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Walmart is not just a brand of box stores that populates every U.S. state. Why Ultralight People Need to Chill Already, Kershaw Iridium Review: A Great Flipping Knife Under $100. Currently, the bikes are not available in other markets. Managing editor Dean Yobbi told the story in BRAIN's May dead . Are Your Trails Ready to Ride for the Season. Any Canadians with/had a hip labral tear here? 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. Fortunately for Viathon, the R.1 has a quality spec and a respectable though not exactly inspiring ride quality. Viathons G.1 gravel bike requires the same build. A. The G1 gravel bike starts at $100 more than the M1. "With Walmart's reach, we will create an awareness of the brand.". And the company currently sells more bicycles in the United States than any other retailer. A few months later in June, we got to take the M1 hardtail for a spin in Idaho. View specs and technical data for all Viathon Bike Models. according to industry analyst Jay Townley. The bikes will be available to order within weeks. Aint nothing wrong with that! Theyve taken notes about the shoes, style of jeans, shirt design, right down to the style of watch. MTB Podcast | I understand the reviewer had limited time on the bike, but there is no real detail on how the bike rode. August. Pretty, pretty, good . GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. In reality, thats probably enough to realise any manufacturer defects, and Viathon does also offer a crash replacement policy, but its something to consider nonetheless. Support Us | With Walmart backing this brand, we can engage in a bike segment other brands wont touch.. The flipside of that is a frame that pounces forward when you ask it to do so. Two days later, Im pedaling steep singletrack above Lake Superior. Industry watchers may remember the last time Walmart tried to get into the carbon bike game, which as I recall was about ten years ago. In an interview last week at Sea Otter, a bicycling industry gathering in Monterey, Calif. I came to Walmart to grow the bike industry. Competitor Discount Codes: Get Up To $200 Off With These Viathon Bicycles Competitor Coupons for Bicycle Components (March 2023) See Competitor Codes. 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. Viathon expects stock on these bikes sometime this Fall. 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. All the frames are carbon fiber, and the gravel and road models fit solidly within current design trends that prize features like disc brakes and clearance for wider tires. "Of course, there was some backlash with the Walmart connection,'' said Mark Jordan, whose CrankTank marketing group staged the Viathon launch and was quoted in Yobbi's original article. A 54 cm Stigmata offers a 71.5-degree head angle, 74-degree seat tube angle and trail figure of 66 mm (measured with 700 x 40 mm tyres). I will start by saying I am a long time bike industry employee. The newly created small Viathon team was then tasked with developing a simple performance range that could appeal to a wide range of cyclists. Like Remot, Viathon debuts with three offerings: one frame each in road, gravel, and mountain, with three levels of build kit. Viathon Photo. The XX1 bike is around 21.5 pounds for a size M. The weight is competitive with other hardtail cross-country bikes in the same price range, and the price isnt wildly low. Tire clearance is on the narrower side, but its wide enough for 700x40c tires, or 2.1 width tires with a 650B diameter. I asked how it was all going and how many bikes have been sold. I followed with an opinion column about Viathon's unique formation, business model and value proposition. I pitched the idea to my management as a way to more quickly enter the market and change our perception, he said. Kudos to them, but that story stretches back some 15 years and is still far from over. To be fair, that latter element is fairly common on a number of high-end bikes and isnt much of an issue, but it does point to a simpler frame construction. And that really summarises the G.1 quite nicely. 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. The other risk is the warranty. And winner winner: theres a threaded bottom bracket shell. Racers? For a new, and relatively small brand, Viathon stirred the pot with their debut. Viathon Viathon bikes are currently 30 percent off at Walmart. A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine New MTB Brand Hudski Bikes Launches with 3 bikes, all Based on a Single Frame, 15 Products to Make Riding Gravel Less of a Grind, Moots Updates the Routt Gravel Bike for 2021, Focus Atlas Alloy Gravel Bike Looks Equally Affordable and Well-Equipped for Adventure, Knolly Cache is the Gravel Bike Made by Mountain Bikers [Review]. For cycling-specific recommendations, check out our favorite tech deals at Walmart too. America's low price leader served up a single no-name (and possibly open-mold) model with full mechanical Ultegra group, complete with wheelset, at a very low price point. 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. Bike shops could benefit from more riders on more bikes. The parts kits feature quality components from premium suppliers like Fizik, Hed, and Zipp, and the pricing is competitive with a number of brands. Despite having all the good Shimano shifty bits, the full-length and low-cost Jagwire cables that connected them didnt do them justice. 