightening everything that was loose, and fixing poor assembly issues, this bike rides great! I'm happy so far!
Love the value based content. These entry level bikes are so good these days. I'd be riding an Ozark Trail MTB if it had come out a couple months earlier. No complaints with my Rock Hopper, except the straight steerer tube. Like my friend says, it's better than the bikes Ned Overend was riding in the 90's.
I remember that Polygon gravel bike you reviewed, that one was a hell of a deal as well. For the price you can't really fault this as long as stuff doesn't break very quickly. the drivetrain noise might be as simply as the chain needing some lube.
I had a Walmart bike and it was great. The weight is because they use thicker aluminum with different characteristics. (Good supple characteristics if you ask me) But also less temper and a different alloy. My head tube stretched oval and my crank bent. I’m a 6’6” 220lb aggressive rider who bought one to thrash in 2016. A 600 dollar hardtail Jamis took the same abuse with no wear and weighed half as much. If you’re average to lightweight rider you’ll be fine. That’s why they only sell small sizes. Considering the price difference if you intend to ride seldom or only for around town recreation and you weigh less than 180 it could be a life long bike. The components are unique and may be hard to maintain but all of the mounting points were fairly universal. It’s not worth upgrading but semi coop compatible.
I’m LOVING this vid. This is my passion to find these deals and easy on the wallet bikes that are still “for the people” and not the 1% elite! I definitely subbed too.
Its a drop bar bike for 250$ - the components aren't particularly bad either. I think this is great for the sport overall. The other interesting thing to keep in mind is that 250$ leaves a lot of money on the table - you can always upgrade those individual components as they fail because the frame looks to have standard mounts and dimensions vs the old box store bikes that basically had cheap custom stuff all over. Another thing its great for is commuting - I'd be much less worried about my 250$ getting stolen then a $3k bike.
@@zipzip8239 tell me how you'd upgrade 2x7 drivetrain on dropbar bike as things fail like derailleur, shifter, freewheel, without replacing virtually everything to actually upgrade to something like Advent X 1x10
@@zipzip8239 You normally don't need to have 3 unusable gears that require entire new rear wheel + cassette which requires replacing everything. Majority of name brand bikes you can just replace a shifter or derailleur and use it 100% as an upgrade.
At that price point, I'd still direct budget consious buyers to the used market where you can get something much better for the price. That said, I understand that the used market is very difficult to navigate if you don't have someone experienced helping you out, so either way it's great that these Walmart offerings are at least becoming very useable bikes for beginners. The more options at cheap price points the better!
Thank you for adding the height information at the end. I’m 5’7 too and that’s good to know I’m better off with a small frame. Looking for a entry gravel bike to get into cyclocross
The only thing quality about that bike is probably the frame. Everything else will decompose & fail prematurely. Going super-cheap on components is how they're able to sell these bikes for so little.
They can pull it off because this is what bike prices should be or slightly more, give or take, people are being ripped off big time, and they don't even know it. You know something is wrong when a mountain bike costs more than a motorbike. SUM TING WONG!! I TELL YA!!
Bikes should be $250? I don't know about that. Seems there's more than $250 in materials in a bike like this one. Welding a frame? Gotta be more than $250 in skilled labor there. Certainly labor rates were cut to the bone to get this bike manufactured. Maybe it's all robot built. I don't know. I guess we're not supposed to think about it.
Glad to know that the Walmart gravel bikes are better now! I've been impressed with their Schwinn and Kent offerings over the last 5ish years. I work at a Bike Shop and we're a specialized dealer. Their hybrid bikes are solid and you can get them for as cheap as $600 but they literally do not have a cheap road or gravel bike under $1300 now.
I love it when cycling is affordable. And, like you, I never would have thought that WalMart would be selling a decent bike, but I see that Seth over at Berm Peak found a mountain bike there he likes, and now there's this. That Shimano Tourney group isn't the top of the Shimano line... but it's Shimano, and they don't do bad bike engineering. Disk brakes. Lots of mounting points. This is great. Yes, it's heavy, but it will probably hold some hefty riders, unlike the bikes that are made for pencil-thin 22-year-old Euro riders. Well done. I need to check out more of your stuff.
I'm running one of LTwoo's hydraulic groups on my gravel bike, and I'm completely satisfied with its performance. The new 12-speed GRX looks nice, but I just can't see a reason to spend as much as I paid for the whole group for just one shifter and brake caliper. It's great to see a box store bike with brifters, rather than those bar-top mounted paddles.
@0:46 - Walmart have some really nice Bikes. I used to work for an Assembly company that assemble their bikes. Always look for a sticker underneath the bike that shows it was assembled by an contracted company. those are the ones put together properly. Many Store assemblers just slap them together without making any adjustments. @2:54 - Walmart is able to pull this off by buying in bulk. for every one bike you see on the selling floor. There's 20 in the back still on the shelves waiting to be assembled. The minute you bought that one ,a call was sent to either the Store or Contract Assembler to build another one . There have been days when spent eight hours assembling floor replacement bikes . @4:59 - As I stated,Walmart buys in Bulk. They will go to a buy company and make a low offer say $100.00 a bike. That company may refuse because they sell their at $175.00 each..The Walmart buyer will say "We want 300,000 of them. The company seller will say ,"You got a Deal".
