Let's see the salaries of engineers at Specialized giving us all these "advancements" in recent years that 90% of people riding mountain bicycles on trails don't need. Like Remot, Viathon debuts with three offerings: one frame each in road, gravel, and mountain, with three levels of build kit. 3 for online traffic after Google and Amazon. If These guys could take a similar (or slightly better) spec and cut $200 off of it, and I'd bet it'd be a huge seller. VIATHON BICYCLES SPONSORS CAFFEINE AND WATTS CLUB. For instance, TRP Sprye calipers are known for having a part in this issue with many other combinations due to the wider caliper designed to accommodate the dual moving pistons on that design. Don't think too fast. But does it have enough soul and personality to compete with more established brands offering quality bikes at a similarly low price?". Hed been with the online retailer for 10 years. Browse. @jason-99: If a home mechanic rounds off the flats on a nut, because they used a Wal-Mart adjustable, is that the fault of the tool or the mechanic? best army base in germany is dr abraham wagner married is dr abraham wagner married Walmart hopes its own expensive bike will be proof of concept to attract mainstream brands to that marketplace brands that previously opted out, like Evil and Niner, which are both sold at Walmart-owned Moosejaw.com. Viathon made a big splash when it announced its presence to the bicycle world back in April, leveraging the cost-efficiency muscle of its parent company, Walmart, into a line of carbon bikes that . Brilliant, someone commenting who clearly has no idea how much it costs to actually make a bike. Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. A Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem tamed the harsh vibrations coming from the Viathons beefy carbon fork. The tires were Schwalbe Lugano which sell around $10 each. Good. Returns only available to original purchaser. Walmart's first mountain bike offering is a carbon hardtail called the M.1. Your email address will not be published. And the company currently sells more bicycles in the United States than any other retailer. Im guessing thatwithout the connection to the largest retailer in the world, Viathon wouldnt be getting nearly this level of attention. Viathon riders, like every other bike customer, will need service. We highly recommend retaining the original shipping box & protective packaging for future use. Spinhirne-Martin doesnt need to fret about shipping: he outsources that to industry veteran Richard Wittenberg of Lucidity-Podium Marketing, who has been involved with in-house logistics for brands such as Ridley, Cannondale and Factor. Honestly the bike prices are high because people buy them LOL. Walmart are best known for their $300-$500 bikes that. its true, For everyone else. The bikes will be available to order within weeks. what happened to viathon bikes By July, barely 90 days from its glitzy premiere, Viathon had announced via direct mail and on its website that it was dropping prices on all models by as much as $1,000 per bike, to as low as $1,998. If it's the latter, I hear the bikes will be spec'd with negative-51mm offset forks Another thing to note is high-end mountain bikes is still a tiny market when compared to motorcycles/cars/etc. If we stopped inventing new shit the whole circus might just collapse in on itself overnight. Hopefully the forks won't be on backwards. Explore, search and compare thousands of the world's best mountain bikes here on Mountain Bike Database. At any rate, the Viathon G1 is an interesting option that we hope to see developed into something more refined in the areas of rider comfort, versatility, and geometry in the future. So this is competing against the Ibis DV9? The last time we posted on the Viathon G1 we mentioned that this bike might be the perfect candidate for the Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem. Call it a 'Walmart' bike if you must. You can buy the same frames on aliexpress for under $300, or if you're more risk-adverse you can buy them through this guy: Perhaps we'll see a revolution that surfing seems to be having. The load is transmitted through four large bearings and a large 19mm chunk of steel. Walmart is also the largest grocer in America and possibly the world. I followed with an opinion column about Viathon's unique formation, business model and value proposition. The new G.1 is their top-tier carbon gravel bike, with a loaded spec including Zipp cockpit, Fizik saddle, HED wheels, and SRAM Red electronic shifting. Waiting for Whole Foods to offer MTBs. bike When used in conjunction with good cultural management practices