Walmart "mountain'' bike?????

Question

i'm thinking about getting a walmart bike with full suspension... how strong is the suspension? will it last? i'm only going to be using it to get to places in the city... just think this particular bike looks cool... will it hold up???

Answer 1

A hybrid / city bike is what you really need. They have the best features of a mountain bike and road bike rolled into one bike.

The best suspension is softer tires. Larger volume tires with lower pressure act like springs without the worries of pivots wearing or seals leaking.

A sprung saddle or suspension seatpost also work well, but cost more.

Answer 2

Do not buy a Walmart DS bike, you will be very sorry. It will last a very long time because you wont ride it. Why do you want a DS bike in the city ?  Get a hybrid bike like one of these.

http://www.forgebikes.com/urban.asp

Answer 3

Yes, WAL-MART brands such as Next, or Roadmaster are completely safe for normal riding. I've never seen one of those bikes come in for repairs with a broken rear suspension spring, but they do wear out.

They should last at least 2 years of normal daily use. When one of those wears out, it's time to get a whole new bike. They're not worth putting any money into for repairs of that nature.

Answer 4

yea they arnt really very reliable if you really like the bike you can go to a shop and buy a new spring they shouldnt be very expensive depending on what brand you get and how strong it is and one other thing the rear derailer will get off set very easily its happened to alot of my and my parents bikes so yea have fun

Answer 5

I wouldn't go anywhere near a Walmart bike, especially one with suspension. If you want to get up any speed, or manage to climb hills, and you're not planning on actually doing 'mountain biking' you should get a road bike, possibly with flat handlebars if you are new to cycling.

For getting around the city you want something light. Walmart bikes with suspension are the heaviest bikes there are, and if you read the instructions you'll see that they aren't even designed for riding off-road! The suspension is just to sucker you in to thinking you are getting 'more bike' for your money, when if fact, you have to lug that suspension around with you everywhere, and in the city it is nigh on useless.

I bought an entry-level road bike from a proper bike shop 13 years ago and it still goes well, every day. It has had several modifications and minor repairs. As one of the other answerers said, if something fails on the wal-mart bike, which it is likely to within 2 years, it isn't worth fixing.

Kona have a whole lot of good commuting bikes: http://www.konaworld.com/09_bikes_en.htm

and Giant bikes are everywhere. I would think about getting a Giant CRX3, or in the US that might be FCR3: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bike...

Answer 6

If all you are going to do is occasional riding around town you'll be fine.

BUT... no jumping curbs or old ladies or anything else.

Keep in mind that full suspension is to keep the wheels on the ground for better handling, not for comfort. Every time you pedal that bike the frame flexes which eats up your energy that you would normally use to move forward. This will tire you out very quickly.