That is a sharp looking bike. I was considering the Ozark Trail Vibe for my third bike, used for paved/gravel paths, non-trail. But, this might have just taken the spot and for $50 less. Hmmm
I never was a bike snob in terms of hating on people for riding big box bikes. Quite simply, some people either don't have the money or don't know better. I always recommended that people buy a quality used bike. Now, there are compelling options like this which offer a functional item for a low price. Tims are a changing!
Awesome content! I have over the past year started collecting some of the Walmart bikes, I now own 3. I like everyone else was getting appalled at the costs of bikes after 2020 came around. All of them have been very good bikes, one thing I will say is that I had to go through and take the bikes apart and grease and lube, pedals, bottom bracket, headset... in other words most of the parts that create squeaks. They developed creaks and noises shortly after riding and proper lubrication has taken care of that. The disk brakes on mine just needed rotor cleaning and re centering of the calipers. It seems like the factory doesn't add much grease while assembling the bikes and maybe they should address that. LOL. Two of the bikes I bought had ZERO grease on the bottom bracket threads... I wondered how I would have gotten it out for replacement without a blowtorch in the future LOL. I have upgraded two of the bikes an Axum DP and a Kent Trouvaille just because I got them so cheap and had some parts laying around. Very nice for the price I gave for them.
Thanks so much for this overview. I can easily deal with squeaky at this price. Upgrade those, the seatpost+saddle, the cassette+shifters, bottom bracket, and its perfect. A $250 functional, beautiful canvas. I might be the prime demographic for this one
I bought this bike a few days ago. I'm 5'5.5 so a little shorter than you and the small fits me perfect. I have seen some really good reviews of other Walmart MTBs like the Vibe and the other MTB that is really popular. I was really bummed as none of them were small enough for me as I have a inseam of 29". I saw this one in Walmart and stood over it and was amazed with the geometry. Fit me perfect, extremely comfortable ride. The drivetrain and shifters work as well as the Poseidon X I had and the brakes actually work better than the Poseidon X brakes do. Now, Poseidon X has much better gearing, better tires, better saddle, it's lighter....ect but the G.1 is less than half the price. The Poseidon X is not 2x as good as this bike.
I'll tell you how Walmart can pull that price off....it's because ALL other manufacturers' margins are sky high. At $299 Walmart still makes a bit of profit on that bike. In the bike supply chain, China makes a bit of $, for the frame, Shimano makes a nice chuck but the bulk of it is made by the manufacturers like Spec, Giant, Trek, etc., not the distributors or the retaillers. If Trek is having $ issues right now is because of poor management not because of their poor margins.
Trek thought no one would find out they're making bikes in Asia for $400, then charging $4,000 for them in the US. I'm guessing the people running Trek acquired a cocaine addiction during the sales boom and now they're behind on their bills & can't focus on anything for more than a few seconds.
You're really comparing cheap aluminum to a reputable company? These Walmart bikes are great for what they are, but let's see if they're still pedaling in a year. And bike manufacturers work on notoriously tight margins. It's the Giants and the Treks of the world that rob people, that's why I'd never get one, but a high quality bike like Pivot or Santa Cruz is such a better quality material with much tighter tolerances.
@@topspot4834i know there's grades of steel. I know there's more labor intensive carbon layups. But please explain to me what the heck would be the difference between cheap n expensive aluminum. If anything it's probably a bit heavier sturdier, simpler, will last too.
Another upgrade for this cheap gravel bike is you need to swap out the heavy steel seat post for a aluminum seat post. Start shedding those bike pounds! 😂
I just picked one up today! My plan was to grab a Mongoose Ledge X1 and build it up since it's a killer frame, but my local wallymart wanted full $498 retail, so I'll order it online for $330. Ever since I crashed my Gary Fisher Tarpon hardtail a few years back I've been completely bikeless and never got around to replacing it. Gonna use this for general exercise and light trails just to get some confidence back. Hopefully I can go back to the downhills soon! I'm 230lbs so I've broken and bent mutiple bike frames over the years. Even my Tarpon couldn't hang with the weight after 6 years. We'll see how this one holds up lol. Cant wait for my Ledge as well. It'll be a beast if it hangs with the normal 10ft drop I liked to take back in the day. Geometry is perfect
I’m loving my Schwinn Boundary as an “about town” bike. Upgraded the fork and rear wheel and it rides great. Brakes are dreadful, however and seem to need constant adjustment. I can see myself getting some BB7s in the near future.
It's the trickle down effect of bike parts manufacturers coming out with new components, which leads to even more affordability of components from a previous generation/lower tier. It's great to see these bikes coming out from big box stores, allowing for more people to get into cycling without breaking the bank.
I was looking for reviews for this bike on RUclips with key words gravel bike, walmart and ozark trail but it didn't show up. I just found this from one of the facebook users posting a link to your video. Cheers
Looks like great deal, We all upgrade stuff on our bikes anyway. Looks like a good starting point to go less expensive. Most people over-pay for bikes.
man i know the feeling. most of the bikes ive owned i paid under 500 for, but its my 3k enduro MTB that constantly has mechanical issues. i still love that bike for DH, but its so hard to climb with
I got my used 2010 Trek 3700 in like new conditiom for $100...anyone who thinks cycling is expensive just means, "it is expensive to fit in with the gearheads and their $10k rides." I can keep up with anyone just fine on my $100 bike.
