This is the first bike weve had with Mercury wheels fitted, and the equipped G3C DISC is a quality US$799 item. Except none of that happened. The Shimano Dura-Ace R9120 groupset, with mechanical shifters and hydraulic disc brakes, is the same youd get on many high-end bikes out there, which means youre judging this bike based on the frame and fork, and how those two components interact with the build. Viathons product manager, Zach Spinhirne-Martin, openly admits to taking close inspiration from a race-inspired bike like the Santa Cruz Stigmata. And the bikes look good! For those riders hoping for a super-reactive bike that follows your every twitch, I suggest you look elsewhere. Are bike shopsscary, elitist, and unwelcoming? I asked how it was all going and how many bikes have been sold. 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. Some of that is a function of the homogeneity of the modern bike-enthusiast business. Viathon is for riders who appreciate uncontrived quality, demand craftsmanship but recognize value, who pedal for health yet savor the ride. . And while low, Viathon pricing was at parity with any number of other name-brand carbon models, including Trek, Specialized, Cannondale and Canyon. Complete builds start at $2,300, and top out at $3,500 for the gravel models and around $6,000 for the road and mountain bikes. Adult Mountain Bike, 21 Speed Shimano Drivetrain, 26 Inch Wheels, Aluminum Frame, Lock-Out . My time was limited to two hours, so this isnt an exhaustive review. Viathon swears its the latter. Specializeds highest-end hardtailthe S-Works Epiccomes in at a whopping $8,520, whereas Viathons most expensive model starts at $6,000. 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. Originally from Northern CA, home for me has ranged from the PNW to a teepee in Grand Teton National Park. All rights reserved. Performance, comfort, speed, agility, and other characteristics require in-person evaluation, which is tough to prove for a brand like Viathon, which is available only online. GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. With Walmart backing this brand, we can engage in a bike segment other brands wont touch.. Thats not to say this bike is cheap. [Eroc43] Viathon states that a 54 cm painted frame tips the scales at 1 kg, with the matching fork an equally respectable 380 g. The result is an 8.9 kg complete bike that simply needs some pedals before its ready to have a race number attached. Although Viathon has dropped the seatstays for a more compliant-feeling ride, the ride dynamics still feel harsh in the rear, and especially so up front. Noting the stiffness, and feathery weight of the G1 again, its an excellent climber, and the Shimano GRX 600 worked flawlessly for me. Its certainly not severe, and despite riding the G.1 in some rocky, tight, and twisty terrain, it rarely presented itself as an issue. As I mentioned above, customers might be able to swap out the bars for something wider that will flex more, but the narrow 430mm bars clobbered my hands going over rough terrain. Heres what it felt like to interact with the R.1. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! The bikes look fine. It appears the newswas first mentioned in a Pinkbike story. Well, its a lot like the Santa Cruz Stigmata it was modelled after, just not quite as refined. A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. For those people, being able to buy a high-quality bike online means they dont have to go into a potentially scary, elitist, unwelcoming bike shop where theyll be uncomfortable and possibly judged.. Change your default forum handle here! Walmart isnt a brand most turn to for upgrading their bike, but Viathon could change that perception. The brand also released a blog outlining the six reasons to get a hardtail. Over mostly flat and undulating terrain, the G1 can actually be a little fun on certain trails, if thats what you enjoy from a gravel bike. ''', And indeed they were. Dont let the affordable price entice you if youre looking for a more well-rounded bike. The Viathon G1 is one of the more affordable carbon, gravel bikes that's well suited to riding sketchy roads. Meanwhile, the rear brake hose, which sits loose inside the down tube, had a tendency to rattle against the frame. "We're trying to build a culture, building an education," Jordan said at the introduction. For the last update and a link to the introductions, Click Here. Walmart are best known for their $300-$500 bikes that. Viathon was created to shift consumers thinking. In some cases the customers know exactly what they want, but if they dont then the service agent can help determine whats best by running through a few questions about the rider and desired riding position.. August. The bike thats getting the most attention is Viathons new hardtail mountain bike, though Walmart is also launching with road and gravel options. I ride over ladder bridges and into dense trees. Gravel as a discipline also seems to be a little more straightforward than mountain biking, where there are countless sub-genres of bikes. Full carbon frame and fork. As it happens, I prefer this kind of steering, which youll commonly find on aero bikes and endurance bikes with longer trail figures. Brothers Tom and Steuart Walton are passionate cyclists, and the Walton Family Foundation