It’s awesome to see you review an inexpensive bike in a non-snobbish way and I don’t even ride. Exactly why Dirt Every Day is still my favorite MT show. You can still have fun even if you don’t have a lot of bucks to throw at a hobby. Super fun video!
Very fun to watch I'm sitting outside in the dark right now at 7:00 something I'm enjoying my ridge M2 you got a really good buy on that and that's good to know that there are really good bikes and bikes like please out there available at low prices used
Walmart actually released a revised version of this bike in 2024. 180mm front brakes, new clutched derailer, narrow wide chain ring and some new frame tabs.
Can you expand on this? I just got mine yesterday, and compared to a different video I watched on it, there’s no gear selector display and couple of other things. Is this a better revision or worse since first release?
This was a super fun video to watch! I think there is a lot of us that want to get into mountain biking bit dont wanna break the bank. I spend too much money on bike upgrades but i do really love it! It becomes an addiction. This was a rad video that gave an honest review. Ive heard so much good about these bikes. Keep kickin butt dirthead Dave! Love it!
Dave thanks for the last 2 MTB videos and nerding out. I also began to nerd out and wound up buying a Trek Merlin 8 Gen 2 bike (It was on sale, new shipped from Trek). I am 53 and got into MTB in the early 90's. Bought a Cannondale M800 Beast of the East in 92, wife wanted to ride with me so I gave her the M800 and I grabbed a 93 Specialized Stumpjumper M2. I still have the M2, not the wife lol. The M2 still works but I wanted a newer bike with the 29 inch wheels. I am way way out of shape and you inspired me to get off my butt and get back to riding, so Thank You. I plan to start with riding paved trails and such to build cardio and get my biking legs back then maybe hit some dirt trails.
Right on!! I really wanted a Marlin 6 for the wife and kids to share, but this bike was too good of deal to pass up. The Marlin is still on my radar though
I really enjoy mine. I swapped the seat and grips out for personal preference. Otherwise mine is stock. I plan to upgrade to an air fork, but the factory one has been mostly sufficient for my weight and how I ride. Seems you are a little harder on this one than I am on mine. At about 35psi the tires have been fine for me. I’ve noticed a couple times that they’ve started to slip where my maxxis tires on my other bike don’t. It’s definitely not a $10k bike, but I’ve no complaints and have put over 500 miles on mine. Once I got it dialed in, it felt like the geometry of the bike was designed for me personally.
This is great. Love the budget stuff. Your vids are for the everyman. Fab your own stuff. Buying used bikes. Excellent. I just bought a used Craftsman tool box today..lol. awesome.
I got my very first new bike back when I was in the 4th grade in the mid 60's. It came from the Thrifty Drug store on the corner of Westminster Ave. and Golden West St. It was a Huffy and it cost $15.00 and it was really hard to pedal. I would have liked to have had a Schwinn but they just cost to much. But it always got me where I needed go. I still have the last bike that I bought new in 1983. It's a 26 inch Beach Cruisier that I was riding the two miles to work.
Great video Dave. I love how you actually bought a WalMart bike and tested it. Looks like it just needs a gear change, maybe different tires and a decent fork to be solid.
I think you are getting the hang of this videography thing. Your audio was on point the entire time and your framing is getting a lot better. I am really digging the mountain bike content. I can't wait to hear what your upgrades are on that bike.
This is so f'n rad! I'm not a big off-roader, but I subscribed back when Dirt Every Day came to an untimely end because I enjoyed Dave as a host. I've been mountain biking for 22 years, so I've gone from 26er hardtail to 26er full suspension and then jumped to 29er hardtail in 2006 which I stuck with all the way until 2015. I went 29er full suspension that year and have ridden the wave of more "progressive" trail bike geometry. I've also gotten into a couple of eMTBs: a 160/150mm mullet wheel and a 110mm 29er hardtail. As I've worked my bike stable up into the tens of thousands of dollars, I've noticed the rise of the big-box bikes and other budget level bikes and have become borderline obsessed with them. I bought an Ozark Trail Ridge new in the box and had it pretty much assembked and dialed when I went to install the pedals...and the drive side crank arm threads were missing. I was so miffed since I drove across town to get the bike and then spent over and hour assembling and videoing the process. I never published the video. Recently, I've been playing around with Decathlon brand bikes because they've been super cheap to buy new. I had a $150 hardtail and a $216 full suspension. I found a $160 SR Suntour air fork for it, cheap rear air shock. Tranz-X 31.6 dropper posts are $50 on Amazon, so I grabbed on of those. Found some decent tires on marketplace for $15. Grabbed a few goodies out of my own parts bin.
Really enjoyed this one, Dave! I work overnight freight at Wal-Mart. Ive seen this bike in passing, and was surprised by the price. Very cool to see it in action. Came back to this after the upgrade vid this morning. Keep up the great content! Ride on!