and as part of a complete disease control program, viAtHOntM will control/suppress specified diseases associated with almond, barley, corn, grasses grown for seed, onions, peanuts, pecans, pistachio, soybeans, walnut, watermelons, and wheat. Good, we need more of this competition. This may have been mentioned already but Im not gonna read everything. Of course, you can always install a nice, compliant carbon post. In an interview last week at Sea Otter, a bicycling industry gathering in Monterey, Calif. I came to Walmart to grow the bike industry. By signing up for email newsletters, you agree to GearJunkie's, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). It'll take ONE major company (looking at you. Note: Viathon sent over the Rival 1 G1 bicycle for test and review at no charge to Riding Gravel. The M1 carbon hardtail, with a SRAM GX Ealge driveterain comes in at a bargain price of $2,200, with the top-level SRAM AXS electronic drivetrain equipped model hitting $6,500. I think bikes are priced high and I think the margins are higher than in other enterprises. It appears the newswas first mentioned in a Pinkbike story. But when people saw these bikes here, it was like, 'Hey, these are real bikes! Viathon is for riders who appreciate uncontrived quality, demand craftsmanship but recognize value, who pedal for health yet savor the ride. Same price as the Grail 7 AL right now, both have quite race-y aspects to them. Pinterest. Still, Viathon is getting a fair bit of press, with stories on a number of cycling-enthusiast and outdoor sites. Im sure you can find wheels that wouldnt clear, depending upon hub design, and wheels that would be just fine. 3G for Ultegra, double the 105 model. It is being released alongside a carbon road bike, the R.1, and a carbon gravel bike named, you guessed it - the G.1. Frame weight is a claimed 1,010 grams for size 54, including derailleur hardware and bottle cage bolts. I read an article that estimates the bikes the top pro supercross riders use would cost somewhere in the range 100k-200k. ''', And indeed they were. Just go to Bentonville, ride those trails, a lot of which is paid for w/ money from Wam-Lart, and I think you suddenly like the idea of their bikes a lot more. Kev has 43,000 subscribers. Time for competition to drive down the absurd prices on bikes. It's like the lineup are marketed just like any other Walmart products, and the bike prices don't make sense. bikes Facebook. That's a common argument in PB comments and everyone blows up saying you can't actually get a good mx bike for that price so why did I see one like you mentioned for 6k at my dealership? Don't need. The brand is starting with three models: the R1 road bike, the G1 gravel bike, and the M1 29er MTB. Viathon, like Bonobos, goes against the fundamental tenets on which Walmart was built. Another new direct-to-consumer brand, Remot, alsolaunched this week with far less buzz, despite being owned by American Bicycle Group, the holding company for established high-end brands Litespeed and Quintana Roo. It seems like it would be a good exploring bike for when you'd likely be riding lots of dirt roads as well as singletrack. Maybe they could pump out some sultans for turner? which would be why the mtb would cost more, not enough numbers to drive down the productions costs, mould costs. Damn. Good question, Dan, and one we'll come back to in just a minute. We wanted to create a non-intimidating platform, said Spinhirne-Martin. It can take 650b wheels with up to 2.1-inch tires, or 700c wheels with. bicycles It's not the frames: they aren't open-mould no-names, all three shapes were CAD designed by the legendary Kevin Quan Studios of Toronto, Canada. And its partnering with shops, mobile shops, and more, as well as creating an online fit calculator. They seem to offer a solid value for a full carbon bike. tony dokoupil ex wife the bachelorette. He employs six engineers and designers at his Toronto-based studio. what happened to viathon bikes Byjunho 3, 2022 At Viathon, we believe that great bikes make riding more fun. If in the next 6 months new bikes stopped selling and P&A upgrades shot through the rough, you bet your ass the industry would respond. Press J to jump to the feed. Their investments are totally separate from Walmart even though Steuart is on the main Walmart board.. Dave Rome Apr 2020. For less. So, we feel this is a good bike, but maybe that stiffness and the specifics on spec and business model are not for everyone. For anyone familiar with the beer industry, this is like Anheuser-Busch creating Shocktop, not Anheuser-Busch buying Goose Island or Elysian. This move isn't all too surprising. And