How does a (smartly) upgraded Walmart Schwinn Axum compare to other entry level bikes?
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
- Do as I say, not as I do ;) Today we look at more practical upgrades for the Schwinn Axum hardtail MTB and compare it to some of the best budget MTB hardtails out there. How does it stack up on paper?
Disclaimer - Nothing in this video is sponsored. Schwinn sent me the Axum for review but this is NOT a paid video. Some of the amazon links below may pay an affiliate commission.
Mentioned in this video:
Schwinn Axum -www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-29...
SR Suntour Air Fork - amzn.to/2RQMdNY
Shimano MT-200 Brakes 800/1500mm - amzn.to/2xyP3QZ
Headset - amzn.to/2XOAVgW
Box Four 8 Speed Derailleur.- www.boxcomponents.com/Box-Fou...
Box Four 8 Speed Shifter - www.boxcomponents.com/Box-Fou...
Trek Marlin 7 - www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bi...
Giant Talon 29 2 - www.giant-bicycles.com/us/tal...
Vitus Nucleus 29 VRS - vitusbikes.com/products/vitus-... - Sport
This is exactly our argument about shell out all at once or upgrade and enjoy over time. I can't afford $1000 at once but $400 to start and $500 or $600 over a years time plus getting to ride it during makes more sense to me. Thanks for the video, liked and subscribed.
you can afford anything at once if you save your money
While I agree but I've heard people say I only have 2k saved and they dont want to spend their entire stack at one outing. For some money doesent some as easy.
right there with you on the "plus getting to ride it during"... makes more sense to me, too. (especially considering I I've got 3 motorcycles constantly competing for funds... Woe, the love of all things two wheeled!😅😅😅)
6:15 this is what I think makes the Schwinn better. You can get it and ride it as is, and costs only $400, but you can upgrade it, vs. The Vitus you're down $750 right off the bat, and for us poor folk, that's a big deal
Yeah tough call for sure. Either way you're on a bike so win win!
For me the point is learn how to fix and maintenance the bike at the same time we upgrade the bike i start with an AlComp($178.new from Walmart...now $585 with some upgrades).
Well it is more of an aggressive frame which is almost always gonna cost more
Trek Marlin 4 is only like $75 more without discounts ($430 on sale right now near me)... I just picked up a specialized Rockhopper for $399 on specialized's site. The bike was also assembled properly by a mechanic at my LBS. Not a shelf stocker.
If I wanted to sell the bike because its not for me I'm sure I could get more of my money back, good luck trying to sell a used Walmart Schwinn for $250-$300
I had a 600$ Focus MTB for the last four years (bought it for 400$ on sale)
Since about a year I really wanted a dropper post but that frame didn't allow for it. The seat tube was too high and there weren't any holes for an internal one.
Also upgrading components would have been more expensive than a new bike.
That's why I sold that bike... upgrading was either not possible or not worth it and that's what I think is great about the Schwinn. The frame is ready for almost all the modern components.
Idk, something is just really satisfying to me about getting a new bike, and putting new better parts on it, the feeling of "wow, this feels so much better than the other ones did" and after awhile the connection that you have to that cheap bike is the kinda connection that's just like "look how far you've come from what you used to be, it's amazing"
Vitus has through axles instant win even with the tektro brakes.
TektroBrakes are not bad at all! I use them for 4 years on my bike...works fine
Great point
Yep tekro are decent and so are those mt200. Nothing more or less they're both decent
@@radostinyanchev6303 i have a bike with tektro brakes and another with sram guide R, idk if is cause the brake pads on the sram guides are bad, but my tektro have great stopping power, 2 years with them and no problems, I fully recomend those brakes
@@tavojuarez1987 i think you feel differents between steel and organic pads....i personally dont like organic...when your service comes and you need to change your pads - go for steel if your brake disks are comfortable
Great video!
I bought a new entry level Specialized Rockhopper For $500 dollars. I found out that it has the same frame as the $1,400 top of the line Rockhopper. So, I began to upgrade it and I am loving the process because I am getting the parts that I like. I already upgraded the pedals, brakes, crankset, cassette, and derailer. My next upgrade will be the fork. So far I have spent altogether $900 and I like it better than the $1,400 Rockhopper.
2022 and now cheapest Rockhopper is $700 - lol
I bought Cube AIM 2020 entry for 450 euros and i upgraded to 3x9 with Raidon fork for 500 euros and also i have sold the factory parts so the bike cost me 750 euros and the expensive have the same frame but much expensive.
