Bicycle Brands

DanTheDIYGuy

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Jun 21, 2016
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I am trying to find a good quality beach cruiser, single speed. My Walmart bike that I used for my build fell apart after about 200 miles of use. Needless to say, I'm disappointed. The repairs are too costly for the value of the bike at this point, and I've had many issues in building it up to the point of it being usable.

All this to say, I need advice on what brand to choose. I am not going to buy any more department store bike brands: Huffy, Roadmaster, Schwinn, etc. I am looking for a midrange bicycle brand such as Raleigh, or even something as expensive as a Specialized if I decide the price is worth it. I am heavily considering buying a bike from a bike shop, so that I can make sure it is the correct dimensions and quality for my purpose before purchasing.

Thanks in advance for the help! :D
 
Do those brands even make beach cruisers? Maybe we just don't get them here. I saw a beach cruiser last week, I don't remember the brand, and that makes two in my whole life, even though I live at the beach. I have seen the same number of motorised bikes in real life, lol.
Oh I forgot my point.. Oh yeah. Specialized is the same as Trek and Giant, and some others too that I don't know, I'm sure Google does. All made by Giant at the biggest bike factory in the world.
 
Yes, I'm curious too. I've built a Huffy beach cruiser and it seemed to hold up good. I did sell it after about 300 miles but I know the guy and haven't heard a complaint yet.
My most recent and favorite build so far is on a Specialized mountain hybrid bike. It's doing good so far with about 200 miles. Just needs a new rear wheel, the stock one is on the lightweight side and was warped when I bought it and has kept coming out of round. It's the only thing that's got me uncomfortable. FYI, I bought the bike used with wheel already bent.
I have been eyeballing another Wally bike for my next build.
Between my buddy and I we have built 4 Wally motorized and to our knowledge no probs.
Let us know what you bought and what happened so we can learn together.

Search your local bike shops for good used bikes, they also give receipts and keep records. You never know when buying through ads whether the bike was stolen and such. My Specialized cost me $150 and just needed the rear wheel.
 
jeez just 200 miles... what happened?!
Multiple accounts of the chain derailing and locking the wheel up at speed. Bike frame and rear tire bent out of shape to an unrepairable state. Would cost more than the original value to repair.
 
If you insist on a beach cruiser, search for a good used bike from the 70s-80s. They were of much higher quality and tough as nails. The triangle-shaped frame mountain bikes are easier to adapt to motorized use, and have better brakes and multiple speeds. Some have suspension forks. Most of the bike shop people I have met don't like us motered people and don't have a clue about our needs. The higher-end bikes are very expensive due to extremely light-weight components, which we don't need. The Wally bikes are ok if you are willing to completely disassemble them and upgrade where necessary. The bearings are cheap, brakes need attention, spokes need tightening, etc.
 
Multiple accounts of the chain derailing and locking the wheel up at speed. Bike frame and rear tire bent out of shape to an unrepairable state. Would cost more than the original value to repair.

Ouch that could be reallyy dangerous on the road! :O I hope you find something stiff enough to keep the chain on. But then when i say stiff, I am _presuming_ that frame flex from curvy hi-tensile steel tubes could be a problem.. Although many people seem to be riding similar bikes.
I just picked up a new Carrera Gryphon "road hybrid" today, £100 its alloy with 700c wheels and cable actuated disc brakes.. Tyres are too narrow for motoring but the frame has little flex despite its large size. I can put the wheels off my Dawes Galaxy Cross tourer on there, 36 spoke, deep rims, 32mm tyres. :)
I have a Specialized Sirrus "hybrid" too, came with a taco'd rear rim. Nothing can be done to permanently/reliably fix that taco shape.. New DT Swiss rim, better DT Swiss spokes was the only solution.
I have too many bikes. :(
 
Wow, I have a very old used cheap skinny 10spd bike with a GT2A motor bolted on that does more than 200 miles a week.
It does 30mph+ and only has 2.10 tires. It survives!

My first bike was an overbuilt Mtn bike and I POUND it.
Trails at speed, gravel roads, rail beds, you name it. Up to 40mph. No break so far.
full

This bike is seriously over strong and was difficult to drop the motor in due to the frame tube sizes.
Buy a standard frame bike and you will have the motor in and running in 3 hours.
Make sure everything is tight and straight and that bike will run a long time.

Steve
 
I am trying to find a good quality beach cruiser, single speed. My Walmart bike that I used for my build fell apart after about 200 miles of use. Needless to say, I'm disappointed. The repairs are too costly for the value of the bike at this point, and I've had many issues in building it up to the point of it being usable.

All this to say, I need advice on what brand to choose. I am not going to buy any more department store bike brands: Huffy, Roadmaster, Schwinn, etc. I am looking for a midrange bicycle brand such as Raleigh, or even something as expensive as a Specialized if I decide the price is worth it. I am heavily considering buying a bike from a bike shop, so that I can make sure it is the correct dimensions and quality for my purpose before purchasing.

Thanks in advance for the help! :D
Buy a quality Schwinn, or an Electra beach cruiser
 
Wow, I have a very old used cheap skinny 10spd bike with a GT2A motor bolted on that does more than 200 miles a week.
It does 30mph+ and only has 2.10 tires. It survives!

My first bike was an overbuilt Mtn bike and I POUND it.
Trails at speed, gravel roads, rail beds, you name it. Up to 40mph. No break so far.
full

This bike is seriously over strong and was difficult to drop the motor in due to the frame tube sizes.
Buy a standard frame bike and you will have the motor in and running in 3 hours.
Make sure everything is tight and straight and that bike will run a long time.

Steve
Nice bike man, but i dont recommend that head if it is the Chinese 1 I used to have that and I grenaded my motor, I think because it warped, that thing get seriously hot because of its cheap aluminum and lack of surface area
 
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