# Still Walmart questions



## Scott26 (Mar 5, 2008)

Hey guys I still don't understand if I can get a Mongoose Blackcomb with the same components as the Trek 830 but have full suspension and disc brakes why this is a bad choice. I can make sure everything is adjusted and put together properly. It just seems like I am getting a lot more bike for the money


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

it seems like you're getting more, but you are not. if you haven't read the sticky thread about dept. store bikes, then you should do so. if you have read it and are still wanting to buy the bike, then do so and be warned.


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## breTTo4 (Jan 13, 2008)

Don't even start man, i myself have a trek 3700, and my riding buddy has a blackcomb, everything on that bike has gone to hell. He now wishes he would have gotten a trek. Everything on the trek is more quality. I know when you walk into walmart and you see that blackcomb you think it looks freaking awesome, I used to think that too. I would purchase the trek which is more worth your money.


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## -Devil- (Feb 28, 2008)

just because it has the same components .. does not mean they are made to be the same quality.


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## Chris130 (Mar 28, 2005)

shitdog said:


> ...I can make sure everything is adjusted and put together properly....


Dude, you can't polish a turd. But if you really want to try, go ahead. Do let us know how it's all working out for you 6 months from now.

Cheers, Chris


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## Scott26 (Mar 5, 2008)

Why did you let your riding buddy buy a Blackcomb? Honestly there are trails around here that I am just starting to ride. I am not a hardcore racer just looking for something to ride for a year or so until I am in a position to buy something nice. I am not in a great position to buy a bike and have a credit at Walmart and this will get me in a bike. I probably wont even get one if I dont do it this way for awhile. This gets me in a bike and starting to ride again. Do you still say no way.


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## breTTo4 (Jan 13, 2008)

shitdog said:


> Why did you let your riding buddy buy a Blackcomb? Honestly there are trails around here that I am just starting to ride. I am not a hardcore racer just looking for something to ride for a year or so until I am in a position to buy something nice. I am not in a great position to buy a bike and have a credit at Walmart and this will get me in a bike. I probably wont even get one if I dont do it this way for awhile. This gets me in a bike and starting to ride again. Do you still say no way.


Well I really didn't know at the time how bad walmart bikes are. Haha that was when i used to ride a toyrus harley davidson bike. I'm not gonna totally turn you away from getting the blackcomb. Hey it might be one of the best bike walmart has. If it will get you into riding, then get it. I don't want a man who wants to ride a bike, not just because i told him not to get a walmart bike. Just hear me out when i say that your local bike store bikes are worth the money. There is a load of difference.


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## frenzy2223 (Feb 3, 2008)

The Walmart bike might be good for you now, but down the road it will cost you! If you have your mind set, then get the Walmart bike and you will see what everyone means!


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## Camshaft213 (Feb 16, 2008)

i had a wal mart bike. it was a NEXT. it was fine for years, all road. then i took it on a trail and it tore up the first time out.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Disc brakes on a wally world special bike suck more than Britney Spears at a drunken x-mas party. I'd rather brake with my foot.

Full suspension on a wally-world special: heavy, always over sprung, no adjustement, suspension design sucks, is only there to be flashy and catch the eye of the kids.

A wal-mart bike is a toy, it says so on the warning labels, it WILL fall apart.

At 12, with mild trail riding and tiny 6'' jumps under my belt, with all of my 90lbs, I buckled both wheels, tore the derailleur off and bent the frame of a wal-mart bike.

Still want to ride one? Go right ahead it's your money, just don't act surprised when it falls apart under you. It'll end up costing more in repairs than what you bought the bike for in the first place.

A bike shop bike will be lighter, it will actually fit you(just like shoes, a single size does not fit all, with a wal-mart bike you only get one size). You'll have a warranty, free service and tuneups for a year and you may enjoy this great sport even more than you would've on a wal-mart bike. Good quality v-brakes will out brake any wal-mart disc brake, in any condition.

If you really want to save money, go with a used bike, that fits you.


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## Cyco-Dude (Feb 12, 2004)

shitdog said:


> I am not a hardcore racer just looking for something to ride for a year or so until I am in a position to buy something nice.


if it were me, i'd get the trek (or similar). you don't want full suspension or disc brakes at that price point. you'll just end up with a crappy design that bobs on every pedal stroke...those low-end bikes are hard enough to pedal without crappy suspension working against you.

i'd bet the trek would last a year of typical off-road use. i wouldn't say the same for a department store bike. if you have to wait, then so be it. riding conditions this time of year suck unless you live further south (it's irresponsible to ride trails unless they are frozen or dry).


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## tonkota (Aug 3, 2007)

At least you will be in shape if you ride that bike. Nearly 47#!! Wow. And, not to judge, but don't charge a bike at WalMart. 

And if you are learning to ride I'd vote for a hardtail. Less maintenance and you will learn to take the smoother line. The Trek is a much better bike, no question. 

A bike isn't just components. The frame geometry is a huge part of riding safe and comfortable. It has a 1" stem??

What are you riding now? Try craigslist and your LBS for used bikes. There are better options that to waste your $300 on that Polished turd


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## bigpedaler (Jan 29, 2007)

take it from someone who REALLY knows, not just some guy who bought one and trashed it -- building that garbage is my job! (pays better than the LBS -- i have a mortgage!)

NOTHING on that bike is quality, except MAYBE the seat/post/QR; it runs 8-speed on a no-name freehub, the discs are wavy like lasagna noodles, and the UNDAMPED suspension will measure out at about 2-21/2"! the design of the rear suss on that was stolen from a giant model from 1997! steel stem, steel bar, 36-hole single-wall rims, wire-bead velociraptor knock-off tires (even if they say wtb ON them, they're cheap sh**), and one frame size, made for the 5'9" average joe blow.

hell, trek is incapable of making a bike that bad!


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

I've destroyed 2 mongoose bikes from wally world. They are **** on bike paths, and even worse on trails. The first time I took both mongoose bikes from wally world out on a trail I thrashed it.

My trek 4300 has been off road a couple times on easy trails and held up fine. 

Don't skimp. Go buy a used bike from the LBS if you are really strapped for cash. Anything from a bike shop will be better than a wally world bike. Trust me. I've destroyed enough of them to know.


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## knobbyknees (Dec 30, 2004)

Many bike shops will not repair Walmart or other dept store bikes. The shop I work at won't do it. It's not worth the time. The labor we charge at $60/hour to adjust or repair a quality-made mountain bike is a good value. We can make the bike work properly. You'll be happy. We can't make a Walmart bike run well, and by the time you see the bill you will be pissed off because it might be more than a new bike from Walmart would cost.

Walmart bikes are meant to be ridden until they break, then thrown away. Just like a $150 camera. Nobody is going to repair it. Even Walmart. They will give you your money back if its still under warrantee, then throw the bike away.

You are better off getting a used brand-name bike from a good local bike shop than buying a new bike from Walmart.


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## antonio (Jan 18, 2005)

shitdog said:


> I am not a hardcore racer just looking for something to ride for a year or so until I am in a position to buy something nice. I am not in a great position to buy a bike and have a credit at Walmart and this will get me in a bike. I probably wont even get one if I dont do it this way for awhile. This gets me in a bike and starting to ride again. Do you still say no way.


Even if you never go beyond the easy trails, you'll have a lot more fun riding them on a bike that is at least 10lbs lighter, and won't fail mechanically on you on a regular basis. That's the advantage of the Trek 830.

If you live on your own, take the Walmart credit and buy your groceries there for a week or two. Use the money you would have spent at the supermarket on a real bike (new or used).

If you're a kid, ask your mom or dad to give you cash for the Walmart credit.

It seems like you're just looking for someone to agree with you. Just don't be stubborn and ignore EVERYONEs advice here.

Ant


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## California L33 (Jul 30, 2005)

It's just like a lot of internet bike shops- they put a few good components on a bad frame, cut corners on other components, and tell you you're getting a deal. In the long run you'll probably be happier with a better bike. Yes, you'll pay more. Yes, the profit margin will be higher, but if you can afford it, get at least an entry level name brand bike to start.


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## Mike T. (Dec 30, 2003)

Friends DON'T let friends buy things that look like bikes from department stores. NO exceptions!


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## Elno Lewis (Mar 14, 2007)

Wow. Lotta bike snobs on this site!

I bought a Murray Trailmaster or something from K-Mart in 1991--just to romp around on and have some fun. I did no maintenance on that bike whatsoever and it last a good four years. I took in on some trails, but no real trails. It always shifted kewl, it always stopped in time, it always turned where I pointed it. 

OK, so when I got serious about Mountain Biking I moved up to a Diamondback, then a Specialized and then a Cannondale Rush 600----but, I had a lot of fun on the Murray. Never snark on someone cause of the bike they ride. That is some low class junk.

Now, let me step safely down from this soap box here.....


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## TreeHouse (Mar 27, 2004)

Something to keep in mind is that department store bikes are not built like they used to be. I used to have 2 separate Huffys as a kid (remember Huffy?) and teh first was this basic bmx style one that weighed about twice as every other bike on the block. However, when their frames would snap (Redline, DBack, etc.) from jumping, my frame was rock solid. I also lost about a foot of air to them, but I also didn't lose a bike.

Afterwards, I ended up with a Huffy Stalker. Big mean black 18 (21?) speed mtn. bike. I lived in New Orleans and right on the river so I rode the levee and all trails behind it. That bike stood up to some NASTY stuff. It was built pretty damn solid because I was fearless as a child.

I don;t believe the bikes that cost $100-$150 at your local Target/Walmart/Kmart are the same build quality as they were in the early 80's. Mot of this stuff is just lowest bidder chinese sourced junk.

That said, I always liked the analogy about driving a car with your feet.** While it can be done, that doesn't make it a good idea. So yeah, you can fight the good fight and roll out on whatever is easiest to obtain, and probably be fine. For a little bit. But eventually the necessities that are inherent on something like that will get the better of you, or even a safety failure, and that is where the big hubbub comes about.

Hope that helps a bit!


**(Chris Rock I believe)


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## antonio (Jan 18, 2005)

Elno Lewis said:


> Wow. Lotta bike snobs on this site! . . .
> 
> Never snark on someone cause of the bike they ride. That is some low class junk.


Hmmm, I didn't read one post where somone made fun of the OP. And no one suggested he save up coin for an Ellsworth or some other boutique frame.

I just read a lot of advice and personal anectdotes relating why he should avoid the Walmart Full Suspension bike and instead buy the same priced Trek hard tail.