I would emphasize more the fact that the Schwinn doesn’t have different sizes to choose from. That limits it for a TON of people, and over the years Ive found how important bike fit is.
Yeah it's a non starter for a lot of people unfortunately.
@@mtbsavant5414 I'm 5'10" , 200lbs do I fit the axum
Billy joe he said anyone over 5ft 9in
Yea very important, for me geometry is to, but I got an enduro bike it's far higher price class, but geometry, size suits my needs. 515mm reach on Large, I am 181cm, pretty average size, lovely climber and descender. Not cheap, but it was worth it, and I know I am going to keep riding, I love it, it's an long term investment. No more hardtails to abuse my back atleast not for mtb.
The new dropper post version does have sizes and colors...
Great vid! Can’t beat a dedicated home build! Hunting for parts, finding bargains, building piece by piece. Truly a pleasure.
shame the geometry will be the exact opposite...
I have really enjoyed the videos you have put together about this bike. Liked your comments about upgrading as you go and encouraging people to get out and ride, no matter what you are on. Keep the videos coming! You are definitely winning fans by having a healthy mix of low budget and high end bikes. I think your channel is only going to get more popular.
Thank you comments like this keep me going!
Just FYI, The Nucleus VRS does have a clutch derailleur, mine turned up the other day, it's amazing.
Yes it does! Good call
I would think that if your going to buy it online maybe it might be a good idea to have the local bike shop assemble and give it a safety check
@@gulfcitynd Yeah, mine came from Wiggle, was set up lovely
I've had a Vitus for a season now. Freehub cassette body just broke and trying to get warranty replacement is practically impossible. Maybe that's due to the Covid situation, but doesn't really feel like it. The ahole rep said that a freehub issue is likely due to maintenance issue. They finally suggest I send the entire rear wheel back so they can examine it. Yeah.. I will have to pay to send it back and than THEY will assess whether or not it's a warranty issue and reimburse me and ship the back the fixed wheel. The freehub cassette is likely a $20 part for them where as shipping the wheel back and forth will cost way more and take WAY too long. I said F em and ordered the hub myself. I figure this is their little scam to not honor warranties by making the process difficult.
so.. already trying to pass the buck suggesting it's maint. issue and making it difficult by demanding the entire wheel go back. So... yes... buy a Vitus, overall good bang for the buck. BUT DO NOT COUNT ON THE WARRANTY!
As of right now and many emails of pushing them, they said they didn't carry the part I need and gave me a link where to buy it and they would refund me the purchase price. I had already bought a replacement off Amazon 5 days ago so I sent them that receipt. It's only been as of this morning and not seen the refund yet, we'll see what happens.
A plus for the Schwinn - all those components you took off have a resale value!
Good point
As a dad that knows a thing or too about taking things apart and making them both objectively and subjectively better, and wanting to pass that skill onto my kids. Buying a bike like the Schwinn with my oldest and upgrading/customizing it with her is definitely the way to go.
Thanks for posting this video - I very much enjoyed it. As a person who is about to refit an old Bontrager hardtail steel bike, this is some GREAT info!
Great comparison video! Thanks so much for putting things into perspective. Pay as you go is perfect (and way more reasonable) for a noob dad/mountain biker. Diapers can put a damper on shelling out all that money up-front. 😂
Another factor - technology and value of the components get better over time :)
geometry is my one word on this bike. the fit won't work for everyone and even if it 'fits' the geometry is going to make it 'interesting'
Love the underdog so I have been watching and following along on this build even though I'm a bike snob makes me wanna go build a Walmart bike lol
I'm a recovering bike snob as well! lol
Great video! Loved your breakdown of the Trek, Giant and Vitus vs Schwinn.
Thnx!
Right when you showed the trek I wanted you to see the nucleus so damn bad. I've been riding a vitus Sommet and I absolutely love it!
After researching for over a month in July of 2019 I purchased a Giant Talon 2 (2x system). This was by far the best bike available for my price range. Got it from one of the local bike shops and I could not be happier. As many know Giant makes the frames for many brands. The L sizing works well as I am 6’3” 220lbs.
I am still a novice and have frequent pedal strikes, crashes, etc as I often try new (stupid) things. The bike has held up very well. One great feature is the mount for the front derailer has a welded anchor point and not a screwed in plastic/metal strap that fits around the frame. When you crash as much as I do it helps.
