700c Kent RoadTech Road Bike from Walmart
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- I purchased a Kent RoadTech road bike from Walmart to use with an indoor cycle trainer. This is my first road bike, so I didn't know what to expect, or if I would enjoy riding it. The drop bars and geometry of a road bike didn't seem like it would fit my riding style, and I didn't want to drop $800 or more on a road bicycle only to find out I didn't like the ride. That's where bikes like this one or other similar Big Box Bikes are great. You can get a cheap bike and if you don't like it - you aren't out a large amount of money.
It turns out I'm not a road bike guy. I don't like the ride positions, and I most certainly do not like impacts from road imperfections rattling up to the base of my skull. I prefer a hybrid where the larger tires can absorb more of the bumps. That said, aside from the vibration and the cheap 3x7 gearing the Kent Road tech 700c road bike is a decent bike for the money. I was pleasantly surprised with the linear pull brakes. Usually linear brakes on a low end bike make horrible noises within the first mile or two and get progressively worse. The Kent Roadtech's brakes are smooth and quiet. They haven't made a noise at all - even after over 30 miles of riding.
I haven't owned any other Kent bikes, but if this bike is anything like the rest of their lineup they may have a leg up on Pacific Cycle's bikes. Make no mistake, this is still far from a LBS bike, but it is a decent bike for the money.
Thanks for watching another bike video on KevCentral. Be sure to like and subscribe, and stay tuned for more great videos.
Finally, a review from someone who isn't a condescending bike snob. Good review. I like how you commented on the ride and didn't just rifle off the names of a bunch of expensive components.
Or an out of touch money waster that calls $1000 bike "cheap" and "never gonna last unless you spend $1500 minimum"
Kandi Klover im a bike mechanic myself, and u will definitely feel a difference in ride at the 40-50 mile mark, lighter frame with right build for flex, better shifting, better brakes, etc. when u buy a bike you buy it for the better designed groupset, the frame, and the wheels. I dont hate on anyone for wat they ride, i ride a vintage bike. But in bikes u get what u pay for, but at the end of the day a bike is a bike lol
@@professionalloozer7072 For learning and low mileage rider, economy may be a bargain. The more you notice the difference and longer you own it the value comes out. But early on it is ,as you know, a hard sell.
@@professionalloozer7072 Yes, a bike is a bike, so components don't matter if they work. Besides, if a client has a Walmart Bike with cheaper components, you should treat them better cause they, theoretically, will have more issues and they won't come back if you give them the run down about how bad their components are. I had issues in the past with people going around my bike and saying "Oh this is a $4 hub" and "This is the cheapest derailleur Shimano makes" (It was a Tourney TZ, not a flat face, dumbass), funnily enough, he had no issue with my road bike's generic 3x7 set up
@@KandiKlover Well more expensive bikes are better. These cheap bikes are a dime a dozen and have cheap components. If you want to ride seriously you need to have something of good quality...
I spent 3 hours looking for a synopsis like this; the cycling community is so enthusiastic it’s hard to find opinions on Walmart bikes for someone like me who grew up riding them (mountain bikes in the $140 arena). Most vids talk about base prices of $1000 or less. My first 3 cars cost half of that lol.
Exactly I just want to ride the bike for fun not for all this mountain climbing mess
Yeah exactly allot of people that do "bike reviews" always talk bad about these big box bikes because it isnt a $6k cannondale. They always talk about it like its chump change and maybe for the frequent serious rider it is, but for the rest of the 90% of the cycling community that just rides on weekends and doesnt do anything crazy. These are the better option, granted yeah they may require more maintenance and wont last as long but unless you plan on doing serious daily riding, I cant see a $6k price tag justifiable.
Same. I get turned off when Googling for "best cheap ______ bike" and start seeing lists with names like Diamondback, Trek, etc. Those are nice bikes, no doubt. BUT... they are very expensive bikes. As another commenter said, I'm just another of the 90% of the community that are hobbyists and not professionals. I can understand expensive bikes for more professional riders. Or the wealthy hobbyists if that's what they want. But for many of us who live on a budget, I'm retired on a pension, so I have to not only buy simply what I can afford, but also try and maximize it so that it will last. And the best part? A good frame makes the bike, whether it's big name or budget. You got a good frame, your bike will last. Everything else can be upgraded over time. That $200 bike after a while will start looking more like the higher-end bikes costing hundreds. Besides, who says you can't put an actual 9-speed cassette on a Huffy/Kent/Schwinn/Pacific/Roadmaster frame?? Even better, sand it down, remove stickers, repaint it to look like a generic bike. Nobody knows. ;-)
Cheap running gear can be hard to adjust, shift and repair. Long term maintenance cost can make them more expensive.
Heavier overall. But that said more similar. Poor roads make hybrids a preferred option for utility over road setups..
I finally spent the money on a good hardtail mountain bike (still under $1000) and i will say that you definitely notice a difference but people do get pretty snobby. I am glad I spent the money because I've ridden plenty of cheap bikes into the ground but outside of a hard use mountain bike and a commuter bike where in either case you need the reliability you can get away with spending much less
I had this bike for 4yrs, it's a beast!
