Adult Mountain Bike, 21 Speed Shimano Drivetrain, 26 Inch Wheels, Aluminum Frame, Lock-Out . Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. I wondered, who is the target audience for Viathon bikes? About Us | On its own, Viathon strikes me as a modestly interesting enthusiast brand with some solid, value-oriented bikes that feature industry-standard design and technology. I also grabbed a G1. Originally from Northern CA, home for me has ranged from the PNW to a teepee in Grand Teton National Park. GearJunkie Copyright 2013 2023. My time was limited to two hours, so this isnt an exhaustive review. Sadly the provided stem length and seatpost setback werent an ideal fit for the bike, or us. 100 competitor promo codes - Last used 11m ago. Viathon offers so much for the money, but there are obvious trade-offs. And then theres the fact that the established brands the Giants, Treks, Specializeds and Cannondales of this world typically supply the bikes with components that are already damn close to being right for each respective size to begin with. Will people buy them? Viathon G.1 105 First Ride Review | Road Bike, Cycling Forums Launched earlier this year, its line blows the image of a "Walmart bike" out of the water. You can bet that when the product managers behind Viathon called manufacturers and name-dropped Walmart, the pencil was sharpened to a dangerously pokey point. None of the standard specs were an issue for me in terms of fit, and even the Selle Italia saddle wasnt problematic for me at any point. Hip Labrum Repair - How long did yours last? Either way, its there as an intended feature. Should brick-and-mortar or other online retailers worry? Brothers Tom and Steuart Walton are passionate cyclists, and the Walton Family Foundation has helped build the Bentonville area into a world-class destination for mountain biking. Meanwhile, the rear brake hose, which sits loose inside the down tube, had a tendency to rattle against the frame. At the end of the day, we bike people live and work in a quirky, parochial and, more than occasionally, incestuous little industry, one with its own set of business realities. But that lack of local shop support is a risk of buying a bike through direct channels. Its certainly no Huffy, but heres what stood out to me: Light as a feather:This thing is nimble. ''', And indeed they were. View specs and technical data for all Viathon Bike Models. So whats not to like? Last April, when we saw them at Sea Otter, they dropped the G1, R1, and M1 all at once, dipping their toes into the gravel, road, and mountain bike pool. Its name is Viathon. Viathon G.1 Gravel Bike | Viathon Bikes by Walmart A RockShox 120mm fork and speedy Continental tires respectively absorb and grip the ground. Like Remot, Viathon debuts with three offerings: one frame each in road, gravel, and mountain, with three levels of build kit. In the meantime, Viathon offers the . As to the inventory, we are out of bikes and can't restock at this time as a result of delays from our suppliers caused by the pandemic. All the frames are carbon fiber, and the gravel and road models fit solidly within current design trends that prize features like disc brakes and clearance for wider tires. But if Viathon is going to have any real impact, its the next set of new bikes that will matter most. The new brand is launching with carbon road, mountain and gravel bikes. With a trendy 25 mm internal width, the welded alloy rims are wider than they are deep. The writer, Sarah Moore, found the connection when looking up the trademark on the name, which isregistered to Walmart. All rights reserved. And, its certainly not the Evil Chamois Hagar. Managing editor Dean Yobbi told the story in BRAIN's May dead-trees issue and online as well. It's a full carbon gravel bike with modern geometry, an understated look, and a price that's refreshingly affordable. Certainly Viathon's not to that point yet, but time will tell. Why was one of the worlds most budget-driven companies focusing on the upper echelon of the bike world? Theyve played a monumental role in I was excited to try out the G1 to get a better taste of what Viathon as a whole has to offer. Im guessing thatwithout the connection to the largest retailer in the world, Viathon wouldnt be getting nearly this level of attention. Earlier this year, Viathon Bicycles launched with a direct-to-consumer business model and a catalog of high-end carbon bicycles, taking an approach similar to the one Canyon has used. Fast as a road racer, rugged as a mountain bike, and priced beyond compare.. Walmart.com, of course, is an internet behemoth