$179 Walmart Gravel Bike | Kent Eagle Ridge Adventure Bicycle
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Walmart sells a gravel bike, the Kent Eagle Ridge, for $179. This bike has a strange combination of drop bars and twist shifters. I've never been a fan of either, but I do enjoy a good gravel bike like the Aventon Kijote. How does the Eagle Ridge stack up when ridden on the same gravel roads and streets I have spent time on with the Kijote?
This bike had shipping damage to the rear derailleur and seat. In the review I try to work around those two issues to give a fair and honest opinion. Note that this bike is $179 from Walmart, but I was sent this unit to review directly from Kent International. That being said, there is no sponsorship or endorsement and I am free to share my experiences and opinions.
Let me know what you think about the Eagle Ridge and this review. Comment below.
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Thanks for watching another KevCentral bike video. Have a great day! - Jak na to + styl
This is very clearly a hybrid bike that they threw some drop bars onto and called it a gravel/day.
They're on-trend for the drop-bar 90s MTB conversions, I guess
Hazmat.....which is what I did on a 1993 Nishiki Pueblo.....used the shimano sl-a050 shifters with aero brake levers at first but eventually swapped to MicroNEW brifters.
Why you do you say that? :)
Man, those brake levers make me cringe so bad.
Those hoods are waaaay too high up, they gotta be dropped so your hands aren't twisted back while using them.
This ^^
The entire bar is rotated too far up. The overall feel and handling would be much better with the correct positioning.
Could that cause pain in your hands and lower back? Asking for a friend.
@@jonahnichols2158 unfortunately yes. Especially in your hands, back less so but many things are possible with a bad bike fit and a bad position.
Thanks! My friend appreciates the info.
“It’s all fun until someone starts playing a banjo.” Haha. Instant classic. As always, great job!
The cable management is none existent. That front brake cable drove me crazy.
"Like those shifters." That has become an inside joke for me and a couple of friends. Thank you so much for your reviews Kev. And your sense of humor is much appreciated as well. :]
Dude rotate your handlebars! The drops should be horizontal!
The proper position for drop bars is in the scrap heap .
@@WBatte1 😂😂😂
@@WBatte1 You even ride bro?
@@joerenner8334 exactly
@@joerenner8334 Yes I do. Anywhere from 50 to 100 miles a week . My commute to work is a 16 mile round trip and I tow a trailer with a dog for that .
Somebody adjust those handlebars and brake levers properly please!
Looks like a nice clean braking surface for the rim brakes it doesn't come with!
Your video's are cool 👍. You do a great job presenting info with facts and specs without any unnecessary stuff. Great video man 👌.
I've had a different Walmart bike with the same exact twist shifters+drop bar combo. Those spacers actually hold the handlebars together using clamp force from the stem. The bars split in half (to get the shifters on from inside of the drops) and that bolt on the front helps holds the two pieces together as well. Not something I was comfortable riding on (even less on gravel) but it held up well for the short time I had it. Either way, love the videos!
yeah, this strikes me as legitimately unsafe.
You have yourself a great day too, awesome video as always.
Thanks again I always appreciate will you add in Street performance and light trails Great review
Always learn from you. Thanks. Don't like twist shift at all.
Kevin -
Can you update this review / do a new one considering
Kent has an updated version "Nazz Gravel bike"
it has a 1x8 drivetrain, larger threadless headset / steerer tube & stem shifters.
(Old school minded folks may prefer those over twist shifters.)
Personally I would swap out either the Revos or Stem units for Shimanos under appreciated A050 simple "Thumb Paddle" shifters.
(All of $15 last I checked !)
Or grab a set of $79 MicroShift R8 Brifters so you can brake & shift together.
But that last mod might be all this bike needs to be very good and budget friendly too !
PS: no bad welds on the Nazz I saw at our WM.
The bike you reviewed with the “Purk” brakes was the Orkan Lux bike from Amazon.
That's what I was thinking too
I'm not a fan of twist shifters, especially on drop bars, but great video kev
Love your vids and love to see another road bike on the channel
The GMC Denali road bike was the first to employ those multi piece bars so they could incorporate the grip shifters. Sketchy, creative solution, but I don't know if it's any worse than the old stem shifters from back in the day.
Great review, love the "Deliverance" reference!
