![John M Flores](/img/default-banner.jpg)
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John M Flores
United States
Registrace 7. 08. 2007
Motojournalist. Wanderer. Creator. Subscribe for two-wheeled news and infotainment.
Will Walmart's $248 Gravel BIke...Gravel? Third Ride/Review of the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer.
The G.1 Explorer has impressed so far. It's a surprisingly solidly built bike at its price point. And, unlike many other bikes sold at Walmart, it uses industry-standard parts and thus can be repaired and upgraded quite easily.
The G.1 Explorer impressed on its first local ride with its general competence. And it impressed on its second ride on the road with its general speed. But it is a gravel bike, so we need to see if it will actually gravel.
The route in this video includes some nice stretches through wealthy exurban horse country - the kind of place where people will spend $248 on dinner and call it Tuesday. The gravel here is pretty well-maintained, not too deep, no washouts or water bars or singletrack. But on this day there was plenty of washboard or corduroy gravel, which can be jarring on the wrong bike.
Come along as we ride the G.1 Explorer through gentile horse country.
The first ride video can be seen here: czcams.com/video/EdcIOAnWgs8/video.html
The second ride video (road) can be seen here: czcams.com/video/j9JVYAzpPqo/video.html
#bicycle #gravelbike #walmart #ozarktrail #2wheelsgood
The G.1 Explorer impressed on its first local ride with its general competence. And it impressed on its second ride on the road with its general speed. But it is a gravel bike, so we need to see if it will actually gravel.
The route in this video includes some nice stretches through wealthy exurban horse country - the kind of place where people will spend $248 on dinner and call it Tuesday. The gravel here is pretty well-maintained, not too deep, no washouts or water bars or singletrack. But on this day there was plenty of washboard or corduroy gravel, which can be jarring on the wrong bike.
Come along as we ride the G.1 Explorer through gentile horse country.
The first ride video can be seen here: czcams.com/video/EdcIOAnWgs8/video.html
The second ride video (road) can be seen here: czcams.com/video/j9JVYAzpPqo/video.html
#bicycle #gravelbike #walmart #ozarktrail #2wheelsgood
zhlédnutí: 1 691
Video
Second Ride on Walmart's $248 Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer Gravel Bike
zhlédnutí 2KPřed dnem
Can a $248 bike actually be any good? I was intrigued after my first ride (czcams.com/video/EdcIOAnWgs8/video.html). On this second ride, I do about 19 miles on the road on rolling terrain. #bicycle #walmart #ozarktrail #gravelbike #2WheelsGood
First Ride: Walmart Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer Gravel Bike
zhlédnutí 1,5KPřed 14 dny
Come along with me for a shakedown ride of the G.1 and hear my first reactions to riding this budget gravel bike. I have a bicycle workstand and some mechanical skills, so the night before this ride, I gave the bike a once-over, pumping up the tires, setting the seat height, flipping the stem to increase the stack a bit, checking the wheels for any loose spokes, checking the shifting (using the...
Riding the GAP and C&O Trails - Chapter 2
zhlédnutí 92Před 14 dny
Day 2* on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail, from the Dravo Hiker-Biker to the new hiker-biker campground in Ohiopyle. I'm riding a Bike Friday All Packa folding gravel bike. Video and photos shot by me on a bunch of cameras: Insta360 One X2, DJI Action 2, Lumix ZS200, Google Pixel 7 Pro. Please follow and subscribe to watch the rest of this trip and other adventures as I post them. Thank...