Seth @ Berm Peak tested a set of $30 hydraulic disc brakes a while back (that came from Amazon) and said they were great; that would be a great and cheap upgrade.
I think drops are harder to replace brakes unless you are talking about cable actuated hydro calipers. I think the best thing to do is getting a decent tektro/TRP mech calipers
When you consider that wheel builders will charge $100/wheel for labor, just to build the wheel, there's $200. A simple shifter and derailleur will cost $50. From a slightly different perspective, Specialized makes a comfort bike, the Roll 3.0, which is good for gravel. Their standard price is $1100. Last summer, it went on sale for $750. So I got one to ride the asphalt bike trails near my house when the trails are too wet to ride. I justified the purchase as a way to save my expensive mtb tires and transmission. I love the bike for what it does. Now, that same bike is on sale for $550, half of the MSRP. And, the bike shop still gets their deserved cut. I don't know if the manufacturer has already made their profit earlier in the batch and they are just clearing out stock or if bikes have simply been overpriced due to demand. I think those bike were probably meant to sell for $750 as in previous years and they jacked the price toward the end of the high demand. Either way, this summer looks good for buyers.
I bought those Kenda tires for my two classic ten speed schwinn bikes. They never sat in the rim well and I have to keep them under inflated or they'll feel like I'm riding on bumps all the time. The size tire is correct for the rim. That crank sound you hear can be inferior crank bearings or the crank itself and the pedals. This can go fine for years but it will add resistance and unnecessary effort moving that bike. Fine for riding around a flat level town for fun....not for bike paths with hills.
Yea, like someone said up top, Walton boys stepping up their game. That's actually a decent looking bike too. Would be awesome for someone to get started or for someone who isn't sure if they will like riding road and gravel. Obviously, the parts on this bike will wear fast if someone really puts it through the paces, but that's kind of the case for any entry level bike. And most entry level gravel bikes are still well over $250...great video as always!
I bought this bike and just rode it on the same trail as people riding specialized, trek and canyon mountain bikes. I'm really digging it and the change of pace from my road bike. I will say, if there is one down side, on my bike sometimes it will just randomly shift gears without me shifting, something I can adjust but, it does happen a few times on my rides. Also, it was weird riding a $248 bike wearing a $260 helmet lol
@@vincekerrigan8300 I believe they're within 5lbs of each other; The CF fork on the Triban is a marked advantage, sure, but would have to put gravel tires on it
Another great affordable review video! Please keep these up, ive honestly been getting disheartened by how elitist biking is getting and this is reminding me that there are creators who have the everyday person in mind who don't have a multi thousand dollar budget! Big props!
I got the Genesis Bohe, also a Walmart bike which is very similar to this but I feel that the Bohe is a tad too big for me (5'8) and I went with a shorter stem and compact handle bar and set the seat as far front as possible. But this small frame looks tempting and the green is a nice color, too. I like the way the Bohe looks, but this one looks nicer.
Glad to see walmart diving into great design, and keeping it affordable for both this design and their trail bike design. Great for absolute beginners or someone that just needs to get to school or work on a budget. However I doubt id trust this on a long mile backwoods journey. Or the ozark trail bike on rugged terrain.
Walmart and the brand they carry have definitely stepped up there game in recent years. The quality to price ratio is pretty good, and the bikes are much more upgradable than they used to be. I have a Schwinn AL Comp I just picked up used. Swapped out the headset, fork and got some shimano hydraulic brakes for it. All in all I’m less than $250 into it, and it will be just fine for the trail riding I do. I just needed something inexpensive to mess around in and try to get back into better shape. Obviously you get higher quality with a higher priced bike, but sometimes some small improvements on a less expensive bike suits your needs and saves you some money
If you race bikes you could use one of these heavy units to train, it’ll be durable and practically guilt free and when you are close to your actual race get your race ready bike so you can ride like lightning because you’re suddenly much lighter and much faster than before
The machining and production of bikes are way better and price effektiv,as 10 years ago,all the old machinery is scraped now. I worked for a german machine builder;)
Wow this is REALLY intriguing. I was never all that interested in the Ozark Trail Ridge, as you did need to shell out a decent amount of money to get it truly trail worthy. But this as a training bike or commuter bike for that price point has me thinking it's worth a trip to Wal Mart.. Especially when 20 year old used road bikes are still $200-500.
I bought a old cross bike, a redline conquest, for $300 and it's awesome. Takes 40c tires! Also a few pounds lighter. One thing tho is that I could absolutely see why someone would pay big bucks to have their bike 8-10 lb lighter (like the checkpoint). When you're climbing in the mountains it starts to matter a little more
Interesting. This looks like it would be a good basis for a kitbash build. That's pretty much what I did with my Marlin. I would just ride this until stuff started wearing out and upgrade those parts. I could see slapping a Deore M4100 2x10 on that which would probably double the cost of the bike though.
My Walmart bike pedal broke off standing up to pedal. I also discovered it had no grease on any bearings. The brakes were not impressive. You’ll be lucky if you get a few months with no problems. Those crank bearings are already making noise.