Ant


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## Chris130 (Mar 28, 2005)

Elno Lewis said:


> Wow. Lotta bike snobs on this site!
> 
> I bought a Murray Trailmaster or something from K-Mart in 1991--just to romp around on and have some fun. I did no maintenance on that bike whatsoever and it last a good four years. I took in on some trails, but no real trails. It always shifted kewl, it always stopped in time, it always turned where I pointed it.
> 
> ...


Dude, you are _way_ off mark. This is not at all a bike snob issue. We are trying to save this guy from flushing that money down the toilet. You yourself admit you didn't ride "real trails" on your Murray - why is that? Why didn't you keep rocking that smoothly operating Murray when you "got serious"? The point is those craptastic rigs won't complete even their first ride on "real trails". As has been mentioned, if you want a 45+ lb pogo-sticking maintenance headache just to ride around on paved jogging trails & fire roads, then go have a nut. But if you want a bike that you can ride as a true mountain bike, then you would be wise to avoid bike shopping at Wally World and Target...

Cheers, Chris


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## Rufudufus (Apr 27, 2004)

Elno Lewis said:


> I bought a Murray Trailmaster or something from K-Mart in 1991--just to romp around on and have some fun.


I'm going to bet that your '91 Murray did not have full suspension. Cheap FS is just a bad idea. Heavy, more complex--meaning more things to break, and inefficient. Disk brakes at that price point aren't going to be anything I'd want to trust my life to. If I had to buy a bike at Wallyworld, I'd take a simple rigid over a blingtastic FS any day.


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## $ally Hu$tle (Apr 6, 2007)

knobbyknees said:


> Many bike shops will not repair Walmart or other dept store bikes. The shop I work at won't do it. It's not worth the time. The labor we charge at $60/hour to adjust or repair a quality-made mountain bike is a good value. We can make the bike work properly. You'll be happy. We can't make a Walmart bike run well, and by the time you see the bill you will be pissed off because it might be more than a new bike from Walmart would cost.
> 
> Walmart bikes are meant to be ridden until they break, then thrown away. Just like a $150 camera. Nobody is going to repair it. Even Walmart. They will give you your money back if its still under warrantee, then throw the bike away.
> 
> You are better off getting a used brand-name bike from a good local bike shop than buying a new bike from Walmart.


my shop won't fix them most of them because they are a straight up liability to the shop. can't have someone comin in a week later with a broken neck and blaming it on the shop.


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## tomk96 (Nov 10, 2004)

i used to feel that if you were riding a crap bike it was better than no bike, until i came across a guy unconscious on the trail with a busted up dept. store bike nearby. i had to call the paramedics for him.

buy something used if you have to and get a name brand bike.


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## -Devil- (Feb 28, 2008)

something else you can consider .. check the area pawn shops ... also put an ad in the free section of the newspaper .. saying you are wanting a used mountain bike for cheap .. who knows what you will end up with ... 

use this site and others as a judge on what is good and what isn't .. you may can end up with 3 or 4 good bikes for only a couple hundred dollars.


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## bhutata (Jan 13, 2004)

I got into this on a cheap budget by filtering a search on ebay for bikes that were within driving range. I wound up with a passable Trek hardtail for $150 and it's still beating up the trails. About the only thing I had to do was replace the seat, it looked like a dog used it for a chew toy. Then a few years ago I got lucky and picked up a vintage GT full-rigid MTB for $50 off the 'bay. My step-son wound up with that one. When my wife decided she wanted to try riding with me and her father was making noises like he'd get her a WallyWorld special for her b-day, I knew I had to act fast. A local shop let me have an old Trek for $60. 

Just fish around, there's great deals to be had out there.


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## kcurrin (Feb 25, 2008)

Investing in a quality product is always a good idea.


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## SlimTwisted (Jun 14, 2006)

Indeed bike snobbery suggests individuals who look down upon everybody with a bike that cost less than their own. Many of the posters here simply don't want the OP to waste his money on a product that as the warning sticker on the frame itself proclaims "isn't intended for off-road use".


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## bmwuk (Feb 5, 2008)

I had a friend once that would ask my opinion on something that he was just looking for affirmation from. When I didn't give him the affirmation he was looking for, he'd argue with me that I was wrong and get the item or do something I told him not to do. Finally he asked my opinion on something and I told him, "Look, you have your mind made up already before you asked my opinion, so just do what you were going to do". 

I think the people here have presented themselves very well and presented many options. I understand budgetary constraints and can empathize with you on that. But just because you have a credit from Wal-Mart does not mean your money should go towards the bike. You may have to buy other stuff at Wal-Mart. But if you're like my friend, I say do whatever you want.

Now if its a gift card you have, perhaps you can sell the gift card online for 90% of the value and then have cash in hand. Just a thought.


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## Scott26 (Mar 5, 2008)

Let me put this all to rest guys. I put a Giant Boulder in lay away this morning. I hope to have it out before the weather breaks. I appreciate all of the responses to my post. Happy riding....

Shitdog


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## bmwuk (Feb 5, 2008)

shitdog said:


> Let me put this all to rest guys. I put a Giant Boulder in lay away this morning. I hope to have it out before the weather breaks. I appreciate all of the responses to my post. Happy riding....
> 
> Shitdog


Good luck SD. I guess I take for granted "weather breaking" since I live in Texas. Look forward to hearing about your riding and your bike.:thumbsup:


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

You'll be happy with your Boulder. By the time you get it out of lay away it should be perfect riding weather. The other posters weren't lying. I've also busted a wal-mart bike riding on easy trails.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

Hi there everyone I'm new to the forums here.
So what components are so bad on the Mongoose Blackcomb? or what's this "falling apart theory?"
I've been reading about this bicycle for quite some time now and thinking about getting one. The only bad reviews I've read about this bike are people who bought one and didn't know how to properly tune the brakes or derailers.... or stuff like "I was really beating the bike and broke a pedal so I returned it" LOL that one is funny. I've read that this bike is a bit on the heavy side 37lbs or something? That doesn't sound too bad.
Anyway, other than that people who have purchased this bike have given it good reviews. Obviously if a person needs someone else to service their bike, they should stick to the LBS. 
My current rigid MTB is still going strong, but I want to get a FS MTB.
I'm going to do a lot more research before making a decision on this.


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> Hi there everyone I'm new to the forums here.
> So what components are so bad on the Mongoose Blackcomb? or what's this "falling apart theory?"
> I've been reading about this bicycle for quite some time now and thinking about getting one. The only bad reviews I've read about this bike are people who bought one and didn't know how to properly tune the brakes or derailers.... or stuff like "I was really beating the bike and broke a pedal so I returned it" LOL that one is funny. I've read that this bike is a bit on the heavy side 37lbs or something? That doesn't sound too bad.
> Anyway, other than that people who have purchased this bike have given it good reviews. Obviously if a person needs someone else to service their bike, they should stick to the LBS.
> ...


er.. don't buy it. sorry, you cannot get a mountain bike at WalMart. they might look like a mountain bike, but they arent. sorry. i googled the mongoose you speak of, and its a POS. Yep. If you try taking that heap offroad, you WILL break it and possibly break yourself in the process. Again, do not buy this thing thinking you will be able to ride it offroad AT ALL. Also, this isn't a case of bike snobbery at all. I am telling you this because department store bikes are a complete waste of money. It kind of pisses me off too. Theres no reason somebody shouldn't be able to go and spend a couple hundred bucks at one of the big box stores and get a pretty serviceable ride, but sadly this isn't the case. Instead, they churn out these heaps of crap, masquerading as bikes. 
So, if you want a bike that you can ride off road with, you must avoid department store bikes. If you are on a limited budget, look on craigslist or the newspaper. Good Luck.


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## California L33 (Jul 30, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> Hi there everyone I'm new to the forums here.
> So what components are so bad on the Mongoose Blackcomb? or what's this "falling apart theory?"
> I've been reading about this bicycle for quite some time now and thinking about getting one. The only bad reviews I've read about this bike are people who bought one and didn't know how to properly tune the brakes or derailers.... or stuff like "I was really beating the bike and broke a pedal so I returned it" LOL that one is funny. I've read that this bike is a bit on the heavy side 37lbs or something? That doesn't sound too bad.
> Anyway, other than that people who have purchased this bike have given it good reviews. Obviously if a person needs someone else to service their bike, they should stick to the LBS.
> ...


If you can get over the goofy-lookingness of the thing-

first- 37lbs. is insanely heavy for anything but a hardcore downhill rig, and Walmart lists its shipping weight at 46.6 pounds, which means they'd be putting it in a 9.6 pound box.

second- they're not putting it in a 9.6 pound box 

third- it looks like most of the components are no name bottom of the line.

You can probably get a decent used FS bike from a legitimate shop- cleaned, tuned, and ready to ride, for about the same price. It'll be in the 31-34 pound range, which is going to be 10 pounds lighter than the Blackcomb, which you will definitely feel going up hill.


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## soccerdude (Aug 6, 2006)

Here's something a little off subject but still helpful to those on a budget. Sun & Ski offers a fantastic layaway for purchases over $300.00. You pay 25% of the total cost the first day then leave them three checks, each 25% of the total cost, postdated for the next three months then you leave with your purchase THAT DAY! Kind of a reverse layaway of sorts. You must have checks to do this and you must pay the first 25% in cash or with a credit/debit card. I bought my Haro Shift R3 this way and could not have done so without S&S's layaway program. I too was looking at buying a Wally World special because they were cheap and I could hit the trails immediately. And before you ask, no, I don't work for S&S. I work for FedEx which is worse!

You can buy anything on the layaway (bikes, shoes, components, clothing, anything in the store) so long as you purchase over $300.00. I'm buying a new shock, shoes, jersey, and brake levers today and I plan to put them on the layaway. No interest a equals happy Soccerdude!

Soccerdude


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

KevinBicycle said:


> Hi there everyone I'm new to the forums here.
> So what components are so bad on the Mongoose Blackcomb? or what's this "falling apart theory?"
> I've been reading about this bicycle for quite some time now and thinking about getting one. The only bad reviews I've read about this bike are people who bought one and didn't know how to properly tune the brakes or derailers.... or stuff like "I was really beating the bike and broke a pedal so I returned it" LOL that one is funny. I've read that this bike is a bit on the heavy side 37lbs or something? That doesn't sound too bad.
> Anyway, other than that people who have purchased this bike have given it good reviews. Obviously if a person needs someone else to service their bike, they should stick to the LBS.
> ...