Thanks for sharing
One of the reasons I've been watching your channel is because I'm a road bike guy. You have educated me on affordable mountain bikes. Thanks for that.
Ive done 200 miles on this bike and with some tweaking, it does a great job for the price. Adjusting the hood brake lever position and rotating the drop bars down some greatly helped with comfort. I also turned the smaller levers to face downwards for a more ergonomic position.
Almost everything on this bike needed adjusting or tightening. I found multiple loose nuts, both derailers needed calibrated and indexed, both brakes needed work and the handle bars were loose. If you decide on this purchase, go over it with a fine toothed comb. Better than having the bars suddenly rotate downwards at 15 mph and you almost crash.
Shifting is its weakest point. Having to take your hand completely off the handlebars to shift sucks. The orientation of the shifters is weird too. The rear shifter shifts into harder gears as you move it upwards, the front is opposite, shifting into easier gears. Once dialed in, the rear shifts smoothly per click but the front doesnt have click spots, its purely by feel and sound as you struggle to get it on the gear then make it stop rattling.
I have this bike it has gone 200 miles and no problems edit: 600
edit 2000 and now the breaks, derailer, and shifters broke
2muchbass4 U I’m at 180. Great bike for the price. You have to replace tires?
Mclovinthedank I’m good on tires, but I replaced pedals,seat,and tape
I've got 900 on mine now, nothing done to it but a decent set of Continentals and a MUCH better seat. That monstrosity it came with... But it's a great bike for the price. Yes, kind of basic in components but they are time proven and durable, I would buy it again.
Less of a cheap bargain as replacements figure in .
The more you ride, the more you know what you needed.
Haha....at least you were honest In your edits....there is a reason it Failed early....its cheap...
Mountain bikes are grate but it’s pretty hard not to like a road bike when you’re doing longer distances like 50-100 miles at a time
*great
Yea I like existing to
Tool should fit the job it has to do
I drive a JC Penney road bike from the 60s - suicide levers included.
Free Spirit?
@@bluemountaindrivepae Free Spirit were Sears branded bikes. I've owned 4 over the years. Worked well and were durable. Still performed well when I passed them along.
@@bobbybasketball1999 Deathtrap only if you need to stop
I just received my first drop bar bike last week, and it does take a LOT of getting used to coming from flat bars. Thousands of miles on flat bars make the hand positioning on drops feel very awkward. But 100 miles in on the new bike and it's growing on me.
👍 thanks for the info.
One other thing that I didn't notice at first. The bottom bracket is lower on a road bike, so you need to bring your saddle height down to compensate. I was REALLY uncomfortable (back and neck pain) on my new bike until I realized this. Dropping the saddle about 2 inches though, completely transformed the riding experience. I can now ride for hours with no pain.
Wouldn't that affect proper leg extension when peddling? I don't want to blow out a knee 😀
Measure the distance from saddle to the middle of the bottom bracket on an existing bike of yours that you have dialed-in. Then adjust the saddle on the RoadTech to match that distance from the middle of its own bottom bracket. That will maintain your leg extension while pedaling (assuming crank arm lengths are the same).
@@atfsgeoff If your legs bend to less than 120 deg. on the downstroke, your saddle is too low. Saddle on the roadbikes is supposedly to be relatively high. The problem with neck is probably because the frame has probably too much reach, which should be comfortable on the hoods, not only flatbar. You can remedy the reach with shorter stem, at the cost of more twitchy stearing. Never move saddle forward as this will mess up your hip angle.
Sounds like you might like a cross Bike. I’m primarily a mountain biker too, but my road bike is a cross bike. As for the handle bar position, it takes a lot of tweaking and the right right combination of stem adjustments and bar configuration to get the right feel. I like my drop bar positions, but that came after lots of trying out different bars... and time in the saddle to get used to it. That said ride what you like... but you don’t need me to tell you that, you know that already. Keep up this channel. Love it.
There is a Raleigh cyclocross bike I would love to have, but I’m hesitant to drop over a grand on a bike I haven’t ridden.
I agree with this guy. I also am a mountain biker with a cyclocross bike. It’s steel and I love it
If you can find a cyclocross bike with a similar geometry you can get a general understanding. The tire width makes a huge difference, and the slacker the geometry the more likely it is to be comfortable.
KevCentral it’s worth it to borrow one to try it out. My cross bike has 35mm slicks and I feel it gives me the best of everything. I get the speed and efficiency of a road bike and the versatility to hit a gravel road or light trail with confidence. As for bar set up; I found running a slightly shorter stem (much like an mtb set up) and ergo compact drop bars made all the difference for me. I hated drop bars until I figured out this stem bar combination. I’ll never be super aero like my true roadie friends but I can still hang just fine. And like I said, the bike is so versatile.
KevCentral just get a used cx bike, they are tougher than you would think and can be cheap used.