I Weighed many factors when selecting and looked at bikes from retail outlets (all too small) and every bike shop in the area and compared components. There in fact was a Schwinn that looked tempting but the size was a problem. Same with the GT at Dicks. I also came to want a 2x system. Thus the Talon 2 had the best components in my price range. Many bike shops did not have bikes my size and I was being forced to buy the bike to get it to the shop to see how it fit. Hillsboro Bicycle Center in Deerfield Beach FL. (where I am now a regular) had multiple sizes, brands etc. I have since purchased a Liv Bliss for one of my daughters and 3 of my friends each bought Talons.
I went in to buy that exact bike a year ago, and walked out with a Rocky Mountain Soul 10. It was a similar story, but the components, tapered head tube and 1x drivetrain sold me on the Rocky. I've since added a dropper, put a 10speed GX shifter and derailleur with a sunrace cassette. Put my factory tires from my Alititude on it, and next upgrade will be the fork. It's a solid little hardtail, I mainly use it to lend to others and get them into the sport lol.
That giant you have is a solid choice, glad you enjoy it.
Would buy this bike in a heartbeat if they sold a 16’-17’ frame and 27.5 rims on it
I'd love a 16 foot frame too
jane blogs Right you won’t need any drone shoots.
Marley Brown That’s what she said.🙋🏼♀️
So its safe to say that at 5 ft 6 to 5 ft 7 that the Axum would be to big of a big for me?
Splitting the difference would be the Schwinn Al Comp (2020 v2) which is 27.5" tires with a slightly larger frame, but also comes in significantly cheaper but still with great features and more room for upgrades down the line.
Was waiting for this type of video to compare the axum before I buy. Thanks man!
Glad it was helpful!
That was a great comparison. Really impressed with how you laid that out. Great job. Also, you surprised me with the change up in the outro!
Thnx bud
Nailed it with this video, great comparisons.
Appreciate it
Great video man! It's actually pretty interesting to see what you can do with lower end bikes. How often do we all get asked from friends who know nothing about the sport what bike to buy. You KNOW they're not ready to drop $5000 on a bike. It's good to see there are solid low end options out there! Not to mention it's usually 80% rider and 20% bike. Or wait...is it 90% rider and 10% bike? Ok. I'm making up numbers to sound smart now. Nevermind. 😂
Nice upgrades I did the same upgrades to my 2018 Haro Double Peak Comp over a period of time now it rides like a dream
Hey thanks for this video I bought the Schwinn today I plan to upgrade forks in two weeks breaks in 4 weeks so on until it's done! I think your video was absolutely helpful!!!!
Budget is the new Yeti. ;P
It's the bike for Dentist....assistants ;)
Can I have The Link For The Yeti?
@@matrixracing8268 link for free teeth cleaning?
@@MrNightpwner I Was Talking About Yeti Bikes
Budget and good times with family and friends in the trails.
Concise, informative channel. Well done! Subbed
Thanks!
Love this video! Very informative, I just picked up the Axum on clearance for $228!!
Thank you !!!!!! Mine will be delivered next Monday ! And I plan on purchasing ALL these upgrades over time ! :)
Vitus nucleus, add a dropper and you’re done. Already comes with nice tires, geo brakes etc... 15thru axle upfront
I've had a Vitus for a season now. Freehub cassette body just broke and trying to get warranty replacement is practically impossible. Maybe that's due to the Covid situation, but doesn't really feel like it. The ahole rep said that a freehub issue is likely due to maintenance issue. They finally suggest I send the entire rear wheel back so they can examine it. Yeah.. I will have to pay to send it back and than THEY will assess whether or not it's a warranty issue and reimburse me and ship the back the fixed wheel. The freehub cassette is likely a $20 part for them where as shipping the wheel back and forth will cost way more and take WAY too long. I said F em and ordered the hub myself. I figure this is their little scam to not honor warranties by making the process difficult.
so.. already trying to pass the buck suggesting it's maint. issue and making it difficult by demanding the entire wheel go back. So... yes... buy a Vitus, overall good bang for the buck. BUT DO NOT COUNT ON THE WARRANTY!