I've tried to service department store crap bikes for friends over the years. It's just inherently impossible to get them working to the same standards as a decent LBS bike. Ever put a frame alignment tool on a $80 wallyworld bike? Try it and you'll see why it's impossible to have perfectly crisp shifting. And that's right out the door.

That's not accounting for the fact that many of those bikes are not properly built in the first place. Typical bicycle law states that the brakes MUST be able to make the bike skid. I've tried it before, and most of the time you can't even make those bikes skid if you grab a handful of rear brake on the slick linoleum floors in the store!

I can't even remember how many times someone came into the shop where I used to work looking for a new brake lever because the one on the walmart bike they JUST BOUGHT broke off the first time their kid crashed (and let's admit it...kids crash a lot).

Hey, I had a huffy back in the day (a 24" Huffy White Heat, baby!), too. There's no way I'd recommend that bike or anything like it to someone who wanted a real mountain bike to ride on trails. As it was, it barely worked well enough for neighborhood riding.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> Hi there everyone I'm new to the forums here.
> So what components are so bad on the Mongoose Blackcomb? or what's this "falling apart theory?"
> I've been reading about this bicycle for quite some time now and thinking about getting one. The only bad reviews I've read about this bike are people who bought one and didn't know how to properly tune the brakes or derailers.... or stuff like "I was really beating the bike and broke a pedal so I returned it" LOL that one is funny. I've read that this bike is a bit on the heavy side 37lbs or something? That doesn't sound too bad.
> Anyway, other than that people who have purchased this bike have given it good reviews. Obviously if a person needs someone else to service their bike, they should stick to the LBS.
> ...


We mean fall apart as in litterally, falling apart.

What don't you get??? The subject has been beaten to death in this thread and in the sticky at the top of this forum.

Want to know what components are crappy on it? *All of them, including the frame itself.*

Give that bike to me for one day, let me go trail riding on it, when I'll have it back to you, everything will be bent to an unusable level, both tires will be flat, the crappy disc brake will not function anymore(I WOULD NEVER TRUST MY LIFE TO BRAKES THAT ARE THIS SH*TTY) The wheels may not even be able to complete a single rotation due to being buckled. Shock may very well be blown, fork may be bent, heck I may even bend the frame. I weigh all of 155lbs.

*These bikes are in the toy aisle for a reason, because they ARE toys, they are not even remotely meant for off road use, there's even a warning sticker on it.*

Parts in the drivetrain are non-standard, you can't even replace them with quality parts when they break. The suspension runs on a plastic bushing, not cartridge bearings. No adjustement on the fork or shock, no replacement parts for them either, and no dampening on either.

By the way, 37lbs is the weight of a full blown freeride(click to see it) bike(fully equipped with over 7'' of rear and front travel, extra burly aluminum frames, fully adjustable rear shock with a platform, burly as hell suspension fork, chainguide, etc), and is morbidly obese in the cross-country world. A decent XC bike weighs well under 30lbs, with more in the mid to low 20's. Some riders go as far as to having mountain bikes that weight 11-12lbs in racing mode. And it does make a huge difference.

Don't skimp on a full suspension, under 1000 bucks new will get you an outdated and inefficient suspension design with crappy components.

Still not convinced? Buy one, I dare you, but don't come crying that it's sitting at the LBS getting fixed every other ride.


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## rotten1 (Jun 25, 2007)

*why not...*

Sounds like most people have a good idea as to why one not to purchase a POS bike from Mal*Wart but you will always get doubters, second guessers, people who lack your experience and knowledge that just don't believe what you are saying. Just let those people purchase the bikes, take them out into the mountains, foothills and trails and they will understand exactly what you are expressing to them. In a few days, weeks, months, or hell, maybe even a year they will come back and tell you how right you were and if they only would have listened and how they wouldn't have wasted themselves that money. Don't rub it in (even though it's deserved) and tell them I told you so (Ha ha! - _Nelson Muntz_) just tell them to consider this one of those life learning experiences that everyone else has. Then they can try and explain all these things to some other nubie who wants the same thing. It's a learning experience...


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

So BlueTrain did a google search and found a post that said "if you take this bike off road it will break". What will break? Frame? Wheels? a pedal? Sounds like the infamous "falling apart theory"..Someone who rides this bike should post here. I have done quite a bit of research on this bike and so far I have not read any truthful posts about anyone who has purchased this bike, went off road, and the bike "broke apart".
Ten years ago I put together a bike starting with a steel rigid MTB frame from Wmart. I have rode this bike thousands of miles, both on and very rugged off road. Look at my profile.

Of course you can easily break something on any bike if you beat the heck out of it. I could bend a rim on a $5000 bike within minutes if I tried.


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## bcaronongan (Nov 8, 2006)

snaky69 said:


> We mean fall apart as in litterally, falling apart.
> 
> What don't you get??? The subject has been beaten to death in this thread and in the sticky at the top of this forum.
> 
> ...


dude, post a link to these 11-12 lb mtb race bikes...

sorry, couldn't resist...


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## jpick915 (Jan 25, 2006)

So, I am curious as to where you are reading reviews of this bike. WalMarts website does not count.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

bcaronongan said:


> dude, post a link to these 11-12 lb mtb race bikes...
> 
> sorry, couldn't resist...


What, you don't have one of these?


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Lawyers and their silly little games....*



KevinBicycle said:


> So BlueTrain did a google search and found a post that said "if you take this bike off road it will break". What will break? Frame? Wheels? a pedal? Sounds like the infamous "falling apart theory"..Someone who rides this bike should post here. I have done quite a bit of research on this bike and so far I have not read any truthful posts about anyone who has purchased this bike, went off road, and the bike "broke apart".
> Ten years ago I put together a bike starting with a steel rigid MTB frame from Wmart. I have rode this bike thousands of miles, both on and very rugged off road. Look at my profile.
> 
> Of course you can easily break something on any bike if you beat the heck out of it. I could bend a rim on a $5000 bike within minutes if I tried.


Lawyers are all just jokesters at heart. When they added the sticker that proclaims: "Warning, not intented for offroad use" they were just kidding around.

As others have stated in their posts: There is a difference between a hard tail and as FS bike. Especially at the $200 price point.

As others have stated: Downhill or Freeride specific bikes start around the same weight as this bike. The difference is that they're being built as light as they safely can. And their starting cost is over 10 times the Mongoose you're defending.

These "great" reviews that you're alluding to: A link would be great. But even without a link, how are the bikes being used? As paved path and sidewalk, riding around with the kids bikes? For that, I'm sure they're fine. For riding on singletrack where you're likely to find rocks, roots, etc? Not so great.

Regarding your building up a Walmart hardtail: Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do something. I'm sure that someone can land a 15' drop to flat on a sub-20 pound cross country race frame. That doesn't mean that it should be done.

Any bike that has pot metal parts shouldn't be offroad. In fact, there should be some sort of disclaimer about it not being used offroad.....


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> So BlueTrain did a google search and found a post that said "if you take this bike off road it will break". What will break? Frame? Wheels? a pedal? Sounds like the infamous "falling apart theory"..Someone who rides this bike should post here. I have done quite a bit of research on this bike and so far I have not read any truthful posts about anyone who has purchased this bike, went off road, and the bike "broke apart".
> Ten years ago I put together a bike starting with a steel rigid MTB frame from Wmart. I have rode this bike thousands of miles, both on and very rugged off road. Look at my profile.
> 
> Of course you can easily break something on any bike if you beat the heck out of it. I could bend a rim on a $5000 bike within minutes if I tried.


no, i googled it so i could look at the bike.. and again, its a complete piece of junk. but hey, it's your money. enjoy.


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## Bokchoicowboy (Aug 7, 2007)

Just for those who have not Googled this bike, here are some pics:




























Thats gotta be the finest quality kickstand I have ever seen....


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

why place the shock on the outside of the downtube. really.. couldn't find a better place to put it?

listen, the point of this thread has been made. if x number of people (i.e. 100%) are saying don't buy the bike, don't buy the f'ing bike. if you're gong to continually ask why not and ignore all the responses, then buy the damn thing and break your collarbone already.


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## Camshaft213 (Feb 16, 2008)

that is an ugly piece of ****. jesus.


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

looks like a mountain cycle san andreas. which is also hideous.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

Everyone who says that the Blackcomb is a POS doesn't even have a fact to support their statement. LOL funny as heck. Other than maybe a cheapo kickstand and that the bike is a bit heavy. My current steel frame rigid weighs 36lbs. MTB bicycle weight is not a big deal. Anyone lift a Specialized Hard Rock lately? I hung one upside down on the ceiling hooks yesterday and it probably weighs 30+lbs. I should have weighed it while it was down.


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> So BlueTrain did a google search and found a post that said "if you take this bike off road it will break". What will break? Frame? Wheels? a pedal? Sounds like the infamous "falling apart theory"..Someone who rides this bike should post here. I have done quite a bit of research on this bike and so far I have not read any truthful posts about anyone who has purchased this bike, went off road, and the bike "broke apart".
> Ten years ago I put together a bike starting with a steel rigid MTB frame from Wmart. I have rode this bike thousands of miles, both on and very rugged off road. Look at my profile.
> 
> Of course you can easily break something on any bike if you beat the heck out of it. I could bend a rim on a $5000 bike within minutes if I tried.


You bought a RIGID STEEL frame. Heck of a lot different from a wannabe full suspension aluminum frame. You also BUILT it; something tells me you didn't use walmart quality parts; in fact I'm not even sure you can buy something of that low quality except for on their bikes. I have little doubt that their RIGID HARDTAIL FRAMES are overbuilt, heavy, and not likely to break under normal use. ANYTHING else and I have serious doubts. Why you'd buy such a frame and the put even marginally decent parts on it when a reasonable steel frame of good construction and respectable weight can be had for about the same price as the "walmart special" you purchased....

Curious, have you read a SINGLE TRUTHFUL post from some one that ACTUALLY mountainbikes (as in on singletrack, not paved paths) that has a) put him/herself at enough risk to ride said bike and b) not broken it?? I doubt it

I HAVE ridden a "walmart special" (it was from target) full suspension TOY recently. And did so every single day for 4 months, 9 months off, and then again for 3 months again. I would NEVER (let me reiterate) NEVER have trusted that bike even on a groomed bike path! I didn't like trusting it the 1/2 mile to and from work every day on back roads. It was awful, rode like crap, didn't shift, and it was all I could do to keep it rolling (and that's ON PAVEMENT) and yes, I know how to tune a bike reasonably well. I got back to my "nice" (trek 4500) bike after the first 4months and literally kissed it out of tune though it was! I wanted to puke when I had to go back to the "bike shaped object"...