When I was in Bentonville, a mechanic at a local bike shop told me that the two Walton boys who run Walmart these days, are mountain bike maniacs. I think it's fairly obvious at this point that the Walmart boys are paying a lot of attention to bicycles and what they offer for casual users and people who want to try a new sport.... The mechanic told me that he sometimes sees a helicopter flying overhead to a local Bentonville trail, with two bikes attached to the landing skids...it's the Wallmart boys helicoptering to a mtb ride again.
I think they sponsored a lot of trail builds in Bentonville too. You can't make that nice of trails with just tax money....
@@user-kk9ez9hg4z sponsored for about $25 million worth of trails and public infrastructure improvements - amazing what can happen when a wealthy benefactor gets involved
@@user-kk9ez9hg4zyou think? They put like $200 million into those trails, they paid for the entire town
I live in Bentonville. Most if not all of the current and new trails in Northwest Arkansas are funded by the Walton Foundation. At least the mountain biking trails. @@user-kk9ez9hg4z
The Walton's have a foundation that they run and through those foundations they achieve the things trail related. Use to live in the heart of it. It was great to just open your door ride out for 20+ miles and come back without having to turn on your vehicle.
this is how you help out beginners. the price is always the main thing that every beginners are concerned at. "bang for your buck" reviews are always the best.
yep exactly
mind blown. I'm going to buy this. Moved from Texas back to Reno, NV with my wife and kids, spent a small fortune during the move, left all my bikes behind, I really can't afford much right now, this is unbelievable to me. Thanks for doing this!
I'm just trying to manage expectations here, this is a department store bike. Don't get huffy when a bike shop refuses to work on it, working on disposable things is just not viable.
@@willflint8443 Hehe, Huffy. (It's another bike brand that Walmart sells.)
@@willflint8443the good thing about the parts on this bike is: you don't need a lot to service it yourself. The brifters would be my main concern, as I've never seen them in the shop, but in a worst case scenario you can always upgrade to entry level shimano ones. The cassette is as easy as they come. Not the greatest range, but all you need is a cassette puller, which isn't all that expensive either, in case you need to replace it. Bottom bracket is made from alloy, so you're not too likely to mess them up if you work on them.
So all in all, although we as a shop are careful with accepting repairs for discounter bikes, this one seems solid enough to work on. We wouldn't build it for a customer, because whenever we did that, customers tried to blame us for breaking something, but common repairs shouldn't be an issue. Other workshops may have a different view on that, and I know quite a few who won't work on a bike they didn't sell themselves.
Take it to Peavine, brah. Down N Trail, brah.
@@willflint8443 honestly with youtube and plenty of internet this bike would be great to learn the basic mechanics on
I love how you consistently drive home the message that you can enjoy and get into bicycling without breaking the bank. The fact that you truly have a passion for sharing the sport you love with as many folks as possoble really comes through. Keep up the good work...in a world of "gear snobs" your content is a breath of fresh air! Been riding since the early 90's and only recently spent more than $900 on a bike (used) that I woulda never brought new..yet have waited up on the trails for plenty of friends on 4 figure bikes!!!
4 figure entry level
@@shanemcman3665 Exactly, it's become ridiculious. In my yunger days I loved when I'd say "on your left" as I climbed by someone pushing a bike that cost 2 to 3 times more than what I was on!
Love your bravery for walking around with the helmet on and talking to yourself like any other crazy person !😂
25 years ago that would have been a mid level bike at $850.. The level of manufacturing has risen especially on the low end. Lots of options.
"The brakes are squeaking, but at least I don't need a horn." 😂 You sound like a glass-half-full kind of guy.
Just found one (not at my nearest Walmart, but one 10 miles away). I was beginning to believe I would not be able to find one. Took it home, very excited. Now to adjust it for my needs.
Nice!!
I think these modern, “better”, Walmart bikes have the same sort of general vibe as the cheaper options from major names. Like a low spec Cannondale trail or something. It’s a solid frame with cheaper parts on it. And for most people if those cheaper parts are adequate, then the whole bike is adequate. And for most people, and especially people buying a bike at Walmart, adequate is all they need or want.
The real issue with department store bikes was always build quality and proprietary parts. And seeing new names at Wally World like Ozark Trail where they’re using normal parts and they’re built well, there’s the major issues gone. Then it comes down to just Walmarts assembly and the longevity of the lower end components.
But I think products like that are reducing the trend of cheap bikes being ridden into the ground and thrown out. Since there’s a perfectly fine frame there, it’s not out of the question to change out parts as needed.
My two cents. If they are loose bearings, I would replace the factory grease and put in high quality grease and ball bearings in the hubs/headset right away to get a huge boost in longevity and performance. You will notice it for sure. Great video! First time I have ever considered riding a gravel bike, after watching this video. Thanks!
Yes at least shoot some grease into the hubs, and adjust them, before riding. I've never had factory built wheels, even expensive shimano, come with properly adjusted hubs, they're always way overtightened.
Could be the source of some of the sound he was hearing. Would also do to check the spoke tension, although factory built wheels these days are often pretty true and tensioned properly.
My guess at that price would be that they are loose ball cup and cone hub bearings. If not, then not an issue.
...or you could just return the bike and get another one without loose bearings, they have like 90 day warrantees
@@JayRock907 but that would be a different more expensive bike…
I would def have a good bike mechanic look it over to make sure all is tightened and lubed to good specs.