I dig how at 19:20 you did EXACTLY what I would have done, lol. Throw it in reverse and back away from the Old Man Killing drop with your backup alarm beeping proudly. The woods are littered with the corpses of old dudes like us that grew up on BMX and MTBs who convinced themselves wthey were still 17. I'll be 60 in a few months, and I ride like a very skilled but cautious 90 yr old granny now because I'd like to still be wheelying and hoppin' curbs when I do hit 90
Just stumbled across this and once you started riding i thought man that looks just like beacon and as i kept watching i realized that is beacon! Super rad to see you filming out on my local trails!
Thank you for the bike stuff!!! As a guy who recently sold his YJ and is between toys, I pulled my Trek hybrid off the ceiling and started riding again. Thank you for these videos, which I didn’t know I needed!
Excellent video Dave , it’s a breath of fresh air to take 5 from the car projects, I just sold my Sonoma and it’s given me extra time to enjoy bike riding with my dog . Love your channel and your content. Keep these videos coming please. Cheers 🇨🇦
Another groovy video, Dave, I enjoy the mountain bike content. I also believe this is a good bike for the money. But with a 36" inseam, I think I would need at least a XXL frame. With all the seat post I could get lol. Looking forward to seeing what mods you come up with.
This is awesome! I've been using Walmart bikes since they came out with full disc brake bikes. Hardtails everyone, and they really just need a nut and bolt check, adjustment so it shifts right, better brake pads, and tires if you're doing some of the harder stuff. I will admit that the forks have been stiff, hard hits is really all they'll adsorb. With what I've been doing they last about 2 seasons before the frames start to crack. But would definitely recommend as long as your not doing anything crazy.
I just came across your channel a few minutes ago by clicking on this video, I also had the Ozark Trail also I ride Beacon Hill Trails! I don't live too far from the area so this is quite the coincidence
Dave I’ve been watching your bike videos thinking it’s something I should do, I’m 42 dealing with stress and anxiety from running a business and life in general, a few beers every night probably not helping with that🤣I just looked at this bike at a chance trip to Walmart, can’t wait to watch the video, I’ll probably go get one based on your thoughts about it . Thanks Buddy.
It’s a good way to get away from the stress. And getting better is kind of addicting.. which makes you want to eat better and drink less.. pretty cool all around
Great thanks a lot Dave, I have been watching you for about 10 minutes into this video and now I am looking at new tubes and tires for my bike to start riding it again. I haven't ridden it since the tires kept going flat a couple of years ago.
Awesome MTB coverage Dave! I too was into MTB (Cannondale) and Trials/technical riding in the 90s then by 96 Minitruckin had my full attention. I finally got myself a GT Avalanche from Dick’s to ride with my boys. There is definitely a difference between a Bike Shop GT and a box store GT but I’m happy to be shreddin again. So I bought a budget eBay bike mechanic’s stand as I never had one back in the day. You should test some budget bike stands. 🤙🏼
@@thedirtheadshed Heck yeah! And some classic Yakima Racks for the Mustang II. lol I had Racks and jaw clamps w/ trays + OG fairing on my 84 Yota mini back in the day.
I have a GT mountain bike but it's not as low as some of the bikes like the one you have. I can't afford the money they want for a name brand one so I love the fact that you took on and tried it so we can all see it will work. I am going to start looking for one I think. I would be riding comparable terrain and think it will work well. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for putting this out there. I've been wanting to get to mountain biking and have no clue where to start. This seems like a solid option I'm going to do more research on.
Mom’s Spaghetti’s front bumper is the greatest ever. You can do anything off-road and we’ll watch. 😂 “Film it and they will watch it” keep it coming Dave.
Heck yeah, man. That bike just needs a decent fork and stem, like you've already mentioned or hinted at. For a cheap fork option I think you can get a Judy Silver with 29" QR spacing. I've had them on some 27.5s without busting anything. And there's a couple cheap dropper post options with levers right underneath the seat if you don't wanna route cables.
I picked up one of these about a year ago to get back into mountain biking on the cheap. Unfortunately it didn't stay cheap long, every part of it has been upgraded but damn is it a fun bike to ride.
When you are searching for that new fork, 120mm of front travel really wakes the bike up. Also, if you end up with any tire rub after upgrading its going to be the skewer. You can solve that flexing by grabbing a Shimano XT skewer ($23ish).
My last wal-mart bike was a Rhino and the front fork broke doing my paper route in the late 90s. Haven't had over since. Glad to see those new are actually worth their salt
Great video, Dave! I was looking at that bike a few days ago at wally world. I was apprehensive about the build quality after buying a Chinese made mongoose a few years ago and hating it l. I'll give this a second look. Thanks Dave!
@thedirtheadshed my beer belly isn't bike shop quality either 🤣 so there's no need for me to spend $1500+ on a bike my fat behind can't even peddle😅. I like the fact that it's well priced and makes me feel less guilty about upgrading it down the line.
I’ve also been geeking out on TH-cam mountain bikes as I’m getting keen again. Im 56 and have always loved a hard tail. Still have a 26 inch giant atx from 95 plus a giant 29er Want to try out a dual suspension and looking at the good valued Polygon SISKIU T8
@@thedirtheadshed yeah the T8 it stands up pretty well against the major brands. Do a few minor upgrades like replacement on chain and a tubeless setup and it’s the business.