I would be more likely to take my ROAD BIKE ($500 Giant that I replaced the toy with when I found out I'd be here for more than 3months and couldn't take it, btw) on a trail than I would have that POS full suspension wallyworld TOY.

There you have it the "truth" from someone that suffered through a few months on a department store toy.

Don't believe us; please go ride one. I advise you to make sure you carry good health insurance, that someone knows where you are, and that your cell phone gets reception on the trail you choose to ride...


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

I especially enjoyed when my brother gave me his old full suspension mongoose from wally world he spent $250 on.

That was awesome when I got 3 ft of air going on a trail and hit and snapped the back shock into about 3 pieces and sliced my leg from the back of my knee up to my left ass cheek.

Awesome bike!


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

you think none of us have ever ridden one of these bikes? we've all been there, hence the _useful_ advice.


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> Everyone who says that the Blackcomb is a POS doesn't even have a fact to support their statement. LOL funny as heck. Other than maybe a cheapo kickstand and that the bike is a bit heavy. My current steel frame rigid weighs 36lbs. MTB bicycle weight is not a big deal. Anyone lift a Specialized Hard Rock lately? I hung one upside down on the ceiling hooks yesterday and it probably weighs 30+lbs. I should have weighed it while it was down.


Hardrock is a real bike
WalMart Mongoose is a POS toy that is shaped like a bicycle, but really isn't.


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## jpick915 (Jan 25, 2006)

Buy what you want, shill what you want, or troll as you like, but I have managed to destroy bikes equipped with higher-grade components than those listed for the Blackcomb. That is what I base my opinions on, experience. I do not need to ride that exact bike to form an opinion.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

Stop trollin here trying to justify a wal-mart bike. We get someone like you on here every month. Do yourself a favor and give up.

Snakey said it best with this line.. 

These bikes are in the toy aisle for a reason, because they ARE toys, they are not even remotely meant for off road use, there's even a warning sticker on it.

And last I can find a better bike at my lbs cheaper that's designed to go off the pavement.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

BlueTrain said:


> Hardrock is a real bike
> WalMart Mongoose is a POS toy that is shaped like a bicycle, but really isn't.


I've rode this Specialized Hard Rock a few times and it's pretty nice. Cost about $400. But it's not as nice of a ride and price as the bike I put together using a Wmart steel MTB frame. Weight is in the same ballpark. The bike I put together is also ergonomically setup for me, my size. The Hard Rock is just too small for me. If the bike were to be setup for my size I'm sure it would also be a great bike, but the price is not as nice as the bike I put together.


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> I've rode this Specialized Hard Rock a few times and it's pretty nice. Cost about $400. But it's not as nice of a ride and price as the bike I put together using a Wmart steel MTB frame. Weight is in the same ballpark. The bike I put together is also ergonomically setup for me, my size. The Hard Rock is just too small for me. If the bike were to be setup for my size I'm sure it would also be a great bike, but the price is not as nice as the bike I put together.


Dude...Hard Rock's come in SIZES! Now that's a novel concept coming off a walmart "toy" that is a "one size fits none" concept with sizes listed as the WHEEL diameter. Ever consider trying the next size up before saying it doesn't ride as well as your walmart frame and then in the same sentence admitting it didn't fit you right and wasn't set up!?! Even if none of the hard rock's fit right EVERY major manufacturer makes a similar bike, all with slightly different geometries and *gasp* SIZES! :madman:


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

The Mongoose Blackcomb has the Shimano C050 front derailer and the Shimano Altus for the rear derailer. It's been some kind of LBS urban legend (disinformation) that these components are lower quality than the Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus that are used on LBS bicycles. I have some great information folks, Shimano doesn't manufacture two grades of Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus derailers. The Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus that are on the Mongoose Blackcomb are the same as the ones on bikes at the LBS. The same goes for the Promax mechanical Dual Discbrakes and Suntour gears etc...
LOL I wonder who started that LBS urban legend (disinformation)? I told a LBS repair guy about that LBS urban legend and he thought it was pretty funny... siad that a LBS owner probably posted that disinformation for obvious reasons.


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> The Mongoose Blackcomb has the Shimano C050 front derailer and the Shimano Altus for the rear derailer. It's been some kind of LBS urban legend (disinformation) that these components are lower quality than the Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus that are used on LBS bicycles. I have some great information folks, Shimano doesn't manufacture two grades of Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus derailers. The Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus that are on the Mongoose Blackcomb are the same as the ones on bikes at the LBS. The same goes for the Promax mechanical Dual Discbrakes and Suntour gears etc...
> LOL I wonder who started that LBS urban legend (disinformation)? I told a LBS repair guy about that LBS urban legend and he thought it was pretty funny... siad that a LBS owner probably posted that disinformation for obvious reasons.


ok. fine. this here mongoose has super low end shimano deraileurs. What's your excuse for the rest of the toy, especially the frame?


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

shut up and buy.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Specialized is also missing....*



KevinBicycle said:


> Everyone who says that the Blackcomb is a POS doesn't even have a fact to support their statement. LOL funny as heck. Other than maybe a cheapo kickstand and that the bike is a bit heavy. My current steel frame rigid weighs 36lbs. MTB bicycle weight is not a big deal. Anyone lift a Specialized Hard Rock lately? I hung one upside down on the ceiling hooks yesterday and it probably weighs 30+lbs. I should have weighed it while it was down.


The sticker that says "This bike is not intended for offroad use".

If you want the Mongoose with the shock exposed to rocks and roots, then get it. You've received some good advise. If you choose to take it, cool. If you choose not to take it, cool.


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

http://www.dirtworld.com/productreviews/details.asp?id=7713&rn=5&rt=4


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

This thread has officially become nothing but troll bait :madman: 

Buy the bike, ride it, be happy. 

However, I highly suspect you will do none of the above, .


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

eatdrinkride said:


> This thread has officially become nothing but troll bait :madman:
> 
> Buy the bike, ride it, be happy.
> 
> However, I highly suspect you will do none of the above, .











Sometimes trolls live under bridges. But not everyone living under a bridge is a troll.

I think I'm going to do a lot more research on this bicycle before making any decision.

A friend who works at one of the LBS repainted one of his high end FS MTN bikes and put vinyl lettering spelling NEXT PowerX on the frame. It looks very much like Wmart's $70 bike. He said it's a blast listening to some of the things trail yuppies say to him..


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## frenzy2223 (Feb 3, 2008)

You asked peoples opinions on the bike and you got them!!!!..........What did you really expect? It’s like going to a drag race forum and asking what people think about a Kia! Not drag race material my friend! And that bike it not trail material either!


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> A friend who works at one of the LBS repainted one of his high end FS MTN bikes and put vinyl lettering spelling NEXT PowerX on the frame. It looks very much like Wmart's $70 bike. He said it's a blast listening to some of the things trail yuppies say to him..


no 'high-end' bike looks like a next powerX, and i very much doubt the legitimacy of your story, otherwise, your friend is an idiot. write it in a large font that people won't miss next time.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

*Like I said, I'm going to do a lot more research on this bicycle before making any decision. I am not going to just simply base a decision against the bicycle after only getting eight peoples opinions.* 
I noticed one thing in common from reading through some of these forum posts, immature snappy attitudes. *Not everyone, don't get me wrong, but you can look for yourself which folks here have posted with an immature snappy attitude.* Anyway, the attitude thing is funny. A good laugh. Plenty of tone. I'm going to print it off to bring with to the LBS next time I visit.


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

Kevin,

If you get that bike, please be careful. I could have really been hurt on a walmart mongoose when the rear shock shattered and the back of my leg met sharp metal.

It took 10 stitches and a lot of blood, not to mention my bike was thrashed, all from 3 ft of air on a flat trail.

Good luck with whatever you do.


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

I read some of the reviews on this bike from the dirtworld link and I just found this amazingly funny. Quoted from a review of this bike

""""""""I added handle bar stem extension $24 - 5 onces). I replaced the steel handle bar stem (2007 Model - 2008 has alloy stem) to save 5 onces. 
I replaced the steel kickstand with alloy and saved another 5 onces. 
In as much as the frame looks bullet proof, I may punch it full of holes (hole saw) to save some weight. I feel this is a good bike to ride or a place to start building.""""""""""

Sorry, the hole saw thing was just way too funny. I just woke my chick up from laughing so hard.
Anyways, get which ever bike you think you will have fun on man. Thats what this sport is all about.
But if you save up a bit more you will get a more enjoyable, longer lasting bike that is also easier to get parts for, if you end up breaking stuff.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

DrNickels said:


> Kevin,
> 
> If you get that bike, please be careful. I could have really been hurt on a walmart mongoose when the rear shock shattered and the back of my leg met sharp metal.
> 
> ...


Thank you DrNickels,
From three feet of air? That must be a really bad stock rear shock.

I have read from Mongoose Blackcomb owners that the first thing to upgrade on the Mongoose Blackcomb is the rear shock with at least a Rockshox Coupe Deluxe shock.


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## shute (Aug 7, 2007)

please people leave him be and let him buy the bike... after all why rob other people on the trail a good laugh. 

remember dude when they point at your direction and laugh they are really laughing with you...


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> The Mongoose Blackcomb has the Shimano C050 front derailer and the Shimano Altus for the rear derailer. It's been some kind of LBS urban legend (disinformation) that these components are lower quality than the Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus that are used on LBS bicycles. I have some great information folks, Shimano doesn't manufacture two grades of Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus derailers. The Shimano C050 and Shimano Altus that are on the Mongoose Blackcomb are the same as the ones on bikes at the LBS. The same goes for the Promax mechanical Dual Discbrakes and Suntour gears etc...


the c050 and altus pieces are crap no matter where they come from. any bike shop thats half way decent will flat out tell you those components suck, even if they sell them. the promax brakes are terrible, and suntour makes extremely cheap parts as welll. why would someone try to say their c050 is better than anyone elses, when they're all crap anyway?

a component is a component is a component. they're the same no matter where they're sold. a bad component is a bad component no matter where its sold. the mongoose is packed with bad components.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

shute said:


> please people leave him be and let him buy the bike... after all why rob other people on the trail a good laugh.
> 
> remember dude when they point at your direction and laugh they are really laughing with you...