@@dougfromsoanierana that could cost you another 248 dollars… for it to make sense, you have to learn how to do maintenance yourself….
and insist that the bike is properly setup before you leave the store with it…. of course for that, you need to have the ability and knowledge to know what properly set up is…
I just bought this bike today. Mind blowing quality from Walmart.
I only road it like 3 miles but I like it a lot.
Anyone who grew up in the 90s with 90s walmart bkes probably understand how insane these bikes are nowadays haha they almost feel like spaceships for myself!
as long as its not 70 pounds, i always feel great whenever i pick up the cheapies...
haha
I bought this bike today and set a personal best speed. Compared to the heavy mountain bike I was riding, this thing is a beast on roads! Your review along with others helped me buy my first bike with my own cash, and it's been a blast so far.
Matt you're a terrific narrator. I'm very sensitive to sound and voice, you, Seth and Eric from BCPov have the best tone and pace imo.
I've seen a number of your videos now. Your channel is really chill for a bike channel and you're easy to listen to also. I just started biking again at 47 after not doing it since about 12. Subbed.
For what seems like a decent bike and that cheap, I'd definitely recommend taking to your local bike shop and have them take it apart, making sure all the bearings are properly greased and that the bottom bracket is spinning smoothly. Great find!
Bought this because of you. I’m so glad I did. I love it!
You're driving me crazy man!!! you're the only review on this bike🤙🏽
I just bought one today. That noise you are hearing is the chain dragging on the front derailleur! I got the same noise. I spent an hour trying to adjust it. My chain was still draining on the front derailleur. I finally just tweaked the front derailure by twisting it slightly. The front brake was a real pain too! After going through and tightening everything that was loose, and fixing poor assembly issues, this bike rides great! I'm happy so far!
Love the value based content. These entry level bikes are so good these days. I'd be riding an Ozark Trail MTB if it had come out a couple months earlier. No complaints with my Rock Hopper, except the straight steerer tube. Like my friend says, it's better than the bikes Ned Overend was riding in the 90's.
I remember that Polygon gravel bike you reviewed, that one was a hell of a deal as well. For the price you can't really fault this as long as stuff doesn't break very quickly. the drivetrain noise might be as simply as the chain needing some lube.
I had a Walmart bike and it was great. The weight is because they use thicker aluminum with different characteristics. (Good supple characteristics if you ask me) But also less temper and a different alloy. My head tube stretched oval and my crank bent. I’m a 6’6” 220lb aggressive rider who bought one to thrash in 2016. A 600 dollar hardtail Jamis took the same abuse with no wear and weighed half as much. If you’re average to lightweight rider you’ll be fine. That’s why they only sell small sizes. Considering the price difference if you intend to ride seldom or only for around town recreation and you weigh less than 180 it could be a life long bike. The components are unique and may be hard to maintain but all of the mounting points were fairly universal. It’s not worth upgrading but semi coop compatible.
Out of stock on Walmart site. Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep a look out for them...
I’m LOVING this vid. This is my passion to find these deals and easy on the wallet bikes that are still “for the people” and not the 1% elite! I definitely subbed too.
Nice new whip🤟🏼 I'm 5'7 on a Small Nukeproof Scout & it's perfect! I'd get a small OT Gravel also. Looking forward to a update vid on this.
Been waiting for this video bro! Thing looks fun honestly and a great way to get started. Excited to see the follow up review. Keep em coming!
Its a drop bar bike for 250$ - the components aren't particularly bad either. I think this is great for the sport overall. The other interesting thing to keep in mind is that 250$ leaves a lot of money on the table - you can always upgrade those individual components as they fail because the frame looks to have standard mounts and dimensions vs the old box store bikes that basically had cheap custom stuff all over.
Another thing its great for is commuting - I'd be much less worried about my 250$ getting stolen then a $3k bike.
You can't upgrade a 2x7 dropbar setup with a freewheel as items fail without upgrading entire drivetrain and rear wheel.
@@derek2gloves yes you can
@@zipzip8239 tell me how you'd upgrade 2x7 drivetrain on dropbar bike as things fail like derailleur, shifter, freewheel, without replacing virtually everything to actually upgrade to something like Advent X 1x10
@@derek2gloves the same way as you would on any bike. you will just be stuck with 7 useable gears in the rear until you are complete instead of 10.
@@zipzip8239 You normally don't need to have 3 unusable gears that require entire new rear wheel + cassette which requires replacing everything. Majority of name brand bikes you can just replace a shifter or derailleur and use it 100% as an upgrade.
At that price point, I'd still direct budget consious buyers to the used market where you can get something much better for the price. That said, I understand that the used market is very difficult to navigate if you don't have someone experienced helping you out, so either way it's great that these Walmart offerings are at least becoming very useable bikes for beginners. The more options at cheap price points the better!
I'd be interested in a used gravel bike! What model do you recommend I look for?
Thank you for adding the height information at the end. I’m 5’7 too and that’s good to know I’m better off with a small frame. Looking for a entry gravel bike to get into cyclocross
Loving your enthusiasm.
I think that it's great that they thought out the bike and made something that's actually good for only 250$
The only thing quality about that bike is probably the frame.
Everything else will decompose & fail prematurely.
Going super-cheap on components is how they're able to sell these bikes for so little.
