Wal-Mart sells cool bikes????

[yoothgeye]

I think it was Steve that brought up that link in his Walmart bike thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26341&hilit=+wal+mart

I would say though, don't count your chickens till they're hatched, back in the Summer Target released a sort of city bike looking bike with a funky design on it, turns out it was some "hot" "fresh" designer, people bought the bikes and were selling them straight from the store for HUGE profits, sold out nearly everywhere. Well, I said nearly, I found one in a store, the bike was cheap, cheap-cheap-cheap, the "cool" decorated fender skirts with the designers pattern on them, were made out of a plastic thinner than most kid's plastic chain guards. So disappointing.

 

[yoothgeye]

Oh, but that being said, Walmart does have some potential. Right now they are selling DK BMX bikes, soon that name brand will be worth nothing, but as of now I'd get one at the prices they have. They are also selling a BMX with a sidehack for $229, I'd have trouble building one for that price, and if you watch videos on youtube, they seem to be holding up well.

Many have built cool rats from brand new cheap Walmart bikes,

Yes, Walmart sells cool bikes, as long as you think they are. :wink:

 

[Harvie]

I believe that if a person thinks Walmart sells cool bikes they need makeup to tone down their neck...

 

[wimpy]

These bikes are quite good actually and not too expensive.
But I hate these "grandpa-bikes" ,'cause my entire bike-youth was ruined with these models. I allways wanted a cool chopper,but I never got one. Nowadays they're hot,everybody rides them. But if you're interested in their story and other models:
http://www.hollandiafietsen.nl/

 

[schertztx]

I believe that if a person thinks Walmart sells cool bikes they need makeup to tone down their neck...

this was a wal-mart bike. . .

and this one too.

 

[Tater]

Most of the dept store bikes have some issues, but some have potential as a base for a build or have usable parts for other bikes. Sometimes you strike gold. I was at Academy last week and there was a $145 Huffy cruiser with wheels that looked like the same wheels on Felts. -50mm wide hoops, 12ga stainless spokes, 3-speed nexus hub on rear and high-flange hub on the front. I'm looking at this bike thinking WTH are those wheels doing on a $145 bike. I would have left with it had my wife not been with me. I went back the next day and it was gone.

 

[Buster1]

Where are the Wal-Mart bikes made? If it's a bike, and it's not made in the USA...I ain't buying!

We're generally trying to buy less from asian countries when the same thing is available made in the US. Food for thought.

 

[wimpy]

I agree,but this bike:

is a typical Dutch bike (made in the Nethterlands). Does that help? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Dunno if this particular model is built in the U.S.

 

[yoothgeye]

Where are the Wal-Mart bikes made? If it's a bike, and it's not made in the USA...I ain't buying!

We're generally trying to buy less from asian countries when the same thing is available made in the US. Food for thought.

The more Americans buy Asian products in turn Asians are buying stock in America (seriously, huge chunks of it) so one day they can rename our country, or theirs and therefore their products will be ours and we can have some pride in what we are buying.

Until then, in the new bike market, good luck buying only USA made bicycles for the whole family.

 

[kingfish254]

That is much cheaper than an Elecktra Amsterdam.
I really like the looks of it for a city bike.
You see this style of bike all over Europe. I saw tons like them in Copenhagen and Stockholm on my vacation last month.

 

[Bendix]

Where are the Wal-Mart bikes made? If it's a bike, and it's not made in the USA...I ain't buying!

We're generally trying to buy less from asian countries when the same thing is available made in the US. Food for thought.

........in the new bike market, good luck buying only USA made bicycles for the whole family.

Exactly. Don't be fooled by an American flag decal, odds are it says "DESIGNED in the USA" underneath. This is just as true at your local bike shop as it is at Wal-Mart........ :roll:

I remember old boys walking out of the shop where I worked in the 80's because we didn't have American made tubes. I can only assume they never rode a bicycle again! :?