has helped build the Bentonville area into a world-class destination for mountain biking. The graphics leave much to be desired, and the brand name lacks some enthusiasm. For now, no. Any Canadians with/had a hip labral tear here? Viathon's G.1 carbon gravel bike is Walmart's attempt to capture some of the high-end, direct-to-consumer bicycle market. The other risk is the warranty. The average person is a Walmart shopper, he says. The new brand is launching with carbon road, mountain and gravel bikes. The head tube feels firmly connected to the bottom bracket, and that to the rear axle. And other direct-to-consumer brands like Canyon have a big head start on Viathon in terms of reputation. Not because its not important, but because Viathons business model is to swap out these components to your preference upon ordering the bike, all with no additional cost. A RockShox 120mm fork and speedy Continental tires respectively absorb and grip the ground. And really, we suspect a 700 x 45 mm will squeeze in if youre less fussed about mud clearance. The brand is starting with three models: the R1 road bike, the G1 gravel bike, and the M1 hardtail mountain bike. Its noon on Michigans Upper Peninsula, where I came to ride Copper Harbor and the IMBA-ordained network in and near Marquette. We decided to give it a test at Outerbike to find out. Had Viathon hit the market five years ago with this narrative, it would have owned the high-end-value space. 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. Its one of the biggest online merchants in the world, No. Viathon offers so much for the money, but there are obvious trade-offs. At this writing, the various models are listed at "Summer Sale" prices on the Viathon website. Get This Deal. [, Re: Did Wal Mart pull the plug on Viathon? I was excited to try out the G1 to get a better taste of what Viathon as a whole has to offer. Hes also the founder and part owner of Knight Composites. I asked about the response to the brand launch from customers and the bike industry. Sadly the provided stem length and seatpost setback werent an ideal fit for the bike, or us. Viathon builds a quality bicycle at a competitive price. Granted my personal bikes 150mm fork made it tough to have as much fun on the Viathons 120mm fork, I still felt unstable on the more technical parts of the trail with its steep 69.5-degree head tube angle. Its for someone who wants to ride the whole mountain, up, down, and everything in between., The new face of a Walmart bike? The GRX 600 is a 211, with a 50/34T up front, and an 11-34T cassette Viathon offers the GRX 800, SRAM Force, and AXS builds in a 1x configuration. Read more. This latter element is certainly somewhat surprising when you consider Viathon R.1 road frame uses a PF30 shell, and that the use of a threaded shell arguably inhibits the available width for tyre clearance. Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. The RockShox SID RLC 120mm fork was a great choice, and I appreciated that Viathon opted for more travel in comparison to the S-Works Epics 100m fork. Two Walmart heirs, Tom and Steuart Walton, are themselves highly enthusiastic riders who have invested in cycling companieslike Allied Cycle Works and Rapha, and they directed the trailbuilding grants that have helped transformWalmarts home base of Bentonville, Arkansas, into a world-class mountain-bikingdestination. Whats it like to be an American cyclist living in France? In fact, the only example I can think of where a large outside brand has achieved even modest success is Dorel Industries, with its serial purchases of Pacific, Cannondale, Schwinn, GT and related brands. IMBA Epics | Its marketed as one of the lightest, fastest mountain race machines that money can buy, and that claim seemed hard to dispute by the end of my first week. Even more interesting was Jordan's underlying premise that at least some of those hundreds of millions of Walmart customers would for reasons unknown and perhaps unknowable leap at the opportunity to purchase a full-dress carbon bike with a price tag northward of $3,000 precisely because they didn't have to go into a brick-and-mortar bike shop to purchase it. Walmart is hoping to entice customers to Viathon with a no-questions-asked return policy. Now on to the final word on this carbon fiber crushed rock roller. So, at a quick glance, the Viathon seems like a steal. At its inception, Kevin Quan Studios assisted in designing frames. And then to be a little petty, our sample came with silver stainless steel bolts covering the various bidon, fender, and rack mounts. The Viathon fulfillment center is in Carlsbad, California. But if Viathon is going to have any real impact, its the next set of new bikes that will matter most. Hardtail mountain bikes with front suspension, Viathon notes, are the second-largest category, according to NPD. 1X drivetrains feel great, if youre riding your gravel bike exclusively on the trails. Geometry is almost identical to a specialized crux. For a new, and relatively small brand, Viathon stirred the pot with their debut. Its certainly no Huffy, but heres what stood out to me: Light as a feather:This thing is nimble. Others are concerned about how this will undercut bike shops. When assessing the new Viathon R.1 road bike, I first chose to judge the proverbial book by its