It's great to see someone who is into bikes but doesn't think that it's normal to spend thousands on a bike. But I disagree with you about drop bars. The aero gains are worth the effort to get used to them. With drop bars you need to support your body weight with your core muscles rather than your bones. It's a very different experience and your body needs to work up to it.
It's a trade off, when speeds are low and roads are harsh. He prolly had a bad fit , too.
I appreciate your honesty by saying you're not a roadbike guy. It does take getting used to when you're primarily comfortable with mountain bikes. I use both, I have a roadie from Trinx and a mtb from Specialized (I commute and switch bikes depending on weather conditions). Roadies are designed for speed in mind and are used primarily for smooth roads and to improve the aerodynamics of both bike and rider, the dropbars give options for riding positions. The lowest position for the aggresive speed. But since I wanted the best of both worlds, I changed my tyres from the usual 700x22c to 700x35c (for cyclocross). I can handle bumps and gravel way better. You could try this set up and see what you think ;)
I just bought the 700c susan komen ladies bike from walmart for the same reason- try it out and see if cycling is my thing. I appreciated the directness and honesty of this video. As a beginner I wanted to start somewhere but not at the 4K price point of the bike I loved in my local bike shop. The important thing is to start, decide, stay active and honor your budget. Mine was $119 lol
I just got mine from Walmart today. I knew what I was getting into. But the trade off of some increased vibration for saving energy on 15 minute commute is worth it because the road is smooth.
Road bike everytime.. I have a Boardman in the UK and love, super responsive and just covers the miles effortlessly. Like everything else the more you pay the better the product. At 32lbs that would be like trying to pedal a tank, my bike comes in a half the weight. Great video and loved hearing your options.
I think you did the right thing. Get a cheaper bike to see what it's like and upgrade if you feel the need.
BTW, it is possible to get into a 'bike snob' brand without breaking the bank and it could be worth it. I started out in the late 90's on a 15yo Trek (1983 Trek 520) for $125 and loved it. The components were all far more durable than anything on a big box store bike. That Trek lasted for hundreds (maybe 1000+) of miles and was still functioning well when I got rid of it. My experience with Walmart/Sears/Kmart bikes is that the shifters and derailleurs never operate as smoothly and wear out quickly.
I have to disagree with you on drop bars personally. I actually plan on slapping drop bars on one of my mountain bikes
too much reach, not the kind of geometry you want for mountain biking
Sean Hornchek it’s my bikepacking bike, so I was being slightly misleading, but it’s still a mountain bike
I think I remember Seth (Seth's bike hacks) demoing a MTB with drop bars. He made it through the trail but didn't like it much. (if I remember correctly.)
Anyway it is a unique idea and if it suits your needs,,, why not!
The drop bars you are looking for are the salsa woodchippers. It’s what I use on my xc bike
You might want to look into a gravel bike.
always loved road bikes, just the fast feeling of them and having fun. the drop bars do take getting used to though
As an avid road cyclist who has spent a year on my Schwinn identical to this just aluminum. And I’ve owned specialized Allez sprint now the focus paralane full carbon.
The cheap bike gets the job done you are correct on the gearing. Majority of my riding is on what is called the “HOODS” so that is the best riding position I’ve found, the drops are for climbing or sprinting.
With that being said removing the center brake lever and having shifters that are integrated into the drop brake lever is much better and the common thing in road cycling.
As a mountain biker and commuter I'm like you with the drop bars, Owned a Mid level CX bike for a year and when it was time to go for a fun ride or commute I always defaulted to my hardtail or my city hybrid. Drop bars make sense if you are in a race but not for everyday riding to and from work, needles to say I sold the CX bike and got a sweet DJ frame and some components.
A Gravel Bike seems to be a better choice for you. Those are especially designed as an allterrain bike with comfort in mind for long rides either as a racer or a commuter. Apart from the slacker geometry they can fit 40-622 tyres which you can ride with lower pressure for more comfort. While CycloCross Bikes seem very similar at first, they are usually build for more short term performance and are often much harsher in their ride characteristics. Despite all that Gravel Bikes are still very fast so they're a good compromise overall. You might wanna take a look into Clint Gibbs TH-cam Channel - he recently made very comprehensive comparisons and reviews of Cross and Gravel Bikes.
I don't think you need to wear spandex just for a road bike,I've seen people just wear regular clothes
Positive that spandex isn't necessary. I thnk it looks so fruity . Kinda like tennis clothing and golf clothing... You don't need some dam uniform to do either of those
no chafing. thats a big plus. But you can get baggy shorts with build in spandex. Its also good if your a mountain biker, it dries faster, slightly less to snag, and ticks have a harder time crawling up.
Some see cycling as an opportunity to be fashionable.
I definitely prefer the spandex purely because it's just soooo comfortable, but it's not necessary (except on my race bike). I'm happy riding my long distance bike in jeans and a hoodie
Don't forget the dorky aerodynamic helmet!