New bike day is so fun when i got my 2022 GT force carbon pro I left the bars at full width and forced myself to get use to it as I was old school and always had narrow bars ha ha
I was going to upgrade my parents old mongoose mountain bike from the 90s, maybe one day. I am just going to grab one of these down the road, throw a couple hundred in upgrades and I am good. Probably spend less anyways and it's brand new and not rusted in spots lol. I will still upgrade them one day for nostalgia.
Reminded me when you taught Fred how to ride dirt bikes. lol. BTW, you killed it on the OG muscle truck and dragoneer!!! What fun it must be to work with legends like those guys.
I pimped out a Huffy MTB in college. Loved to ride but I didn’t have Gary Fisher money…..so I scrounged up good cheap parts and threw the catalogue at the thing…..Pretty sure the Rox Shox Judy fork was worth more than the bike. That was fun!
I watch your show for the fab work I love it. More of a car guy but love watching you make stuff. The other hobby is cycling. Cant wait for you to go down the Chinese carbon wormhole. Man it is fun. Built a gravel bike all carbon wheels frame and an ltwoo mechanical group came in under 1300 bucks total and it rocks.
There cheap and durable but I bet you’ll find yourself liking off Amazon the “wake” stem. It will bring your arms in elbows bent and torso upright It’s specific 50mm long with a 31* rise. All my 3 have them I’ve bombed hard with it at hawes mesa Az and south mtn Az cool rig fun stuff. Love the underdog items hanging
I've routinely used a normal pipe cutter for steerer tubes, shortening handlebar width, etc... Nothing wrong with that imho. Interested to see how well this bike holds up- mostly the wheels staying true, and the welds on the frame itself not falling apart. Things I'd think a cheaper bike might fail at.
Awesome video Dave! Man I miss my 29er. I had a Cannondale Trail a few years ago and I should have never sold it! Now I just rip the trails on my cyclocross bike. Keep up the videos brother! 🇺🇸💪🏼
Walmart bikes have come along way since the 90s when I worked in a bike shop I remember the rear wheel mounts weren't even welded they were smashed together lol!
I have dream builds and budget builds. It's good to have both. Not every ride needs all the luxuries of high end bikes and just runs up the maintenance schedule and cost.
Late '60's, we MotoX stingrays, early '70's we put dirt bike bars on them, mid '70's went to Beach Cruisers & did "Urban" street MotoX. Now just cruise the old Beach Cruiser. lol Great to see ya out there riding the trails.
I'd bet you wouldn't have had to cut the seat post you could have just backed out the screws and mounted a pump or water bottle. The screws would back out far enough to drop the seat down further.
Nice review! After watching the whole episode, I was really surprised how the Ozark performed and the bike is not even rated as a beginner entry level hardtail mountain bike in the mountain biking experts world. You have to spend at least $1000 for a recommended beginner entry level hardtail mountain bike. This is a bargain. Please give us update after extended use if the components can take the abuse. Looking forward for the next vlog.
I’m lucky enough to have miles of bike trails in my back yard including several black diamonds and double diamonds and this bike performs very well on them.
One thing I learned is the vision does not like 1st or 9th. It comes off and gets jammed pretty easily. But I have been trying to learn how to wheelie on it also. Looks like my front forks are leaking but I'm hoping it's just from assembly or something because it's out of stock everywhere around me so I can't swap it out if need be. I also can't wait to see what mods you do to it!
Cool video Dave. Hardtails are super fun. We need to get you on a super duper full suspension ripper maybe even my Husqvrna e-bike, which Fn rocks the cojones. 🎉 happy trails dude. Do you like checking out viewers rides?
Im hoping you rub some old school "hot rodding" into the MTB "scene". Many years ago i attempted to mix the two, i researched how i could upgrade bikes no one would give a second look. While i mostly found comments from people stating "its better to save for a better bike", i still felt any upgrade i could make would be worth it. And it was! I too got hit hard by it, but it benefitted me in so many positive ways. I'm hoping more and more people give themselves the opportunity to get started any way they can. I wouldn't have been able to build my Stumpy Evo frame into the bike it is now, and ride it the way i do now if i hadn't given myself a chance. Ride on, and keep truckin
I think you’re right. Parts swapping and bargain hunting don’t seem to bring the bike crowd, but I also agree with the idea that bikes need to be easy fun, not necessarily another project
With the exception of the back tire, it seemed like it did better at a lower pressure. I'd say a better back tire and you should be pretty good. I have a killer back tire on my mountain bike, but I don't remember what it's called. The lugs are shorter in the tread, but it has some deep gnarly side lugs on the sides of the tread. I wouldn't run a riad race with them, but they bite good in the dirt!