2022 Amtrak ride from New Jersey to Albuquerque, New Mexico
zhlédnutí 18Před měsícem
2022 Amtrak ride from New Jersey to Albuquerque, New Mexico
Riding the Great Allegheny Passage and Chesapeake and Ohio - Chapter 1
zhlédnutí 254Před měsícem
Riding the Great Allegheny Passage and Chesapeake and Ohio - Chapter 1
2024 Washington DC Distinguished Gentleman's Ride
zhlédnutí 75Před měsícem
2024 Washington DC Distinguished Gentleman's Ride
Bicycle Heaven (Pittsburgh, PA) tour in 360
zhlédnutí 176Před měsícem
Bicycle Heaven (Pittsburgh, PA) tour in 360
INTERVIEW: Greg Tada, Motorcycle Designer
zhlédnutí 146Před měsícem
INTERVIEW: Greg Tada, Motorcycle Designer
Kosciuszko Bridge Bike Path from Queens to Brooklyn, New York City
zhlédnutí 17Před měsícem
Kosciuszko Bridge Bike Path from Queens to Brooklyn, New York City
Riding into the pueblo blanca (white village) of Alozaina in Andalucia, Spain
zhlédnutí 75Před měsícem
Riding into the pueblo blanca (white village) of Alozaina in Andalucia, Spain
Underbiking with the Bike Friday All Packa Folding Bicycle
zhlédnutí 993Před 6 měsíci
Underbiking with the Bike Friday All Packa Folding Bicycle
BMW Motorrad 100th Anniversary at the BMW Riders Association 2023 National Rally
zhlédnutí 119Před 6 měsíci
BMW Motorrad 100th Anniversary at the BMW Riders Association 2023 National Rally
How to #Ride a #Unicycle Day 9. Back after a long break so this is the extended mix!
zhlédnutí 10Před 9 měsíci
How to #Ride a #Unicycle Day 9. Back after a long break so this is the extended mix!
3 Things About the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS: An Interview with Chris Parker/On The Level
zhlédnutí 2,6KPřed 9 měsíci
3 Things About the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS: An Interview with Chris Parker/On The Level
Transportation Alternatives 50th Anniversary NYC Half Century (35 mile loop) / Bike Friday All Packa
zhlédnutí 164Před 9 měsíci
Transportation Alternatives 50th Anniversary NYC Half Century (35 mile loop) / Bike Friday All Packa
Riding some chill #NJ gravel with the #Cinelli Hobootleg touring #bicycle
zhlédnutí 58Před 10 měsíci
Riding some chill #NJ gravel with the #Cinelli Hobootleg touring #bicycle
MM 461.2 #bmw #bmwmotorrad #s1000rr #superbike #sportbike #literbike #motorcycle #motominute
zhlédnutí 28Před rokem
MM 461.2 #bmw #bmwmotorrad #s1000rr #superbike #sportbike #literbike #motorcycle #motominute
#ZenMoto #Pirsig #montana #redlodgemontana #bigtimbermt
zhlédnutí 8Před rokem
#ZenMoto #Pirsig #montana #redlodgemontana #bigtimbermt
Charging Across America Challenge Interview
zhlédnutí 92Před 2 lety
Charging Across America Challenge Interview
Chrome Industries Niko Photography Backpack: 10 Minute Test
zhlédnutí 1,2KPřed 2 lety
Chrome Industries Niko Photography Backpack: 10 Minute Test
MM 339.1 #Honda NR500 #racing #motorcycle #motorcycleracing #NR750 #motominute #shorts
zhlédnutí 50Před 2 lety
MM 339.1 #Honda NR500 #racing #motorcycle #motorcycleracing #NR750 #motominute #shorts
4 July 2024 Worked like a charm. iPhone 12 mini
Beautiful machine. It should launch in India🇮🇳
Great! Thanks! Worked for me!!
Nice paved streets in your area
Lifesaver was taking me nearly an hour trying to get it out
I like the 2x in the fron on my gravel bike. I would haveliked to have seen an 8x, or at least a maga range.
Ave Cesare!❤
Worked first try. Many thanks :)
I LOVE YOU! And its awesome that you still react to comments
I love you too!
Ride in piece Dale 😢.
Thank you so much!
How tall are you and frame size did you go with... having to order off line... thanks for any info!
It works! Thanks
Thank you!
Genius!! Thanks a Ton!!! Well Done✔️ July 2024
really helped me out mate, thanks
you are a lifesaver!