does it matter, because the nut is now unusable? Stock yz250 is a joke compared to what actual supercross athletes ride. We got bills to pay and we work our asses off for you ya jergoffs. It's been just about four months since a line of consumer-direct carbon road, gravel and mountain bikes premiered from a new brand called Viathon, emerging out of the bright Sea Otter sunshine like the goddess Athena springing full-formed from the forehead of Zeus. Two many folks here getting a bit specific. Get 40% off Select Items ViathonBicycles.com w/ Coupon (Activate). yup. They have dumped millions into cycling in AK, even helping to fund the Arkansas High Country Route. Never blame a person, blame a tool, people are never to blame only the tools they choose to use. At least 30-50% of surfers at my local breaks are on $200 Wavesorms and other "foamies" from Costco and the like. Tommaso Sentiero Gravel Bike, Shimano Claris Adventure Bike with Disc Brakes, Extra Wide Tires, Perfect for Road Or Dirt Trail Touring, Matte Black, Red Visit the Tommaso Store 60 ratings | 40 answered questions Price: $844.99 Color: Matte Black/Red Size: Select See more About this item I can build proof of concept and then push over time into stores.. As it is not a pinnacle that can be reached, it is an ongoing process of always honing, evolving, & refining the way our bikes feel. 12-speed, electronic shifting, handlebar diameter changes, four piston brakes, blah blah don't need. The Viathon Lineup. Then delivered directly from us to youwith an easy assembly process to get you riding as quickly as possible. Too many highly paid engineers on staff working on "advancements" that most riders never needed. He doesnt have a marketing team: he outsources that to Idaho-based Cranktank, the PR and marketing outfit led by Adrian Montgomery, ex of Scott, and Scott Montgomery, ex of both Cannondale and Scott and who is also the current president of Reynolds Cycling. Its not the products: a three-frame range of MTBs, and gravel and road bikes. It's very hard to make it and also find decent paying work. The tire clearances are a bit on the restrictive side as well. @roma258: There's no fear - we're just doing what the majority of buying customers are asking for. I'll be honest if I ever worried about someone thinking less of me for buying a bike at Walmart I'd probably leave the bike wherever I was and get out of the hobby. And cost of owenership for the V10 is probably about the same as for a 450. I'd be interested in something like this (depending on where I lived) but it would likely be a third or more mountain bike for me and that seems unlikely. dont think people in the market for $2000-5000 bikes would even think to buy at Walmart let alone shoulder the stigma of owning a bike bought at Walmart. 3 - OP linked to the Walmart site, which had little information. Or assembled in store by Walmart employees???? And then you have a full Dura disc model for 5G. The website has no we-can-offer-keenest-prices-because-were-Walmart spiel. (if they care about value, they'll go YT or Canyon, etc.). How long do Walmart bikes last? Doubt they are taking a loss, even at these prices. And every single article, including this one, focuses on the Walmart ownership. The value from Viathon is good- not a spectacular deal but decent. Not everybody has great trail access, but almost everybody has access to dirt roads.. Viathons carbon bikes retail online for between $2,300 and $6,000. Things have moved on. The GX spec would be tempting if the geometry and looks weren't reminiscent of my 2009 Stumpy hardtail. The gravel scene is important for that. The R.1 is a true road racing bike, the G.1 is for gravel and the M.1 hardtail is for cross-country riding. RZC Investments, founded by Tom and Steuart Walton, grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, owns Rapha and part-owns Allied Cycle Works, a high-end bike manufacturer based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The average person is a Walmart shopper, he says. Does a rising tide lift all boats? Lightweight carbon frames: Viathon bikes, including the Dura-Ace road bike, Ultegra model, R.1, and G.1 bikes, are crafted with durable, lightweight carbon frames to give you an edge over riders with heavier XC and mountain bikes. Nowadays, a search for Viathon bikes on the Walmart website (see here, here and here) returns a notice that the item is no longer available; the image from the final link (also shown above) displays another brand and model entirely. http://www.walmart.com/cp/viathon-bikes/8471299? At The Finish: So, what we have here is an interesting sales model and a fine bike for those who crave the