My bike has a Shock on the front, and hard mount on the rear. I spent so much time on old school hard mount bikes that I was still getting used to riding with even the single shock. I sure didn't like it on the dirt because it wasn't predictable like a hard mount. Because of that I don't know that I will transition to fully sprung. I really enjoy feeling the ground. It gives me time to adjust. It took me a while to find the tire pressure that I like for grip. I can deal with the rude quality, traction is very important to me. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the softer ride of the partial and fully sprung bikes. Predictability is very important for me, even in town on pavement. Too many too close encounters of the bad kind. That's why I am a strong advocate for wearing a helmet. It's kept my head safe more than a couple of times. Finding long Offroad trails is very difficult here in the Midwest. They are out there. Far and few in between.
It’s awesome to see you review an inexpensive bike in a non-snobbish way and I don’t even ride. Exactly why Dirt Every Day is still my favorite MT show. You can still have fun even if you don’t have a lot of bucks to throw at a hobby. Super fun video!
Thanks so much for the support
Very fun to watch I'm sitting outside in the dark right now at 7:00 something I'm enjoying my ridge M2 you got a really good buy on that and that's good to know that there are really good bikes and bikes like please out there available at low prices used
All here for Dave ripping single track and getting good exercise like we all need! Yewwww❤love to see it
So fun!
I love the direction this cnhanel is going in! MTB and 4X4 are my fav!
Stoked people are enjoying it
Walmart actually released a revised version of this bike in 2024. 180mm front brakes, new clutched derailer, narrow wide chain ring and some new frame tabs.
Can you expand on this? I just got mine yesterday, and compared to a different video I watched on it, there’s no gear selector display and couple of other things. Is this a better revision or worse since first release?
Love seeing the MTB and off road content. Excited to see what you do next to the bike.
So much room for improvement
Nice! The Roscoe 8 is an awesome bike! Also glad you gave the Walmart bike a chance, they have really come along way!
They have. It’s not in the trek level.. but it doesn’t have to be for 1/5 the price
This was a super fun video to watch! I think there is a lot of us that want to get into mountain biking bit dont wanna break the bank. I spend too much money on bike upgrades but i do really love it! It becomes an addiction. This was a rad video that gave an honest review. Ive heard so much good about these bikes. Keep kickin butt dirthead Dave! Love it!
Glad you enjoyed. It was fun to make
Dave thanks for the last 2 MTB videos and nerding out. I also began to nerd out and wound up buying a Trek Merlin 8 Gen 2 bike (It was on sale, new shipped from Trek). I am 53 and got into MTB in the early 90's. Bought a Cannondale M800 Beast of the East in 92, wife wanted to ride with me so I gave her the M800 and I grabbed a 93 Specialized Stumpjumper M2. I still have the M2, not the wife lol. The M2 still works but I wanted a newer bike with the 29 inch wheels. I am way way out of shape and you inspired me to get off my butt and get back to riding, so Thank You. I plan to start with riding paved trails and such to build cardio and get my biking legs back then maybe hit some dirt trails.
Right on!! I really wanted a Marlin 6 for the wife and kids to share, but this bike was too good of deal to pass up. The Marlin is still on my radar though
@@thedirtheadshed Awesome man. Keep making great content.
I really enjoy mine.
I swapped the seat and grips out for personal preference.
Otherwise mine is stock.
I plan to upgrade to an air fork, but the factory one has been mostly sufficient for my weight and how I ride.
Seems you are a little harder on this one than I am on mine.
At about 35psi the tires have been fine for me.
I’ve noticed a couple times that they’ve started to slip where my maxxis tires on my other bike don’t.
It’s definitely not a $10k bike, but I’ve no complaints and have put over 500 miles on mine.
Once I got it dialed in, it felt like the geometry of the bike was designed for me personally.
I’m having fun with this one. I really think I’ll keep it pretty stick and see what it’s good at. Seems not totally necessary to modify everything
This is great. Love the budget stuff. Your vids are for the everyman. Fab your own stuff. Buying used bikes. Excellent. I just bought a used Craftsman tool box today..lol. awesome.
I couldn’t pass this one up!
Love all the MTB content Dave!
Keep it comin!!
- 12 year bike mechanic who latched onto the Dirthead Shed from DED
Right on. Thanks for the support!
I got my very first new bike back when I was in the 4th grade in the mid 60's. It came from the Thrifty Drug store on the corner of Westminster Ave. and Golden West St. It was a Huffy and it cost $15.00 and it was really hard to pedal. I would have liked to have had a Schwinn but they just cost to much. But it always got me where I needed go. I still have the last bike that I bought new in 1983. It's a 26 inch Beach Cruisier that I was riding the two miles to work.
Right on. They all do the job !
Some of us will watch anything you post! We just love Dirthead Shed content!
Thanks!! I appreciate it
Great video Dave. I love how you actually bought a WalMart bike and tested it. Looks like it just needs a gear change, maybe different tires and a decent fork to be solid.
I’m on the hunt for a used fork upgrade first
Right on I've been waiting for you to post a video on this bike can't wait to see your review!
It’s definitely worthy of looking at
I think you are getting the hang of this videography thing. Your audio was on point the entire time and your framing is getting a lot better. I am really digging the mountain bike content. I can't wait to hear what your upgrades are on that bike.
Thanks so much. I just bought a new camera today . Curious if it helps or hurts me
Thanks Dave for the MTB videos! Like what you are doing with the channel. Keep up the great work!