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.. The quick and dirty synopsis? Viathon G.1 GRX 800 review Call it a 'Walmart' bike if you must. Look for Viathon bikes online at ViathonBicycles.com in mid-May, and soon after at Walmart.com. GearJunkie Copyright 2013 2023. Last April, when we saw them at Sea Otter, they dropped the G1, R1, and M1 all at once, dipping their toes into the gravel, road, and mountain bike pool. The Viathon is best suited for XC terrain unless youve got some real moxie to take it down some gnar. That frame (which is also sold separately at US$1,498) is no open-mould cookie-cutter thing either. 1 - Walmart didn't buy Viathon. Now on to the final word on this carbon fiber crushed rock roller. The R.1 feels like a high-end bike, except for one minor nitpick: While most high-end race bikes have taken great efforts to hide all cables, the R.1 has all four cables exposed around the cockpit. In so many ways, the Viathon is like the middle manager whos tried to mimic their boss style on a tight budget. Our biggest issues were certainly related to the cabling. All of our reviews show the quality of our bikes, including frame design, production, and specs.. 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. My first takeaway on the G1 was how light and stiff the frame is. Theyre numbers that are ideal for tackling a variety of terrain and doing it all efficiently, and overall, the G.1 behaves like it wants to be the only drop-bar bike in your garage. 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. With a network of green-rated trails down the street from my house, the G1 came into my hands at the right time. Home; Shop. The Viathon fulfillment center is in Carlsbad, California. Companies like Raleigh and DiamondBack have also embraced the model. Before being tasked with launching Viathon, Spinhirne-Martin was responsible for all online bike sales on Walmart's e-commerce platforms, which include Walmart.com, Jet.com, Moosejaw.com, and Hayneedle.com. 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. That said, if carbon is your jam, you want a solid groupset, and dont spend a lot of time gravel biking on trail, or in real bumpy terrain, the G1 delivers. Crickets. However, there were a few things that stood out to me while cruising through a pretty punchy section of Sun Valley singletrack. Terms of Use It can take 650b wheels with up to 2.1-inch tires, or 700c wheels with up to 51mm tires. As mentioned, this is the lowest-cost complete bike in Viathons G.1 range, but that doesnt mean the parts are low-cost. For now, they only offer a hardtail, but Spinhirne-Martin isnt opposed to someday expanding their line to include a full-suspension bike. Buyers have 60 days from purchase to return the bike, and it can be new or used. But does it ride like one? Viathon furthers those purchasing efficiencies by only producing the frame in a somewhat limited range of five sizes, and in many cases, even the rather simple two-tone paint is unchanged between the models. (But the base R1 costs less than half that price at $2,300.) | That's a lot to love. Its also not the Bike Utility Vehicle that you get out of a Salsa or even the Santa Cruz Stigmata, with their functional braze-ons intended to extend time away from home base. Some of that is a function of the homogeneity of the modern bike-enthusiast business. Spinhirne-Martin says Walmart is launching with the hardtail to fill in holes in what they already offer on the Walmart.com marketplace. When assessing the new Viathon R.1 road bike, I first chose to judge the proverbial book by its cover. 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. Does spending more get you a faster gravel race bike? It borrows heavily from both BMC's Teamelite cross country race bike and the Roadmachine to create a. Its certainly no Huffy, but heres what stood out to me: Light as a feather:This thing is nimble. Spinhirne-Martin says yes, and reiterated that he wants to grow the bike industry, not put other brands or bike shops out of business. The Viathon G.1? For sure we are also undergoing huge changes; times are tough now and likely to get tougher before they get better. So were considering lateral stiffness, vertical compliance, weight, ride feel, cornering stability, and even the finish. The G1 itself, judging by its cover, looks like a tailored gravel race bike, where carbon matters in terms of stiffness and power transfer, and a more racy geometry means better aerodynamics, and less playing around. If youre after more stability and prefer a bit of forgiveness in your handling, youll be comfortable here. 1600 Pearl St., Ste 300Boulder, CO 80302This website copyright 2023. 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. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. So, what does Viathon say that the G1 is? Though a cross-country bike, the Viathon gave confidence and control through almost every session on the U.P. 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). This bike isnt perfect and its not as good as the bike its inspired by, but none of that really matters when you consider the US$2,300 pricetag. 