I just read this and couldn't believe it. Wal-Mart is selling carbon bikes with Ultegra/105 parts on it. The bike is called Corsa FC and is supposed to be made in Italia. Not that I'm running to Wal-Mart to buy one but, what do you guys think about this?

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My 2009 SuperSix Hi-Mod
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=60987

It's good. It's great, even. I'm for just about anything that encourages more people to buy bikes and ride.

I can only imagine the mess that an under-paid under-valued Walmart employee would create when attempting to assemble this thing...

found it on their website, $1,898.00... really people (clearly not anyone on this board), just go to your LBS and get a real bike from people who know what you're doing.

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Rule #1. Superheroes Wear Tights

I understand your point; however, you have to keep in mind the sort of people that go to WalMart to buy a bike. They aren't likely to go to an LBS to get a bike. That's something that most of us here can't relate to. It is, nonetheless, a reality. Hopefully purchasing the WalMart bike will lead to an increased interest and then to wanting a better bike, followed by healthy spending at an LBS.

I would awoid such a purchase. Even if a warranty is appropriate, imagine how much time you should spend if smth. goes wrong with (and the % of that is large, I think).

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Bianchi SL3 Reparto Corse
sub-9 kilo XC hardtail still in building process ...

Oh I agree with you 100% Alienator. The more people on bikes the better. I just thought is incredible that you can find a bike with decent parts at Wal-Mart. Normally you find "I don't care" bikes at such places.

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My 2009 SuperSix Hi-Mod
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=60987

I don't think they will do well with that bike. I think close to $2000 for a bike is not your typical WallMart custoner. Any somebody like us who might want a really cheal deal is just as likely to get a slightly better bike from Bikes Direct for $200-300 less.

Right now (and I kid you not) they sell the GMC Denali (named of course for the overfatblob auto on our highways). It's been there for 2 years now and the guy who put it together put the brakes so low you'd fall off trying to brake.

sounds good to me since they have an awesome no questions return policy. No more having to fly or send my bike on vacation. I will just make a trip down to Wallymart for a free rental bike.

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07 Pinarello Paris Carbon
06 Trek Equinox 11
05 Trek 8500
88 Schwinn Prelude Fixie
72 Schwinn Continental
www.cougarcycling.com

They're made in China, mailed them already to get in touch with someone who is responsible for the stuff they buy in and the text on the website.

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Chris Kuiper
www.KuiperTrading.com

When working at my LBS, a girl showed her brand new bike (purchased at Wall-Mart) and didn't understand why she couldn't ride it. I looked at the bike and was stunned: they installed the chain without passing it throught the two pulleys!!

Ok, here is my confession:
I worked at Wal-Mart for a while. The "assemblers" are responsible for putting together anything that requires it in the store. they are grossly unskilled and have no idea what they are doing. I had to help them once in a while because they were just soo incompetent. Often the brakes were not adjusted propperly, bars were twisted so that it would hurt to look at them, and in several cases the guys put the infamous denali on the sales floor with the fork facing backwards. I don't mean that the bars were turned 180 degress and facing back, too. The bars were in the direction in which they belonged, the fork was installed 180 degrees rotated from that position.
Since that was something that happened consistently I would never trust any bike purchased there. Most employees are untrained, underpayed, and not exactly motivated.
I hope that there are "assemblers" at other Wal-Marts that do a fabulous job, but the experiences I've had were a bit worrying.
I don't think that anyone should be buying such a bike from such a store. There will be no one in the toys department remotely qualified enough to provide the service that is required for somone wishing to purchase a properly fitting road bike. They have no formal training in that area at all.
If you on the other hand know what your doing, you can buy yourself a nice bike if you so desire. Don't expect any expert advice, though.
In addition I would hope that because of the price they would not keep the bike on the regular bike rack. Stuff gets knocked around, especially the bikes because people are always riding around on them to try them out.


Are these bikes even going to be sold in store or do they have to be ordered online, and then picked up at a store?

Would eBaying the parts off be remotely profitable?
Enough rambling out of me today.

I dont think that they will be selling these in the store. I believe it is online only, in which case it would probably be like bikesdirect, where it is 90% assembled. This would mean that A. the consumer assembles it themselves or B. They have to take it to the local LBS to have it done for them. Seems like a decent build, but who knows.

But couldn't she ride it downhill?

Well of course she could, but the chain was a bit... slack. So the back wheel didn't like it