Friday, September 19, 2008

Razor MX500 Dirt Rocket Electric Motocross Bike Review

Arrived with all the parts necessary and was put together in about 30 minutes. Son had a great time on this bike for about 10 days of gentle riding. then the chain broke. Went on to Razors website and found the part out of stock. Waited for several weeks then called the company who told me to call an authorized service center in my area. the service center said they don't have parts either they can only put the chains on.
The service center also mentioned what a pathetic track record Razor has. Thjis will be the last Razor product I ever buy. Get your act together Razor if you're going to make a product that falls apart at least have the parts available to fix it. I cannot recommend this because of poor quality poor customer service. If you want your kids disappointed then perhaps this is the bike for you. Otherwise get them a well made dirt bike. As soon as the chain comes in I'm going to sell this expensive piece of junk. BTW this is a re-review. I originally gave this bike 5 stars because I reviewed it to early. I should have waited a few weeks before revieewing it.

Schwinn Ridge AL Men's Mountain Bike Review

My wife and I purchased this bike and the "women's versions" of this bike together as a Christmas gift to one another. First, I am 37 years-old and disabled. I needed a bike that is light, yet strong enough to handle my 250lb + frame. Well, this bike is light due to all the aluminum parts that make up the bike and it is the aluminum that gives the bike it strength as well. The bike was a breeze to unpack and set up. Once again, I am disabled, I do not have the strength to manipulate cumbersome items... and this truly was not a cumbersome task! One hour tops from UPS Truck to being able to ride it up my street and back. During the easy and very short set up process, I had time to admire the welds and other artisanship details... I found no flaws. The bike was put together well at the factory. There were no scratches from the assembly line. The welds appear uniform (which is an excellent sign of a good weld). If I have one complaint, it would be the seat... Oh my gosh, that seat! Like I said earlier, I am 37 years old and 250lb +, the seat on this bike is not meant for a large buttock as mine! I think a vertical "Wiffle Ball Bat" would have been more comfortable than this wedge of a seat. I was one bump away from a Proctologist appointment! I am going to remove the seat and install one of those "farm tracker seats"... you know, the ones with the giant coil springs under the copious amount of foam covered in heavy duty 'all weather' fake leather covering! Yea, the Schwinn seat has to go!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Roadmaster Duo Deck 10-Inch Trike

After much research and shopping around for a good quality tricycle for my two-year-old, I found this Roadmaster - and am very pleased! My main criteria for choosing a tricycle were:
(1) The trike should not be tippy. Several popular models (like the Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go) seem to tip over with the slightest nudge.
(2) The tires should be made of rubber, not hard plastic. Plastic tires provide a rough ride, are loud on rough pavement, and show their wear much moreso than rubber tires.
(3) Value - While I don't mind spending more for better quality/features, some models seem overpriced for what they offer.

My 3-year-old son has a Schwinn Roadster 12-Inch Trike (Red) (also highly recommended), but I had been considering the Radio Flyer classic red dual-deck tricycle for my 2-year-old, until finding this Roadmaster model. The quality and features seem comparable to the Radio Flyer (minus the streamers on the handlebars). It has nice solid metal construction, and rubber tires. The trike is nice and stable. Assembly was required, but was straightforward. At the lowest adjustable seat position, my 2-year-old can reach the pedals nicely, and should be able to grow with the trike for some time. And, of course, the ultimate test - my daughter loves it! This Roadmaster trike is a great unit, especially at its price point.

Schwinn Meridian Adult 26-Inch 3-Wheel Bike

This bike is wonderful! i get stopped on the street all the time asking where I got it. I am 45 years old. Young enough to ride a bike, but 12 years ago was diagnosed with MS. I can not balance a traditional 2 wheel bike and was not happy with the three wheel grampa looking bikes. This was the perfect solution. Its not too big and the wheels are closer together so its style is very attractive. It was delivered promptly by 5 pm. My husband was able to assemble the bike in time for us to ride off to our local diner for a hot meal by 6pm. This bike has very good brakes and the handle bar promots comfortable positioning. The folding basket in the back is never closed. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so rain or no rain is an hour to hour guess. My family puts a back pack and light weather jackets in the back and we are good to go. I would encourage anyone that has a problem with balance but can still peddle and wants to keep up with other family members going on bike rides, to buy this bike and join in the fun. We use our bikes everyday now and I get to go too.

Schwinn Roadster 12-Inch Trike (Multiple Colors)

I purchased this trike for a four-year-old's birthday gift. I hesitated as many other reviews said this was for a younger child, but it got such raves that I took the plunge and made the purchase. I'm so glad I did!

The look on this kid's face when he unwrapped the box was priceless - such pure joy. He's been riding it endlessly.

We live on a ranch with rough dirt roads, so many of the other "Big Wheel" type bikes we looked at were inadequate for our ranch roads, and a 2-wheeled bike with training wheels was too unsteady on the rough roads. The Schwinn Roadster rides beautifully on dirt roads.

Reasons we love it:
- It sits low to the ground so won't tip over like conventional tricycles.
- The seat has a back on it to keep child from sliding backwards.
- Real bicycle tires make for a smoother ride and grip the road.
- Chrome fenders, bright paint, streamers on handles and wooden running board make the bike look so cool!