ultimate in efficiency that carbon fiber can bring to the table. And while low, Viathon pricing was at parity with any number of other name-brand carbon models, including Trek, Specialized, Cannondale and Canyon. unless you can pay for it with your grocery bonuses / tickets that accumulated over a year after you forgot the card on your neighbors house after playing some domino. The parts kits feature quality components from premium suppliers. I did hear you and Andy mention 2300 on podcast 65. Picked up a fishing pole and Razor scooter for my kid there recently. But Ive never seen the numbers. They also have their own brands, among which there's their B-Twin brand of bikes and bike accessories brand. Bike industry seems super healthy (at least outside looking in), coming from the moto world. Read through the small print "Returns and Refund Policy: 60 days from date of purchase - new or used with proof of original purchase. Viathon's goals seem to be crystal clear with the R.1: Build a race-ready road bike for a high-end audience without the high-end price tag. They were puzzled by it, because the market for a pure XC race bike is pretty small compared to more general modern geometry hardtails that are built for "fun.". Although I 100% agree, I'm sure your comment will be downed by most here. Quan was with Cervelo from 2004 to 2008. Well, so much for that. $2000 is still steep for an entry level hardtail, especially without at 27.5+ option. The frame costs just the same as a TCR frame, without the TCR reputation. Atomik/Berd Ultimate Gravel Wheels: At The Finish, The Riding Gravel Pedal Round-Up: Time Pedals Wrap-Up, Showers Pass Hi-Line SS Shirt and Cross Country Shorts: Quick Review, Cannondale Topstone Carbon Force eTap AXS: Getting Rolling, Episode #64 Waffle, GORE, Touareg, Hunt Wheels & More, WTB SG2 Gravel Tires: Resolute Checkpoint , Bontrager Circuit WaveCel Helmet: Quick Review, Gravel Grinder News: Shimano Introduces CUES New Mid-Level Group. The S-Works Epic only comes with an 11-speed groupsetthe Shimano XTR Di2so the Viathon wins in our books with the snazzy eagle. Viathon Bicycles announced today it will sponsor the Caffeine and Watts Club. Walmarts top-of-the-line M.1 hardtail mountain bike has 120mm travel with RockShox components, Stans wheels, Level Ultimate brakes, and Continental tires. I mean, they still have to make the same deals with sram, rockshox, shimano etc. Um that copper color scheme on the pre-order bikes is also quite loveleh. Are bike shopsscary, elitist, and unwelcoming? As much as I agree with the general sentiment, there are some other factors that tend to get overlooked in this comparison: Wal-Mart has these pretzel bites with beer cheese for like $2 bucks, pretty freakin awesome after a ride. Even a hot segment like ADV, sees a new from ground up model maybe every 5 years. Point being it comes with a lot more and substantially more development. Muley Freaks Erik Van Woerkom Charged With Felony Possession of Trophy Mule Deer, Get Up to 60% Off at REIs End of Season Clearance Sale, The Biggest Improvement to My Camp Kitchen Is a Mini Pizza Oven (But Not for Pizza), VanDOit Moov Builds on Adventure-Ready Ford Transit Trail, Avalanche Outside British Columbia Resort Buries 10, Kills 3 Heli-Skiers. If they add a similarly specced and priced short or mid travel fs bike, those things will sell like hot cakes. Dollar-for-dollar there are other carbon-framed high-end bikes out there that undercut the Viathon offerings. We were not paid, nor bribed for this review. "With Walmart's reach, we will create an awareness of the brand.". I won't shop with them. 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. See how long we last Shimano Consolidates Entry- to Mid-Level Groupsets With New CUES Drivetrains, Opinion: Five Things The Bike Industry Could Do Better, Throwback Thursday: A Brief History of Direct Mount Derailleurs, Buying a Bike From a Shop Versus Buying Online, DH Bike Review: Canfield's Jedi Masters Rough Terrain, Review: Mythos 3D-Printed Titanium Stem is My Kind of Excess, DH Bike Review: Orange 279 - A Staple of British Downhill Racing, www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/first-ride-review-deciphering-the-viathon-m1-hardtail-mtb, www.outsideonline.com/2295486/single-track-minds, www.diycarbonbikes.com/collections/hardtailframes. So they're definitely taking a loss on these.. A Viathon representative told me that Walmart simply wanted the story to be more about the bikes than the company behind them. Therefore we have nothing really to go by but the suggested retail and maybe current internet pricing at the time of publishing a piece. Walmart will sell bikes