@@TenFalconsMusic for $250 a quality frame is great. The rest you can replace and upgrade as needed if it really is *that* bad
They can pull it off because this is what bike prices should be or slightly more, give or take, people are being ripped off big time, and they don't even know it. You know something is wrong when a mountain bike costs more than a motorbike. SUM TING WONG!! I TELL YA!!
Bikes should be $250? I don't know about that. Seems there's more than $250 in materials in a bike like this one. Welding a frame? Gotta be more than $250 in skilled labor there. Certainly labor rates were cut to the bone to get this bike manufactured. Maybe it's all robot built. I don't know. I guess we're not supposed to think about it.
Glad to know that the Walmart gravel bikes are better now! I've been impressed with their Schwinn and Kent offerings over the last 5ish years. I work at a Bike Shop and we're a specialized dealer. Their hybrid bikes are solid and you can get them for as cheap as $600 but they literally do not have a cheap road or gravel bike under $1300 now.
I love it when cycling is affordable. And, like you, I never would have thought that WalMart would be selling a decent bike, but I see that Seth over at Berm Peak found a mountain bike there he likes, and now there's this. That Shimano Tourney group isn't the top of the Shimano line... but it's Shimano, and they don't do bad bike engineering. Disk brakes. Lots of mounting points. This is great. Yes, it's heavy, but it will probably hold some hefty riders, unlike the bikes that are made for pencil-thin 22-year-old Euro riders. Well done. I need to check out more of your stuff.
Tried to order one. Sold out. Matty you influenced everone to buy them.
I'm running one of LTwoo's hydraulic groups on my gravel bike, and I'm completely satisfied with its performance. The new 12-speed GRX looks nice, but I just can't see a reason to spend as much as I paid for the whole group for just one shifter and brake caliper. It's great to see a box store bike with brifters, rather than those bar-top mounted paddles.
@0:46 - Walmart have some really nice Bikes. I used to work for an Assembly company that assemble their bikes. Always look for a sticker underneath the bike that shows it was assembled by an contracted company. those are the ones put together properly. Many Store assemblers just slap them together without making any adjustments.
@2:54 - Walmart is able to pull this off by buying in bulk. for every one bike you see on the selling floor. There's 20 in the back still on the shelves waiting to be assembled. The minute you bought that one ,a call was sent to either the Store or Contract Assembler to build another one . There have been days when spent eight hours assembling floor replacement bikes .
@4:59 - As I stated,Walmart buys in Bulk. They will go to a buy company and make a low offer say $100.00 a bike. That company may refuse because they sell their at $175.00 each..The Walmart buyer will say "We want 300,000 of them. The company seller will say ,"You got a Deal".
That is a sharp looking bike. I was considering the Ozark Trail Vibe for my third bike, used for paved/gravel paths, non-trail. But, this might have just taken the spot and for $50 less. Hmmm
Also, how did the small frame size feel to you? I'm 5'8 as well so I'm curious if it was good or would you go up to a medium
I never was a bike snob in terms of hating on people for riding big box bikes. Quite simply, some people either don't have the money or don't know better. I always recommended that people buy a quality used bike.
Now, there are compelling options like this which offer a functional item for a low price. Tims are a changing!
You’re the man for this review - right on for filming the gear shifting!!
Awesome content! I have over the past year started collecting some of the Walmart bikes, I now own 3. I like everyone else was getting appalled at the costs of bikes after 2020 came around. All of them have been very good bikes, one thing I will say is that I had to go through and take the bikes apart and grease and lube, pedals, bottom bracket, headset... in other words most of the parts that create squeaks. They developed creaks and noises shortly after riding and proper lubrication has taken care of that. The disk brakes on mine just needed rotor cleaning and re centering of the calipers. It seems like the factory doesn't add much grease while assembling the bikes and maybe they should address that. LOL. Two of the bikes I bought had ZERO grease on the bottom bracket threads... I wondered how I would have gotten it out for replacement without a blowtorch in the future LOL. I have upgraded two of the bikes an Axum DP and a Kent Trouvaille just because I got them so cheap and had some parts laying around. Very nice for the price I gave for them.
Thanks so much for this overview. I can easily deal with squeaky at this price.
Upgrade those, the seatpost+saddle, the cassette+shifters, bottom bracket, and its perfect. A $250 functional, beautiful canvas.
I might be the prime demographic for this one
I bought this bike a few days ago. I'm 5'5.5 so a little shorter than you and the small fits me perfect. I have seen some really good reviews of other Walmart MTBs like the Vibe and the other MTB that is really popular. I was really bummed as none of them were small enough for me as I have a inseam of 29". I saw this one in Walmart and stood over it and was amazed with the geometry. Fit me perfect, extremely comfortable ride. The drivetrain and shifters work as well as the Poseidon X I had and the brakes actually work better than the Poseidon X brakes do. Now, Poseidon X has much better gearing, better tires, better saddle, it's lighter....ect but the G.1 is less than half the price. The Poseidon X is not 2x as good as this bike.
I'll tell you how Walmart can pull that price off....it's because ALL other manufacturers' margins are sky high. At $299 Walmart still makes a bit of profit on that bike. In the bike supply chain, China makes a bit of $, for the frame, Shimano makes a nice chuck but the bulk of it is made by the manufacturers like Spec, Giant, Trek, etc., not the distributors or the retaillers. If Trek is having $ issues right now is because of poor management not because of their poor margins.
AMEN!!