Those shifters look like a nightmare to handle, particularly for that many gears. Full points for following up and trying out a "legit" road bike when you were unsure about the budget experience; I think you're probably right that upmarket road rides won't be fundamentally different in feel.
last time i saw these was on a 40 year old road bike from my father. But that was campi and nice polished aluminum :P
I used to ride an early 80s road bike with stem mounted shifters in Colorado. It was pretty easy to get used to the shifting since you always have one hand on the bars with the other one close enough should anything go wrong (I still prefer STI shifting though).
The really horrid road bike shifting mechanism are the old downtube shifters. Those require fully changing your body position and taking one hand off of the bars entirely.
That shifter is actually easier to fix and last real long time then sram or twist shifter
I recently upgraded my bike from stem to downtube shifters. With the stem shifters I would have to sit up, therein raising my center of gravity, where as with the downtube shifters I can easily shift without moving my body much if I am riding on the hoods or in the drops.
@@Fred-nz9dp so get bar ends like a Touring bike does. There's a reason stem/downtube/toptube shifters stopped being a thing decades ago.
I think with a road bike, sizing is way more important than almost everything. Drops do take a while to get used to though as well, there is no doubt about that. The other thing is that a good fork will help reduce the chatter that you are feeling. A lot of entry level road bikes come with a fork that features carbon blades. The difference from steel to that is night and day.
I'm mostly a mountain bike kinda person but I do love the speed that comes with a road bike. I use mine to commute to work with a few times a week and it really is a joy. If you are into long days in the saddle and want to cover a lot of distance, it's the way to go.
I actually considered getting this bike a while back, but decided against it because of the stem shifters. Got a GMC Denali later on and it's proven to be a decent bike. Road bikes do take some getting used to when coming from flat bars, but the various hand positions are great. I'm surprised the Kent bike is giving you so much road feedback since the frame is steel and the tires are pretty wide. I suppose you may be able to smooth it out by trying to mate it up with some wider tires, but that will depend on what can fit.
The Drop bars are ok if your neck and shoulders can handle it. As you get older your find it's a bit painful and it doesn't get any better
I really like your style. Not embarrassed to get the cheapest product that meets your definition of what you are looking for. That does not describe me ... My fragile ego needs major brands (no house brands) in the mid to upper range. I want value, quality, performance and leading edge technology on my bikes.
At 30 pounds that Kent road bike is heavier than my full suspension 29R. The components on the Kent look last century and very basic.
I'm now a two bike owner. I bought much further up the range than you and I'm happy with my purchases. A full suspension MTB and a full carbon road bike. I love the MTB but also like the ability to go really long distances faster on the road bike. There is a place for each.
"leading edge technology" i about died
seriously what’s wrong with that? As long as the components aren’t cheap then what’s the big deal?
Nothing wrong with that, if you can afford it and you want it then that's what you should be aspiring to have. By the same argument, those who can only afford to spend $200 on a bike shouldn't be shamed for simply getting what they can afford either. And plus they can always upgrade it to make it better, just like any bike. So long as they get a good fitting frame and one that is decent quality, then go for it.
32 pounds?!? I will never take my 16lb bike for granted ever again!
Jesse Wojciechowski how are you gonna take a bike that's just 400g heavier than pro level bikes for granted?
That's what I said. I used to ride a walmart bike the same weight. Then went down to a trek that was 26 pounds, and now a newer trek that's 21 pounds! I was so surprised when he said their road bike weighed that much!!!😱
lol my bike weighs 50lbs but it feels far lighter than that when I lift it for some reason.
A properly fitted roadbike is just as comfortable as a hybrid. There are a lot of things you can do to make a roadbike much more comfortable. They also sell endurance roadbikes that are designed with more comfort in mind. There are also road bikes designed specialy for the cobbles ( like Parix Roubaix)...
Love your video, I like honest people. Thanks a lot. I'm going to buy it!
So the comments you made are why I took my antique road bike and upgraded it with 5 inch raised handlebars and shimano trigger shifters. I also changed the gearset but that was just to see if I could do it. Basically I built a 300 dollar hybrid.
I just started building a specialized allez road bike ( my first drop bar bike). I'm so glad it's not going to have those crappy shifters and it's only 12.5 pounds that's half the weight of my lightest xc bike.
road bikes are worth it! i switched over from a frankensteined 7-speed BMX cruiser with fat, soft tires to a ralleigh as old as myself, to a decent semi-modern road bike. at first it feelt like riding a broomstick on ice skates, and i didnt dont know what part to hold on to. it took a few weeks to get used to it, and find the sweet spot for height, handlebar angle and tire pressure .. but hell did it grow on me. bitching fast with less effort!
Nice review.
Side note: Some people use road bikes without any interest in going fast. Road bikes are developed for going FAR efficiently, hence a stiff frame is used to minimise power transmission losses but ride is jarring.
Fair observation...and thanks
Really llike your viewpoint of these bike.