@@marcuslinton310 sorry about your experiance man, my nukeproof has been nothing but reliable two years later. Yea its a trade off for sure going online and warranty. As long as my frame doesnt crack im fine buying replacment parts. That being almost all the other components arent even made by them just the bars/stem/grips and thats it. The wheelset is just a rebranded WTB one
@@bora01vr6 yea, then might be good idea to contact wtb if crc is making it tricky
@@mtbboy1993 As of right now and many emails of pushing them, they said they didn't carry the part I need and gave me a link where to buy it and they would refund me the purchase price. I had already bought a replacement off Amazon 5 days ago so I sent them that receipt. It's only been as of this morning and not seen the refund yet, we'll see what happens.
Marcus Linton I really doubt Schwinn is going to take care of you any better
6:46 that's new. I like it!
Love your work. Although my main steed is a Reign Advanced 0, my backup is a cheapie Kmart Everest.
Steel frame and the world's crapiest components. But honestly I've had a lot of fun tinkering with this thing, mostly used or swapped parts (to the point theres no not much original bike left), and just not taking it too seriously and the look on peoples face when you keep on with them on a black trail is priceless.
Too many channels talk about entry level with ridiculously expensive, but the grass roots is where the real fun & reward is. Keep it up.
Hey! I'm not even in the market for a MTB but thoroughly enjoyed the series on this Schwinn. The wealth of solid info and advice offered is spot on. I'm a big enthusiast of bang for the buck bargains. Current bike is a 2016 Trek FX, on road and no feature flat dirt trail. When looking for a hard-tail or full suspension bike will definitely swing back to see what you're cooking. (would opt for the Vitus or 2020 GT Avalanche Elite if buying now)
Worth also keeping in mind that the vitus has nicer stem, bars, crankset, bigger gear range and most importantly, a thruaxle instead of the 9mm QR axle.
True, the spacing on the Schwinn is boost at least and several hub brands (i9, hope, dt dwiss, spank) offer cheap end caps to fit a QR.
I've had this bike a month. Only pedals and grips upgraded. I like the feel of this bike way better than the marlin 5 I bought for my son. I can't get any of my buddies that have better bikes to even try the axum they say it will break. I feel confident in the axum at this point!
Right on!
Awesome video and sweet tunes at the ends, thx! Even though I don't even have Walmart in my country I still find this very interesting.
Glad you enjoyed!
This could be my favorite video of yours so far. Thank you for creating it and giving us such entertainment with actual thought-provoking knowledge.
Could throw the Diamondback Hook into the comparison mix.
The Hook immediately came to my mind as well. MSRP is $700, and looks like all it would really need is a dropper post.
Yep I got lucky and found a used one for 250 I added a dropper post and new maxxis tires, it’s a ripper Forsure slowly gonna upgrade as I progress haha
Nicoya should also throw in avanti competitor
They aren’t that good at spec for price
So what about the same upgrades on the new schwinn taff?
Just got an Axum. Going to save your video for future reference! Thanks!
Hey James! I saw you recently subscribed to my channel, which is super awesome because it was this video that gave me the inspiration to start my channel last year. It's been quite the journey to get where I am, and a lot of my start was because you paved the way with this video and other Axum videos you did.
Right on man! Your content is great keep up the work
Could you do a video on how to covert the tires to tubeless :)
Would love to see you do a review on the fat tire bike from Costco, the Northrock XC00.
Not sure if it's available in my area
I was going to buy one, but now it looks like it’s not on Costco’s website anymore. Has really good reviews for a cheap fat bike.
with fat bikes, the rims are very important, considering you couldn't buy a set of "good" rims for the price of the mongoose dolomite you can pretty much determine those bikes are not going to be a good investment. Ive seen a few come through my shop, cracked rims and rust are very common with them not to mention everything on them is the cheapest possible part they could find. if you want to get into a fatbike companies like Reid are making decent value driven bikes that will be reliable.
Thanks for the more 'practical' aproach. Great content
Awesome video. I was always curious about customizing those Schwinns cause their frame looks really nice. My talon will do me good for a while though
Vitus all the way! I’ve had one for a while now and it’s great
Right on, glad you're enjoying it!
This video is great, I wish I saw it before I got my bike. I ended up getting a 2020 Trek Marlin 5 after doing what I thought was enough research but now I'm stuck with a bike that has a 3x drivetrain and no upgradeability whatsoever other than the tires. Do your research folks!
Please don't feel bad and ride what you got!!
I'm pretty sure its just as customizable. Just that parts aren't cheap. You can convert to a 1x setup.