Thanks! I’m actually on the hunt for Another bike , they are just too much fun
This is so f'n rad! I'm not a big off-roader, but I subscribed back when Dirt Every Day came to an untimely end because I enjoyed Dave as a host.
I've been mountain biking for 22 years, so I've gone from 26er hardtail to 26er full suspension and then jumped to 29er hardtail in 2006 which I stuck with all the way until 2015. I went 29er full suspension that year and have ridden the wave of more "progressive" trail bike geometry. I've also gotten into a couple of eMTBs: a 160/150mm mullet wheel and a 110mm 29er hardtail.
As I've worked my bike stable up into the tens of thousands of dollars, I've noticed the rise of the big-box bikes and other budget level bikes and have become borderline obsessed with them. I bought an Ozark Trail Ridge new in the box and had it pretty much assembked and dialed when I went to install the pedals...and the drive side crank arm threads were missing. I was so miffed since I drove across town to get the bike and then spent over and hour assembling and videoing the process. I never published the video.
Recently, I've been playing around with Decathlon brand bikes because they've been super cheap to buy new. I had a $150 hardtail and a $216 full suspension. I found a $160 SR Suntour air fork for it, cheap rear air shock. Tranz-X 31.6 dropper posts are $50 on Amazon, so I grabbed on of those. Found some decent tires on marketplace for $15. Grabbed a few goodies out of my own parts bin.
Sounds like I need to look up Decathlon Bikes! Thanks
Really enjoyed this one, Dave! I work overnight freight at Wal-Mart. Ive seen this bike in passing, and was surprised by the price. Very cool to see it in action. Came back to this after the upgrade vid this morning. Keep up the great content! Ride on!
Thanks so much! It’s been pretty fun
I dig how at 19:20 you did EXACTLY what I would have done, lol.
Throw it in reverse and back away from the Old Man Killing drop with your backup alarm beeping proudly. The woods are littered with the corpses of old dudes like us that grew up on BMX and MTBs who convinced themselves wthey were still 17.
I'll be 60 in a few months, and I ride like a very skilled but cautious 90 yr old granny now because I'd like to still be wheelying and hoppin' curbs when I do hit 90
Hahah!! Ride on!
Just stumbled across this and once you started riding i thought man that looks just like beacon and as i kept watching i realized that is beacon! Super rad to see you filming out on my local trails!
It’s a great place!
It really is! Also you have great content. I'm a master tech for Nissan so I'm really enjoying all your videos! Keep it up man!
Love all the mountain bike videos Dave! I've been riding a Haro Impulse hardtail with IndyS Rock Shocks for 31 years. Love all your content! D.E.D.!
That’s awesome! Cheers
Thank you for the bike stuff!!! As a guy who recently sold his YJ and is between toys, I pulled my Trek hybrid off the ceiling and started riding again. Thank you for these videos, which I didn’t know I needed!
Right on! Hope you’re having fun with it
Excellent video Dave , it’s a breath of fresh air to take 5 from the car projects, I just sold my Sonoma and it’s given me extra time to enjoy bike riding with my dog . Love your channel and your content. Keep these videos coming please. Cheers 🇨🇦
Right on! Got to ride while the weather is good
So refreshing watching a dude with real world mechanical experience talk about mountain bikes. Stay Stoked Bro!
Rode yesterday morning! It’s a great getaway
@thedirtheadshed! Right on man. I gotta take a break from my XJ to go shred now! 😆
Another groovy video, Dave, I enjoy the mountain bike content. I also believe this is a good bike for the money. But with a 36" inseam, I think I would need at least a XXL frame. With all the seat post I could get lol. Looking forward to seeing what mods you come up with.
Yeah. You would definitely want to try the large frame
This is awesome! I've been using Walmart bikes since they came out with full disc brake bikes. Hardtails everyone, and they really just need a nut and bolt check, adjustment so it shifts right, better brake pads, and tires if you're doing some of the harder stuff. I will admit that the forks have been stiff, hard hits is really all they'll adsorb. With what I've been doing they last about 2 seasons before the frames start to crack. But would definitely recommend as long as your not doing anything crazy.
Some are good… most are bad, but they all have their place in the market!
Dropper post is the one feature I never knew existed but holy moly it’s awesome
They are SO nice!
I just came across your channel a few minutes ago by clicking on this video, I also had the Ozark Trail also I ride Beacon Hill Trails! I don't live too far from the area so this is quite the coincidence
Right on. Maybe I’ll see ya out there
Dude you are already an awesome welder, I'm just waiting for the day you get a hold of a frame jig and start making your own!
It would be pretty fun
Dave I’ve been watching your bike videos thinking it’s something I should do, I’m 42 dealing with stress and anxiety from running a business and life in general, a few beers every night probably not helping with that🤣I just looked at this bike at a chance trip to Walmart, can’t wait to watch the video, I’ll probably go get one based on your thoughts about it . Thanks Buddy.