Trek thought no one would find out they're making bikes in Asia for $400, then charging $4,000 for them in the US.
I'm guessing the people running Trek acquired a cocaine addiction during the sales boom and now they're behind on their bills & can't focus on anything for more than a few seconds.
You're really comparing cheap aluminum to a reputable company? These Walmart bikes are great for what they are, but let's see if they're still pedaling in a year. And bike manufacturers work on notoriously tight margins. It's the Giants and the Treks of the world that rob people, that's why I'd never get one, but a high quality bike like Pivot or Santa Cruz is such a better quality material with much tighter tolerances.
@@TenFalconsMusic I have no doubt this is true and people paying $4000 for a bike are not helping.
@@topspot4834i know there's grades of steel. I know there's more labor intensive carbon layups. But please explain to me what the heck would be the difference between cheap n expensive aluminum. If anything it's probably a bit heavier sturdier, simpler, will last too.
I work at Walmart (had a real job last year) and sold one of these today. (I have a 2021 Jamis Renegade C1). I was quite impressed!
Ok buddy you have my interest I wanna see how this pans out cool looking forward to more vids.
Another upgrade for this cheap gravel bike is you need to swap out the heavy steel seat post for a aluminum seat post. Start shedding those bike pounds! 😂
Great review Matty!
I just picked one up today! My plan was to grab a Mongoose Ledge X1 and build it up since it's a killer frame, but my local wallymart wanted full $498 retail, so I'll order it online for $330. Ever since I crashed my Gary Fisher Tarpon hardtail a few years back I've been completely bikeless and never got around to replacing it. Gonna use this for general exercise and light trails just to get some confidence back. Hopefully I can go back to the downhills soon! I'm 230lbs so I've broken and bent mutiple bike frames over the years. Even my Tarpon couldn't hang with the weight after 6 years. We'll see how this one holds up lol. Cant wait for my Ledge as well. It'll be a beast if it hangs with the normal 10ft drop I liked to take back in the day. Geometry is perfect
I’m loving my Schwinn Boundary as an “about town” bike. Upgraded the fork and rear wheel and it rides great. Brakes are dreadful, however and seem to need constant adjustment. I can see myself getting some BB7s in the near future.
It's the trickle down effect of bike parts manufacturers coming out with new components, which leads to even more affordability of components from a previous generation/lower tier. It's great to see these bikes coming out from big box stores, allowing for more people to get into cycling without breaking the bank.
I was looking for reviews for this bike on RUclips with key words gravel bike, walmart and ozark trail but it didn't show up. I just found this from one of the facebook users posting a link to your video. Cheers
Looks like great deal, We all upgrade stuff on our bikes anyway. Looks like a good starting point to go less expensive. Most people over-pay for bikes.
For sure keep us posted with a follow up video on this!
Keep riding it. Thanks. Let us know!!
man i know the feeling. most of the bikes ive owned i paid under 500 for, but its my 3k enduro MTB that constantly has mechanical issues. i still love that bike for DH, but its so hard to climb with
I got my used 2010 Trek 3700 in like new conditiom for $100...anyone who thinks cycling is expensive just means, "it is expensive to fit in with the gearheads and their $10k rides." I can keep up with anyone just fine on my $100 bike.
Just picked up one today went over the whole bike just to be safe but so far so good.
Nice!!
This video is going to blow up... Viral
Loved the video! Great first impressions. I'm 6'2" so they need to make a bigger size for me LOL but hey your review at least made me hope they do!
Very nice bike and very affordable. Can't wait to see what it will do
I get excited about some cheap stuff too
This is the same reason I love my early 2000's Squier "Strat" SE.
Hell yeah. My squiers sound just as good as my fenders.
Seth @ Berm Peak tested a set of $30 hydraulic disc brakes a while back (that came from Amazon) and said they were great; that would be a great and cheap upgrade.
I think drops are harder to replace brakes unless you are talking about cable actuated hydro calipers. I think the best thing to do is getting a decent tektro/TRP mech calipers
When you consider that wheel builders will charge $100/wheel for labor, just to build the wheel, there's $200. A simple shifter and derailleur will cost $50. From a slightly different perspective, Specialized makes a comfort bike, the Roll 3.0, which is good for gravel. Their standard price is $1100. Last summer, it went on sale for $750. So I got one to ride the asphalt bike trails near my house when the trails are too wet to ride. I justified the purchase as a way to save my expensive mtb tires and transmission. I love the bike for what it does. Now, that same bike is on sale for $550, half of the MSRP. And, the bike shop still gets their deserved cut.
I don't know if the manufacturer has already made their profit earlier in the batch and they are just clearing out stock or if bikes have simply been overpriced due to demand. I think those bike were probably meant to sell for $750 as in previous years and they jacked the price toward the end of the high demand. Either way, this summer looks good for buyers.
Amazing commuter
Amazing find! Love your videos!
Thank you!
Components can always be upgraded if there’s a good frame.
I bought those Kenda tires for my two classic ten speed schwinn bikes. They never sat in the rim well and I have to keep them under inflated or they'll feel like I'm riding on bumps all the time. The size tire is correct for the rim. That crank sound you hear can be inferior crank bearings or the crank itself and the pedals. This can go fine for years but it will add resistance and unnecessary effort moving that bike. Fine for riding around a flat level town for fun....not for bike paths with hills.