I never see any immature snobs on the trails that I ride.
Here's that snappy poor attitude that I was talking about. LOL Funny, poor snappy attitude from a person who started riding in 2005, has to ask how to wash a dirty bicycle, and needs to bring their bicycle to the LBS when it makes a funny noise, LOL

At least you have plenty of tone in your writing


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## dascro (Apr 1, 2007)

Why did the OP come here and ask for opinions if he didn't want them? He's either a troll or someone with confidence issues who needs a group of people on the internet to validate him.

I'll give him the advise he was asking for. Buy the bike. Take it to whistler even I'm sure you'll have great experiences.


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## davidbeinct (Dec 6, 2007)

dascro said:


> Why did the OP come here and ask for opinions if he didn't want them? He's either a troll or someone with confidence issues who needs a group of people on the internet to validate him.
> 
> I'll give him the advise he was asking for. Buy the bike. Take it to whistler even I'm sure you'll have great experiences.


Actually, the OP put a Giant Boulder on layaway two weeks ago. Some dude calling himself KevinBicycle has brought this back up, to what end it's hard to say exactly, he seems to enjoy arguing on the internet.

David B.


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## dascro (Apr 1, 2007)

Sorry. I caught the last few pages and saw that Kevin guy attacking everyone. I assumed he was the OP.


No offense meant OP


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## rotten1 (Jun 25, 2007)

*Please let this die...*

This thread is retardulated and a waste of time, please let it die, decay and evaporate.


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## upNdown (Jan 12, 2004)

KevinBicycle said:


> Thank you DrNickels,
> From three feet of air? That must be a really bad stock rear shock.
> 
> I have read from Mongoose Blackcomb owners that the first thing to upgrade on the Mongoose Blackcomb is the rear shock with at least a Rockshox Coupe Deluxe shock.


If people here come of as snappy with their opinions, it is for good reason. People here love bikes. Let me say that again. PEOPLE HERE LOVE BIKES. We're passionate about them. This product that walmart sells offends us.

This product offends me because it is made to look like a mountain bike, but it isn't built to be ridden offroad, as the sticker of the product clearly states. Why does it have a suspension fork, rear suspension and disc brakes if it isn't meant to be ridden offroad? It doesn't make sense, because you certainly don't need those features to ride on a road.

Essentially this is a product that is good for nothing. It isn't designed like a road bike. It isn't built to withstand off road riding. What is it designed for? To separate the ignorant from their money.


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

check the toy section of walmart.com for further information


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

you kids are funny, LOL


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## emmaus28 (Nov 2, 2005)

Description from the Walmart.com toy section....

Features & Specifications

26" Men's Mongoose Blackcomb All Terrain Bike:

Fully loaded and as tough as they come 
Four-bar vertical spring aluminum dual suspension frame 
RST fork 
24-speed Shimano gearing with EZ Fire shifters 
Promax disc front and rear brakes 
Alloy forged three-piece crankset 
36-spoke black anodized alloy rims 
Quick release seat 
Meets or exceeds all CPSC (US Consumer Product Safety Commission) regulations 
Model: R4696WMB

Bike Type: Road Bike 
Shipping Weight (in pounds): 46.6 
Product in Inches (L x W x H): 54.5 x 8.0 x 27.5 
Assembled in Country of Origin: USA and/or Imported 
Origin of Components: USA and/or Imported 
Wal-Mart No.: 000712201

*Note that it says Bike Type: ROAD BIKE.*

Back to lurk mode.


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## Bokchoicowboy (Aug 7, 2007)

Check this QA regarding the difference between department store bikes and LBS bikes:



> Q: What's the difference between the Mongoose bikes at department stores and the ones at bike shops? Should I pay more bike shop bike?
> 
> A: Bikes found at your local, independent bike shop are different than the bikes found at a department store. Frames and components on bike shop bikes are of higher quality and are assembled by trained professional mechanics. A bike shop can offer high quality service after the sale, as well. In addition, bike shop models are typically available in a range of frame sizes to accommodate a much wider variety of riders. Bikes found in department stores are generally fine for recreational use, and the frames and components reflect that.


This was lifted from the Mongoose website FAQ section, found at http://www.mongoose.com/mtn/faq.html

*


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

This is all good information, but just about everyone posting here seems to be trying to have a convincing tone about just going to a LBS. Since the subject is listed as "Still Walmart questions" and the person who started the thread was originally asking about the Mongoose Blackcomb, I thought this would be a good thread to find more people's experiences with the bicycle.
I know people that work at local bike shops and stop in to visit often, and sometimes when I need parts too. None of them have any experience with the Mongoose Blackcomb. One LBS had a Wmart $500 Mongoose DH Team bike in the service shop for tuneup service, A Gentlemen that works in the service dept said that it was a pretty nice bike. I could purchase a FS bike at cost (no mark up) at one LBS, but that's not what I'm trying to do. If that were what I was trying to do, I would be there, talking about their bikes. I wasn't trying to compare the $3000 Mongoose EC-D to the Mongoose Blackcomb or anything like that. I'm trying to get some research from people on this forum who actually own and ride the Mongoose Blackcomb, like Craze. His bike looks pretty sweet.
I appreciate the feedback, even the snooty snappy ones, but I'm looking more for information from people who actually have and ride the Mongoose Blackcomb.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> This is all good information, but just about everyone posting here seems to be trying to have a convincing tone about just going to a LBS. Since the subject is listed as "Still Walmart questions" and the person who started the thread was originally asking about the Mongoose Blackcomb,
> QUOTE]
> 
> The OP has already purchased a bike so let this thread die. Also note above Mongoose's FAQ about wal-mart bikes directly about your last post. Nuff said


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

Rod, if you don't want to discuss DSB or the Mongoose Blackcomb, simply don't read or post to this subject. Simple.
I'm trying to get some research from people on this forum who actually own and ride the Mongoose Blackcomb, like Craze. His bike looks pretty sweet. 
Just because the OP is done discussing the subject, doesn't mean that everybody else is. I'm not trying to sound rude, but posting a message that says to go to the LBS is totally not of any help what so ever.
Thank you to everyone who has provided relevant information. Good and Bad. Research on a product always includes positive and negative opinions.
So just to recap... I'm not trying to purchase a bike at a local bike shop. I'm trying to get more information and opinions from people on this forum who actually own and ride the Mongoose Blackcomb.
Thank you


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Go read the dozens of reviews you can find via google. They're mostly favorable, however it looks like they're all from beginners. I personally wouldn't buy this bike, because I think you can do better for not much more money, especially since you're saying you would have to upgrade the rear shock immediately. The components aren't that great - the altus der. is very low-end, the shifters make me laugh just listening to the name (EZ FIRE just screams "cheap" to me). The frame is ugly, very, very ugly, the shock positioning is poor, considering how exposed it is to rocks, if the bike is actually ridden off road.

But seriously, you're just trolling here, go google "Mongoose Blackcomb Review" and look at all the stuff that comes up. Like I said, the reviews are mostly favorable but seem to be by beginners (except the XTREME free rider to the core guy on dirtworld). If it's your taste and you think it will work for you, buy it.


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## Lumbee1 (Dec 16, 2004)

I died on a Mongoose Blackcomb from Walmart.


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

do you have to stand on the sun to tell me its hot? i dont have to own and ride a trash bike to know its trash.

kevin, how old are you? ive got a feeling you're real young. i think you'll understand what everyones trying to tell you when you get older. kids always think they know everything. thats ok, you'll pick it up later in life


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## JeffNC (Feb 11, 2008)

Kevin, 
As you stated you are looking for someone who reads and posts in this forum, AND has against the advise of most/all here still purchased this bike. I think the problem is people who purchase those bikes do NOT read this forum. I googled reviews for this bike and found several new owners who were happy with it either because they have not taken it to the trails or had it long. There were also several who filled their posts with every cuss work known. All the reason NOT to buy this or any off road bike from department stores have been covered. But again that not what you are asking for. Lots of poeple have responded with good intentions. You could try craigslist to see if you can find a used one and take a close look at how well it has held up?


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## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> I never see any immature snobs on the trails that I ride.
> Here's that snappy poor attitude that I was talking about. LOL Funny, poor snappy attitude from a person who started riding in 2005, has to ask how to wash a dirty bicycle, and needs to bring their bicycle to the LBS when it makes a funny noise, LOL
> 
> At least you have plenty of tone in your writing


This is coming from someone who started riding in 1976 and is probably old enough to be this guys dad. Leave the kid alone.

You are the newbie on the board that joined March 19th, doesn't even own one of these Walmart Mongoose bikes and is defending it like it is the greatest piece of equipment on the face of the earth. Grow up and let the thread die.

BTW, what is a Clearance DSB bike. Did you see a red sign that said "CLEARANCE" on the shelf and thought it was the bike brand???? I did a google, yahoo, and a ask.com search and NOTHING came up on this bike. Sounds like YOU bought the Walmart special, sunk WAY too much money into it to make it road worthy and realized that it was a bad decision, or the LBS wouldn't take your bike in as a trade. lol.

All but 2 of your posts have been regarding Department store bikes or how a LBS will suck every single dollar out of your wallet.

I've never had any issues with my LBS's. Yes they try to make sales, but isn't that what they are supposed to do???? Just like every other sales person in the world. Its their JOB to sell. They don't make the commission on the bikes, its the accessories and upgrades that give them a paycheck. Get a clue.

Just remember the 6 P's when dealing with a LBS

Proper Preparing Prevents Piss Poor Performance

If you come with knowledge, they can only proceed so far.

The OP posted a question, got several WISE answers, and made a decision NOT to purchase a dept store bike.


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

tomsmoto said:


> do you have to stand on the sun to tell me its hot? i dont have to own and ride a trash bike to know its trash.
> 
> kevin, how old are you? ive got a feeling you're real young. i think you'll understand what everyones trying to tell you when you get older. kids always think they know everything. thats ok, you'll pick it up later in life


if he buys that POS and tries to ride it offroad, he may in fact not get much older. 
Listen Kevin, most people here know a fair amount about bicycles and do not need to actually ride that thing to know that is low quality and dangerous.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

I'm trying to get more information and opinions from people on this forum *who actually own and ride the Mongoose Blackcomb.*
It's alright if don't know anything about the Mongoose Blackcombnd and feel that you need to state your opinion. It's ok, your not hurting anything. I'm getting together as much information and opinions as possible before making a decision. There are other FS bicycles I'm researching as well..Lots and lots of research. I have a great rigid bicycle so no big hurry or anything. I would prefer opinions from people who actually ride this bicycle. I've already googled the heck out of this bicycle and have all that information. What I'm looking for now is information / opinions from people who own and ride this mint looking bicycle.