It’s a good way to get away from the stress. And getting better is kind of addicting.. which makes you want to eat better and drink less.. pretty cool all around
Dave isn’t kidding with his reply Ben; and I’m also 42. Go have fun while getting exercise and relieving stress
Great thanks a lot Dave, I have been watching you for about 10 minutes into this video and now I am looking at new tubes and tires for my bike to start riding it again. I haven't ridden it since the tires kept going flat a couple of years ago.
Awesome MTB coverage Dave! I too was into MTB (Cannondale) and Trials/technical riding in the 90s then by 96 Minitruckin had my full attention. I finally got myself a GT Avalanche from Dick’s to ride with my boys. There is definitely a difference between a Bike Shop GT and a box store GT but I’m happy to be shreddin again. So I bought a budget eBay bike mechanic’s stand as I never had one back in the day. You should test some budget bike stands. 🤙🏼
I want to make a legit bike storage and wrenching corner in the shop
@@thedirtheadshed Heck yeah! And some classic Yakima Racks for the Mustang II. lol I had Racks and jaw clamps w/ trays + OG fairing on my 84 Yota mini back in the day.
I have a GT mountain bike but it's not as low as some of the bikes like the one you have. I can't afford the money they want for a name brand one so I love the fact that you took on and tried it so we can all see it will work. I am going to start looking for one I think. I would be riding comparable terrain and think it will work well. Thanks for the info.
The new geometry and sizing is night and day better than the old mountain bikes
Thanks for putting this out there. I've been wanting to get to mountain biking and have no clue where to start. This seems like a solid option I'm going to do more research on.
Great video also great to see butter jeep getting some love on the hoist
Yep. Fun videos about to drop on that
Perfect timing!! I need a new bike but can't commit to an expensive new E bike until I am sure that I will be riding the bike a lot.
Not a bad one to try
What a great trail! Looks super fun!
It is a great trail system
Great video. I'm considering getting one for fun.
Definitely worth a look
"Throw the catalog at it", what an awesome quote!
I often wonder if anyone else gets some of those lines
Mom’s Spaghetti’s front bumper is the greatest ever. You can do anything off-road and we’ll watch. 😂 “Film it and they will watch it” keep it coming Dave.
That truck is just too cool
@@thedirtheadshed This channel is just too cool.
Thanks for the video Dave! I might have to check this bike out. I ride road bikes and have been itching to switch things up and hit the dirt.
Just do your research! I feel like there may be better bang for the buck. If you’re willing to invest a little more
The views are absolutely stunning!!
It’s such a rad place
🦅🇺🇸💪😎👍 looks like you had a lot of fun. Me I would've had three heart attacks just trying to get up the hill. Thank you for a great review on the bike
I felt like my heart was coming out of my chest the first few rides
Heck yeah, man. That bike just needs a decent fork and stem, like you've already mentioned or hinted at. For a cheap fork option I think you can get a Judy Silver with 29" QR spacing. I've had them on some 27.5s without busting anything. And there's a couple cheap dropper post options with levers right underneath the seat if you don't wanna route cables.
All good options. I’m already thinking of fork options
Great video, enjoy the content mix up/shuffle!!
Thanks! I’m enjoying it too
I picked up one of these about a year ago to get back into mountain biking on the cheap. Unfortunately it didn't stay cheap long, every part of it has been upgraded but damn is it a fun bike to ride.
That will happen! It’s a fine line between upgrading and replacing
When you are searching for that new fork, 120mm of front travel really wakes the bike up. Also, if you end up with any tire rub after upgrading its going to be the skewer. You can solve that flexing by grabbing a Shimano XT skewer ($23ish).
My last wal-mart bike was a Rhino and the front fork broke doing my paper route in the late 90s. Haven't had over since. Glad to see those new are actually worth their salt
That was the peak of department store junk!
Great video, Dave! I was looking at that bike a few days ago at wally world. I was apprehensive about the build quality after buying a Chinese made mongoose a few years ago and hating it l. I'll give this a second look. Thanks Dave!
It’s a good start. But it’s still not bike shop quality.
@thedirtheadshed my beer belly isn't bike shop quality either 🤣 so there's no need for me to spend $1500+ on a bike my fat behind can't even peddle😅. I like the fact that it's well priced and makes me feel less guilty about upgrading it down the line.
I’ve also been geeking out on TH-cam mountain bikes as I’m getting keen again. Im 56 and have always loved a hard tail. Still have a 26 inch giant atx from 95 plus a giant 29er Want to try out a dual suspension and looking at the good valued Polygon SISKIU T8
I’m also looking at that t8
@@thedirtheadshed yeah the T8 it stands up pretty well against the major brands. Do a few minor upgrades like replacement on chain and a tubeless setup and it’s the business.
New bike day is so fun when i got my 2022 GT force carbon pro I left the bars at full width and forced myself to get use to it as I was old school and always had narrow bars ha ha
Yeah. The new style definitely rides well
Awesome down to earth vid. I threw a shorter stem, better seat and pedals on mine, and it's good to go.
I have a few upgrades on this one now too
Wow something I can afford. Been wanting to get into the sport again. Thanks Dave.
Give em a look!