I personally think that road bikes do have a market, but at 32 pounds I don't think anyone serious about road biking would buy this Kent. You can buy a low end hybrid and throw some drop bars on it and it will have a more comfortable ride for the same weight. I have a victory 12 speed road bike and a Raleigh Mohave 5.5 xc bike that definitely could use some upgrades (the fork for sure) and I bought the raleigh as an old police bike with continental cruiser tires and I installed some cheap mtb tires, put front hydraulic disc brakes on, and it's a very reliable and safe hardtail. Yeah it might not have the best suspension fork (80 mm mantou fork) but I know the frame is light and solid and the bike frame and rims won't fall apart. The low end bike even came with deore rear derailleur and acera front
If you threw some drop bars on that Raleigh, it would have a suspension fork for about the same weight assuming you kept lightweight cruiser tires on
I been riding used road bike from the 70s and 80s off offer up and letgo for 50 dollars . It got me through the 4hr rides to work and back just fine. So any new road bike from walmart will great, like the nazz road bike I just got.
Different bikes for different tasks.
A road bike is what it is and is built for speed.
If you don't like the dropbars, change them to handle bars you like.
If you don't like the tyre widh, change the tyres.
If you don't like the gears, change the gears.
And you don't need spandex to ride a road bike, trousers are just fine. Just wrap the end of the trousers with a toe clip strap.
I'm with you, I have a vintage road bike and as I aged, I replaced the drop bars with hybrid ones and got myself a cushy, wider seat and now it's more enjoyable for me.
I have one of these but it’s a bunkers bike shop edition which has all the stickers removed and a better front derailleur and no front brakes.
I love roadbike more faster and lighter 💪
I have Mountain, hybrid and vintage road bikes. All of them are good. Comfort-hybrid, rough pothole roads or after the storm-mountain, and clear and nice day-vintage road bikes. I stand on the pedels from time to time when it's too bumpy.
Get a proper bike fit not at a shop a professional bike fit and have it set right and it will be just as comfortable as any other bike
It would be interesting to see how much difference that makes.
I fully agree about a bike fit. When I first bought my road bike, I could barely do 50 mile rides without pain. After getting a comprehensive bike fit (they can be very expensive), I did a 200 mile bike event in a single day and no even remotely sore! Felt like an entirely different bike, and this is a titanium Litespeed Siena, so it wan't cheap to begin with but worth every penny.
KevCentral I couldn’t tell for sure from the angles you used, but it seemed to me that your reach was probably too far for the drops/hoods. I know first hand that too far of a reach causes discomfort in the neck similar to what you experienced and also doesn’t help your on bike confidence.
Fully agree here. A fit might be a couple hundred dollars, but whatever machine gets fit will suddenly be far more than the sum of its parts.
Imo, people who ride a lot should get one bike in their lifetime fit, just to then know what their proper fit feels like. Do it on one, and you now know what to look for on the rest.
It has nothing to do with being young. You can set up a drop bar road bike to sit as upright as any other bike. Mountain bikes are just more forgiving when it comes to sizing where as road bikes a couple of mm wrong fit will make all the difference in the world. If you have a properly fit bike (which is THE most important part of owning a road bike) you won't be bent over unless you are on the lowers when you want to be for aerodynamic reasons but you can sit up as straight as you want to with the right stem.handlebar combo. See, I don't know your age but you don't know any better apparently.
I got this bike "used" (had been ridden only a few times) for 40$ with flat tubes. New tubes costed 12$, so 52$ in total. I rode it for a whole year almost daily without a hiccup. Absolutely awesome bike. I sold it a few months ago to a friend who bikes with me for 40$, and got myself a schwinn 700c hybrid bike. I will say that I prefer the hybrid bike riding position over the road bike, but that is just personal preference, the kent bike was awesome.
if you dont care about how your bike looks, ive added a set of mountain bike handlebar ends to my drop bar handlebar and use them for a hybrid riding position
Road bikes are great if you want Speed, but are bad at just about anything else. If you only have one choice of a bike, get an MTB or hybrid unless you have the smoothest of roads. Narrow road tires are not fun on bad roads.
I love my road bike. It's much faster than my mountain bike and the handling is really quick. I like the drop bars because they give you options and if your hands start to get uncomfortable, you can switch positions. You'd likely get used to the shifters. I have downtube shifters and like them almost as much as the clicky indexed shifters.
They are awful compared to shifting at the lever. Takes a few times to get and then it is so nice. And if you want to ride as a 1x it's even more simple
it's only lawful if you don't know what you're doing. Plus higher end road bikes offer the same combined Indexed shifting as part of the brake levers.'
Very useful thing to have. Shaving everything,
Kev I was wondering could this bike support someone 285lbs ? And also how is the shipping quality.i bought a Schwinn Al Comp was perfect. I ordered 2 eurobike. Xc-550 both back rim were damaged pretty bad so sending the second one back now. Plus the rim had a hair line crack need to package bikes better. Thanks Dave 😊
the only "real" bike I have is my slesh camber and I use it for commuting and doing groceries believe it or not hahaha
You should have tried the Trek CrossRip as they have bar lever brakes and have a more upright position. They are also part of the new gravel category.