with hundreds of millions of visitor sessions each month with peak holiday traffic topping half a billion, according to analyses by industry research firms SimilarWeb and Statista. Not recovering IT Band Friction Syndrome!! Are Your Trails Ready to Ride for the Season. Copper Harbor grants massive descents on rocky hills. Terms | Privacy. The 1019mm wheelbase keeps the handling snappy. Viathon says it wants to bridge Walmarts current low-price offerings to the bike-enthusiastbusiness. For the M.1, its the generalist MTB enthusiast, Spinhirne-Martin said. Our biggest issues were certainly related to the cabling. Dont let the affordable price entice you if youre looking for a more well-rounded bike. Almost all carbon frames come from Asia, and different brands often subcontract with the same large producers. Getting this bike moving fast was intimidating. Equipped with a SRAM XO1 Eagle drivetrain that shifts seamlessly, Stans 29 carbon wheels, and an FSA K-force carbon handlebar, this thing was designed to climb. When compared to its fellow direct-to-consumer brands like Canyon, the price point doesnt really feel that out of the ordinary. From its sleek frame on up, the M.1 cuts few corners: Stans Crest CB7 carbon wheels, FSA carbon cockpit, Fizik saddle, Ergon grips, and a RockShox dropper post. Viathon is a new direct-to-consumer bike brand owned by Walmart that launched this week with a line of carbon bikes that sell between $2,300 and $6,000. Good question, Dan, and one we'll come back to in just a minute. Though a cross-country bike, the Viathon gave confidence and control through almost every session on the U.P. The bikes themselves, it was agreed, were competently designed and engineered, and marketed by respected industry professionals with big-brand credentials. Privacy Policy I normally would not take the time to write this stuff, but I was really interested in a review of this bike. Tiny issue, sure, but its the smallest of details that often separate great bikes from good bikes. Home; Shop. The Viathon fulfillment center is in Carlsbad, California. The Fizik Tundra M3 saddle was not comfortable in the slightestespecially on longer climbs. The same, except a 2 mm shorter offset fork (50 vs 48 mm) results in an ever-so-slightly-slower 68 mm trail figure. Perfect Portable Power Station: EcoFlow River 2 Pro Review, Watch Aldo Leopolds Passion for Conservation Take Root in Serve the Land, Best Overland Water Storage Containers for Long-Distance Travel, AI Hiking Bears Fascinate Internet, Scramble Human Brains, Civivi Conspirator Nitro-V Review: The Budget-Friendly Super Steel Youve Never Heard Of, Nissan Frontier PRO-4X Review: Mojave Road Overland Adventure, The Benchmade Narrows Resets the Engineering Bar, A Scope That Performs Without Breaking the Bank: Maven CRS.2 Review, The Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2023, The Best Camping Mattresses and Sleeping Pads of 2023, From a Reclining Camp Chair to Kickass Layers: Best Gifts for Outdoorsy Moms, Best Gifts for Dad: Great Gear for Your Old Man, Best Fitness Gifts: 10 Must-Haves for the Outdoor Athlete. JRA with the Angry Asian: How much does 'soul' matter for bike brands Walmart are best known for their $300-$500 bikes that. Racers? 1600 Pearl St., Ste 300Boulder, CO 80302This website copyright 2023. Teton Gravity Research But Viathon is a Walmart corporatenot Waltonproject, intended to expand Walmarts current bike offerings to the specialty market. Battle of the frames: Felt IA 10 vs IA 1? Viathon ships high-end carbon bikes from a Walmart - Bikerumor As it is, other brands are becoming wise to consumer demands for affordable, high-end bikes, so Viathon has enough competition to make one wonder whether this new brand can stick with the big boys. NAHBS photos: Show winners and their bikes, Cervlo S5 review: A truly exhilarating superbike, Technical FAQ: Mips vs. loose helmet strap, bike weight, hydraulic brakes at altitude, Di2 mix/match. But it is building out a platform not just with more and better bikes, but with video and editorial support. I want to figure out how to use that customer base to grow the bike industry.. Not because its not important, but because Viathons business model is to swap out these components to your preference upon ordering the bike, all with no additional cost. Industry watchers may remember the last time Walmart tried to get into the carbon bike game, which as I recall was about ten years ago. Plan to post in the forums? "We're trying to build a culture, building an education," Jordan said at the introduction. Because all XC bikes are light compared to