I have Marlin 5 also, bought it in June and I have upgraded the entire drivetrain to XT 2x10 after destroying the original one. Granted, I drove it like crazy - about 1200 miles in 2 months. And last week I changed the brakes entirely and upgraded to Shimano MT400. The bike was 500 USD on sale and upgrades cost me additional 450 (a friend has a bike shop so I got parts for cheap). The point is, it is upgradeable :) The main downside of this bike is that it cannot fit tapered forks. Wish I knew the implications of that, but you live and learn
@@kumich5 I think those headsets are zs44, which means you can still run a tapered fork with a different headset lower
@@Morpheas001 Did not know that, thank you for information. Today I purchased RockShox Recon Silver RL 29" Solo Air with 120 mm travel. Found a new OEM version with straight tube for only 160 USD
I just finished building my DH bike for the season, have quite a few spare parts I think I’m going to purchase this bike to get into the 29er seen. Great vid.
Right on!
I got mine 2 days ago and threw it a beating in some trails and it held up amazingly! I’m really impressed. Got some mt200 hydraulics on the way and tossed on some rockbros pedals already as well as a better saddle and grips. Good call on the upgraded fork, I was dreading the chain reaction of having to upgrade the wheel to get into air forks
Great to hear!
I up graded mine with a 1500 watt hub motor
Brap!
what about the diamondback "hook" or "line" ? as a comparison for the prices
pumpkinheadbmx I picked up a used hook for 250 just added new maxxis tires and and a dropper post and it’s a really good bike only downside is it’s a non tapered headtube
they are trash..just the brand name...
Overpriced
What's their next bike, "sinker"?
@@reiffy76 I feel like I might get r/whooshed, but yes, the Sync'r is their mid tier hardtail.
I think about it the same way as many people think about modifying cars. Sure you can drop bulk $ on a fast car straight off the lot but there's a sense of achievement and ownership when you buy a run down beater, fix it, modify it, improve it and make it your own. Plus you learn a lot of skills along the way. Same with bikes: sure, you can buy a Trek, Marlin or Vitus and go riding. But the price of bikes is what holds a lot of people back from getting into the sport. This shows that you can buy a cheap (er) bike, hit the trails and as your skills improve, you can upgrade it. Along the way, you learn more about maintaining your bike and you make it a unique bike! Love the vid and hope to see more on this!
Excellent video...!!!
It's amazing how you can clear to much doubts with this comparative...
Am into components now and with more if this type of info you can build a great bike without throwing money and get regrets later on
Glad it was helpful!
"if the US military were to design a derailleur" so what you're saying is, it's garbage?
lmao. Built like a tank, for better or worse
With this derraileur, you'll challenge your mate to a downhill run, lag behind because of it, decide it's better to quit halfway into the trail and call it a tie. By this time, the derailleur have already costed a few billion dollars to develop, so you decide it's better to invest on a new company to come up with a new design from the ground up.
He's saying it would be a generic $3000 item 😂
Lowest bidder for days! "merica
@@r.carter8378 That's not how it works lmao
yeah hea im 5 10 lets go im bouta cop this
I got a slights used giant talon 2 for $400 and I have zero complaints so far it’s been able to handle everything I throw at it. The tubless tire have been a life saver.
Upgrading is the best way to make your bike feel better I first bought a normal budget MTB in childhood then after I grew up a bit I started upgrading from its stem to the drivetrain and other parts were replaced with expensive components and at last changed the whole geometry of bike by replacing the frame with a new one the bike originally costed around $200 now this custom built machine costs like $3500 and it's worth it you can go with upgrading frame if you feel your bike is not good enough
I own a Marlin 7 and I've taken it down hill, down stars and drops and it feels flawless and would definitely out preform the others.
Thnx for sharing
I’m thinking of buying one what do you rate it out of 10 and did you upgrade the wheels
@@joeneil9564 well, I can't vouch for the 7 but I own a Marlin 6 2020 and it's probably an 9, I don't really have any "problems" with it, just that I can't give it a 10 because it doesn't ALWAYS feel smooth, but you really get what you pay for, it's biggest advantage being the frame, it's an absolutely amazing frame for the amount you pay
@@skandy6847 how about the marlin 5?