THANKS!!! This worked excellent.
I'd buy it in a heartbeat if they made a Large
Yeah, I have no idea why they don't sell a Large.
@@JohnMFlores The medium says 50cm, which i understand to generally be a small (max 5'3"?) but Im 5'11" and I FEEL like it fits me? Stand over seems perfect and I don't feel cramped at all.
The 50cm is the medium. I'm 5'-8" with a 30" inseam and it fits me great after flipping the stem.
@@JohnMFloresThat’s interesting because the medium I stood over and it fit me like my large road bike. Maybe a little bigger actually. I’m 5’8” with a 32 inch inseam and bought the small. My road bike is comfortable enough but fits a little big. When I got into bicycling my understanding is you’re better off trying to make a small bike bigger than a big bike smaller.
@@kangeothat makes sense - we're the same height but proportioned differently. So I'm not surprised that the 50cm medium feels long to you. And yeah, it is better to try to make a small bike fit than a larger bike.
It’s a bike
I know, right?! I was surprised too!
I've tried it, and it works perfectly, thank you so much🙏
You are welcome 😊
Reminds me of Wheels Through Time. Not just bikes, but parts, tools, literature, etc. How do they keep track of inventory?
That's a great comparison! I would say that Wheels Through Time is a little more orderly and organized in its collection and display of motorcycles and memorabilia. Bicycle Heaven is a little more wacky. Both are probably a reflection of their founders. And both are very cool places. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you John, that worked a treat!!
Glad it helped
That is literally not helpful at all.
Sorry it didn't work for you - it seems to have helped others.
I don't know if you've ever ridden a 1,000$+ bike, but uh you'd toss this thing in the nearest trash bin if you did. As a bike mechanic, we as a store won't even service walmart bikes because the service cost exceeds the worth of the bike. 😅Good to see people having fun on bikes though. 🙂
Coming from someone that has an epic sworks. I got this bike to put a kid seat on back to enjoy riding with my kid. This Walmart bike is surprisingly real good, yes servicing will cost more than the bike itself but for price I would just replace it or learn to work on it yourself. The simple fact is 90% people will not be able take advantage (skill) of $1000+ gravel or MTB that’s just reality……..
Have you ridden one?
@@JohnMFlores No, I've never ridden a Walmart bike or shopped at a Walmart since I was a teenager. I have no doubt it rides well out of the box though, will it still ride well after a few months of riding it? Probably not, could be worth a follow-up video. Not trying to shame anyone, I'm genuinely curious, as the bike shop I work as refuses to let us work on them. 🤔
I understand where you’re coming from about longevity…. That’s why I put it my chase sapphire reserve card which gives me 1 year warranty on top of the 90 days from Walmart….. so if goes bad I’ll get new one. I did put over 50 miles on it with a kid seat so far will see how it holds up.
Thanks for responding. As @LukeyLook says, it's a surprisingly decent bike; much better than the $100 Walmart dual-suspension mountain bikes and bikes that your bike shop won't touch for good reason. I suggest your shop reconsider your policy on the G.1 though. It's got a tapered head tube, threaded bottom bracket with a square taper, and other standard bits. If anything, I'd encourage folks to bring their G.1 for a 50 mile tuneup and regular maintenance. Establish a good relationship with a G.1 owner and they may come back when they're ready to upgrade their 2x7 drivetrain (which will frequently require a new rear wheel) and later when their ready to upgrade their whole bike. Regarding durability, I was surprised that the bike handled the washboard gravel at speed without anything falling off. And when I got home, I gave the front wheel a spin and the bearings are still really smooth. With your shop's experience, I understand your concern about durability. Me too. That's why I plan on riding the bike stock for at least the rest of the year to see how it holds up.
Your letterbox style video works out great since the CC doesn't get in the way of the view. Keep the ride updates coming!
