Bike Store

Just another Web Intrend Blogs weblog

Get Out!....with this jogger
Schwinn Mark III - looked very hard for about 3 weeks, new and used - went with the Schwinn and have no regrets. I weigh 101 lbs, my kids are 61 collectively and between them and the stroller it is a breeze!
Easy to convert to trailer - we will use the entire rig today.
Get Out!.....and get this jogger/trailer.

Very happy with this
Overall, I am very happy with this trailer and my daughter seems eager to go for rides it. She seemed to sag in it because of the way the seat is designed, especially when she falls asleep. The sling style seat forces your child forward into the crotch strap. Also, a child sits directly on the frame tubing which I am not crazy about. Both of these issues are resolved by folding up a large towel and rolling up one end of it, then sliding it under the seat from the back. The rolled up part will keep their legs elevated which will stop the sagging and the flat part of the towel will obviously act as a cushon on the tubing. The selling points for me were the larger front wheel for the stroller option and the frame tubing around the back wheels. For the money, nothing else compares.

Great value
I did a lot of internet research before finally choosing this trailer. Oddly enough, I couldn't find much in the way of trailers in sporting goods stores, or bike shops to actually view and compare, so it was tough to pick something sight unseen, especially with the mixed reviews i had read on nearly every trailer I found. I'm so glad that I settled on this one - I love the full-size front wheel, the ease of conversion between trailer and stroller, and the rain shield. It was easy to assemble, and very simple to attach to my beachcruiser (even though the bike shop guy told me it wouldn't). Easy to use and very light behind my bike. I even like the color :D However, there is a lack of padding under the seat - my 14 month old son sits more or less on top of the spare wheel when i store it in trailer mode. I solved the problem by wrapping a towel around the wheel and leaning it upright in the back. Also, even though it does fold flat-ish for storage, its still fairly large, so it may not be super easy to store - hang on to the box if you plan on putting it away for a long time, say for the winter if you life someplace snowy. Overall it's a great value - I got everything i needed for much less than I could have paid elsewhere.

Not Bad,,,,,but not great either
First let me say I use this bike/jogging stroller quite a bit. I live in Florida and enjoy being outside and my son loves being outdoors as well. The Pros:
-Reasonable price compared to comprable products.
-Can be used as jogging OR bike stroller (see cons)
-Sturdy and breaks down reasonably well. (see cons)
-Can hold two kids (see cons)
The Cons:
-This is not for the avid runner. There are much more appropriate choices if running is extremely important to you. This is because the tire in the front doesn't track straight all the time without fine tuning (this is done every time you set the stroller up.
-Can hold two kids. This is great but can make the product cumbersome.
-Not completely solid. While the stroller is well built and is solid, by nature, the components that break down (front tire arm) have some play that can be annoying when running. Again if you want a running stroller then get a running stroller. This stroller works for me because it can be used for both running and biking and the fact that it can break down is a big bonus.
-Can be difficult to hook up to bike.
-Running handlebar a pain to attach and disconnect. (come on Schwynn engineers, you could have came up with a much better system)

Overall I would reccomend this despite my laundry list of cons. Its great if you want it for biking but want to jog with it as well but does have its shortcomings.

Fantastic!
We love this trailer! I can pull my kids (3yr and 9mo) in this no problem. I barely feel them behind me because it's so light weight. We knew when we bought this the buckles were going to be hard to undo, and we needed extra padding for them to sit on. The reviews were right, but once we figured out a good way for the buckles, and I just laid down a light blanket underneath for extra support, we were good to go.

It was really easy to put together, although the directions weren't very clear. But, I would definitely buy this trailer again, and would even pay more for it. It converts to a jogging stroller, and I love the bigger wheel in front. It's a lot lighter than my double stroller, which is what I was using for jogging before I bought this. Great product!

Handy and neat
I'm no expert when it comes to this type of stuff since I just started biking again after a almost-20-year hiatus, but the other day my saddle become loose while I was riding and I had to ride a few miles with a very very low saddle, as a result my knees have been hurting for almost a week now, so in my opinion a tool like this is a must-have, I will not go out on my bike without it in my saddlebag.

