2 stroke bike options?

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You will get far more bike for the money going to craigslist. $200 in my area would snag you a mid level MTB from the 90's. As has been said, avoid aluminium and look for steel or chromoly. Those wal-mart bikes are TOY bikes. I know a lot of guys use them with success. but if you compare a 90's Trek/specialized/Giant/Miyata/Bridgestone to the wal-mart toy and those old birds will outperform a wal-mart bike all day every day at the same price point.

The frames and component group and wheel set will also be higher quality. Not to mention, why buy new when you could keep something else on the road?
 
The Walmart bikes get branded as toys, its true. It's also apparent that the op has no interest in them. Some Walmart bikes are junk, but not all of them are. You cannot say without having ridden or at least given a very good looking over to each and every one of them, whether they could stand up to motoring or not.
 
Like I said, a lot of guys have no troubles with them. I've never put a motor on one. I have owned a half dozen or more new from walmart and dozens more used. Never had one that could take the abuse of daily commuting. I'd always wreck the wheels or shifters within a month. for 8 years now I've been riding name brand bikes with mid to high level components and decent double wall aluminium wheels. I've logged thousands of miles on used quality bikes with few headaches or failures. Granted I'm a little new to throwing motors on them, but it stands to reason that I can't get to work with it by pedaling it's got no business having a motor. Now like you said, to really say much more I'd need to go look at EACH of them, and that's fair, but steel wheels, single pivot caliper brakes, and bottom of the barrel components are the hallmarks of those things. I'm also a bigger guy (240 at my peak last summer, what they call a Clydesdale in the bike world) and I ride fast and I ride hard. So your results will vary.
 
SeanPatrick said:
You will get far more bike for the money going to craigslist. $200 in my area would snag you a mid level MTB from the 90's. As has been said, avoid aluminium and look for steel or chromoly. Those wal-mart bikes are TOY bikes. I know a lot of guys use them with success. but if you compare a 90's Trek/specialized/Giant/Miyata/Bridgestone to the wal-mart toy and those old birds will outperform a wal-mart bike all day every day at the same price point.

The frames and component group and wheel set will also be higher quality. Not to mention, why buy new when you could keep something else on the road?
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+1
I just stated this a while back, and it's been stated many times over by other members.Late 80's through midi 90's MTB's are perfect for the MAB thing.Better, down to the actual metal used in the making of the tubes.Some people associate "new" with "good", paint covers a whole lot.You're buying crap gaspipe in wally bikes.Another thing NO ONE else seems to say, when you buy a decent MTB from said era for $200 you can always sell it for that, how much would you get from a used wally bike?More reasoning why not to buy wallies, they are put together by people who get paid by how many bikes they can put together in an hour, often without proper grease.
 
It's true that any Wally bike is not going to be without issue. And I agree that if it can't stand up to some serious pedaling, its got no business having a motor. I'm also a large guy, in fact I've got 35 lbs on top of your 240. I've used steel wheels and double walled alloy, honestly didn't notice a difference. Thicker spokes add strength to cheap wheels. I personally don't care which material but I will never run spokes thinner than 12g. The wheels I built for the bike I'm building are steel with 11g spokes. Now, the wheels and other components on some of these Wally bikes ain't worth a crap, but some of the frames are really strong. My crsnkbrook frame hauled me around for almost 3 years, and I inspected the welds quite often. I replaced just about everything other than the frame, but that frame was great. But for what it costs to replace all those parts, you would probably find a vintage bike maybe even for less. And if I had to choose a vintage bike or upgraded Wally bike for the same price, I'd take the vintage bike.
 
My argument against steel rims is from a braking stand point. a chromed or painted steel wheel is very very slippery when its wet. A machined side wall alloy rim has much better grab to it in wet or muddy conditions. Almost as important as spoke size is spoke count. Most serious touring cyclists go with 36 or more spokes laced 3X. Sounds like you're already well on your way to having solid wheels tho! :)
 
I like the Micargi Pantera 7S for ~$230.

2_pantera2Sdd19R-1280.jpg


Front and rear V brakes, good wheels, steel frame, and the rear kit sprocket darn near aligns itself on the hub.

Want front suspension?
A front fork is ~$80.

2_BigRed2L1280.jpg


For a 2-stroke build you'll want a dual pull brake lever and small front engine mount from sickbikeparts.com.
 
KCvale said:
I like the Micargi Pantera 7S for ~$230.
Click to expand...
Nice "looking", but you do have to worry about that since it's a biz, anything "NEW" that's "affordable" bike-wise is chinese, I just don't like the idea. Here's some good reference:

" With the exception of a dwindling handful of custom frame builders, not including Cannondale, the last American made bicycles were produced in 1999."

"
Micargi Industries, Inc. has been manufacturing bicycles, parts and accessories since 1994. Like nearly all new bicycle company's of today, Micargi's are built in China—despite their misleading "USA" label on the head badge. Their company goal: "To offer quality bicycles at affordable prices!" Today, Micargi employs over 500 people and has a production capacity of over 500,000 bicycles per year. In 1996, Micargi went international and opened their first overseas office and distribution warehouse in South El Monte, California. Micargi Bicycles distributed blue "Rover" bicycles adorned with the "Two and a Half Men" TV show logo along with the words "100 Episodes." Micargi now produces many different models, including; beach cruisers, tandem's, children's, mountain and road bikes. "

Reference: http://www.socalbicycles.com/BikeHistory.htm

Like I said, 80's through mid 90's bikes are the "thang", I really like the old Raleigh's with the wrap around brazing, strong strong strong!
 

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