I appreciate that - I'm working on my visual style and language. And one thing I'm committed to is CC. The letterbox not only works for the CC, but I think it gives the footage an interesting vibe. I don't want to say cinematic but perhaps more focused on the riding because the stuff I am cropping off doesn't add much to the story. Gotta plan a bikepacking trip with the G.1 next...
Middle of 2024 and this hack worked immediately and I didn't use sim ejector but an alternative
You wanna know how old this is? It was shot on a Samsung Galaxy S9+. And the phone in the video is an S7+!!!
Yesssss that’s exactly what I said! Make it street legal!!
thank you so much, my problem has been solved!!
Glad it helped!
Thanks for the video....very informative to me.
You're welcome!
Biaggi was at the peak of his powers in 98. He waited too long in 250s. I suggest he could have beat Doohan if he arrived earlier.
I think you're right. An amazing story nonetheless - he didn't start riding and racing until he was 17 or so!
Could it take a 14-34T freewheel ring? Would you also have to change the chain with that jump?
Good question. I have my eye on a 14-34T but haven't ordered it yet. So I don't know yet whether or not the chain is long enough. If it's too short, you don't need to get a whole new chain; you can just add a couple of links. I have a good relationship with my local bike shop - I'll buy parts and stuff from them from time to time and they do some maintenance of things that are above my skill level. In the past, when I've needed a couple of links for a chain, they just handed me links that they had lying around. If you try the 14-34, let us know how it turns out. Thanks for watching!
I picked one up based on your prior videos. Did about 1:20 ride on a mixture of pavement, gravel road, neglected fire road, steep hills, and a bit of loose sand. I really enjoyed how it rode compared to my mountain bike on hard surfaces. Quite fast and efficient. I can see how an extra gear would help on the steep climbs. I think I need to adjust the shifting as it really makes a racket when large front and smaller 3 rear gears are selected. It will sometimes miss shifts as well. However, I really enjoyed the ride on this gravel style bike. I'm going to ride the heck out of it this summer and see what I can learn about my riding preferences. I had a lot of fun getting my cardio in today.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I really try to be honest with my videos, so it's cool to see that they helped you make a decision that seems to be working for you. Regarding the gearing - the racket is likely coming from the chain rubbing against the front derailleur. Question - when you say "smaller 3 rear gears" do you mean physically smaller (the ones furthest from the spokes) or smaller by effort (the ones closest to the spokes)? If you mean physically smaller, that shouldn't happen and you might be able to fix that by adding some cable tension to the front derailleur (there is a silver barrel adjuster on the front derailleur cable right by the headtube) or by adjusting the outer limit screw on the rear derailleur itself. Both of these methods will shift the position of the derailleur cage by a couple of millimeters, which is all that you need to stop the noise. If you mean smaller by effort, you can also use the barrel adjuster to reduce the noise in the third gear but you'll likely still have noise in the smallest/largest gear and maybe the next one too. This is a limitation of all geared drivetrains that have two chainrings up front - the derailleur simply can't move out of the way at these extreme chain angles. These extreme chain angles aren't good anyway as they wear out the chain and cogs faster. Thankfully, the pedaling effort of the big/big gear is similar to the pedaling effort of choosing small/medium. Plenty of videos on CZcams on adjusting derailleurs. Park Tools has the best. Once again, thanks for watching!
@@JohnMFlores Thanks for the tips! It's the smaller by size rear gears I was referring to. I think the Walmart bike assembler just didn't get it setup correctly. As long as I can get it to run the physically larger front with smaller rear without issues, and the smaller front with larger rear, then I'll be set for what I need to do. I seem to spend most of my time on anything remotely flat or downhill in the physically large front smallest 3 rear gears.
The setup of the front derailleur is a bit finicky - the difference between getting it right (no noise) and getting it wrong (dropping the chain when you shift the front derailleur) can be a quarter turn of the adjustment screw. I usually ride around the neighborhood with a small screwdriver in my pocket, stopping frequently to make small tweaks until it's good. Best of luck.
great bike
Yup. Lots of bike for the money!