@@mustardtoast8328 well it's pretty good, but the drivetrain is MUCH worse, this I know because my friend has one
I love to fiddle. Schwinn for me 😂
I'm a fiddler too lol
Im a diddler
many of these upgrade ideas would also be upgrades to my 2.5k focus raven. Better fork, better brakes, dropper seatpost, chainstay protector. Yup need them all
Super insightful video. Thank you!
i have a 2019 trek marlin 7 and i love it, i’m looking at upgrading it with a fox fork, box two drivetrain, one bye chainring, and ks lev dropper
Wow that bike is gonna shred!
I am also doing the same thing
I have the 2020 Marlin 7 and love it, I wish I had the money for those upgrades! I am enjoying it much more with a dropper post installed though
A few months ago I picked up a new Marlin 7. I love it, but I’m not a hugely serious mountain biker. What kind of upgrades do you think would be sensible for the bike that wouldn’t cost as much as like a new Trek Roscoe?
@@AlexanderBallot I'd continue to ride it stock and see what if anything holds you back. I'm guessing the fork and tires are an obvious starting place IF you ride on anything chunky.
cube analog 2020 💪🏻
This is a great video showing that Schwinn is really stepping up their game. The non tapered head tubes on the other bikes are deal breakers. Vitus is definitely a good contender as well!
Couldn't agree more!
I bought a floor model 2014 marlin SS a couple years old from my bike shop, it was in 2016 and I had issues with the stainless axle stay screws bending inside the frame and so they gave me a brand new superfly frame even up! So that ended up being my first bike afterall. Still ride it and love it even though it’s also a single speed build. Xt brakes, Chris king BB, dt Swiss wheelset, ice rotors and so on. Envy carbon bars and Reba air fork. Absolute black chainring and sram crank.
I was just looking to buy a bike this weekend. I’m a first time rider. My research revealed that the giant talon 3 is the best bang for the buck. I found one for 475 brand new out the door. I planned on upgrading parts if I enjoyed riding that much. Would I be better suited to upgrade the Schwinn over time or the giant talon 3. 475 on the giant looks like a good deal. Please help me out. I’m a new subscriber too. Great video.
You can't go wrong either way and there's plenty of upgrade options for the talon which is a good bike.
Thanks for the quick reply. One last question. I’m such a noob. 2013 Giant talon 0 29er or the 2020 giant talon 3 29er. The 2013 I can buy for 400. The giant 3 for 450.
Hiya william . sorry to jump on this in my opinion the 2013 talon 0 is still a higher spec than the 2020 talon 3 . on the down side some components X5 rear deralier ect are becoming harder to find replacments . just for back ground i work for a uk giant concept store as head technician . with that in mind we have to get all parts from official distributor
Mark c wow. Who better to ask than u!!! Thanks so much for chiming in but I’m still a little on the fence. Lol. If u had to pick one. Which would u go with?
try looking at the trek marlin 5 it’s a a top of the line entry level for 550
The Trek Marlins and the other entry level bikes shown here all win in my opinion just for the fact of being able to choose frame size and the Lifetime warranty on the frame and the Warranties on all the parts. If you don't need the warranty's and can fit the bike that Wal Mart sells, then yes, that Schwinn is awesome and I agree with the video.
Don't let the bike snobs in the community sway you from getting a great deal (these new Schwinns are) With how these new Schwinns are being made and how the companies in the US that actually make their bikes in the US (Guerilla Gravity) and charge the same price for true US quality as we get for unregulated crap from China I think we are going to start seeing some real competition in the next few years where the consumer is going to see some savings. Heck we might even start seeing some of these Chinesium bikes from the big name companies actually start selling for what they truly are worth (less than a thousand bucks instead of $5,000 to $10,000 for something that cost these companies $800 to build and ship to the US.
I always feel the lifetime warranty on the frame argument is pointless on such a entry level bike. No newbie is going to push those bikes that hard to actually break the frame without serious risk of personal injury. Also if you do end up doing a 5-8 foot Huck to flat and they examine the frame, they would void the warranty anyway because you are using the bike beyond it's intended use. Entry level bikes are only good for a gateway for people to get into the sport and nothing more. So yeah if you can fit on a Schwinn, get the Schwinn all day everyday.
Just an fyi, schwinn has lifetime warranty on the frame as well
Personally, the reason I am choosing to upgrade a cheapish 'walmart' bike over buying something new is multifold:
1) I'm preventing (yet another!) bike from going into the garbage needlessly.
