So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby kukamunga » Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:16 pm
I weighed a 24" wheeled kids Huffy Dual suspension MTB/BSO the other day - 17.6kg! My 138cm/30kg 9 year old son couldn't touch the ground with the seat at it's lowest position, and there was no standover clearance
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby HappyHumber » Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:45 pm
Follow the comment thread down through the article. The original author posts a link to a Google spreadsheet where's he gone to the trouble of weighing each bit... in grams What with Steven Colbert & people like this, there might be hope for that country just yetkukamunga wrote:Why can't those darned yanks talk in Metric!
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby russellgarrard » Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:17 pm
I push power... if I'm not grinding I'm not gaining. I eat most BSO's in -3 monthsTTar wrote:bendertiger wrote: Everything on the bike has started falling apart in the past week.
"Everything"? All in the same week?
I'm not singing the praises of this bike; it is after all a K Mart bike, but it's a step above the BSO's they typically stock.
Generic or low quality components would certainly be a big negative, but if your frame and wheels are sound, upgrading with say cannibalised parts, might still be a worthwhile exercise.
Even at a mere $150 for the brand new bike, I wouldn't recommend it, but if you're capable and willing to service and maintain it yourself, a second-hand purchase would make an okay standby.
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby lemmiwinks » Thu Jul 18, 2013 8:52 am
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby ldrcycles » Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:59 am
No way, sweet score!lemmiwinks wrote:I bought a Preset yesterday for $20. If it wasn't for some slight marks on the braking surfaces I would have thought it was unridden
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby cray- » Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:56 pm
Can't go wrong for $20, give it a good once over and ride it till it dies.
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby ldrcycles » Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:03 pm
cray- wrote:I'm more amazed that they regularly show up on Gumtree in the $99-$150 range, used!
Can't go wrong for $20, give it a good once over and ride it till it dies.
That reminds me, I never got around to posting on here that my Preset wasn't getting anywhere near as much use as I anticipated so I sold it quite some time back.
Believe it or not, it went for $155 . Yes it had been switched to drop bars and had Michelin tyres but those were both things I already had on hand, all I paid for was $15 bar tape. I still miss that bike a little though.
But I am now looking at another Big W bike with lustful eyes, still $98 but gears and drop bars on this one! (Just disregard the crazy bar angle in that photo ).
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby bychosis » Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:11 pm
Please don't. The preset is an example of how effective a cheap and simple bike is. The above is just a very poor attempt at being a reasonable bike. Every time one of those rolls out of a factory a decent bike dies.ldrcycles wrote: But I am now looking at another Big W bike with lustful eyes, still $98 but gears and drop bars on this one! (Just disregard the crazy bar angle in that photo ).
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Mulger bill » Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:17 pm
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby lobstermash » Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:44 pm
Eggs-actlyMulger bill wrote:
Saw one of those in the flesh at BigW the other day. Their display even had that wicked bar angle going on!!!
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby bychosis » Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:53 pm
Must be how they fit them in the box?lobstermash wrote:Eggs-actly
Saw one of those in the flesh at BigW the other day. Their display even had that wicked bar angle going on!!!
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Summernight » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:03 am
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:37 am
It fosters the correct head angle and shoulder geometry in the rider to afford a slightly more effective (from an injury POV) contact alignment with the road after they travel over the bars due to some unforeseen component failure...Summernight wrote:That bar angle gives me nightmares!
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Summernight » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:41 am
That gives me nightmares too!!!silentbutdeadly wrote:It fosters the correct head angle and shoulder geometry in the rider to afford a slightly more effective (from an injury POV) contact alignment with the road after they travel over the bars due to some unforeseen component failure...Summernight wrote:That bar angle gives me nightmares!
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Nobody » Tue Jul 23, 2013 8:58 pm
If you bought that bike, failure wouldn't be unforeseen.silentbutdeadly wrote:...due to some unforeseen component failure...
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby bychosis » Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:13 pm
Just a matter of which one first, they'll all go pretty quickly.Nobody wrote:If you bought that bike, failure wouldn't be unforeseen.silentbutdeadly wrote:...due to some unforeseen component failure...
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby ldrcycles » Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:16 pm
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Mulger bill » Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:23 pm
Dont forget to flip the bars over so it can have super high velosity, aeroplain inspired, wind cheatering tryatherlong handlesbar.ldrcycles wrote:I SOO need to buy this bike .
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby silentbutdeadly » Wed Jul 24, 2013 9:23 am
True. But as already pointed out...the exact moment of failure would be...and that would be 'exciting'.Nobody wrote:If you bought that bike, failure wouldn't be unforeseen.silentbutdeadly wrote:...due to some unforeseen component failure...
Tell you what though...it does suggest that the tip finds of the future certainly won't be...especially since this seems to actually be a juniors bike...650B?
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby lemmiwinks » Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:43 am
Believe me, I know it's got a flat front tyre. Went to duck into town on it yesterday (first ride other than to the end of the driveway) and after futzing around adjusting things the valve stem broke so I took my old faithful Shogun. This morning I wanted to commute on it so I threw a mangy old 27" tube I had lying around in there but it was dodgy.
My original intention was to give it a once over, dump the bars, saddle and possibly wheels and cranks and make a nice drop bar single speed. I probably still will, but I might ride it for a while as is (must grease the tapers so the cranks don't fall off and while I'm at it I should pack the BB and loosen it off - it's tight!)
$20 is a steal (not literally - I see this dude selling a wide variety of stuff on Gumtree all the time), but I think the seller overestimated the hipster population content locally. When picking it up, the bloke said he was selling it for his mate and I asked if he was interested in riding or just thought he was going to be interested in riding but changed his mind and he said that his mate bought it to resell. Well that worked out well for him!
Gearing is crazy for around here (hilly) but would be OK on the flat. I'll see if I get used to it, otherwise Cyclingdeal Sugino 42T $50. I suppose one positive aspect of the tall gearing is that I didn't spend much time on that arse hatchet of a saddle!
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby AUbicycles » Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:41 am
1 - stem and handlebars
2 - tyres
3 - saddle
I am guessing that the pedals are worrying as well.
This covers tha major parts though am not expecting the rest to be top-of-the line .
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby ldrcycles » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:32 pm
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Davidrnau » Fri Aug 02, 2013 11:55 am
Backdoorboss wrote: The only thing that bothered me was the saddle that the bike came with. It felt like my bum was bleeding after the ride. It was so sore that sitting down would hurt.
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby Davidrnau » Fri Aug 02, 2013 12:04 pm
bychosis wrote: Please don't. The preset is an example of how effective a cheap and simple bike is. The above is just a very poor attempt at being a reasonable bike. Every time one of those rolls out of a factory a decent bike dies.
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Re: So how bad is a Big W bike, really?
Postby silentbutdeadly » Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:18 am
Saw my first one in the Wild...just last week. Exactly as pictured. Right down to the brake lever position.ldrcycles wrote: But I am now looking at another Big W bike with lustful eyes, still $98 but gears and drop bars on this one! (Just disregard the crazy bar angle in that photo ).
It is a revitalised roadie from my youth but with even less redeeming features. The quill stem is steel with a hollow tube acting as a potential bollocks scoop during those OTB moments...aided and abetted by the stem mounted shifters. The bloke riding it was doing so more by necessity than for enjoyment so despite the fact the bike isn't much chop at least it was doing what it was intended to do.
But I can't help wondering if that frame 'might' have some potential...certainly as a future retro Fakinarello or Fakolnago
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