enduro. And when you have fun, you ride more." Everyone knows that Black Friday is this week, but Walmart and Viathon can't wait until then to. Now on to the final word on this carbon fiber crushed rock roller. The bikes look fine. Mountain - M.1. Also the statement of light as a feather.is that compared to your Enduro bike? Granted my personal bikes 150mm fork made it tough to have as much fun on the Viathons 120mm fork, I still felt unstable on the more technical parts of the trail with its steep 69.5-degree head tube angle. Geometry is almost identical to a specialized crux. Steering responsiveness feels more akin to an endurance or aero bike than that of an all-around bike. Slowtwitch approved IT Band rehab? Viathons G.1 gravel bike requires the same build. So, at a quick glance, the Viathon seems like a steal. This is pretty similar to the BMC URS, and realistically those under 5 6 (170 cm) are likely out of luck here. Its a bike that in so many ways aligns closely to what the premium Santa Cruz Stigmata is, however, the Viathon adds a little more versatility through additional mounting options. To be fair, that latter element is fairly common on a number of high-end bikes and isnt much of an issue, but it does point to a simpler frame construction. Pretty, pretty, good . While so many of the established brands offer anything from a five-year to lifetime warranty on their frames, Viathons come with just two years of coverage. Any Canadians with/had a hip labral tear here? The history of the bicycle business is, in one sense, a history of powerful outsiders coming in to teach us dumb yokels how things are done in the Big Leagues. I am a professional mechanic, and have a hand built over 175 custom frames from steel or Ti. Others seek innovation above all, eager to check out the latest suspension tech from Trust Performance or Yeti. Fortunately for Viathon, the R.1 has a quality spec and a respectable though not exactly inspiring ride quality. These are just my opinions. The GRX 600 build also has Mercury G3 wheels, with a 25mm internal width, and IRC Boken 700x40c tires, for a setup that should provide a wide footprint. But thats not necessarily a bad thing. A 54 cm Stigmata offers a 71.5-degree head angle, 74-degree seat tube angle and trail figure of 66 mm (measured with 700 x 40 mm tyres). Fond of bikes, pow, and dogs. The bike is not designed for a super short stem. This latter element is certainly somewhat surprising when you consider Viathon R.1 road frame uses a PF30 shell, and that the use of a threaded shell arguably inhibits the available width for tyre clearance. Shoppers will have four build choices per model. With 11 out of the 12 bikes tested at Field Test having some iteration of GRX on it, youll know by now that it just works. The other risk is the warranty. Brand manager Spinhirne-Martin said a search of similar Trek, Specialized, or Canyon bikes will net a conclusion that they are all significantly more expensive for a similarly specced product., Spinhirne-Martin came to Walmart after 10 years working in the industry at Competitive Cyclist. Certainly, there are many Walmart shoppers among us, though likely few who have bought a bike there. [, Re: Did Wal Mart pull the plug on Viathon? Viathon swears its the latter. And I suspect Viathon isnt relying on a deep tech story to market its bikes for a simple reason: the frames dont seem to offer clear innovation in design or materials. With the tire clearance limited to a 40c wide tire though, the G1 reminds me again that its intentions rest on dirt roads. For the hardtail mountain bike, thats a $2,000 frame, $2,400 GX Eagle build, $3,500 X01 build (which comes without a dropper), or a $6,000 XX1 option. Viathon riders, like every other bike customer, will need service. Walmart didnt opt to adopt more modern geometry, possibly because its current customer base will have to take a few steps to catch up to the rest of the bike market. That wont set it apart in a highly competitive market or bring high-end tech to a new market of people. Read more. The XX1 bike is around 21.5 pounds for a size M. The weight is competitive with other hardtail cross-country bikes in the same price range, and the price isnt wildly low. Shop Nitrous Shop Cyclosys QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE Since 1994 these are the words that continue to resonate within us. Thats a fine goal, but lets not kid ourselves: $2,300 is both a lot of money and also not appreciably cheaper than the pricing offered by a number of other brands.
Robert Mulcahy Obituary,
What Does Holding Up 4 Fingers Sideways Mean,
Articles V