under this brand soon with price tags up to $6,000. Wed like to see fork mounts for extra water bottles, for instance. Lots of things coming from different directions can sometimes become out of whack enough to cause a problem. Twitter. what happened to viathon bikes. For anyone familiar with the beer industry, this is like Anheuser-Busch creating Shocktop, not Anheuser-Busch buying Goose Island or Elysian. When you're at this level, you may as well just buy direct from manufacturer through Aliexpress, They need to build a 130/140 travel trail bike for 2k with GX eagle then I am in lol. Oct 2, 2019 by James Smurthwaite Viathon Bikes launched to surprise, confusion and intrigue back in April, offering high-end carbon XC hardtails despite links to Walmart. All rights reserved. Don't forget to donate a dollar for starving children. At first it was seemingly impressive for $2500. 29 plumtrees road newtown, ct; popular subdivision names; how to cite the implicit association test 1600 Pearl St., Ste 300Boulder, CO 80302This website copyright 2023. Viathon is hitting the market with three model families. Thats a challenge. In that sense, Viathon hit the nail on the head.. Viathon is backed by the big box retailer but has teamed up with industry veterans that'd designed frames for brands like Cervelo and Pivot. Bike MSRP vs. what people actually pay is a whole nother conversation. Its a night and day difference!, exclaimed Andy. ruston city court hours; conventional tillage advantages and disadvantages; texas express lane payment; i can t pass the praxis core writing It doesnt have to adapt to the future, it is the future. Yeah I'm in Australia and I know this, along with they do a bit for some mtb community's and trails. It makes it a lot more difficult to invest in processes and equipment that can ultimately bring the cost down significantly. Giant Stance, pretty close to fitting this bill at 2k! 1600 is still not going to mitigate the way this bike rides, and that is maybe something some folks wouldnt be willing to compromise on at any price. I just pay the numbers. The rolex is just a bunch of metal gears and springs where the casio has a better computer in it than what got us to the moon! For the last update and a link to the introductions, Click Here. The G.1 is the direct-to-consumer brand's competitively priced gravel bike. GravelNut April 10, 2019, . The impetus for Viathon didnt come from Tom and Steuart Walton, avid riders, Walmart heirs responsible for the trail network in Bentonville, Ark., and investors in Rapha and Allied Cycle Works. Little info you may want to know about the Waltons. Thanks to a dropped chainstay design, the G1 clearance for 700c x 40mm or 650b x 2.1" tires and a maximum chainring size of 50t, according to the viathonbicycles.com website, while walmart.com boasts 700c clearance up . We will strive to give our honest thoughts and views throughout. can i return it after thrashing it for a season? While you could swap to 650B wheels, and the bike can carry a front rack, there isnt a lot of versatility built in here beyond that. Not sure where you were getting the 2400 price tag before price drop because I seen reviews months ago and 1900 was the price then not 2400. We don't need a review. A 69.5-degree head angle and 73.6-degree seat tube angle are what many brands had a few years ago. The multi-tier distribution model of sporting goods companies doesn't help either but it's a reality that's likely not going to change. My surfing friends friends and others who are "action sports oriented" are super hesitant to bike at first due to the cost of entry, fear of injury, etc. Prices of big brand quality mountain bikes jumped the shark years ago. The finishing kit and drive train on the G1 option of the Viathon gravel bike is decent and should be seen as a good value. With Walmart backing this brand, we can engage in a bike segment other brands wont touch.. 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. Which raises the question who is the brand aiming to reach? All models are available exclusively at Walmart in-store and online. Again- something we cannot make a call on. So take the roads less traveled, or the ones that don't even show up on the . Whether this will serve as a "halo product" to introduce more affordable (or approachable) mountain bikes from the brand in the future is yet to be seen. Maybe. As technical editor Dan Cavallari pointed out in our sister publication VeloNews, "Viathon ticks almost all the high-end boxes for a bike with a lower pricepoint. Walmart is not just a brand of box stores that populates every U.S. state. 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.