I wouldn't buy the bike for purposely upgrading, but with those small extra brake levers, you could easily pop some straight or swooped back "alt" mountain bike bars and make this a nice hybrid. Maybe remove the stem shifters and hook up some twist or trigger shifters.
I can get one of these for 30 dollars. Very highly considering it.
I have a down hill mountain bike with steel frame and lights and stuff. It is very heavy, more than 25Kg. Yet I ride it 40km on every Sunday, and 15km on every other day or the week. My average speed is 20kmph on flats and 16km on hills. I know I am slow, but I know when I shift to a road bikes that weighs less than third of my present bike, I am gonna be even faster.
I Much prefer flat bars and flat pedals on a hybrid road bike. Only thing I miss is front suspension which would come in handy on poorly maintained roads.
looks like a $130 bike to me
Have to agree... And usually I don't with expensive bike snobs
@Shilou are cyclists so in love with their bikes because, in the same way the bikes are tools, they are tools as well?
Did you try different tire pressures? That can have a noticeable impact on comfort.
I ran a flat bar with ergonomic bar ends on my road bike for a couple of years and it was great, but I went back to drop bars for the extra hand positions. I also increased the pressure on my mountain bike tires and locked out the fork and took that for a road ride. It was way more comfortable on a long road ride than I thought it would be! But a big part of that is that I have the Kenda Small Block Eights on it and so the knobs aren't too big and that makes it ride much faster and smoother.
That isn't a road bike, unless you are in middle school.
Yeah,I agree, there's no ways this is a real road bike. Where's the thousand dollar price tag? Where's the carbon? As we all know, bikes can only be made from carbon,any other material automatically makes it not a bike. A unicycle is closer to a road bike than this is. This thing is for preteens, because they haven't become insecure douchebags quite yet.
O got an even cheaper bike that called itself a road bike, I got a better deraileur, better freewheel, chain, and tires. Spent $220 with everything and now it rides and looks just like a road bike. Future upgrades are brifters for sure, downtube shifters aren't that great to pe honest
Nice bar and dual brake set up - safe in traffic areas. Road bikes really arent that safe for riding on city streets no matter what the brand, Skinny tires are a rough ride, the position is not safe to see or be seen. Out in the country or official bike path without baby strollers and there great. Worst part on the bike is the derailleurs, the back one's put more chains into spokes than any other shimano rear drealier made, too much flex. The faster and harder you ride a road bike the better it feels.
think you need to look at a gravel or cyclocross road bike. Seems you are looking for comfort speed and rough road usable which these styles meet
.
I would change the stem into a shorter one with a riser bar and the shifters. It would make a nice road bike for mtb guys like you and i.
To think this bike is far superior than the bikes that were used for the 1903 tour we France.
You don't need replaceable hanger on a STEEL frame. They can be bent back easily without damage unlike aluminium frames which requires separate hanger.
When it comes to road bikes, I feel your pain. Just never bonded with them. I ride my full suspension Trek fuel everywhere, even on the road. It just fits me better and they are way cooler
I also will disagree with you on drop bars. I have a pin in my wrist and plate in the back of my hand, from a motorcycle accident, and drop bars are far more comfortable for me. Being beaten up by skinny tires aside, I also love the stiff rocket-like ride. I live in the mountains of Virginia and I can pretty much pick any direction and hit 50-55 mph, no that's not an exaggeration, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. . . My nice Giant hybrid with its fluffy 700X32s frightens me downhill but I'll go hands free on my Caad 10 with 700X25s. When I was younger, and had more muscle and time than sense, I only rode mountain bikes. Now, I love a bike that puts down power efficiently because I don't have much to put. Preferences aside, between shifters, brakes, riding position, and geartrain, there can be a huge learning curve. My wife still loves my Giant Escape 3 hybrid with a Tourney Gruppo even though she has a full carbon Dura Ace Synapse. . . But I knew she was a bit off, she married me. :) Additionally, road bikes don't have to cost tons. Both ours were about $1,000 used. My Caad 10 was 3 years old but never ridden bought from a friend and her Synapse was $1,200, well used but maintained, from a total stranger. Both are awesome bikes and both were 50% and 25% of their original retail. Don't forget, if a bit more dough for quality gear that makes things better is the difference between something you'll use and something you won't, save up and buy better (hence why you test rode the Trek, to compare a "better" bike and see if quality made the road bike thing work for you.)
things that could help reduce the uncomfortable vibrations you feel up to the neck/skull would be : pro adjustment of the bike and you +
gel mitts (which could also protect the hands from a fall )+ gel pads under the handlebar tape + if the fork was tapered like in the vintage steel road bikes + getting used to it + if the stem would go in a more upright angle . hope some of those tips will help . take care out there ! nice videos by the way .