2) Working on it and upgrading it myself lets me get in touch with it and understand how it works
3) It's really a beautiful bike and I haven't seen similar elsewhere--there are leather accents all over (including the chainguard! and jacquard-like patterns on the wheel skirt to match.
4) I think it'd be better to find what I need and customize from there rather than pay a huge sum of money up front for something I'm only planning on using casually as a stealth ebike.
Digging this video, I don't think ive derm one like it before. It will definitely help newbies for sure.
Glad it was helpful!
What about comparing it to 2019 cannondale trail 6
A few people have asked, will need to check that out
So an upgraded Walmart bike is better than my Trek Marlin?!😢
depends i heave the trek marlin 7 and i think its pretty good
Just different
If you replace it with better parts it could be, but it will also be more money.
You just spent an extra $200 on the name Trek.
@@YourMom-vl2sp That's not true. The cheapest Marlin is $549 and there is no way it's only valued at $349. You can't self build those bikes even at $549.
It would mean a lot if you do another video with the specialized rockhopper series. I’m thinking of getting one or doing the upgrade system.
Great video!!! I have the same box four. Ran into same problem without the shifter. Waiting on shifter to come in to install. Thank you for the great video.
Did you try running the box four with a different 8 speed shifter?
@@mtbsavant5414 No. Only have the axe one that came with the bike. I should have the box four shifter by the 26th. Will reinstall then. Do love the video. I could have dropped the money for a high end bike but I am learning about MTB. By building it little by little I get the learn what it takes to put one together. I also see others that have taken different paths on upgrades and options are limitless.
@@mtbsavant5414 I received shifter today. Will test tomorrow 😄
I just bought Axum partially thanks to your videos. I'm just getting back into MTB and agree that its easier to slowly spend money on upgrades than fork out several hundreds more at once. It also allows me to learn how to work on the bike. I live close to Lake Tahoe area...what tires would you recommend for overall high sierra moderate trail riding?
Check the continental mountain king (REI.com got those from 39.99 in 27.93 free shipping)
When you upgrade, you might want to consider a nicer but used fork like a rockshox pike.
@@ryanp3907 You can buy a NEW Suntour Epixon 80 to 140mm Air + oil close cartridge with remote lock for $175, i did the research to compare with Rockshock and the Epixon wins for simplicity(maintenance and parts,i used to ride Rockshock).✌
@@adrianramos2689 do you have a link you could share?
@@SzeryfUSA This is the item number for eBay:202543918485
I saw that miata in that garage 👀👀
M1 for life!
I sold my Orange Five last year while I decided what other full suspension to buy for this season. I’ve been riding. Trek Roscoe 7, it was great and did the job. I’ve upgraded it heavily since but it was an amazing base. Now has Hope wheels, Hope bakes, DVO forks and Burgtec cockpit 👌🏻
Trying to decide between the Marlin 8 or Roscoe 7. Love the look and feel of the Roscoe but hate the heavier cost.
I have a Cannondale trail 4 that I got years ago (sweet matte black/white color combo) and its double butted aluminum and the only thing I have not upgraded on it yet is the bottom bracket. I did make it a sweet 1x11 Shimano Shadow derailleur and XT brakes and raceface components and it is probably the sweetest ride ever! Also got the Fox 36 Float Performance Etite GRIP2 with 160mm. Again this is a hard tail:) and its called the most aggressive and BEST looking hard tail ever! BTW Nice video :).
I feel like your riding the parts and just change frames every so many years...and then you slowly go thru swapping them out to match the quality level of the frame and the cycle continues
I can't even find a vitus nucleus... out of stock everywhere 🤷🏾♂️
they'll be in stock at some point... keep looking man! for real i feel ya tho. i'm trying to get a calibre two 3 and they are just not coming in stock in my size.
@@bananasstuff3344 found a near new 2020 marlin 6 on offer up for half price for the time being...
I have the trek marlin 5 2019 frame I just built. I have the schwinn boundary 29er 2017. All the upgraded parts from the schwinn went on to my marlin. All I need now is a dropper post. The forks that I use are markhor mantiou on my bikes. I get my parts from worldwide cyclery, take a hike cyclery, planet cyclery and other shops on line.
A clutch and a dropper seat post is Absolutley amazing. Not even kidding.
Werd
The Fork That You Shown The Epixon Isn't Boost.
The front hub that came with the bike has 100mm spacing.