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. Does a rising tide lift all boats? Its a company that gains a pricing advantage through Walmarts huge buying power, and leverages an existing online sales channel to get the bikes to customers while they wait at home. In that sense, Viathon hit the nail on the head. We have incredible traffic on our site. Others are concerned about how this will undercut bike shops. Hardtail race XC bikes seem to be going away in favor of short-travel, full-suspension options. Support us! 1999-2023 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.comReproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com pagewithout written permission is strictly prohibited. A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine Of course, this all depends on your height, and those five available frame sizes only start at 52 cm. 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. At least on paper, the value for money is unquestionable, but a great bike is always more than a sum of the parts bolted to it. $$$ Outdoor & Sporting Goods Company Privacy Policy Photos See all Videos See all 0:11 A couple weeks ago it seemed like they were blowing out all the bikes on the website, last week they all showed sold out, and today I noticed the Viathon site is gone (does not even show up on google if you search for it) They still have a landing page on Walmart site. Take YouTuber KevCentral, for example, whose channel reviews bikes available at Walmart and Walmart.com and how to upgrade them. The bikes themselves, it was agreed, were competently designed and engineered, and marketed by respected industry professionals with big-brand credentials. ''', And indeed they were. [, 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. A RockShox 120mm fork and speedy Continental tires respectively absorb and grip the ground. They are a close second to full-suspension in terms of dollars, but hardtail mountain bikes make for a significantly larger share in terms of units sold. Viathon aims to find out, and its got a good product to perform that experiment. A few things are apparent with Viathon. Im guessing thatwithout the connection to the largest retailer in the world, Viathon wouldnt be getting nearly this level of attention. Both are well-qualified bike industry veterans, but its not a riveting founder story like, for instance, that ofAllied. But if Viathon is going to have any real impact, its the next set of new bikes that will matter most. 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. 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. Nope: while the bikes its offering look to be good quality and competitively priced, the reason that Viathons entry turned heads is whos behind it: Walmart. Well, its a lot like the Santa Cruz Stigmata it was modelled after, just not quite as refined. Viathon Bicycles made waves at its launch earlier this year as a premium bike brand incubated under an unlikely source. The road bike is 200 grams lighter than the gravel bike, with more aggressive geometry, 28c tires, and a stiffer frame. Plus, Viathons graphics are a little bland, in my opinion, the pricing isnt so aggressive that its clearly better than bikes from established brands like Canyon or Giant (or Remot, for that matter), and the product marketing so far feels spare to the point that its pro forma. Filter bikes by year, weight, components, price, and performance. The cable routing itself was fairly basic, too. I loved how this bike rides, said Spinhirne-Martin about the previous generation Stigmata. And while the bikes may be sold on Walmarts website at some point, theres no mention ofselling in stores, which would put the bikes in front of a broader audience. While so many of the established brands offer anything from a five-year to lifetime warranty on their frames, Viathons come with just two years of coverage. For $2,300 (at Walmart.com), the G1 has a new Shimano GRX 600 groupset, an entry-level, gravel-specific drivetrain, with a hydraulic brake set. But that lack of local shop support is a risk of buying a bike through direct channels. Because all XC bikes are light compared to enduro. Viathon's brand manager is Zach Spinhirne-Martin out of San Bruno, California. Red digits displaying 22.7 pounds blinked alive, quantifying the size-large bike as bona fide feathery for its class. The bikes graphics are understated, which is fitting to the overall narrative of this bike. Viathon's G.1 carbon gravel bike is Walmart's attempt to capture some of the high-end, direct-to-consumer bicycle market. The terrain varies from flowy cross-country trail to downhill-inspired gravity tracks. Walmart isnt a brand most turn to for upgrading their bike, but Viathon could change that perception. And just like any other reality, outsiders ignore ours at their peril. Those interested in this bike should also take a close look at the Canyon. That wont set it apart in a highly competitive market or bring high-end tech to a new market of people. So the supplied contact points of the bike werent a good fit for us, but paying customers will at least be given the option to fix this. 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. And yep, the frame can be setup with either 1x or 2x gearing. 