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## dascro (Apr 1, 2007)

So you are suggesting that in order to know anything about a bicycle someone needs to own it? 

You are ignoring advice from people that know a lot about bikes. If you search for one opinion hard enough you will find it. Are you looking for someone to validate the bike for you? If thats the case then just buy it. 

I suggest you buy that "mint looking bicycle" and take it to blackcomb. I'm sure you'll get a good test for it there.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Buy the bike and jump it off a cliff.


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> I'm trying to get more information and opinions from people on this forum *who actually own and ride the Mongoose Blackcomb.*
> It's alright if don't know anything about the Mongoose Blackcombnd and feel that you need to state your opinion. It's ok, your not hurting anything. I'm getting together as much information and opinions as possible before making a decision. There are other FS bicycles I'm researching as well..Lots and lots of research. I have a great rigid bicycle so no big hurry or anything. I would prefer opinions from people who actually ride this bicycle. I've already googled the heck out of this bicycle and have all that information. What I'm looking for now is information / opinions from people who own and ride this mint looking bicycle.


the thing is, most people on here are avid cyclists, and therefore wouldn't be riding a toy from WalMart. Also, if you are looking to buy a NEW FS bike, you're looking at spending a MINIMUM of 900$ to get anything worth riding.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

There are other FS bicycles I'm researching as well..Lots and lots of research. I ride bicycle pretty much everyday and have a great rigid bicycle so no big hurry or anything. I would *prefer* opinions from people who actually ride this bicycle, the Mongoose Blackcomb. Instead of peoples "magazine knowledge". But that's alright too. I've seen some post from forum members here that own and ride this bicycle and have upgraded componets ect... I think it's a great looking bicycle, unique. That is one reason why I am doing so much research on it. I'm not a bicycle newbie, I've been riding for over 30 years.


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## EclipseRoadie (Oct 7, 2007)

I've ridden a Walmart Mongoose Blackcomb. I invited my Dad on a MTB ride and he used one of my extra bikes. Ended having so much fun he (without consulting me ) purchased one of the Wally World Mongooses. He rode with me once, bent the rims *both* and I heartily recommended that he find an appropriate dumpster for the 45 lb behemoth. 

As far as me riding it, it was pretty god awful in my opinion. Heavy, tons of pedal bob, and craptacular shifting and braking. 

We aren't trying to sharpshoot you. I just remember how uninformed I used to be and I would like to save you 200 bucks. Not to mention, your personal safety is important. I hope you enjoy riding whatever it is you end up buying.


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## srey (May 17, 2006)

That's the problem. You are probably not going to find anyone on this forum that rides the Blackcomb. Even if it is servicable people on this forum avoid Walmart bikes like the plague. Like others have said, go and look at the reviews on Walmart's site and let this thread die. 

I would be very surprised if the people who buy the blackcomb do more than a paved trail once in a while. It is not built for real trails. Derailers don't determine the offroad ability of a bike. IF I rode that bike I know that I would break the wheels (single-walled rims). No thank you.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

KevinBicycle said:


> I would *prefer* opinions from people who actually ride this bicycle, the Mongoose Blackcomb. Instead of peoples "magazine knowledge". .


We are not 'magazine' people. We are mountain bikers with no monetary ties to anything we recommend, other than our own personal investments in what we bought.

You are funny.


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## jkoebel (Feb 3, 2008)

-Devil- said:


> something else you can consider .. check the area pawn shops ... also put an ad in the free section of the newspaper .. saying you are wanting a used mountain bike for cheap .. who knows what you will end up with ...
> 
> use this site and others as a judge on what is good and what isn't .. you may can end up with 3 or 4 good bikes for only a couple hundred dollars.


QFT, I got a first-gen Stumpjumper FSR for $250, then upgraded the brakes and derailers.

I've ridden department store bikes before, so have several friends who aren't really into mtb, and they're all fallen apart within a month. One, riding on a sidewalk with no terrain at all, the seat and seatpost broke just from my 140 lb. weight. A friend had his handle bars snap off in the middle of an intersection while he was riding. Another friend managed to bend a crank arm somehow.

All within a few months. Don't waste your money on something cheap. An entry-level Specialized will set you back about the same amount of money, and have room to upgrade (disc mounts, etc.) but won't fall apart and hurt you.


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## StompinStu (Apr 22, 2007)

Scott26 said:


> Hey guys I still don't understand if I can get a Mongoose Blackcomb with the same components as the Trek 830 but have full suspension and disc brakes why this is a bad choice. I can make sure everything is adjusted and put together properly. It just seems like I am getting a lot more bike for the money


Where do you live? I have a well maintained, very well equipped Giant Rainier I am selling. I'll even do a Wal-Mart price match....$289 is it? It's a hardtail, but will run laps around a Wal-Mart POS.


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## Papa Wheelie (Dec 12, 2007)

KevinBicycle said:


> I'm not a bicycle newbie, I've been riding for over 30 years.


You could've fooled me and about 98% of the people on this forum.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

troll?

AllKnowing?


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## Fabulous (Jan 20, 2008)

*View from a engineer*

In my professional opinion as a Mechanical Engineer, I don't believe that this bike can be *safely* riden off road. It is fine for riding as a road bike, however the rear forks, the rocker arm and the pivot points for the rear suspension set up are not designed for off road use. They are undersized and inappropriately designed for anything except paved road riding. I would love to be able to say that you would be safe on this and to go for it, but I'm sorry, it is not designed for off road use. I hope you find a bike that will safely work for you. Good luck!


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## dascro (Apr 1, 2007)

Fabulous said:


> In my professional opinion as a Mechanical Engineer, I don't believe that this bike can be *safely* riden off road. It is fine for riding as a road bike, however the rear forks, the rocker arm and the pivot points for the rear suspension set up are not designed for off road use. They are undersized and inappropriately designed for anything except paved road riding. I would love to be able to say that you would be safe on this and to go for it, but I'm sorry, it is not designed for off road use. I hope you find a bike that will safely work for you. Good luck!


And from a second mechanical engineer, you are absolutly correct. But you did forget to comment on the quality of the welds. Though its so obvious even a non educated fool could see those welds are poorly done.


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## breTTo4 (Jan 13, 2008)

You know what im gonna do, my bike is currently at the shop right now taking the warranty tune up fo free which i got when i purchased my B E A Utiful trek. I ride everyday and my only choice to ride today was my friends blackcomb. He just leaves it here so he can ride with me when we go. So i rode it and i will show you pictures of what happened to me.


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## fbird (Apr 9, 2007)

like everyone has said, don't get a bike from walmart. a trek 820 is a great beginer bike. for about 250 it'll run circles around a walmart bike. i've had one for 10 years. the only thing i've done to it is replace the derailleurs and chain. i wiegh 230 and its been on trails not just road and paths.my 820 replaced a walmart bike that broke and led to an emergancy room visit.


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## KevinBicycle (Mar 20, 2008)

fbird said:


> like everyone has said, don't get a bike from walmart. a trek 820 is a great beginer bike. for about 250 it'll run circles around a walmart bike. i've had one for 10 years. the only thing i've done to it is replace the derailleurs and chain. i wiegh 230 and its been on trails not just road and paths.my 820 replaced a walmart bike that broke and led to an emergancy room visit.


That Trek 820 looks pretty nice, but I have a rigid and looking for a FS. I do appreciate the advise and that Trek looks pretty nice. Strong steel frame, that's what ya want on a rigid.

I'm researching a few FS bicycles before making a decision.. Another FS bicycle that I'm looking at is the Sawback 7xx by Forge http://www.forgebikes.com/saw7.asp
They don't sell them at Wmart and it is only made in one size 19.5", but a longer seat post and stem can make the bicycle a better fit for me.
I've mostly heard good things about this bicycle except a couple of posts about the brakes making noise, maybe just needs cleaning / adjustment? Sometimes the disc brakes on my Ninja (motorcycle) make a little noise too, but it's usually from just brake dust/grime or moisture.
HAYES MX2 MECHANICAL, 6" ROTORS Anyone have any experience with these ones?
I like some of the components on the Sawback 5xx better, like the gearing, but that's a rigid and I'm looking at the 7xx FS.
19.5"size 
36lbs
Any input on this bicycle?


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

Kevin,

Cough up about $100 more and get this if you want a FS on a budget from a big bargain store:

http://bicyclebananas.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ADJJ-IH_Maverick_TrailDS

At least with that you could upgrade some parts, I mean the front fork is what my trek commuter bike has, but an upgrade of that might help some.

Or how about this one:

http://bicyclebananas.com/mm5/merch..._Code=AFEJ-07IH_Maverick4&Category_Code=13-IH

At least those bikes will have lower end, but durable components and a frame you won't have to worry about snapping in half on 3 ft of air.

Or pick one up from sierra trading post online. I've ordered a lot of stuff through them and have always had top notch customer service

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/...Maverick_4.0_Mountain_Bike_-_(Full-Suspension)


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## GiantMartin (Sep 12, 2007)

Do not buy a bike from walmart. Their products are pure garbage and they are an evil empire bent on world domination.

The bike won't last a month. Everything on it will suck hard.
You might as well give me your money. 

Go on ebay, and buy yourself a used hardtail. Done.


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## Ka_Jun (Oct 1, 2007)

That is all.


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## fbird (Apr 9, 2007)

for a starter bike the specs are fair. i have no experience with that brand, my trek came with acera derailleurs. they sufficed for a few years, but i kept the chain lubed and replaced it once a year. the first couple of years was mostly street though. once i started hitting the trails a lot i changed the derailleurs and shifters.


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## BlueTrain (Jan 24, 2005)

fbird said:


> for a starter bike the specs are fair. i have no experience with that brand, my trek came with acera derailleurs. they sufficed for a few years, but i kept the chain lubed and replaced it once a year. the first couple of years was mostly street though. once i started hitting the trails a lot i changed the derailleurs and shifters.


please. the bike is junk and a complete waste of money. i don't care if you slapped XTR stuf on there, it's still a completely horrible frame and dangerous as well.


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## fbird (Apr 9, 2007)

thats why i said i have no experience with that brand. not all the smaller labels are junk. i have never come across that brand. i'll stick with my first advice and recomend a hardtail reputable from brand. it'll give you your best bang for your buck, most cheep full suspension bikes are junk. you can't add extra parts and features for the same price and expect quality to be the same. i've heard some good things about motobecane. you can get them from bikesdirect.com. but ride several brands at lbs so you'll have a good idea about sizeing.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

Lol...I went to Walmart to see what the heat was about. 