If your child is too young for a 2-wheeled bike, the Schwinn Roadster is definitely worth consideration.
I highly recommend this bike.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Kettler Sprint Balance Bike

This bike has been a huge hit since the UPS man brought it a month ago. It has been ridden everywhere. There is no more walking outside with my 3 year old son begging me to carry him. He rides. He can even balance while coasting down hills. We have a farm and are constantly going from building to building and out to fields, and this bike has freed up my hands for things other then children. He gets excited to do daily chores because he can ride his bike. It was hard to assemble. The instructions were barely acceptable. We had to take it apart and reassemble it a couple of times before we figured it out. I am glad we chose this bike. The learning curve is non existant,and it is durable enough to withstand mud, rain, rocks, and little boys.

Mongoose Montana Men's Mountain Bike

Sometimes being frugal about certain items is not worth in the long run. Take this bike as an example. Took it out of the box and, at first, looks very promising. After placing all the parts together (handle bar, front tire and seat) took it for its first spin. First thing I noticed that it wasn't shifting (rear) correctly. Brake pads (front and back) need adjustments to make them not rub against the rims. Took it back home right away and discovered that the rear derailleur is bent - signs of poor/very cheap quality. With my bare hands, straigthened the rear component and took it for a spin again and after adjusting the brakes. I got the rear gear to the highest number but couldn't make it go to the lowest number - more adjustments. Despite being Shimano components, I was very disappointed of the low quality parts. So just expect to make quite a few adjustments with this bike. If you are not mechanically inclined, try asking your friends or make some new ones who are, otherwise, to the bike shop it goes.$$$

GMC Denali Boy's 24-Inch Road Bike

This bike is a great buy. It is very difficult to find a junior road bike with 21 speed under $200.00 My son was not into the BMX stlye bikes or the Mountain Bikes with shocks. This bike moves realy fast! I took the advice from the previous reviewer and changed the handle bars to a straight bar because my son's reach to the curved handle bars was too far. It took my local bike shop about 1 hour to do and cost less than $60.00 for parts and labor. It needed brake handles and a handle bar and grips. I saw three other bikes in the same size in the bike shop that cost $600.00 and up! After comparing them to the components and weight, I am certain this bike is just as good and a great value!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Bicycle Rear Rack Grocery Baskets by Wald

I purchased these, so I could run more errands using my bike. They attached easily, and I really like the fact that they are securely fixed to my bike rack and that they fold up. I can haul quite a few groceries with them. A gallon of milk and two 2-liter bottles of soda? No problem. The now-popular reusable grocery bags fit as well. My lunch cooler even fits. My only suggestion is to make sure you place them far back enough, so your heels don't catch. Also, they do add some weight, making lifting my bike in and out of my truck a little more of a chore. However, I've had my bike for 16 years, and with these racks, I'm riding more than ever.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Allen Deluxe 5-Bike Hitch Mount Rack

I don't write many reviews but I was happy enough with this product to spend time giving my feedback.

The Good

* This rack easily accommodated 2 large adult bikes with *big* baby carriers, along with 2 smaller kids bikes (4 total). Because these are large and bulky I doubt we could get another full sized bike installed, but it easily handled our situation.
* I *love* the tilt feature which allows us to open the minivan hatch back without unloading everything on the rack. This is a must-have feature that is worth its weight in gold.
* It's well constructed so it should last many years. The steel is powder-coated so hopefully rust will not be an issue.
* Very easy to install
* It's not very expensive!

The Bad

* I doubt you can fit 5 unless they are all thin racing-style road bikes. But again, it fits 4 "family" bikes without a problem.

The Ugly

* The accessory strap buckle broke after one firm yank. This strap is not an integral part of the design so I simply used my own ratched-style strap in it's place. Not a big deal, but it's something to look out for.

Allen 102S Premium 2-Bike Trunk Mount Rack , Allen Tension Bar Bicycle Cross-Bar Adaptor , Allen Deluxe 3-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack , Allen Deluxe 3-Bike Hitch Mount Rack , Allen Deluxe 5-Bike Hitch Mount Rack , Allen Deluxe 4-Bike Trunk Mount Rack

Friday, August 8, 2008

Cadillac Escalade 20-Inch Freestyle Bike (White)

My son wanted to get a bike for his 9th birthday, so I decided to check Amazon for it as I always do. To my surprise there was a cool bike with pegs and was exactly what he wanted and for a better price than the local stores. I have a Cadillac Eldorado and he is very pleased to have his own Cadillac. Mine of course is faster except when his bike is in the trunk. The bike was very easy to put together and did not take very long even though I tightened everything twice to make sure it was sturdy. It looks and rides great and the brakes are the same that are on his friends HARO that cost three times as much. Great Deal, thank you Amazon!

Sunlite Toploader 1 Bicycle Rear Rack Bag

I needed a rear rack bag that would not get in the way of my bike seat since it sets somewhat low. This one does a nice job and has plenty of room for just about anything you would need. The main compartment measures about 12x5x5 inside to give you an idea. A good find. Fits on my Sunlite rear rack perfectly. Some report that it does not stay in place,however it does have two straps on the bottom and one on each corner.

Sunlite Bike Bags

Sunlite Traveler 1 Bicycle Saddle Pannier Bag

Have had no problem or issue. Initial concern resulted from a review stating that the SunLite would detach and fall off. This has not happened. True, that there is no "tie-down attachments" included with the SunLite. However, there are so many different bikes that one attachment will not fit all anyway. I simply used two 'black electrical tie straps' and in 90 seconds, I was on my way. The bags look great and are doing all that is advertised. Very pleased with this purchase!

Sunlite Bicycle Bags