Been riding my schwinn boundary(walmart bike) for 4 years now. I've made some upgrades but it's been a great hardtail
Yea, like someone said up top, Walton boys stepping up their game.
That's actually a decent looking bike too. Would be awesome for someone to get started or for someone who isn't sure if they will like riding road and gravel. Obviously, the parts on this bike will wear fast if someone really puts it through the paces, but that's kind of the case for any entry level bike. And most entry level gravel bikes are still well over $250...great video as always!
Can’t wait to see what it’s like after some miles put on it. Definitely seems like a great entry point.
I bought this bike and just rode it on the same trail as people riding specialized, trek and canyon mountain bikes. I'm really digging it and the change of pace from my road bike. I will say, if there is one down side, on my bike sometimes it will just randomly shift gears without me shifting, something I can adjust but, it does happen a few times on my rides. Also, it was weird riding a $248 bike wearing a $260 helmet lol
I was *just* about ready to get a Triban rc120, another great value bike, and do a gravel conversion. But this bike upended that plan.
The Triban is much lighter though.
@@vincekerrigan8300 I believe they're within 5lbs of each other; The CF fork on the Triban is a marked advantage, sure, but would have to put gravel tires on it
Main upgrade would be cable-operated hydraulic brake calipers and compression-less brake cable housing.
Another great affordable review video! Please keep these up, ive honestly been getting disheartened by how elitist biking is getting and this is reminding me that there are creators who have the everyday person in mind who don't have a multi thousand dollar budget! Big props!
I got the Genesis Bohe, also a Walmart bike which is very similar to this but I feel that the Bohe is a tad too big for me (5'8) and I went with a shorter stem and compact handle bar and set the seat as far front as possible.
But this small frame looks tempting and the green is a nice color, too.
I like the way the Bohe looks, but this one looks nicer.
Another classic. Good job bro!
If I could get that in the UK 🇬🇧 I'd buy it tomorrow! Are you listening Walmart! Great video ✊
Lok at the bottom end Decathlon - similar but much lighter.
Glad to see walmart diving into great design, and keeping it affordable for both this design and their trail bike design. Great for absolute beginners or someone that just needs to get to school or work on a budget. However I doubt id trust this on a long mile backwoods journey. Or the ozark trail bike on rugged terrain.
And it looks cool. Be safe.😊
Looks good. I've been keeping an eye out for a frame I can build into a gravel bike. Also when are we gonna get an update on the GT dirt jumper?
I’m 5’6 tall with a 32” inseam and this medium size ozark gravel bike fits me just right.
It even comes with a kick stand!
This will help me get into the hobby
Walmart and the brand they carry have definitely stepped up there game in recent years. The quality to price ratio is pretty good, and the bikes are much more upgradable than they used to be. I have a Schwinn AL Comp I just picked up used. Swapped out the headset, fork and got some shimano hydraulic brakes for it. All in all I’m less than $250 into it, and it will be just fine for the trail riding I do. I just needed something inexpensive to mess around in and try to get back into better shape. Obviously you get higher quality with a higher priced bike, but sometimes some small improvements on a less expensive bike suits your needs and saves you some money
Man if your ever in Arizona, we gotta ride!
Nice job brother! 🚴🚴
Thanks to this review I have been looking for this bike. Found a closeout deal today for 100.02 after tax.
If you race bikes you could use one of these heavy units to train, it’ll be durable and practically guilt free and when you are close to your actual race get your race ready bike so you can ride like lightning because you’re suddenly much lighter and much faster than before
There is also a trail bike from Ozark trail tested by Seth and it was also very good being a low budget bike
Yeah the Ridge!! Great upgradeable HT👍🏼
I just got a kent trouvaille for the low. Idgaf I have so much fun on it!
The machining and production of bikes are way better and price effektiv,as 10 years ago,all the old machinery is scraped now. I worked for a german machine builder;)
For the squeaking, try burning off the contaminants on the rotors with a lighter. I saw it on tiktok and a lot of people say that works.
Don't believe everything you see on tiktok.
Great bike!
I roll a Emonda SL6 AXS . Love it.
Wow this is REALLY intriguing. I was never all that interested in the Ozark Trail Ridge, as you did need to shell out a decent amount of money to get it truly trail worthy. But this as a training bike or commuter bike for that price point has me thinking it's worth a trip to Wal Mart.. Especially when 20 year old used road bikes are still $200-500.
I bought a old cross bike, a redline conquest, for $300 and it's awesome. Takes 40c tires! Also a few pounds lighter. One thing tho is that I could absolutely see why someone would pay big bucks to have their bike 8-10 lb lighter (like the checkpoint). When you're climbing in the mountains it starts to matter a little more
Interesting. This looks like it would be a good basis for a kitbash build. That's pretty much what I did with my Marlin. I would just ride this until stuff started wearing out and upgrade those parts. I could see slapping a Deore M4100 2x10 on that which would probably double the cost of the bike though.
PS: it sounds like the derailleur is slightly out of adjustment. Tweak it with the barrel adjuster.
My Walmart bike pedal broke off standing up to pedal. I also discovered it had no grease on any bearings. The brakes were not impressive. You’ll be lucky if you get a few months with no problems. Those crank bearings are already making noise.
Even though I just bought an E-bike this is very tempting...Best part of this video is that I am also 5'8, thanks!