I didn't see a Blackcomb...but I did see a "Schwinn" that was 178...and it actually said...on the seat tube "not for heavy stunting and off road use".

My GF's brother in law was in the same boat...he wanted to get a 200 Walmart bike. I told him to spend about 500 to 700 and get himself something decent nd ended up getting a Cannondale F4.


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## Trimen1000 (Mar 28, 2008)

I thought that it would also be interesting to note that the bike isn't even shown anywhere on their site. Draw your own conclusions from this fact.


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## shute (Aug 7, 2007)

Ka_Jun said:


> That is all.


dammmmmmmmmn


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## klohiq (Mar 22, 2008)

Scott26 said:


> Hey guys I still don't understand if I can get a Mongoose Blackcomb with the same components as the Trek 830 but have full suspension and disc brakes why this is a bad choice. I can make sure everything is adjusted and put together properly. It just seems like I am getting a lot more bike for the money


Years ago, I had a PacificUSA and I messed it up the first week I had it. I tried to do an endo and bent the rear wheel pretty bad. Granted most bikes would probably have warped some, but this was horribly warped. On top of this the bike weighed a ton. My friends told me for the same money I could have got a decent Schwin with better components, more durability and lighter. Don't cheap out.

If you are hard up for cash, look on craigslist for a bike that's a few years old. Get a good brand that is mostly stock and hasn't been thrashed. If you get a hardtail with vbrakes, you won't spend much. I got a '98 gary fisher hoo koo e koo for only $200 and it needed nothing. Granted it didn't have hydraulic disc brakes or full suspension, but it's better than any walmart bike and cheaper to boot.


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## Genom (Mar 20, 2007)

It seems to me that most WalMart bikes are bought by immigrant day laborers. For them the bike just needs to roll and stop every now and then. You pass through the towns they congregate in and you see all the same bikes...rusty chains, disconnected brakes, bent seats, etc. They serve the purpose for them since they lock them up to speed limit signs where they hang out looking for work.

WalMart bikes have their place...either for the day laborer looking to get around town or a maybe college student getting around campus. Both scenarios require a bike to be cheap and not a target for theft.


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## Camshaft213 (Feb 16, 2008)

i have a relevant story for yall.

yesterday i was out riding some fire roads and i encountered a fellow MTB'r on a cheapo mongoose. he stopped and asked directions and we started talking. he was a new (newer than me) rider. we rode together for a few miles and we were talking about bikes. he was asking about mine (fuji nevada 3.0) so i suggested we switch bikes so he could try it out.

within about 10 seconds he was like "holy **** this feels 100 times better!!!!" i myself was noticing how heavy and unresponsive his bike felt. it seemed like i had to pedal twice as hard.

after we switched back he kept talking about how much better he liked my bike. heres the funny part: he paid $299, i paid $339


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

> It seems to me that most WalMart bikes are bought by immigrant day laborers. For them the bike just needs to roll and stop every now and then. You pass through the towns they congregate in and you see all the same bikes...rusty chains, disconnected brakes, bent seats, etc. They serve the purpose for them since they lock them up to speed limit signs where they hang out looking for work.
> 
> WalMart bikes have their place...either for the day laborer looking to get around town or a maybe college student getting around campus. Both scenarios require a bike to be cheap and not a target for theft.


Cheap laborers in China build shitty bike. Bike gets purchased at cheap store and then is ridden by cheap Mexican laborers.

Folks that kind of global trade and economics is just eye watering. Truly beautiful. And who says cheap **** can't bring people closer together?


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## nalbee (Apr 12, 2008)

*i own a blackcome hear is the real deal*

im 34, 200 lbs. Baught the balckcome from wallmart casue it was 289, baught 2 of them one for wifey. We went out to clear spings in MS, great trail. It was really really hard. We both thought we where going to die, but we loved it. I ride the bike all over town. But really its a peice of crap. Its really heavy, and its geared wrong, it has to many teeth like 48 on the big ring. (so try and climb and you end up pushing alot) I borrowed my bros wifes bike, old school specalized rock hopper, hardtail, the bike was way to small for me, but let me tell you it was night and day diffferent, even sized wrong.

I had no idea about the sport when I baught the bikes. For me it was worth it to see if we liked it, and I have gotten my $ out of it just in the experaince. But having just a little bit of knowledgenow, I would recommend, buy and old bike off ebay, you will be way better off. I upgraded to a Trek Fuel EX6 07, I got for right at 900 bucks. I'll let you know how that goes. All I can say is I still ride my blackcome to the gymn and around the neighborhood, run the dog, and I love it for that, but on hilly terrain it sucks because the grears are wrong, and the parts are cheap. But really, I had a blast on it, its just a lot harder to ride. Its like running a marithon in sandels. For what it is I guess its an ok bike, but do yourself a favor and buy an old but good one for the same price or an extra hundred.


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## UmbrousSoul (Jul 19, 2007)

I can only tell you one thing, Do not get a mongoose.

Recently (before I got my kona) I was offered a free mongoose and it was so heavy and horrible to pedal (basically it uses tired for energy, hah) that when I got back from picking up my sub I had to lay down for 35-45 minutes with water just to recover. What a hunk of crap. Post is still in schwinn/mongoose subforum.


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

Have a friend with a $3,000 bike and one of the soldered joints broke off, while our other friend rides a Blackcomb, which he only had to change the break pads in two years of use.

And BOTH enjoy riding their bikes. Ain't that the main purpose of riding bikes, right? Having fun while doing it?

Or just rating people by what they ride? Don't get it 

Now, if you wanna go pro, obviously you need better equipment. But that's another story. :thumbsup:


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## Defender219 (Jun 22, 2007)

they may have the same components. but what really matters is how they put them on, and the quality of the part. TRUST US


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## CRed (Aug 4, 2007)

Bought my son a Trek 830(Trek 3700 except it's steel) for $260 at my LBS and it's a very nice bike!Only $80 more then the best Wally bike and it comes with a year of free servicing and part replacement.There's no point in buying a FS from Wally World because it won't work the way it's supposed to so you might as well get a nice HT from your LBS.


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

> Have a friend with a $3,000 bike and one of the soldered joints broke off, while our other friend rides a Blackcomb, which he only had to change the break pads in two years of use.


I bet I know who got their frame replaced with no questions asked!!!!!!!

Frames do break on any bike because any of them can have minor imperfections, but I have seen many mangled schwinn and mongoose wally world specials and seen quite a few painful aftermaths of the accidents to say that I'd never let a friend, family member, or even complete stranger buy a hunk of **** like the blackcomb.

I've actually talked people out of buying a bike from walmart when I was grocery shopping. The family actually thanked me, I gave them a card from the local bike shop I buy from, told them a bike that would the same price and why it was better and they actually told the LBS owner to thank me for not letting them buy a hung of junk. It felt good.

Walmart was a little upset, but only the manager of sporting goods. The employee actually agreed with me after the manager walked away.


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## Holyhandgrenade (Dec 13, 2007)

Something worth looking at might be Forge bikes. http://www.forgebikes.com/mountain.asp My roomate got the 19" sawback 5xx and it's been great. I have my Iron Horse Warrior and he has his Forge and honestly I don't feel mine's better in any other way than the flashy Iron Horse name. And yes we do ride trails (Alafia) and the forge hasn't crapped out in any form. It's kept right up with my bike.


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

I bought a HR Comp:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5585811

I know is trash by your standards, but where I live, the local bike shop cheapest bike goes for $700 (already checked, I think it was a Specialized Hard Rock 2007) . And I dont have that amount of money. And if I buy from outside, I will be broke with the shipping and taxes.

So, sometimes people have no other alternatives. And I found the HR Comp quite nice, and some of my friends that ride bikes (more experienced than I) , says it is quite a good decent bike. A little more than the average that usually you can find at the store you hate so much 



> I bet I know who got their frame replaced with no questions asked!!!!!!!


Yep, they replaced the frame. But he had to pay the air shipping. And he has money to spend, wich I dont LOL


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## Defender219 (Jun 22, 2007)

should have bought a used.


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

You know, I would love to support the local Bike stores, but sometimes, they just want to rip you off.

For example, the same day I checked the bike, I was going to buy a helmet. They were asking for $60.00 (without the local tax) for a helmet that goes for $29.00 or less. (already checked) :madman: 

So, that leaves the Local Bike Store (at least here) for people that has money to give away.


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## Holyhandgrenade (Dec 13, 2007)

Yeah, some stores are out to rip you off lol. I live in Tampa for school and the store nearest me is a total POS. I took my bike in to get it worked on a bit and the a$$ in charge of repairs or whatever looked at my bike and said there was $271 worth of stuff i needed for my bike so i should just by a new bike from him instead. It was ridiculous, he was charging me with extra expensive parts like a 9speed casette while i have an 8 speed drivetrain lol... Oh an the base tuneup is 48 there where it's 20 at my bike shop in my hometown. sheesh. Won't ever give that place business.


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

ANd to the guy who was asking the opinion from a Blackcomb user and the "falling apart stuff"

One of my friends has a Blackcomb, hes been using it in some rough trails here (Puerto Rico) for almost two years, and the bike haven't fallen apart (not a single part has broken off). He just had to replace the break pads . And he loves it.

You know, there are people that doesn't have a lot of bucks, but still wants to have fun.  Plz, don't bash us. 



> Yeah, some stores are out to rip you off lol


Definitive 

By the way, sorry if I write some horrors..err I mean errors, I speak mainly in Spanish


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## bigpedaler (Jan 29, 2007)

bigpedaler said:


> take it from someone who REALLY knows, not just some guy who bought one and trashed it -- building that garbage is my job! (pays better than the LBS -- i have a mortgage!)
> 
> NOTHING on that bike is quality, except MAYBE the seat/post/QR; it runs 8-speed on a no-name freehub, the discs are wavy like lasagna noodles, and the UNDAMPED suspension will measure out at about 2-21/2"! the design of the rear suss on that was stolen from a giant model from 1997! steel stem, steel bar, 36-hole single-wall rims, wire-bead velociraptor knock-off tires (even if they say wtb ON them, they're cheap sh**), and one frame size, made for the 5'9" average joe blow.
> 
> hell, trek is incapable of making a bike that bad!


Yep, quoting myself, some of the things I made point of needed to be said again.

Folks, if you want to ride crap,then go ahead and ride crap. Just don't try and tell me that it's as good as anything the LBS can get you on for the money.

The worst thing at an average LBS is a generation better than the best at a big-box store.

