New Genesis Onyx 29er??

[Apachekid]

This is a nice looking bike for the price ($149) at Wal Mart but,

Is there enough clearance for chain between tire and chainstay?
Would a 44 be the right size sprocket?
Has anyone mounted a 9 bolt sprocket to a 48 spoke wheel?

The AL frame is very light and the alloy wheels dont seem to have a braking surface for adding V-brakes, but if the sprocket could be mounted on wheel without too much more cost this bike would really move, I think. The welds look good on the bike but not sure if the frame would take the stress at topend speeds???Any opinions?

Has anyone motorized one of these yet?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Genesis-Onyx-29-Cruiser-Bicycle/16203481

 

[lsoult]

How did you make out with this? I'm thinking about getting one.

 

[bigkahuna]

I've had 3 of them, returned 2 because of issues and am keeping the 3rd. It's an OK bike, but forget about any warranty with the manufacturer (Kent International). They do not stock -any- parts and if you contact them regarding any issues their reply will be to take it back to the store or take it to a bike shop to fix on your own dime. I'm keeping this one since I'm a big guy and I like the size, but it comes at a premium. Everything, from tires to spokes and everything else cost more because it's an oversized bike. I'm adding a rear wheel friction drive to mine and already added front and rear caliper brakes. I also stripped off the fenders and decals. I've had this one for about a week now and so far so good. The coaster brakes are pretty worthless so I recommend you consider caliper brakes if you intend on adding a motor. I looked at doing an in frame motor with chain drive, but I'm afraid the vibrations from the HT motor will shake the bike to pieces. I've seen a couple other builds with the bike and looked like the chain clears without issues. You will need some custom brackets to mount the motor and have to deal with the fact that the wheels are 48 spokes and not 36. If you do get the bike you can save $20 by buying it on line and getting the deal that includes a $20 gift certificate (bringing the cost down to $129 plus tax). When you get the bike be sure to go through it thoroughly, give it a spin and don't hesitate to return it if you find anything wrong with it. I've got a build thread in the other forum if you're interested.

 

[lsoult]

Thanks for the reply quick response. After reading your comments, I think I'll pass .

 

[bigkahuna]

I don't blame you. If Kent stocked repair parts I would say it's a keeper for sure. But since they don't, I'm really not sure what will happen if something should fail after 90 days. I've owned a bunch of bikes and there isn't much I can't fix, but it would be nice if the manufacturer stood by their product a bit better.