Whoa... I was just looking up reviews for this thing and did NOT expect a video from Dave!
Hahaha. I get around
I was going to upgrade my parents old mongoose mountain bike from the 90s, maybe one day. I am just going to grab one of these down the road, throw a couple hundred in upgrades and I am good. Probably spend less anyways and it's brand new and not rusted in spots lol. I will still upgrade them one day for nostalgia.
Good plans
Reminded me when you taught Fred how to ride dirt bikes. lol.
BTW, you killed it on the OG muscle truck and dragoneer!!! What fun it must be to work with legends like those guys.
Those rkg shoots were really fun. I enjoy getting to put my spin on their rigs
I pimped out a Huffy MTB in college. Loved to ride but I didn’t have Gary Fisher money…..so I scrounged up good cheap parts and threw the catalogue at the thing…..Pretty sure the Rox Shox Judy fork was worth more than the bike. That was fun!
I dig it. That stuff makes for the most fun
I watch your show for the fab work I love it. More of a car guy but love watching you make stuff. The other hobby is cycling. Cant wait for you to go down the Chinese carbon wormhole. Man it is fun. Built a gravel bike all carbon wheels frame and an ltwoo mechanical group came in under 1300 bucks total and it rocks.
I was looking at carbon forks for this already…
cool video man. i was going ask about the back brakes but then i saw it was a disc in the back too. might go pick one up since my old one got stolen.
The ones in the store now are even a little better. Make sure to get the 29” wheel one
“Space is at an all time premium.” Goes out and buys another bike. I feel your pain.
Hey…. Actually sold some stuff recently
There cheap and durable but I bet you’ll find yourself liking off Amazon the “wake” stem. It will bring your arms in elbows bent and torso upright It’s specific 50mm long with a 31* rise. All my 3 have them I’ve bombed hard with it at hawes mesa Az and south mtn Az cool rig fun stuff. Love the underdog items hanging
Early 50s and got back into it a couple years ago. Feel so much better getting out for a ride. In fact, got out today.
Nice! I did too. Short one
I've routinely used a normal pipe cutter for steerer tubes, shortening handlebar width, etc... Nothing wrong with that imho. Interested to see how well this bike holds up- mostly the wheels staying true, and the welds on the frame itself not falling apart. Things I'd think a cheaper bike might fail at.
The frame is super nice. I think the wheels will hold up fine, I’m sure the bearings in the hubs are ultra cheap though
Great video. Like you’re down to earth style. Keep up the bike stuff if you want to.
I like it, good practical review. Definitely enjoy this content
Thanks so much. I need to go check out your channel
@@thedirtheadshed don’t sweat it,i know your a busy guy!
Awesome video Dave! Man I miss my 29er. I had a Cannondale Trail a few years ago and I should have never sold it! Now I just rip the trails on my cyclocross bike. Keep up the videos brother! 🇺🇸💪🏼
Keep getting after it
I found a used Nishiki Pueblo for $100 at a play it again sports store. It’s a good bike, but definitely need some upgrades!
Not a bad price!
That trail looks rad. I would love to see you try out a single speed mountain bike on those trails. Less is more.
Walmart bikes have come along way since the 90s when I worked in a bike shop I remember the rear wheel mounts weren't even welded they were smashed together lol!
Haha. That was a while back! I remember those frames too
I have dream builds and budget builds. It's good to have both. Not every ride needs all the luxuries of high end bikes and just runs up the maintenance schedule and cost.
Yep! Variety is good
Digging the Dirthead SHRED content. I’m also in my 40’s, into Nissans and mountain bikes.
Twins
This is awesome to see your new mtb content! Come over to Wenatchee for a rip sometime.
I’m sure you have some great trails!
How much better can it get now were talking mountain bikes great job!!
I’m all in. Been riding a lot
I did the same thing last year and bought a trek roscoe hardtail. So fun
Right on. Such a fun bike
I bought a couple of Walmart bikes for my kids and everyone had the cranks bend. But that was like 10 years ago.
This series of bikes in particular are a step up. The Walmart bikes in general have almost always been junk
@thedirtheadshed - Love the new MTB content!
Keep up the great work!!!
Thanks so much. I’m having fun with it
good job. you should've left a burrito heating on the engine block while you did the trail just like UA.
Hahah. Not a bad plan
Late '60's, we MotoX stingrays, early '70's we put dirt bike bars on them, mid '70's went to Beach Cruisers & did "Urban" street MotoX. Now just cruise the old Beach Cruiser. lol Great to see ya out there riding the trails.
All great memories I’m sure!
@@thedirtheadshed Oh Yeah......a few scars to match too. lol
I'd bet you wouldn't have had to cut the seat post you could have just backed out the screws and mounted a pump or water bottle. The screws would back out far enough to drop the seat down further.
There are threaded inserts (nutcerts) in the frame. I would have to drill them out
Ran into you at beacon today! The shimano mt200’s measurements were 800mm front 1400mm rears!
Thanks! I’ll check em out
I got the Vibe at the first of the years for $325 and now it's a $675 bike. Love it.
Nice!
Bought a dem Fuse expert in ‘16 and still love it.