One of my biggest dissapointments after 25+ years in the bicycle industry is the meek acceptance of Chinese products by the American consumer. I can't recall the last time somebody passed up a bike purchase because it was made in communist China. Maybe it's especially galling to me because we're only a few miles from Boulder. All their droning on about 'human rights' in a town teeming with shiny new bikes seems especially hypocritical. :x

When we still had a fair amount of Taiwanese bikes I could always tell myself, "Well, at least they're on our side....." :wink:

 

[deorman]

Where are the Wal-Mart bikes made? If it's a bike, and it's not made in the USA...I ain't buying!

We're generally trying to buy less from asian countries when the same thing is available made in the US. Food for thought.

Well, if you like 45 lb industrial bikes or 2000 dollar specialty bikes, you're good to go.

 

[Bigcam59]

I believe that if a person thinks Walmart sells cool bikes they need makeup to tone down their neck...

this was a wal-mart bike. . .

and this one too.

so is this...

and this...

The basic bike is just a diamond in the rough. Like I always say "It ain't what you got, it's what you do with what you got." 8)

 

[yoothgeye]

I just bought a what I think was a pretty cool old American bike, a 1956 JC Higgins, well you know what? It was originally sold in a department store and it was made in Germany. :wink:

 

[old school 64]

Call me a redneck all you want..i could not pass up the $50 "returned due to pedal not tight" cranbrook last night...Chinese or not, there are some cool parts on there .. and for the price it will make a good "bomb around town" bike or a backup bike when company comes over..GIT-R-DONE !!!!

 

[Buster1]

Where are the Wal-Mart bikes made? If it's a bike, and it's not made in the USA...I ain't buying!

We're generally trying to buy less from asian countries when the same thing is available made in the US. Food for thought.

........in the new bike market, good luck buying only USA made bicycles for the whole family.

I can't recall the last time somebody passed up a bike purchase because it was made in communist China.

That's funny, I just passed up buying two bikes for the family because they were made in China. So now you can recall the time it happened! 8)

Seriously, once I learned how many "US" bikes are not made int he USA, I began looking elsewhere. I think Trek and a few others are truely made in the US.

I decided to buy my '59 Schwinn Jag (in the build area) and restore/refurbish it for me, and bought my wife a beautiful '58 Ladies Hornet that she likes ridin'. Now I feel better.

My kids however ride Wal-Mart/China built junk...but they treat them pretty rough.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I always say it doesn't matter where it began it's where it ends up It doesn't matter where they made it, china, USA, doesn't matter to me. They all get broken down and rebuilt in my back yard. My back yard is in America so it becomes made in America after I am done with it. :mrgreen:

Example:

 

[gcrank1]

Im guessing that 'Dutch' bike is a China knock-off, too, but Ive been wrong before. WM does have huge volume buying power to get cut-rate wholesale pricing. If it is Dutch, I would suggest getting one ASAP. That style stripped down a tad would make a tolerable 'Bobbies Bike' and the tall frame and 28s are supposed to be a kick to ride.
And regarding the bike weight post: My LBS guy weighed up a couple of Felts for me, the MP went 50ish and the Vintage Iron Bolt (alum frame) went 46# !!!

 

[big john]

My kids however ride Wal-Mart/China built junk...but they treat them pretty rough.

but why? All of my kids ride better bikes than me.

-john

 

[ozzmonaut]

Oh, but that being said, Walmart does have some potential. Right now they are selling DK BMX bikes, soon that name brand will be worth nothing, but as of now I'd get one at the prices they have. They are also selling a BMX with a sidehack for $229, I'd have trouble building one for that price, and if you watch videos on youtube, they seem to be holding up well.

Many have built cool rats from brand new cheap Walmart bikes,

Yes, Walmart sells cool bikes, as long as you think they are. :wink:

What Walmart has a bmx with a sidehack? If Walmart carries them I should be able to order it online and pick it up at my location.