I would add: ditch the skinny tires for 25 at least and run at lower pressure. Don't buy walmart scrap with steel fork in the first place. Carbon forks with alloy steerer are already a standard even in cheap bikes.
Good review! I recently bought this bike from Walmart. I noticed Walmart is not good at Assembly and I took it to a bike shop to make sure the brakes gears and everything screwed on tight. Really nice ride. No complaints so far.
I want to get one myself. After watching a couple reviews and reading about them, they seem to be a legit beginner road bike. I'm on a tight budget so this falls into my price range and by all accounts it's a good value for the price. I won't be turning any heads, but I just want a decent, affordable bike in my budget that I can get out, get exercise, have some fun and enjoy outdoors and cycling.
They make flat road bars. They are older bars and the best ones are made are Scott's
I wasn't into road bikes either, but traffic has gotten pretty bad here (Colorado) in the last 5 years so getting to the trails takes time. Also during the winter the trails are soggy and our terrain turns into clay! On the other hand we got bike paths everywhere. so i tried a road bike and now I'm super into it. Even a entry level road bike from a bike shop can be awesome but the secret is to get a good fit. It's very important to spend some money and get the bike fit properly. The difference is night and day. Also you must get a saddle that works for you. The right saddle makes a huge difference. Once you get your kit fitted you won't stop pedaling! Cheers!
Those shifters im not a fan of i prefer brake mounted shifters
First of all check the price of this imitation of the road bike ;)
Blakeburn im well aware of the price i just dont like the lack of precision from the gears mostly
To be fair. The shifters with this system act just like twist shifters on the front. Move it till it hits the next gear.
Brifters are fantastic, but I know a lot of older cyclists in my area who like to stick with downtube shifters
For a 100 dollar bike that's good enough
I really like the MTB drop bars, such a the Salsa Woodchipper and the Cow Chipper. Also try the Jone H bar setup.
I have a road bike myself! certainly I'm using 105, carbon fork, carbon stem, carbon handlebar, and LW aluminum frame. The bike is about $700 to $1300 USD give or take the resell value (I think a "good" mtd would be around the same price). The carbon parts of my bike absorbs most of the vibration from the road, and I have my seat and handle bar set to fit me so it doesn't hurt my neck when I ride my bike! I don't think it's fair to judge a road bike with the bikes that you use in this video because the Walmart bike is.......
Well it's a Walmart bike what more can you say (sorry if you ride Walmart bike), and the trek bike that you use was probably not fitted for you or was not your size and by looking at the bike it was exposed wire which form terk its unlikely thing to do on thar high end bikes.
The derailleur hangar is actually replaceable I did it on my Bca sc29 they use horizontal dropouts so you can use a clamp on rear derailleur hangar its hard to find aluminum ones though because this style is outdated and on vintage steel bikes
dont take the stickers off. rock it. i have high end bikes and 3 dept store bmx bikes. and a dept store mt bike. 2 high end bmx bikes. i love them all. all are tuned to perfection and they all serve different purposes.
Thanks for the comment. I want to take them off because I think it would look super with no branding (KevCentral sticker aside.) How is that bmx bike you got a whole back holding up?
all of my bikes are in mint shaped and perfectly tuned. i am ocd and all my bikes are clean. tuned. all brakes are perfect. and wheels trued lol. worked at a shop and rode my whole life so my stuff is always dialed. got a haro shredder vintage bike i need to rebuild. i got it free and it is high end but rusty some around welds and on inside of tubes. all complete. i have seen videos of liquids you can buy to soak parts in to remove rust. i want to get the rust gone. sand it down to raw metal. and paint it with the color scheme of a 89 haro master. teal and chrome or i will paint it a shiny silver where the chrome would be. but i want to rebuild a bike this summer. but i got my 2 new bmx dept store bikes. my mongoose dept store bike. my mint vintage haro zippo complete. and my fit bmx bike that is new school and high end. and a top of the line specialized bmx bike that is set up with all pegs and rotors for park. street. and flatland. so i am good for bikes but i always love to look and think lol. but ya i hope to rebuild a sick bike this summer and i will take photos along the way for a longer video slide show with cool music. but also a video here and there of the rebuild. if i get time and stuff. i like to rock a dept store bike knowing i have good ones at home and not being ashamed about the brand sticker. being stoked on it. i would rock it.
I bought this 2 years ago. Rear wheel spokes started breaking immediately. Now there are 10-12 spokes missing, and the tire wobbles terribly.
I can't believe the smooth gears and stiff frame of a shop bike weren't way better than the Kent
Then again, I come from the other side, built up tons of road bikes and maybe four mountain bikes ever
So u can stop the bike with the green brakes and does it have to be both or only one
someone referenced you on one of my videos. my walmart bike review... i see some similarity... your quality is pro man..puhrow
👍 How is the Spark EV holding up?
I currently own a toughroad gx 1, and they're much better in terms of comfort. Also, you'll want wider tires, as they take the vibrations out. Most endurance road bikes have upright positions, and they're usually the 600 dollars entry level bikes.