As far as the tool itself, it's very sturdy, it folds neatly, and I haven't had any problems using it. So even though I bought it only a few weeks ago I definitely give this product 5 stars.

Good size and just enough
Am pleased with the efficient shape of this tool. Has enough tools for on-road repairs and adjustments. Folded, it fits neatly into my Topeak wedge pack and takes up minimal room because of the the flat shape.

Everything I needed
Recommended by the LBS, the Crank Brothers Multi-10 features 7 hex wrenches, 2 screwdriver heads, and a Torx wrench. No chain tool or spoke wrench, but for a street commuter or casual rider it features everything you need. Great for quick adjustments or minor repairs. It has an aluminum frame, and the tools are steel - no plastic in sight. The tools are long enough to give sufficient leverage to get the job done. The tools are a little tough to fold out of the frame (they're really packed in there tight) but that's my sole complaint.

Great technology
This women's bike is the fourth I have bought from Currie Electronics. The first three were pretty much plug and play. There were some minor problems with the last one but Currie quickly sent me parts and I could not be happier. These bikes are a good answer to short to intermediate range transportation problems.

A nice solid bike
Have just received it and writing about my first impressions. Didn't ride yet, only took it out of the box and assembled. I will update this review later with more details as I get to ride it.

* The box top was sorta torn open, but generally the box was all intact, no damage to the contents, no scratches; nothing was lost, either. Not a bad job, UPS.
* Taking the bike out of the box was a little clumsy as all parts are zip-tied together, and that makes it a rather heavy chunk of metal to lift out of the box.
* It requires very little assembly: need to attach front wheel, handlebar post, handlebars, and pedals.
* The tools to assemble it (wrench and Allen wrench) were included in the box.

The general impression is very favorable: despite being made in China, it seems pretty well built and painted, sturdy.

You certainly MUST look the bike over and make adjustments prior to riding it:
* Out of the box, the rear brakes were already squeezing on the rim of the wheel quite tightly, so I had to loosen them some just to let the wheel rotate at all.
* The derailleur was also improperly calibrated out of the box (too much travel), so when I tried to switch to the top gear, the chain got pulled off the rear gears entirely. Well, nothing that cannot be fixed by proper adjustment either.

I charged the battery overnight and took it out for the ride. My commute is about 8 miles one way, mostly along the bike trail, which nevertheless has a bunch of significant bumps where the road repairs were made. The battery is seated pretty tight when battery locks are engaged; I didn't have any issues with power being lost due to battery detaching. I would assume people who complained it in the comments simply failed to engage the battery locks. The bike, interestingly enough, is sufficiently easy to pedal in "cruise mode" even without the motor engaged -- just don't expect to beat any speed records like that. I made it to work and I guess it was about halfway through the battery (these "full/half/empty" lights cause more confusion that provide any useful information, really, and it's a common problem, not limited to this specific bike).

The motor makes a rather audible whine when it's engaged, nothing too terrible though. It has two modes controlled by the switch on the handlebar; in one mode it turns the bike into electric scooter (engages as you twist the throttle) or motor assist bike (engages after you turn the throttle, but only stays on if you keep pedaling, otherwise shuts off after a bit). In the assist mode, it doesn't show any "intellect", i.e. it doesn't tell apart whether you're not pedaling because you're lazy, or because you have trouble climbing this hill; if you need help in a situation like that, you'll have to switch it to the scooter mode and twist the throttle. Also, motor engages in "all-or-nothing" fashion, so if you don't want to go top speed, you'll have to turn it off and on manually (although that's somewhat remedied in the assist mode).

Great bike for the $$$
I bought a used one of these for my wife, and had to do some maint on it since the previous owner was a bit rough on it. I bought a mens mountain trailz for myself and will reuse part of this review for that one. They have the same running gear.

Pros:
* Fun!!!
* absolutely the cheapest reputable ebike on the market
* both TAG (twist and go) and PAS (Pedal ASsist) modes
* easy to use. The electric assist is easy to use
* unbelievable price
* decent range. I get about 10 miles of PAS before I notice the motor wants to run slower (about 12.5mph instead of 15mph). I figure my practical range would be 13-15 miles.