For me, the money spent is money invested; throwing it into a cheap bike is the same as throwing it off a bridge (which is what I'd like to do with a lot of the bikes I'm expected to make rideable.)

NOTE: Over the past few weeks, with the new 'bike season' upon us, a lot of bikes have rolled out of the store I work at; more than a few have come back with manufacturer defects that we can't help (others were just 'operator headspace'). The overall quality of bikes at cheap stores is just abominable!


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

Well this thread responses made me remember the article about 4 kids from Mexico, and how they won a Marine Advanced Technology Remotely Operated Vehicle Competition, an underwater robotics contest sponsored by NASA and the Office of Naval Research .

With a robot* built with cheap PVC tubing, and spare parts from Radio Shack*. Damn!! they even used a Tampax tampon as an emergency water insulation repair!! LOL

And they won over I dont remember how many teams with sponsors, specially they beat the ass off the MIT, a handsome machine created by 12 elite engineering and computer science students and decorated with a sticker from ExxonMobil, the company that donated $5,000 to the MIT team.

So, what Im trying to say, just because its cheap, it DOESN'T necessary means its crap. :thumbsup:


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## Defender219 (Jun 22, 2007)

I didn't mean new off of a store. Maybe a friend is selling one, or check online. For instance, I am buying a very good conditioned specialized 06 p2 for 500 bucks off my buddy.


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

> I bought a HR Comp:
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5585811
> 
> ...


$389 for that!!?!?!?!

You could have paid the same and picked up a trek 4300 or hardrock

At least with both of those you have lifetime frame replacement if it ever buckles on you.


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

> $389 for that!!?!?!?!
> 
> You could have paid the same and picked up a trek 4300 or hardrock


Not around here.:nonod:

A Specialized Hard Rock 2007(if thats the one you are taking about) here goes for $700


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## jeeptree (Mar 30, 2008)

I don't think I need to say this with everyone on here telling you about wal-mart bikes but here I go.
I to have a friend that got that bike at wal-mart we both just got back into mountain bike and didn't want to put a hole lot of money in some thing we were not sure we would do allot. we have the same spending limit 250-325 I got a Specialized hardrock from my local lbs it was last years model so I saved some money on it. my freind went to wal-mart and got the Blackcomb. At first I was upset a little looking at what he got disk brakes, and full suspension for a lot less then I spent. but I was soon turned off by it after hitting the trails with him. now mind you I'm 235lb he is about 170lb and in better shape then myself. on the trails he was having a hard time going in and out of gears. and with all that extra weight he was a lot slower too. the gear ratio was better on my hardrock as well this was noticeable on the hills. 
There is a lot of reasons not to buy the bike at wal-mart but I can only think of one to buy it (money) in the long run I would stick with my hardrock all day. I love it!! I'm faster in the trails, tuning the bike is easy, My lbs did a great job fitting the bike to me so I can ride all day and don't complain about anything. It is like im one with the bike and on the trails that's priceless. 
just some things to think of.


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## ProfGumby (Feb 27, 2008)

Okay, my cheapo was from K Mart, Not Wal Mart...but here is the story...

My 89 dollar K Mart WonderHuffy (Huffy Stone Mountain) is still here. My son now rides it. In a little over a year he will get a new Bike Shop Mountain bike.

IMPRESSIONS ON PURCHASING - They were out of th bike when went to purchase it. They said a shipment was coming in, so I waited. They had to build my bike when I went back, had to wait 2 days. I rejected the first bike and had them swap it out for another, this first bike had a bad tire and an obviously bent rim on the other tire. The chain guard on the front sprocket was mashed against the gear.

The second bike looked good, felt solid. Very heavy bike, front forks weak. Brakes weak and squealed. Constant clunking from rear sprocket that increased or decreased with pedaling. This was partly from a bent tooth on the sprocket, partly from the rear coasting/sprocket assembly. (that later fell apart.) And lastly, the handle bar stem was on backwards! ( A big, super sized DUH to me for not catching that upon picking up the bike)

BROKEN STUFF - In the 3 years I rode the Huffy, I replaced the seat, had to keep bending the brake arms back into position, had one brake cable pull out of it's anchor, one shifter cable do the same thing from it's anchor point. Last fall the rear sprocket fell apart, bearings everywhere...it was actually kinda funny....

SERVICE - I have spent over 150 dollars on service just trying to get the shifters to work properly, and they still do not. On some settings the bike will constantly try to shift between one or the other gears. The back wheel had a loose wobble to it as the axle was installed too loose, and the axle was bent, both repaired by the LBS.

The handlebar stem I took care of as the local K Mart said it would take them 2 weeks to fix. (Had to sent it back to the factory or some such nonsense) I also got real good, real fast on adjusting brakes and shifting operations.

As I say, my son will ride it now for a year or so, I am not worried about it's safety. Although I did show him the youtube vid from further on up in this thread. As a street or level trails bike it will be fine, but I expect the maintenance costs to be high as they have been.

My assessment of these big box bikes, even those with brand names that a LBS would have (hello Schwinn!) these bikes are for casual riders only, and an intermediate rider would be okay on one as long as street riding and no stunting was done.

These bikes are fine for the above, IMHO. anything else, forget it! Sure some folks will buy them, and ride them for years. Some will even use them as Mountain bikes should be used. But for the most part those who push their big box bikes are going to spend waaaaay more money over the years in keeping them riding safely than if they saved a little longer and got a good bike 2 - 300 dollar range from an LBS or used.

The big box people count on the fact that a large number of their bikes are ridden only casually or for a short time then buried in the back of a garage or basement somewhere.

That and another issue I see across the board on ALL LEVELS of bikes is the general public expects a vehicle, with lot's of moving parts, sometimes subjected to all manner of abuse or neglect, to run flawlessly with no maintenance. Where have we come as logical human beings? Bikes need basic maintenance! Most of us here know that and accept it. Not so for some of the big box bike buying public.

As to local bike shops, yes there are some bad ones out there. Find a better shop then. There are 2 bike shops within about 5 miles of my house and probably 5 more within an hours drive. Gotta be a winner in there somewhere....actually both local shops are great, and their owners and staff are fantastic. Maybe I'm lucky....


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## Holyhandgrenade (Dec 13, 2007)

Checking out the shop reviews on mtbr is a good place to start. Some stand out in good ways while others....stand out in a "stay away from me" way!


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## DrNickels (Jan 7, 2008)

> Not around here.
> 
> A Specialized Hard Rock 2007(if thats the one you are taking about) here goes for $700


Check this link out:

http://www.theped.com/viewbike.asp?BikeID=189&catid=0&subcat_id=7

2007 bike. Yes no disc brakes, but still the disc brakes on wally world bikes are complete crap. I know the specialized bike shop in my area is currently selling a 2007 hard rock with disc brakes for $389.99

Sounds like your shop is really trying to rip you off or you are looking at a hard rock comp disc edition and even for last years model that is steep. A 2008's hard rock comp disc edition has a MSRP of $600.00.

I'd say print out the page from specialized.com and show that bike shop what the MSRP is and offer them a little more over MSRP and they might make a deal. Odds are you just looked at something and were wrong about the model and/or price.

Bike shops don't make cash off their bikes, they make money off their service department and selling their accessories. I know I got my trek 4300 only $35 above what the shop got it from trek for. Now I've spent over $300 at that shop in the last 3 months and they've made a lot of money off me.

I'd be scouting out a new bike shop because someone will treat you right, you just have to find them.


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## nitzer (Apr 27, 2005)

Last Sept. me and my buddy went to Wisp in Maryland to hit up the DH trails, at last hour his friend calls and said he just picked up a bike and wanted to go with us, I thought the more the better, we go to pick him up and he had a Mongoose Blackcomb, I must say he held his own all day with us, Me on a Norco Shore and My buddy on a Demo 7.



OmiH said:


> Have a friend with a $3,000 bike and one of the soldered joints broke off, while our other friend rides a Blackcomb, which he only had to change the break pads in two years of use.
> 
> And BOTH enjoy riding their bikes. Ain't that the main purpose of riding bikes, right? Having fun while doing it?
> 
> ...


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

Update:

After hearing all comments, I decided to return the HR Comp Mongoose to Walmart, and went to Local Bike Shop, and had a Diamondback Response Sport 08. :thumbsup: 

The funny thing is, the price difference was just 40 bucks more. So now Im happy :thumbsup: 

And definitive, the Local Bike Shop people REALLY know how to treat their customers :thumbsup: 

Tnx for the advice


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## OmiH (Apr 19, 2008)

Oh, and the bike its 10 pounds lighter :thumbsup:


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## Ben12321 (Apr 26, 2008)

walmart bikes are good til they break, then you reget it. The parts work great, but then after about a month, things start to break. last year alone i broke 3 bikes from walmart, not even doing crazy stuff, small jumps, i never abused these bikes, but they still gave out on me. Just spend the little extra money on a decint bike, you will not regret it!!!!!!!


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## lampy29 (Oct 16, 2008)

KevinBicycle said:


> MTB bicycle weight is not a big deal.


Really shows how hard this guy rides his mountain bike. On my first race I had some quality components bought _at my LBS_ get screwed up from two hours of flat out abuse. Paid $800 for a LBS Gary Fisher hardtail (Tassajara) and even at that price point didn't get components that can take the abuse of really hard rides.

I wouldn't trust a Crapmart bike at 30+mph on narrow singletrack rides.

Regarding bike weight... where do you get your information??? A 10lb difference is enormous and I'm no weight weenie. 10Lbs is the difference between a freeride beast and a decent XC machine.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

lampy29 said:


> Really shows how hard this guy rides his mountain bike. On my first race I had some quality components bought _at my LBS_ get screwed up from two hours of flat out abuse. Paid $800 for a LBS Gary Fisher hardtail (Tassajara) and even at that price point didn't get components that can take the abuse of really hard rides.
> 
> I wouldn't trust a Crapmart bike at 30+mph on narrow singletrack rides.
> 
> Regarding bike weight... where do you get your information??? A 10lb difference is enormous and I'm no weight weenie. 10Lbs is the difference between a freeride beast and a decent XC machine.


Don't mind him, he's a troll.


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## yakmastermax (Jan 11, 2009)

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/bik/991590701.html

thought this might be relevent...

yeah the worst part of dept store bikes are the front shocks, and never, ever buy a full suspension bike that is a dept store bike. These bikes have like 75% sag and as i'm sure you can tell, will break. Gratz on the purchase of a real bike only thing i would ever consider is a swchinn, then replace the front fork with maybe a last year dart2 from RS, you can get one for less than 100 bucks.


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