Is this a good bike for the price?

[MStreets]

Hi Everyone,

I hope to get a little help here in my Bike purchase pursuit. I went to a bike store but I just can't afford $300+ for one of their bikes. I want a Hybrid bike and I came across the Genesis Hi Spark Men's Bike here is the link http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Genesis-Hi-Spark-Men-s-Hybrid-City-Bike/25032013

For the little amount of reviews it has they have been all very positive. At this price point this seems to be a good buy but I don't know too much about bikes. I hope some of you can help me decide if this is a good bike for the price.

I'm 6'0" 220lbs

Thanks

[DaveM]

It looks decent enough for the price. The one thing I don't like on it is the suspension fork. I'm a firm believer than low end suspension is worse that none at all. Better to get a normal, rigid forked bike and then the cost savings should go into slightly better components.

I'd go more for something like this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kent-Bicycles-Men-s-700C-Northwoods-Hybrid-Bike/28634146
or this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mantis-Eagle-Men-s-26-MTB-Bicycle/13012576
depending on what type of riding you think you'll do.

Also, please keep in mind that you should assume any bike bought at walmart needs to be checked over and tuned up by a real bike mechanic pretty much out of the box. They do not have people assembling bikes that know what they're doing and bikes at this range do not come out of the factory correctly assembled. But get something and get riding.

[MStreets]

(10-03-2013, 05:39 PM)DaveM Wrote:  It looks decent enough for the price. The one thing I don't like on it is the suspension fork. I'm a firm believer than low end suspension is worse that none at all. Better to get a normal, rigid forked bike and then the cost savings should go into slightly better components.

I'd go more for something like this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kent-Bicycles-Men-s-700C-Northwoods-Hybrid-Bike/28634146
or this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mantis-Eagle-Men-s-26-MTB-Bicycle/13012576
depending on what type of riding you think you'll do.

Also, please keep in mind that you should assume any bike bought at walmart needs to be checked over and tuned up by a real bike mechanic pretty much out of the box. They do not have people assembling bikes that know what they're doing and bikes at this range do not come out of the factory correctly assembled. But get something and get riding.

my local bicycle unlimited shop will assemble it for $40. Im usually one to do things myself but $40 is not bad

[GeorgeET]

The Walmart bikes are better than no bike at all. But they are heavy and have components that imitate real components but do not work well..

IMO you are better off looking for a good used bike on Craigs list.

[1FJEF]

(10-04-2013, 02:13 PM)GeorgeET Wrote:  The Walmart bikes are better than no bike at all. But they are heavy and have components that imitate real components but do not work well..

IMO you are better off looking for a good used bike on Craigs list.

He's a big boy too, over 200lbs. Did you see the B.S. 400lb rating in the Walmart description?
I'd go for a CL bike too, but if he isn't comfortable with working on it & buying bike specific tools, Walmart might be the way to go.