That speaker bok could've made better. It doesn't fill the entire hollow area
I've never seen it in person so it's hard for me to say.
perfect advice! love the fire extinguisher on the wall.
Ha ha #SafetyFirst
are you getting a lot of chain noise in certain gears, got the G1 recently and certain gears seem louder than others. Think lubing the chain will help with this?
Yes - it depends on what gears in the front and back that you use. If you use the smaller gear in the front and the smallest gear in the rear, you will get noise. That noise is coming from the chain hitting the front derailleur. Next time you get that noise, look at the front derailleur and you'll see the chain rubbing against the outside plate. This is call cross-chaining. It also happens when you use the big gear in front and the big gear in the bag; in this case the chain will be rubbing against the inside plate of the front derailleur. This happens on all bikes with 2 gears in the front, not just the G.1. The answer is simple - don't use gears combinations (small-small or big-big) that make noise. Instead of using the smallest on front combined with the smallest in the rear, try using the big in the front and the third largest in the rear. That gear is very similar to small-small and it doesn't make noise. Does this make sense? It's a common problem. I may make a video about it.
@@JohnMFlores thanks for the info and great videos! keep it up!
@@JohnMFlores I just purchased the last one in my area. Really enjoyed your videos and would love more videos explaining this type of stuff. I’ve cycled before but I’m starting to get back into it.
Thanks for watching and for the kind comment! I'm planning on more videos of the G.1 Explorer. Enjoy the new bike smell and ride safe!
Love these videos. This is my first gravel/dropdown handlebar bike and I love it.
Appreciate the positive feedback! The bike is fun, isn't it? What did you ride before - a mountain bike? Enjoy the G.1!
Same boat here. Cycling would not be accessible to me if it weren't for this bike at this price point. I hope they continue to expand these types of offerings. I've only ever had the 90 dollar "mountain bikes" from walmart.
Thanks for watching and commenting. How much better is the G.1 compared to your $90 Walmart "mountain bikes" of the past? I love that you puts quotes around "mountain bikes" LOL.
@JohnMFlores I would say that only through experiencing the Ozark Trail G.1 did I understand that the cheaper bikes were more bike shaped objects than bicycles. My old bike feels to be at least 45lbs, maybe more. The riding position and general rolling resistance of the G.1 really highlighted inefficiencies in the cheap models. I would say riding a bike without suspension has shown how much extra weight that was, especially when you consider that I have never approached a downhill or single track in my life. Now I feel comfortable on road and on dort/gravel roads, and I am looking forward to putting more miles on the bike as I improve my fitness.
Great insight. It's so funny how people get drawn into thinking that a full suspension mountain bike is what they want without realize that it comes at the expense of cost and quality at that pricepoint. Most people would be better off starting with simpler, sturdier, and more reliable and capable bikes like the G.1.
❤❤❤❤❤ My G1 Ozark Trail gravel bike ❤❤❤❤
G.1 FAM!
Could you easily fix that breaking noise?
Yeah, the problem may "fix" itself after some miles as the pad "bed in" to the disc. I'm going to give it a couple more rides. If it persists, I'll adjust them. In other words, it's not a deal breaker. Thanks for watching!
Some people have changed the pads and improved the acoustics of the disk breaks. Others have also just upgraded the brake rotor as well to upgrade the stopping power and eliminate the break "squeal" that the G.1 is known for.
I have my parents old 90's mongoose mountain bike. Have been riding a lot and thinking about upgrading it. But after research this would be far less expensive to just purchase and I can still bring those bikes back to life down the road when I have time to hunt for cheap good used parts. I really hate Walmart and never shop with them, but this is a undeniable deal.
Ha! I have a 90s mountain bike sitting in the basement waiting to be brought back to life too. I'll get to it eventually but for now, buying the G.1 was much cheaper. And yeah, totally get what you say about Walmart. I never shop there. But this bike deserves a fare shake and hopefully if it succeeds its DNA will trickle down to other Walmart bikes (and products) Thanks for watching.