Cons:
* "real" bikers will scoff at you
* womens frame has no built-in mountpoint for water bottle.
* Heavy! You can pedal on your own but will like it better on the "juice:
* only 7 speeds. Currie must assume we'll be on the juice all the time
* SLA (sealed lead acid) batts only last a year or two, unless you get a better charger like a BatteryMINDer.
* Currie tech support has limited hours and seems overwhelmed. Expect to have to wrench on any replacement parts yourself.
* the brushed motors whine like angry bees, but not obnoxiously so

Tips:
* these are fullsize bikes with 26" wheels. If you are short it might be easier to mount/unmount the ladies bike than the mens.
* this is an electric -=assist=- bike, not an electric motorcycle. Pedal!
* max out your tires at 65psi to get more distance and less possibility of breaking spokes in potholes
* charge those batts every time you get off the bike! make it a habit.
* it appears that you can use common 40A agc 36v fuses in the battery pack instead of the impossible-to-find 40A 250V ones that come with it.
* you can disassemble the pack and rebuild it for about worth of new deepcycles instead of paying 9 for a new pack.
* a desulphating charger like BatteryMINDer will help your batt packs last as long as possible.
* brakes and derailleur will likely need adjusting for best performance.

Read some of the online forums like ecoforumz, bikeforums, endless-sphere, etc, to get a feel for the community.

I like the bike
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RUPD523OQYQNF I have had my Ezip for a few months now. The bike arrived in slightly torn packaging. I assembled it myself in about two hours (I am not mechanically inclined). I was not able to properly adjust the brakes, so I took my bike to a bike shop where the brakes were adjusted for free. I have ridden it to work and back, a seven mile two-way trip. I take my charger with me when I go to work and let the battery recharge for the return trip home. I have equipped my bike with a Wald basket to carry items and will soon place baskets on the back rack too. Other items that have added to the safety of my bike are a side view mirror and flashing lights on the front and back of the bike. The bike is heavy, about 80 pounds. Don't try to bench press it, and you'll be fine. The bike is a little slow going up steep inclines, but then again, so am I. You will need to help it by peddling while on hills. I have had no problems with the battery or any other parts. I love my Ezip and would recommend it to everyone.

Ezip trailz women's electrick comfort bike
Hi, I bought this bike for my 63rd Birthday. I have been riding it for about 3 months now. I read the reviews but I wanted to see for myself. I love it. When I received it the box was torn and the charger was missing but it soon came after calling about it and they refunded my money for shipping on it. Let me tell you, I just love it. I have severe hip joint disorder because of arthritis in one hip and arthritis in the other hip and also in my back. I have been riding a regular bike for a year which I enjoyed but I just wanted to upgrade. It is so fun. I take it camping and go up and down the hills. I ride it in my town and go all over the place where I haven't ridden since my 20's. I feel like a kid on this bike. I ride up to the park and watch my grandchildren play T ball. It is a little scary at first but after a few minutes it is fine. I have been over bumps and it does not loosen my battery like other's complained in their reviews. The battery locks in tight. The shift for using it with out the motor is opposite from a regular bike. 7 is easy, 3 is the best. At first I was using it on 1 to go up hills until I met someone at the campground and he told me that it was opposite. If you like riding a bike I would recommend this because it is so much fun.2008 eZip Trailz Women's Electric Comfort Bike (26-Inch Wheels)

Topeak Joe Blow Bike Pump
Topeak Joe Blow Sport Floor Pump w/Gauge Steel Barrel w Gauge Yellow

Pump of reasonably good quality. The strongest and most unique part of the pump is the Schraeder/Presta valve head. When put on the valve stem of your tire, the head attaches snuggly to both the Schraeder and Presta style valves. An aluminium lever latches the valve head of the pump tightly to the stem and valve - uniquely tight.

The pump has a strong construction with a steel base and a padded pump handle. Air gauge is accurate and beefy.

Overall, the pump provides a better than average tire filling experience. Topeak has taken all the faults of other competitors and improved on them and have produced a product that will last a very long time with good service.

Very easy to use
I'm very pleased with this pump. It's by far the best pump I've ever used. Before, I use to struggle to fill my tires to the point I thought was properly inflated, but the first time I used this pump, not only did I find that my tires were actually drastically under-inflated, but was really quick and easy to get it to the right pressure.