Right on!
Nice review! After watching the whole episode, I was really surprised how the Ozark performed and the bike is not even rated as a beginner entry level hardtail mountain bike in the mountain biking experts world. You have to spend at least $1000 for a recommended beginner entry level hardtail mountain bike. This is a bargain. Please give us update after extended use if the components can take the abuse. Looking forward for the next vlog.
I want to use it till parts fail. Most people go straight to changing everything
@@thedirtheadshed 👍
I wanna see some Mt. Spokane or Schweitzer Basin shuttle laps in a cool rig!
I need to step up my game
The Walmart family has built some killer parks in Bentonville, I think? I've been wanting to check it out for a long time and ride those trails.
I’ve heard a lot about bike trails in bentonville. Didn’t put 2 and 2 together
I’m lucky enough to have miles of bike trails in my back yard including several black diamonds and double diamonds and this bike performs very well on them.
That’s good to hear!
One thing I learned is the vision does not like 1st or 9th. It comes off and gets jammed pretty easily. But I have been trying to learn how to wheelie on it also. Looks like my front forks are leaking but I'm hoping it's just from assembly or something because it's out of stock everywhere around me so I can't swap it out if need be.
I also can't wait to see what mods you do to it!
The front forks have a fair amount of grease in them that is gonna make a mess for a while
@@thedirtheadshed haha I'm realizing that.
First upgrade should probably be a new set of tires. Schwalbe Rocket Ron Super Ground compound would be a great tire for those trails.
Thads a lot of words for a tire !
@@thedirtheadshed It is a mouth full but it's a great tire!
Cool video Dave. Hardtails are super fun. We need to get you on a super duper full suspension ripper maybe even my Husqvrna e-bike, which Fn rocks the cojones. 🎉 happy trails dude. Do you like checking out viewers rides?
Yeah. That sounds fun. I see plenty of e-bikes out there. Right now I’m enjoying the climb though
I really enjoy the e-bike after a long day of work. It makes me smile. 😊
I have a trek marlin 7 2 tone 2022 and it is the everything bike. I've been thinking about buying a Ozark trail mtb since I do work for Walmart.
Im hoping you rub some old school "hot rodding" into the MTB "scene". Many years ago i attempted to mix the two, i researched how i could upgrade bikes no one would give a second look. While i mostly found comments from people stating "its better to save for a better bike", i still felt any upgrade i could make would be worth it. And it was! I too got hit hard by it, but it benefitted me in so many positive ways. I'm hoping more and more people give themselves the opportunity to get started any way they can. I wouldn't have been able to build my Stumpy Evo frame into the bike it is now, and ride it the way i do now if i hadn't given myself a chance. Ride on, and keep truckin
I think you’re right. Parts swapping and bargain hunting don’t seem to bring the bike crowd, but I also agree with the idea that bikes need to be easy fun, not necessarily another project
With the exception of the back tire, it seemed like it did better at a lower pressure. I'd say a better back tire and you should be pretty good. I have a killer back tire on my mountain bike, but I don't remember what it's called. The lugs are shorter in the tread, but it has some deep gnarly side lugs on the sides of the tread. I wouldn't run a riad race with them, but they bite good in the dirt!
So many good options out there
My bike has a Shock on the front, and hard mount on the rear.
I spent so much time on old school hard mount bikes that I was still getting used to riding with even the single shock. I sure didn't like it on the dirt because it wasn't predictable like a hard mount. Because of that I don't know that I will transition to fully sprung. I really enjoy feeling the ground. It gives me time to adjust.
It took me a while to find the tire pressure that I like for grip. I can deal with the rude quality, traction is very important to me.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the softer ride of the partial and fully sprung bikes. Predictability is very important for me, even in town on pavement. Too many too close encounters of the bad kind. That's why I am a strong advocate for wearing a helmet. It's kept my head safe more than a couple of times.
Finding long Offroad trails is very difficult here in the Midwest. They are out there. Far and few in between.
Sounds like you need to look at the ozark trail gravel bike. I think you would dig it
@@thedirtheadshed I will give them a look see. Coming from you I take that as a good review already.
😀Dirthead Dave being Bikehead Dave being Just Dave......gotta love it. TOTALLY RAD😀
Thanks!! It’s all good
You can buy a chain bar guard. It's a neoprene material with Velcro and it'll quiet down your video. You won't hear that chain slapping around.
Yep! I’ll probably swap to a clutched derailer here soon
Those downhills are wicked awesome! I get my bikes from the police auction! I make myself cool Franken-bikes.
I avoid auctions… would have so much stuff I wouldn’t have room to work
Love the MTB content! It’s called Dirthead shed and mountain bikes play in the dirt 🤌
Exactly! Thanks
Perfect bike to carry while 4x4ing in case of breakdown
Exactly. I need to get back into that habit
I used to build bikes for Walmart( I own a Cannodale). Some are better than others, especially for basic cross-country riding.
They have definitely stepped up their game in the last few years
I am almost ready to look for one of those but I haven’t been out mountain biking since the last time😂
Haha.. that’s true