cover. Watch to get professional road cyclist Joe Dombrowskis view. With a feathery weight, effective geometry, and componentry to rival the best bikes on the market, the M.1 is a relevant consideration for serious riders with a cross-country bent." Certainly, Walmart has the resources to overcome that, if it chooses, and it also has a reach like few other companiesWalmart sells more bicycles in North America than any other retailer, according to industry analyst Jay Townley. To build its carbon frames,. Were partnering with the bike industry to deliver so we dont mess it up, said Spinhirne-Martin. For starters, despite its slim tube shape and dropped seat stays, the R.1 is definitely less compliant than expected. For the hardtail mountain bike, thats a $2,000 frame, $2,400 GX Eagle build, $3,500 X01 build (which comes without a dropper), or a $6,000 XX1 option. 68mm threaded bottom bracket. And then theres the fact that the established brands the Giants, Treks, Specializeds and Cannondales of this world typically supply the bikes with components that are already damn close to being right for each respective size to begin with. Where the Viathon differs from the Stigmata is in its bottom bracket height, with the G.1 sitting some 3 mm higher in the air. Viathon opted for a low-geared 46-30T chainring matched with a 11-34T cassette. Slowtwitch approved IT Band rehab? And winner winner: theres a threaded bottom bracket shell. They seem to offer a solid value for a full carbon bike. Viathon's prices include shipping within the United States. The Rival G1 is spec'ed with a 111 Rival drive train, Mercury G3 wheels, and Zipp Service Course cockpit. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. But Viathon is a Walmart corporatenot Waltonproject, intended to expand Walmarts current bike offerings to the specialty market. Its a bike that in so many ways aligns closely to what the premium Santa Cruz Stigmata is, however, the Viathon adds a little more versatility through additional mounting options. Launched earlier this year, its line blows the image of a "Walmart bike" out of the water. shaping their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas into a mountain biking haven. 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). Walmart didnt opt to adopt more modern geometry, possibly because its current customer base will have to take a few steps to catch up to the rest of the bike market. Reports of a top-end race build with a $6,000 price tag cast a cognitive dissonance across the office. But Viathon's G.1 GRX 800 is light, fast, and sporty, and costs much less than its competitors. TGR Staff Writer and photographer. Viathon M.1 mountain bike The bike arrives 98 percent pre-assembled the customer has to tighten on pedals, install the front wheel, and attach the front face plate over the handlebar. It will be back soon. The 70mm stem felt a bit squirrely, and any minor movement was transferred into the handlebars going downhill. 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 . Terms of Use Does spending more get you a faster gravel race bike? At the GearJunkie office, we cut zip ties and packing tape. But it is building out a platform not just with more and better bikes, but with video and editorial support. After spending some time on 1X and 2X gravel bikes, I appreciate the 2X drivetrain, because it covers the spectrum of what a gravel bike will encounter on any ride. After every order is placed, a customer service agent calls the customer to confirm the order and determine the stem and crank length, handlebar width, and seatpost offset to ensure the customer gets the best fit possible, said Zach Spinhirne-Martin. Steering responsiveness feels more akin to an endurance or aero bike than that of an all-around bike. Speaking of rocks, the Viathons ride quality is certainly on the stiffer end of things, and those thin seatstays werent able to tame as much as the Salsa Warbird or even the Stigmata. He employs six engineers and designers at his Toronto-based studio. Are Your Trails Ready to Ride for the Season. We are not focusing on the [Walmart] connection but not hiding it either, Spinhirne-Martin said.Spinhirne-Martin said he came up with this bike while living in Park City, Utah, between 2011 and 2017: The bench-cut trails with tons of climbing lent themselves to a light, efficient climber with a bit more up front to smooth out the fast downhills.. The cables rub the head tube (BYO protective frame stickers! Check Out Continue Shopping. It can take 650b wheels with up to 2.1-inch tires, or 700c wheels with up to 51mm tires. Walmart will sell bikes under this brand soon with price tags up to $6,000. NAHBS photos: Show winners and their bikes, Cervlo S5 review: A truly exhilarating superbike, Technical FAQ: Mips vs. loose helmet strap, bike weight, hydraulic brakes at altitude, Di2 mix/match. The geometry, however, told a different story than what Viathon portrayed as the M1s intent, and it felt much more like an XC race bike, than an everyday trail bike. They enter the frame at the downtube, so this is an internally routed frame, but the handlebar and stem are fairly traditional in the sense that theres no internal routing to get rid of those round tube shapes at the front of the bike. I have been swapping parts around and will finally get to ride it today. Im in GearJunkies Minneapolis office, a small blade in hand, ready to unbox a bike. not open molds.) For the M.1 XX1 Eagle, Viathon dropped its original $6,000 price recently to $4,998. Basically, just a gravel bike. From its sleek frame on up, the M.1 cuts few corners: Stans Crest CB7 carbon wheels, FSA carbon cockpit, Fizik saddle, Ergon grips, and a RockShox dropper post. Home; Shop. 2023 All rights reserved. Specialized's highest-end hardtailthe S-Works Epiccomes in at a whopping $8,520, whereas Viathon's most expensive model starts at $6,000. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. transition-DOT-area-AT-slowtwitch-DOT-com. We wanted to create a non-intimidating platform, said Spinhirne-Martin. The frames are engineered and designed in partnership with Kevin Quan, a longtime designer whos responsible for well-known bikes from well-known brands like Cervelo, Parlee, and Pivot. That would really skew the handling. Spinhirne-Martin says Walmart is launching with the hardtail to fill in holes in what they already offer on the Walmart.com marketplace. YT Szepter first-ride review: a gravity MTB brand goes gravel, Ridley Grifn first ride review: Blurred lines. That frame (which is also sold separately at US$1,498) is no open-mould cookie-cutter thing either. 1999-2023 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.comReproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com pagewithout written permission is strictly prohibited. Hardtail race XC bikes seem to be going away in favor of short-travel, full-suspension options. The round seatpost is held by a regular old banded seat clamp. Managing editor Dean Yobbi told the story in BRAIN's May dead . Should brick-and-mortar or other online retailers worry? I loved how this bike rides, said Spinhirne-Martin about the previous generation Stigmata. And they certainly didnt skimp out on components. Though a cross-country bike, the Viathon gave confidence and control through almost every session on the U.P. There are rack and fender mounts on the G1 frame, internal routing, and mounts for up to three water bottles, so it is possible to get pretty far from base camp on the G1, and theres frame clearance for bags and all that. Viathon is wholly owned by Walmart. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. Buyers have 60 days from purchase to return the bike, and it can be new or used. Statins: experience training and racing on them, Swimming-Related Injuries: A literature review and injury risk screening, New Tacx Neo Smart vs Wahoo Kickr trainers, school me on finding correct pressures with tubeless. Its worth mentioning that I myself am an enduro-style focused mountain biker, and Id be lying if I didnt say that it influenced my overall impression of the bike. This doesnt sound like much, and in reality it isnt, but its just enough to make the G.1 feel a little more jittery in how it tips into corners, while the Stigmata felt that little more planted something the ride quality certainly factors into, too. Thats according to brand manager Zach Spinhirne-Martin, who wrote a white paper and a business case in 2017 to bring Viathon to life. Okay, aside from that, yes, youre riding a high-end race bike, so you generally know what to expect. For one, the retailer is already selling high-end bike parts on their outdoor website Moosejaw. Walmart.com, of course, is an internet behemoth with hundreds of millions of visitor sessions each month with peak holiday traffic topping half a billion, according to analyses by industry research firms SimilarWeb and Statista. The Viathon G.1 is the gravel rig of the bunch. Viathon G.1 GRX 800 review Call it a 'Walmart' bike if you must. Is swimming safe? The result is a bike covered in proven, quality, big-name components at a price thats approximately a third less than its more established competition, and really, not much more expensive than a bare frame. Brand manager Spinhirne-Martin said a search of similar Trek, Specialized, or Canyon bikes will net a conclusion that they are all significantly more expensive for a similarly specced product., Spinhirne-Martin came to Walmart after 10 years working in the industry at Competitive Cyclist. Spinhirne-Martin tells me to look around the Laguna Seca Raceway, which is teeming with fans, baggy shorts-wearing bros, and Lycra-clad racers with rippling muscles. All this went down in April and May of this year. Lets be honest. Viathon G.1 105 Highlights. According to Spinhirne-Martin, Walmart is not currently planning store-based service departments. Within each of these categories, there are a variety of builds to pick from all depending on how shiny you want the hardware to be. And while its far from a silky-smooth ride (Ill come back to this), frame compliance was a design factor. And 2 years ago, the company hired Zach Spinhirne-Martin, a senior buyer at CompetitiveCyclist.com. None of the standard specs were an issue for me in terms of fit, and even the Selle Italia saddle wasnt problematic for me at any point. Per my more enduro-focused background, Id also opt for a shorter stem. Viathon is a direct-to-consumer bike brand owned by Walmart. . 