Average Pump
I've had this pump also for about a month.

Pumps up tires/tubes with Shrader valves OK.

The Presta valve side of the twin head does not work properly with short stemmed Presta valves. It seems that the pump nozzle has difficulty in forming a good seal with short stemmed Presta valves. The pump will only pump up to around 75 PSI into the tire/tube. Pressures beyond 75 PSI appear to "seal" the valve, which prevents further tire/tube inflation. The extra pressure just pressurizes the pump hose only!

Pumping to higher pressures is a bit difficult. Especially when compared to easier working pumps such as Specialized and Blackburn brands which I have also.

An average pump.

Not recommended for use with short stemmed Presta valves.

Great bike!
Our son loves his new bike. He loves the graphics and the bright color, but especially the trick bars on the wheels. He plans to learn to do some tricks; he's experimenting already. My husband wishes there were brakes on the bike you utilize with the pedals, but it is understandable with the trick bars that you need hand brakes. The only thing we would change is to have both types of brakes.

Great Buy
The bike arrived in perfect condition and on time with very little assm. needed. It looks and works great. My child Loves it. Very good buy.

Good for Securing Bike Seat, Wheels and/or Quick Release Components!
The Kryptonite Kryptoflex cable is meant to be used in conjunction with a U-lock. It should ONLY be used as a means to secure quick release components like your seat, seat post and/or wheels in conjunction with a U-lock. It should NOT be used to secure the bike's frame to a solid object like a bike rack.

If you try to use this cable as your primary means of securing your bike (frame) then don't be surprised if your bike gets stolen (like another reviewer experienced, sadly). USE COMMON SENSE, PEOPLE!

For what it was intended to do (secure quick release components, bike seat, wheels, etc.) it does a great job.

I would recommend it to anyone that wants another added layer of protection on top of a solid U-lock.

Use it correctly, and you will be rewarded
Some people have issues with this cable being easily cut, which leads to their bike being stolen. I want to set the record straight about this product and proper locking methods. These cables are by no means meant to be your sole locking device, but rather, they are meant to be used in conjunction with (ideally) a U-Lock. I work in a bike shop and attend school at Michigan State, a virtual candy store for bike thieves, and as such proper locking is imperative. First off, buy yourself a good U-Lock. I would recommend going with the Kryptonite brand, as they are THE name in bike locks. I myself use what Kryptonite calls the "Fahgettaboudit" which is an 18mm-thick, vinyl-coated monster that would make New York's most proficient bike thieves shudder. THIS IS WHAT YOU USE TO LOCK YOUR BIKE TO THE STATIONARY OBJECT, not the cable. Put the U-Lock through the frame and through the stationary object. You then use a cable (I reccommend a seven or four-foot KryptoFlex, again, for the same reasons) to act as a secondary security device and, more importantly, SECURE YOUR REMOVABLE COMPONENTS (such as a quick-release wheel or seat). Before closing the U-Lock, put one end of the looped cable onto the U-Lock, then loop the cable through your wheel and seat supports. Put the other end of the looped cable onto the U-Lock, close the U-Lock, and walk away whistling, because your bike is now un-stealable. That is the proper application for these cables.

Okay, so now to actually review the cable. It's amazing. You cannot top Kryptonite's quality, and it is very useful. It is also just as resistant to cutting as any other cable you'll find. Top-notch durability

Now, there's no doubt that when people walk past your bike, with cables snaking through it like some kind of evil invasive weed, and a five-pound U-Lock hanging off the side, they'll be thinking "Man, this guy (or girl) is really obsessed with bike security." But, hey, isn't that the point?

Not meant to lock up a bike
This cable is for securing wheels, etc, to a standard lock, not for primary protection against bike theft. It's great at what it does, but don't use it to lock up your bike.

Comfort, Looks, Function, and Value
I'm very pleased with the bike. Quality components, easy assembly, great looks. I love the very low 1st gear (like granny-low), will be good for pulling a trailer bike. Brakes are amazing - very short stops. Assembly instructions were only okay, but it goes together like any other bike. Good metric allen wrenches, a philips screwdriver, and an adjustable wrench made for easy assembly (not included). Well-packaged, no damage to the bike, I think I spent more time unpacking than assembling. Click shifter works well on rear, front shifter needs to be coaxed (like most front deraillers). I look forward to longer rides.