Depending on the components on that Mongoose mountain bike, you might be better off fixing it up than to get this Ozark Trail gravel bike. There's no denying that $248 is a steal for a gravel bike but if you seriously look at the components, they are junk.......Shimano Tourney, L-Twoo shifters, derailleurs and crankset. While they may be "brand name," they are on the lower end of the product lines. L-Twoo does have an extensive product line on bike groupsets similar to Microshift and Shimano so it's not a knock on the company as a whole. The freewheel sound got annoying in store. Can't imagine having to listen to it on the road for hours. Good bike for those on a budget wanting to try out gravel riding or ride around the block on short distances. It's just not an everyday bike and definitely not long commute without modifications.
Worked June 25,2024❤
Bought mine a couple of weeks ago. They only had a medium and is a bit tall for me but everything else feels good. This bike is to fit between my old mountain and road bike. Had no idea what I was getting into. With such a low priced bike I kept my expectations low. It was assembled pretty good but like anything new everyone should check it thoroughly. Had to tighten bearings and a couple other things. Seat is the really bad and changed it to the Charge. Not perfect but lots better. I also raised the bars which made a big improvement. Pedal bearings felt like they were completely shot. They probably would have lasted awhile but put new ones on anyway. Overall it works much better than I expected. Brakes, shifting and tires worked pretty good and I don't see having to upgrade them unless they fail. I'm enjoying it more every time I get on it. I feel it's one of the biggest bargains I've ran into in a very long time. But... this bike is not high-end and cannot take the abuse of one. Just saying. Great value for a very comfortable riding bike.
Interesting....mine seems to be better assembled (I did a lot of the normal checks and adjustments that you do with a new bike). But I would not be surprised if there was a lot of variation in initial build quality. But once it's given a once over, it seems like a pretty solid bike so far. I did some gravel riding with it over the weekend and am working on that video now. Thanks for watching and commenting.
The man!!
May he wrench in peace....
I’ve been enjoying mine. Did swap the seat. Other than adjusting to fit me, mine was dialed in. Brakes and shifting were perfect. Generally I have to really go through a box store bike and fix everything before I ride. Definitely a pleasant experience.
Glad you're enjoying the bike! Yeah, every new bike needs a once over and a tightening up of things after the first rides. My G.1 was ok upon delivery but I did have to tweak some things that a newer rider might not have been able to do. Still, it's a really good bike. I recently uploaded my second video about the G.1 and am working on a third. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the reviews! I am looking to transition partially into biking from mainly trail running. As I get older, I wonder if some rolling cardio might not be kinder to my joints. Based on your ending comment, I'm going to stop shopping around and just go get this one. I'll try to ride the wheels off it and decide if gravel bikes are my thing. I may look at a fancy one later if I can wear this one out first. That should be a worthwhile experiment for only $250.
Fellow trail runner here - I love them both! Your cardio should be good from trail running, and your legs should be good too but cycling is more hamstrings than quads, unless you're standing and pedaling. And yeah, I've had sore legs after a hard ride, but never the same kind of "thrashed and my legs are so sore that it's hard to walk down the stairs kind of sore" that I've gotten running. As long as you can spin at a good cadence you're saving your joints. I'm working on the next video right now - a gravel ride. Spoiler, my recommendation still stands. Just get it! Thanks for watching and commenting.
U got it bro
Thanks!
Omg! Thank you so much!
No problem!!
70 psi, isn’t this a little high? What is the max allowed pressure? Nice video, by the way!
The stock Kendas are rated 50-85 PSI so I'm well within range and the bike rode really nice. As I said in the video, maybe a touch harsher than my steel touring bike, but it still felt all day comfortable. I'm admittedly a little old school about tire pressures - must come from my 21c, 120psi days lol. Thanks for the kind words.
@@JohnMFlores thank you for the explanation!
Thank you!!! I was struggling with it at first, but then it worked! I didn't think it was going to work but it did! 😅
Well done!