30 miles? Is that a joke? I put 325 miles on my road bike the first week I had it.
Kev, this takes me back to my youth! If we didn't like the road position, we used to rotate the bars about 100 degrees, so the levers were facing upwards and slightly towards us, giving a more upright position, and you could still work the brakes ... never tried this as an adult though!
Not a roadie either. Bought an “entry level” road bike for $550” 10 years ago. It was a nut killer 🥜. Bought a carbon fiber seat post, seat with nut relived hole, and a stem raiser and it was still not comfortable. This bike you reviewed seems worth the $$$ though.
The problem is it takes atound a month for it to feel normal. The first time I rode my hybrid bike I felt the same way. I got cycling shorts and a few months later I rode it without the shorts for the first time and it felt perfect. Your seat bones just have to adjust to the new shape
Vibration goes away on a carbon bike, and even mid range steel touring bikes have more flex which evens out the road noise.
Been mountain biking for 15 years, and only started road riding this year for fitness, but like I said above if it wasn't for the comfort of carbon I'd never be able to put any time on one.
Really miss my road bike days, cruzin L.S.D. North to South. Seems like 40 years on, wait it is. Keep riding your body will adjust, small steps. Thanks for your vids.----MQQN 😎
im 6'4 can i ride this bike.
Great review! I've been looking at these as an entry level bike. I primarily want it for aerobic exercise and to do distance. I hear you can get these tuned at a shop but I have no idea what that means!
I just recently got back into biking. I have always been a mountainbike kind of guy but have started training for my first 100km. Just picked this up so I have options if I don't want to drive to the gym. And if the car breaks down. lol.
$129,....wow,...not anymore!
I love the videos when you show off new bikes
Why not put a set of typical mtb bars on it?
Granted it does seen heavy for a road bike,
after all who really wants to drag 30+#'s with them all day.
be like running carrying home a bag of feed.
Love your videos as always some of the
bike vids on youtube bar none.
Love your not just doing $$$$ that many
will never even consider because to us
its not a justifiable expense in our working
man budgets.
The funny thing about my new road bike is that it's really comfortable, even on the rough roads in my town! I think it's cause I've learned to use my body as suspension, owing to my time transitioning from a mountain bike to a rigid hybrid bike, and the more relaxed geometry makes the bike very comfortable, while also making it more playful and agile than my hybrid. My biggest surprise is how quickly I took to the new handlebar style, it's almost second nature to me from the second ride onwards!
When I had my Schwinn Continental, I replaced th horn handlebar with a straight mountain bike setup, it feels a lot better at the expense of some minor aerodynamics.
I don’t get why they don’t put the brake mounted shifters on these. I’d imagine it wouldn’t cost them any more, possibly less if they go with a cheap set since it’s less materials and parts.
People who actually like road bikes won't like a $129 bike with features like that lol, that break lever just looks amateur.
I’ve had more bikes than I can shake a stick at. I’ve always been underwhelmed by the expensive ones. I just bought a Kent gravel that I am going to mod the heck out of.
I had a GoPlus Road Bike (No I haven't heard of that brand either) and I never really liked it, plus at that time I was pressured by Bike Snob Shops about other brands so I was loosing faith in it's quality. Then I discovered Belt Drives from this channel and soon I was hunting down Belt Drive bikes on kijiji since a brand new Priority Continuum Onyx is quite pricey and won't ship till May. I found this 7 year old Specialized Globe Live 3 with a Gates Carbon Belt Drive for $700 and it's been really really good. I try to ride it every day and it comes with a great front basket/tray thing that can hold a 24 Can flat of Coke, a Medium Pizza and then some, Some Lego sets, my jacket, and more~! It comes with stylish fenders and it has a great old look to it and it gets TONS of attention. I rode it around Toronto and I had random people come up to me and ask me about it, loving it the whole time~ Plus it's 8-speed Shimano Alfine gear hub is also really good, along with HYDRAULIC disk brakes~ I hit a gold mine of a deal here!
l ride road bikes one steel one carbon both are fine ,l prefer the steel one for running about BUT l ve been looking at hybrid city bikes for more upright comfort riding . Almost got a flat bar fixie last yr but the winds we get here make up for the hills we dont have so gears are a must :( too bad l like simple bikes . l have a couple old MTB s but they re quite heavy not very agile to ride any distance through the city ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ??
Personally my cheap road bike is a 1984 Schwinn Le Tour that’s been upgraded from a 2x6 drivetrain to a 3x7 (got to love friction shifters) IMHO the stem mounted shifters are pretty easy to get use to and while it’s not as fast as my other road bikes it’s still a solid all rounder and very quick compared to my MTB.
Thank you for taking me down memory lane.
I'm still fuming on $1,000 for a Dynamo on a bike wheel, Is any one els question this, My first 10 years on a bike with the Stermy-archer dynamo front wheel hub, Reliable, lots of lighte.$15 to $20 in the early 1960s. When you get the time kev, To take a look at this situation.
What’s the age around for this bike 700c?