Rubbish online Bikes

[PierreBrun]

Having sensibly bought two excellent bikes a Brompton and Norco Heart from a real Bike Shop I did something stupid bought a bike online. The bike in question a Viking Retro Racer what a load of rubbish. To start with the quill stem wouldn't fit in the stem tube I had to use a lot of force with a rubber mallet. The brakes were all misaligned and one brake shoe wouldn't tighten up. The front mech wouldnt move the chain to the outer ring. The rear mech was clanky and needed adjustment. The brakes cables weren't set up properly too much slack so the gear handles touched the handlebars. That's the last time I will buy a bike online. The bike was advertised on some sites a £320 and others at £180. Don't go near this bike with a barge pole. It weighed more than my fixie.

 

[Smudge]

I have no qualms about buying a bike online, bought a couple of bikes that way myself. But i'm choosy about what bikes i would buy online and where i would buy it from. I also accept that i will possibly have to do some minor adjustments of things like gears and brakes.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It has nothing to do with online and everything with over-ambitious expectations.
What did you really expect for £180?

 

[DCLane]

You bought yourself a cheap Viking. They're cheap new for a reason I'm afraid.

I've no problem buying bikes online, but you do get what you pay for.

 

[Mo1959]

I've bought all my bikes online. As long as you do your research on both the bike and the retailer and are confident of your bike sizing, it is usually absolutely fine. As others have said, I'm afraid Viking is a cheap bike. Probably a decent used bike with better spec would have suited you more?

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

......To start with the quill stem wouldn't fit in the stem tube I had to use a lot of force with a rubber mallet. ....

You do know that with a quill stem you need to undo the bolt and than give the bolt a tap so that the expander drops and the quill can move up and down easily? :-)

The way that you describe it suggests that maybe you just undid the bolt and thought that that would be enough.

Bye

Ian

 

[vickster]

OP didn't last long on the forum, now showing as 'guest'

 

[Heltor Chasca]

OP didn't last long on the forum, now showing as 'guest'

It was a vent. Sometimes people just need to get ‘their own back’ on a disappointing purchase by trying to damage the name of a product / company. It was obvious there was no real love or understanding of a decent machine as said upthread. What do you expect from a £180 bike? I’ve spent more on bar tape in the last few years on all our bikes. But then again there’s no accounting for stupidity.

In defence: My youngest daughter has a child’s Viking wheelbarrow. It is very good,

 

[vickster]

It was a vent. Sometimes people just need to get ‘their own back’ on a disappointing purchase by trying to damage the name of a product / company. It was obvious there was no real love or understanding of a decent machine as said upthread. What do you expect from a £180 bike? I’ve spent more on bar tape in the last few years on all our bikes. But then again there’s no accounting for stupidity.

In defence: My youngest daughter has a child’s Viking wheelbarrow. It is very good,

And then ask for their account to be Deleted? Weird
He does say he'd bought a couple of bikes in LBS previously

 

[Pat "5mph"]

OP didn't last long on the forum, now showing as 'guest'

Mod Note:
OP asked to close their account.
Still, if the topic is interesting, why not continue discussing it?

 

[vickster]

Mod Note:
OP asked to close their account.
Still, if the topic is interesting, why not continue discussing it?

Because the OP clearly didn't want to?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Because the OP clearly didn't want to?

Well, I suspect the OP did not get the answers they were looking for.
They wanted to, they just did not expect the way the thread turned out.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Mod Note:
OP asked to close their account.
Still, if the topic is interesting, why not continue discussing it?

Absolutely. I could talk about wheelbarrows all day long. I run all 3 of mine tubeless. Really.

 

[Smudge]

The problem is that these sort of low quality bikes are mainly bought by people that only see the cheap price, they dont look beyond this and often dont have the necessary skills to adjust parts and/or replace them. Neither will they expect or want to spend more money on these cheap bikes upgrading them.
Of course there are exceptions.... The other day on HUKD's i saw a deal post for a Muddyfox fixie/ss bike for under £100 from Sports Direct. Says it all really doesn't it ! Yep, avoid like the plague !
Then someone linked a review vid about it. The guy in the vid was obviously an experienced cyclist and competent in setting up and upgrading bikes. He then used this bike working for Deliveroo and posted follow up vids about it.
So some cheap bikes can work out ok, depends on your expectations and being prepared to change stuff on them.

I still wouldn't have bought it though.

 

[biggs682]

It has nothing to do with online and everything with over-ambitious expectations.
What did you really expect for £180?

I have bought and sold loads of good bikes second hand for £180 and some a lot less

I think its the expectation thing