EXCELLANT
I love my Kent Bicycle. The welding on the bike is great.The bike looks like a 00. or more Bike. Works great.
The craftsmen ship is excellant Great buy

Better quality components than Walmart Next Avalon
My men's Sierra Madre shipped extremely fast (via "free" ground) and arrived with only minor damage (broken front reflector, paint/words of right handlebar shifter rubbed off by friction with box enclosure). Although the packaging is not very protective, the bike does come with a 6 months warranty for parts and I'm happy (replaced both reflectors with head and tail lights; never notice rubbed off paint on shifter when riding).

I ride on 3/4 mile of dirt road and grass to get to a paved road. Although no bike is totally comfortable, this one is surprisingly so. Note that the rear suspension pivot is behind the crank so that one's feet are insulated from shocks (and the distance from seat to pedals remains fixed). The tires are large (26 x 2.125) with 50 psi max with no kevlar and with cheap tubes (plan on replacing these to prevent flats). The other components are inexpensive but name brand and they look good. If I didn't have to go uphill on grass, I might not need the granny gear. One poster mentioned the quirk shifting from 1st to 2nd chainwheel. FYI, there is no problem shifting between 2nd and 3rd chainwheel, and from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to 1st. On paved road I use 2nd and 3rd chainwheels only. I will drop to the granny gear (1st chainwheel) while going uphill on grass. The rear sprockets shifting system works perfectly.

Walmart has a sort-of similar model named the Next Avalon (same manufacturer). The frames are practically the same, but the gearing (21 speed vs. 7 speed), brakes, shifters, etc., are different (more toy-like, as on their other below 0 bikes). I also bought an Avalon for my wife recently. These two bikes have the same frame features and the same seats. The rest of the components are different and I can see and feel the quality differences. I'm tempted to return the Avalon and get another Sierra Madre (for the better quality, not the extra speeds which my wife doesn't need).

I found Kent International very responsive to my questions. Should I decide to change bikes in the future, I will surely consider their products for purchase.

Great Bike - Could be packed better for shipment.
This is a great bike; my husband loves it. The only problems we've had are more to do with the way it was boxed than the quality of the bike itself. The box was too narrow for the bike so, rather than use a wider box, the manufacturer CUT A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE BOX to accomodate the derailleur! Who does that?! Because of the poor packaging, there were minor scratches, that didn't bother my husband, and one of the wheels had a broken spoke, which cost us about extra to fix and balance, on top of the to assemble the bike at a local bike shop. My husband says the bike is estremely comfortable but doesn't pedal as smoothly as my Trek, which is to be expected.

WORTH THE PRICE
Bought this bike so I could go on small rides around the neighborhood with my daughter. Bike is perfect for this purpose, but if you are planning to push the bike I would look for something a little better. The condition of the bike when received was good and after some minor adjustments it was ready for the road. I could not be happier with how easily it went together and the quality of the bike for the price.

Great bike, great price
This is a very good bike for beginner to intermediate riders. I got mine fully assembled from a local store for 0.00. I'm glad I got it before I started reading some of the reviews here, otherwise, I may have got something else, and I'm very happy with my Domain. First of all, some of the reviews are plain dumb. "Its too heavy" well thats why it costs 0.00 not B0021HNREG,800.00. "Assembly was difficult" , look its not your todlers first bicycle and your not slapping on a set of training wheels. It has shocks, 3 peice crank, 21 speeds... if you cant take apart and put together (correctly) a 30 year old 10 speed, don't bother with this one, have someone who knows what there doing do the work for you, or find it locally already assembled.
Is this a good bike? YES. Is it worth the retail 0? YES. Would I buy another one? I AM, thats why I'm writing this! I ride mine 3-4 times during the week on paved roads, and on weekends I go to the dirt trails. If thats what you're looking for, this is a very good bike. If you plan on doing advanced/hard core mountain biking or competition, you probably want something much more advanced. I have not had any problems so far, just regular maintenence, like all other bikes do.
Bottom line, if you are beginer to intermediate rider, there is planty of bike for you here, you get a good deal for the money, and if you take good care of it, it will last you for years.