Most people will probably get their first bike from Walmart and many others after that! Why, might you ask? Because Walmart is everywhere, anyone who shops at the superstore will walk by those bikes regularly. They are inexpensive and look great.

Now you may ask yourself, “Are Walmart bikes any good?”. That is a question many people ask, and I hope to answer it. 

Walmart bicycles can be worth it, and they can be an excellent option for most people today. They offer an inexpensive, decent-quality bike for those who may not be bike enthusiasts but want to be out and about on their bikes enjoying their neighborhood or town.

We here at BikesFAQ have at least three different Walmart bikes that have had varying amounts of success, but all of them have given us exactly what we paid for and honestly expected.

Let’s dig into different aspects of Walmart bicycles to see if they are worth it for you and your needs!

1. Walmart Bicycle Quality

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. It is tough to beat Walmart’s pricing for their bikes, mainly because they can buy bikes in such massive bulk that they can get that price point lower.

However, it also results from having lower-quality components added to the bike. You will rarely find a bike at Walmart with high-end features because that isn’t Walmart’s market.

They want to get you on a bike at the lowest possible price. If you keep this in mind when you are shopping and not expecting to get the same quality of a similar bike that is twice the price but resembles it, you should be just fine.

As mentioned, we have multiple bikes from Walmart, and I don’t have that much of an issue with the quality, but of course, it can’t compare to a real enthusiast bike that is three or four times the cost.

2. Are Walmart bikes usable?

We have put many hundreds of miles on our Walmart bikes! Their usability is excellent, and the fact that there are so many options from them means you can get what you want, whether it be a beach cruiser, a proper mountain bike, or something else.

I have found that nicer bikes will get you a much better ride and an easier, nicer experience than what a Walmart bike offers, but it’s a great starting point.

3. Walmart’s Pricing is Competitive

You won’t beat the prices of Walmart bikes! Their buying power and the ability to have different inexpensive parts means you won’t be able to get a lower price elsewhere.

It is a great price to start if you are looking to get started in bicycling. That said, you will likely enjoy bicycling and want to upgrade to something better, or you may not like it, and the bike finds its way into storage.

4. Walmart bicycles are easily available

One massive thing about Walmart is its pure availability! They offer many types of bikes , ranging from cruisers to hybrids, mountain bikes, and more.

However, to keep costs low, they buy a huge bulk of one size of bike per style. If you like a specific bike, there may be a different size. Please do not buy the wrong-sized bicycle; you will regret it.

5. Replacement parts are hard to get

Replacement parts are generally the one thing that causes someone to give up on their Walmart bike. When a single component breaks on one of these bikes, you will have to spend about the cost of the bike to get that one component.

Generally, most people will throw their bikes away, making them more of a disposable bike rather than an investment. Once thrown away, they buy another one with all new components. A great example is when I bent one of my 700c wheels a while back and went to replace it, only to find it was more expensive than my bike itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Walmart put bikes together?

When wandering through Walmart’s bike selection, you will notice they are all together! While they are entirely assembled, experts don’t exactly put them together. While I am sure some Walmarts have an employee who knows what they are doing, many Walmarts will have an employee just assigned to assemble the bikes. They need to gain extensive experience or training and have the user manual to assemble them. 

What should you do before using the Walmart bike?

As we just talked about in the last section, bikes at Walmart are often put together by someone who is not an expert. Because of this, it is highly recommended that you either teach yourself how to tune a bike or take it to a shop afterward to be tuned up. When someone that isn’t trained puts a bike together, it can result in loose spokes, incorrectly put-together components, and more. This can make it borderline unsafe, and paying attention to this before riding your bike is highly recommended.

How long will a Walmart bike last?

These bikes, if taken care of, can last a long time! I know one of our cruiser bikes is around five years of being ridden regularly. You want to watch out for any damage and fix it when it needs to be fixed. Of course, on the tail end, they also can last very little time. Again, this is why you should always have a bike tuned up before using it, as that can quickly cause the bike to break earlier.

Conclusion

While this may not be an overly popular opinion, many people will find that Walmart bikes are exactly what they need.

It is like buying a guitar (which this example is given a lot). Many people will buy a guitar, then quickly find that either they enjoy it a ton, and many more people will find they will probably never play it again.

The choice here is how much you are going to pay to see if you are going to enjoy bicycling or not! Already know you want bicycling? I would save up and buy an excellent bike that I can enjoy for longer.