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. Viathon again drives a hard bargain with the G1. While this might be true for the climb up, it would be a stretch for going downhill. I wondered, who is the target audience for Viathon bikes? The answer? When compared to its fellow direct-to-consumer brands like Canyon, the price point doesnt really feel that out of the ordinary. Thats one of the wonderful things about this bike: You get reliable bike with a great build for less money. 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. [, Re: Did Wal Mart pull the plug on Viathon? 'Box-store bike' takes on a whole new meaning as Walmart launches Viathonn, a private high-end cycling brand. Viathon bikes use carbon frames and are high . 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. Walmart thinks so, and the retail juggernaut is betting its customers do too. I asked about the response to the brand launch from customers and the bike industry. Managing editor Dean Yobbi told the story in BRAIN's May dead-trees issue and online as well. 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. 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. Terms | Privacy. Theres the usual tapered steerer fork, 12 mm thru-axles, flat mount brake mounts, internal cable routing (using full-length cable housing), and asymmetrical chainstays to increase tyre clearance. Updated, 4/9. Theres a low 69mm of bottom bracket drop, making for increased stability and cornering, and a 74 seat tube angle and a 71.5 head tube angle. Viathon Bikes launched to surprise, confusion and intrigue back in April, offering high-end carbon XC hardtails despite links to Walmart. But Im a little mystified that the mountain bike is a cross-country hardtail 29er, a style of bike thats pretty out of fashion at the moment. I didnt expect much from the Bokens, but they were predictable on dirt with a fast rolling speed. Download the app. Teton Gravity Research We wanted to create a non-intimidating platform, said Spinhirne-Martin. The same, except a 2 mm shorter offset fork (50 vs 48 mm) results in an ever-so-slightly-slower 68 mm trail figure. The round seatpost is held by a regular old banded seat clamp. My final complaint is the comment about the 70mm stem feeling twitchy and switching it out to a short stem. Theyve played a monumental role in I just noticed that as well (website pretty much gone). I have been swapping parts around and will finally get to ride it today. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! When you need the fastest road bike, mountain-climbing bike, or racing bike, look to Viathon. For one, the retailer is already selling high-end bike parts on their outdoor website Moosejaw. Thats not to say this bike is cheap. The cables just felt like they were being dragged through molasses, and the full-length housing runs meant there was a fair bit of compression leading to a mushy feel at the lever. You could, of course, upgrade your cockpit to achieve that svelte, hidden-cable look, but you wont get it with the stock model. We are not focusing on the connection but not hiding it either, Spinhirne-Martin said. But Viathon's G.1 GRX 800 is light, fast, and sporty, and costs much less than its competitors. Certainly Viathon's not to that point yet, but time will tell. While thats a noble notion, is the Viathon bike really that groundbreaking? Its a private brand being managed within the e-commerce merchandising team based in San Bruno, California. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Their $18 million investment went a long way for the areas trail infrastructure, making it an unsuspecting cycling mecca nestled into the Ozark Mountains. Marketing strategy comes out of Sun Valley, Idaho, with the CrankTank firm. Full carbon frame and fork. 2 - You can't buy these bikes at a Walmart. 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. We decided to give it a test at Outerbike to find out. Sadly the provided stem length and seatpost setback werent an ideal fit for the bike, or us. Are modern bicycles the end of DIY maintenance. 100 competitor promo codes - Last used 11m ago. Its wise to see if that character fits with yours. The stiffness of the Viathon G1 is where the bike feels like its ready to be more competitive as a gravel race bike, rather than something for adventure. But theres nuance to this ride, so if youre more discerning than that and are after more than just a good bike at a decent price, read on. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. And really, we suspect a 700 x 45 mm will squeeze in if youre less fussed about mud clearance. And that buying power is often used to competitive advantage: Walmart commonly cuts out the middlemen, and then out-prices and out-supplies its competitors across many industries. 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. Also what is the complete weight? The Viathon adds mounts at the fork, mounts for a rear rack, and space for an additional bottle cage beneath the down tube. [, Re: Did Wal Mart pull the plug on Viathon? 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. Had Viathon hit the market five years ago with this narrative, it would have owned the high-end-value space. 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.