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. The G.1 RED eTap AXS that is the subject of this review is Viathon's newest gravel model and will be available sometime in September. The pre-taped tubeless-ready rims are laced with Sapim double-butted spokes to easily-serviced sealed bearing hubs, and all told, they weigh a perfectly reasonable 1,644 g (claimed). A handlebar with any degree of flare through the drops would be nice as well to widen the riders stance going downhill. Its a design unique to Viathon that was designed with help from the well-regarded engineers at Kevin Quan Designers. Viathons 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. The Viathon G1 is a bike that is a high performance machine with a good set of components out of the box. Well, so much for that. Walmart isnt currently targeting the kind of customer who wants the latest carbon layup or the greatest new geometry, nor is it targeting customers who self-identify as cyclists. And the company currently sells more bicycles in the United States than any other retailer. The bikes graphics are understated, which is fitting to the overall narrative of this bike. If you think the pricing for the big mainstream brands is out of control, you'll be happy to hear that the Viathon's direct-to-consumer business model means an R.1 with all the fixings. Equally, I found the Selle Italia Novus Boost saddle and unpadded Fizik bar tape odd choices. Thats a fine goal, but lets not kid ourselves: $2,300 is both a lot of money and also not appreciably cheaper than the pricing offered by a number of other brands. Canyons Exceed CF is $6,500 and has a comparable spec. This stood out on the mostly black bike and feels like one of those small details that wouldnt be overlooked by more established brands. Viathons G.1 gravel bike requires the same build. I hit small drops and jumps on multiple runs. In Marquette, a trail network overlays the infrastructure of a mining town, with outsize pipes and brick walls crumbling in the trees. Still, Viathon is getting a fair bit of press, with stories on a number of cycling-enthusiast and outdoor sites. It borrows heavily from both BMC's Teamelite cross country race bike and the Roadmachine to create a. I also wanted all of my bikes to perform when pushed hard, said Spinhirne-Martin of the frames stiffness. But the move that really set the cat among the industry pigeons was the Viathon sales strategy, which at least strongly hinted at distribution via Walmart.com. All rights reserved. This is pretty similar to the BMC URS, and realistically those under 5 6 (170 cm) are likely out of luck here. Dont take this Bad Boy to the Bike Park: Viathons website proudly claims that few bikes carve up singletrack as effortlessly as the M.1. This is courtesy of the SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and its golden chain. The bike has a bit of a disjointed ride feel due to the stout front fork which is stiff in contrast to the forgiveness exhibited by the rear stays. As I rode the G1 down some green- and blue-rated trails, the straight and narrow bars stuffed my wrists into an uncomfortable position. While thats a noble notion, is the Viathon bike really that groundbreaking? Viathon "believes that great bikes make riding more fun. Other numbers are an almost exact copy, too. I didnt expect much from the Bokens, but they were predictable on dirt with a fast rolling speed. Were not trying to undercut the industry; were offering our bike line at a solid price, not a ridiculously low price, said Spinhirne-Martin. Companies like Raleigh and DiamondBack have also embraced the model. [, Official FIT ASSISTANCE for Canyon Speedmax CFR, CF SLX, and CF (disc & rim brake), Official Canyon Speedmax CF Owners Thread, Official FIT ASSISTANCE for Cervelo TT and Triathlon Bikes. Preventing Iliac Artery Endofibrosis - Cycling Overuse Injuries. For sure we are also undergoing huge changes; times are tough now and likely to get tougher before they get better. Almost all carbon frames come from Asia, and different brands often subcontract with the same large producers. Theyll know youre copying them at a fraction of the price, and if theyre really savvy, theyll know their stuff is marginally better and the reasons why. Although from a bike industry perspective, the geometry is a few years outdated even for a hardtail. Sure, its no Evil Chamois Hagar, and its perhaps even a tad smoother than the Cervelo Aspero, but only just, and certainly not through the front end. The Viathon M.1, a carbon hardtail with 29-inch wheels, chatters over roots then sluices through a berm. He noted, Ive ridden and owned basically everything they sell over that time: Yeti, Santa Cruz, Ibis, Ventana, Pivot, Open, Pinarello, Wilier, Cervelo, Ridley.. My 54cm Viathon G1 without pedals weighs 19.6lbs. One, the fact the writer states that his review is skewed because he is an enduro rider. Walmart is not just a brand of box stores that populates every U.S. state. Battle of the frames: Felt IA 10 vs IA 1? Like books, we cannot judge a bicycle solely on its coverin this case the graphics and business connection. Nov 01, 2020 There is no denying that gravel bikes have taken the cycling world by . Its possible that was done on purpose to appeal more to a wider swath of riders namely, non-racers. I really like the geometry, I was looking for a cyclocross bike that fits wide tires and have 3 bottle mounts, and this fit the bill really well.
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