Twist of the fork... Looks like 29er's have invaded Target's.
Remember seeing another thread of a department store 29er with the fork installed backwards, but can't find it now. Anyways, must be an epidemic... Came across this one in my local Target today. Funny thing is that there were plenty of other bikes with correctly installed forks. Also notice the zip tie holding the brake cable to the stanchion?
Well, if you consider the name "Rivel", it makes sense. Rivel means to shrivel, or shrink. In this case, the wheelbase has shrunken as a result of the backwards fork. This no doubt is Schwinn's take on the short wheelbase 29er craze, and I for one applaud such ingenuity when others are fussing about with "how short can we make this chainstay while still leaving room for a front derailleur?" and whatnot.
When you guys see this $hit, do you ever think to call it to the attention of a manager or some such instead of just passing it by and letting some unsuspecting person buy this bike and have a serious injury??? Other than the fork being installed backwards I see nothing wrong with this bike for a beginner, specs look not much different to low end crap from other big brands.
I like how they ziptied the brake cable to the shock...if you look at the shock it even has a screw with a hook to hold it...I work at a Target & assemble bikes, just makes me SMH when you see this stupidity...
The shock comes in the box backwards like that, but........ya
Last week at my local grocery store I actually saw a bike that was locked up outside with the fork reversed like that. I stood around for a bit to wait for the owner but my 3yr old daughter was with me and she didn't have the patience so we had to leave. I wonder how the bike rides...
After seeing a couple of posts & pictures of this very bike (Shwinn) with backwards forks, my guess is that they are shipped in the box with the fork in this position and that's the way the assembler assumed it was to be assembled...
My Manitou Tower Pro is in the mail on the way. After so many of these backwards fork threads on mtbr, I think I need to make a sticker for it that says, "Assembled at Walmart"
They are shipped that way; you are supposed to turn the fork around and then install the stem. Dumb@sses! That has got to be my favorite mart-bike mixup.
I have zero issues with the bikes or brands.
I do think its careless and potentially harmful for someone to purchase a bike like that. God knows what else they did wrong that could be unsafe. Are these bikes grab and go or boxed for a purchaser ?
Also....ok Ill admit. It does bug me how nice the paint jobs are. I dont spend anywhere near what some of you guys do on your high end bikes and to have these Dept store brands look the same or better aesthetically would bother me.
I once reported a loose EBB to a local bike shop only because they should know better (I hate the shop and wouldn't mind if they lost business).
Shouldn't these target/walmart bikes have assembly directions that come with them?
And they average less than 50 miles of rides before going to the landfill. At least they provide good jobs for slaves in China as well as low wage food stamp aided workers at Walmart.
Back when I first seen this post it wasn't but a week later my wife and I where in Target and this guy was walking to the check-out with one and I looked and the fork was on back-wards, I told him and he said so! I told him you going to get hurt,make them fix right before you buy it,the guy was like duaa! some people just don't know any better thats why dep stores are selling bikes and people think they are getting a good bike and yes Hack you'er so right they are coming into our shop with-in 50 miles on them.
I hate it when someone comes in and wants a good used bike for $ 50.00 I say there is no such thing! not even for $ 500.00 hardly!
Hmm, I mean that's a pretty high standard dude. Not the way you get people into riding, especially kids. I agree a new 500 dollar mtb is not that nice by my standard, but it's not trash, it's what going to get the job done for starting out riding off road. And, A bike one would pay 500 for used is probably a bike that cost double or more new usually. When it's a decent deal.
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