Stock front wheel isnt boost either. Only the rear.
I'm old enough to remember the first time i heard about a bike that cost over $300.00 and thinking .. WHAAAAAAAAAAT ???
Nowadays you’d look at a £300 bike thinking “whaaaat” haha, my first mtb was a halfords special Apollo xc26, thing was big heavy and unreliable, but that thing used to blasted down Glentress on a weekly basis until I moved up to my next bike which was a £400 Revolution cuilin pro, which had some naff Suntour forks but had some Tektro hydraulic brakes on there, at the time of never ridden hydro’s before so there was a lot of OTB moments getting used to the increased power, it’s funny how over time you get used to the new better gear and then you look back at what you originally thought was great and it’s just pretty bad. 😂
I just got mine on sale for 4899.00 😬
Back in the early 90's my best friend bought a new Trek (Antelope?) and I remember walking around the dealer thinking that $400 was a lot for a bike, and I'd never be able to afford one. By the time I could, I was out of bikes and into cars.
YOURE BIKING AT JMP?! let’s goo dude I love the bay man I rode west ridge today
My Vitus Nucleus gets here on Monday, so excited
Can I have it
Why do you say you put an sr Suntour fork on when it is obviously a fox fork? Edit: It doesn't even look to be a qr fork, so he had to buy a new front wheel too, and wheels ain't cheap.
He probably didn't like riding the suntour enough and went with something enjoyable but obviously way out of budget. Was excited to see Suntour get into Kashima coatings.
Right? Get this fork for this bike but nahh I won't even bother riding that. I'll use a fork that's worth more then all the parts+bike I listed combined...
The swin is my choice!
Nice!
not a bad build! looks fun.
I got myself a Vitus Sentier as my first bike and it has been killer.
Damn it! Your never going to send me this bike. 😢
I'll let you ride it when you visit lol
MTB Savant I guess that will do. I can see it now. “Can JC Trails break my Axum.” Nope!
@@jctrails just don't leave it behind the car lol... too soon? J/k man :)
@@oklahotb3217 Beat me to it. Way too soon lol
OklahOTB ouch. Good news though new front triangle is in the mail.
Cmon let’s be realistic Vitus a dedicated mtb company with through axles air fork or Walmart. And a beginner does not want to upgrade the bike straight away they want to learn on a reliable bike.
When you're poor you want to upgrade after and ride right away.
Very well done review!
This video was super helpful.
I have a got a schwinn volare 1200 road bike brand new on sale for $128 around 6 months ago. I was my first decent and upgradeable (can change out fork) bike, and I've had a blast working on it. Being upgradeable and looking for parts really helped me learn about bikes and the different parts.
If you're interested in bikes, diy projects, and have a lot of time, buying a cheap schwinn or other bigbox bike (I like the channel "kevcentral" to see which ones fit my needs and budget) and upgrading the parts with the money you saved is a better option than throwing down money on day one. Also, if you're new to working on bikes, getting it properly tuned up at a bike shop is recommended to make sure it's properly assembled and safe to ride on.
Once you swap a component and feel the gratification after, that bikes becomes a part of you and $$ stops mattering lol
I just picked up a Specialized Rockhopper 2019 which was on sale from my local shop for $400 bucks. Waiting for it to be delivered, but I took your advice and will upgrade over time some of the parts, well probably all of them. But ride what it came with till they wear down (except the fork) :)
That's a steal for $400. Congrats
Go used. Got a very good condition Octane One Prone with good parts on it for $500. It has a Fox 34, hydraulic brakes, clutch derailleur, the whole 9 yards.
it actually comes with a dropper post, that’s crazy to me! I mean I couldn’t go back from what I’m ridding, but that’s not a bad looking frame at all either.
Great content man keep it up!
Thnx!
I wouldn't recommend upgrade the drivetrain until it dies, but if you were going to replace it, you could've added another $100 and get Box Three Prime 9, that makes the price a little stiffer but no one else is going to give you a 1x9 with 11-50 range and a dropper for that price.
Solid choice
Interesting take on a budget build... I miss going down Cinderella. Be Safe!
I love me some Cindy too! Thx for your comment
Great video man! I would probably go with this bike and throw a Microshift drivetrain on instead of a box. I’ve heard great things about there new 1x 10 drivetrain that goes up to a 48 tooth cog. You can’t beat the price point either!
Totally agree! I'm trying to see if I get one to test!