Chances are they weren't burning anything. Sometimes in mulch piles, the combination of the sun and decomposing material can raise the temperature enough for it to smolder. If the pile is turned over with a backhoe, sometimes you will get flames from the sudden influx of oxygen to the smoldering wood.
Twist shifter and drop bars is definitely weird, like you said. I had a drop bar bike with lever shifters but the brake lever had one like this but it had a rod going by where your twist shifter is. I think older drop bar bikes had the brakes that I am talking about and this bike should have those older style brakes for it to be safe. I hate drop bars anyway so I wouldn't get this bike. I mostly like cruiser bars or some kind of raised bars nowadays because I stopped riding because of back pain. With my mountain bike with added 5 inch riser bar and my cruiser single speed, I am happy to get out riding again, with being pain free. 6 years truck driving, over the road really did a number on my back. Local trucking equals less miles per day and it's saving my back.
I love these videos, you do good work
Its nearly midnight for me but must watch new kevcentral upload XD
UK
Wow I'm glad you took a look at this bike I had considered it at one point but I think im going to get something else instead. Also The Hydro-form seems to be out of stock online sadly I hope they aren't discontinuing it.
At these prices, it's better to buy a better bike that's used; even if it's a little older. This passed week I bought a 2000 Haro Escape 7.2 with Deore derailleurs, a Manitou fork, trigger shifters, and disc brakes for $100. There are deals out there on craigslist, offer up and letgo. I recommend that everyone skip buying new at Walmart and look for something used that is of a reputable brand. Either way, these videos are entertaining Kev! Keep up the good work!
Hey champ, love your reviews. I know you’re the first to admit that you are not a drop bar guy, but exactly because of that I would highly highly recommend that for your next drop bar bike review, that you spend $50-100 having your LBS fit the bike to you.
The last two drop bar bikes I’ve seen you review had the fit set up enough out of whack that I don’t even need to see you ride it to know that you would be more comfortable if I could rotate the bars, slide the hoods around a bit, likely move the seat, etc.
Just my 2 cents, keep up the great videos!
HOW THE BLOODY HELL DID THEY GET TWISTIES ON A DROP BAR?!
That's weird, how did they do that? You gotta show us how they did that.
Im pretty sure its a 2 piece handle bar
FranBunnyFFXII || They did the same with the GMC Denali branded road bike. If I remember correctly, the handlebar was separated in the middle so they can slide them on
Yeah, they chop it in half, installed the shifters, then rewelded back. It's the same setup like the genesis saber/GMC Denali.
@@jacklo325 || My guess is the "spacers" Kevin was talking about in this video are some form of reinforcement bracing shim thing, as that's what the stem actually clamps on to
They cut the drop bar in half. You get what you pay for.
Hello Kev, I almost purchased this bike for the frame disk brake bosses. To rebuild it again with higher end parts. I'm building a trek 6000 frameset I found online for $50.00. Your videos help.
Thank you
You just had to put in a "Deliverance" reference... LOL!
I was shocked to see this thumbnail. I commented a couple months back asking for a review of this bike. Great video!
What ever happened to dual brake levers? They would work great with those twist shifters. Otherwise I have no use for drop bars, never did.
As others are saying, the twist shifters on drop bar bikes isn't ideal. Unfortunately for me I need an XL size bike, which is something you simply can't find at WalMart in regards to a gravel bike or road bike. I did want to make a suggestion for you though, the Genesis Whirlwind. I picked one up about 2 years ago for my wife on clearance, but they're back at Walmart. I paid about a hundred bucks, and they're currently $148. Quite a solidly built bike and has a 26" plus sized tire. Very nice looking and pretty solid and problem free.
I've gotten used to the shifters being on the brakes, but back when I raced in the 1970s, the shifters were either on the frame down tube, the stem, or the bar ends. A few would have the shifters on the handlebars, but closer to the stem. They were all still useful but take getting used to. No doubt the current shifters on the brake handles are superior.
Hello kev I'm new to your channel but after browsing through your interesting contents I got hooked up and been binge watching your videos you earned a new sub here greetings and ride safe from the other side of the world Philippines 👍🚲
Thanks, and welcome to KevCentral!
Brake shifters like those that are found on bike shop bikes are VERY complicated to manufacture and so most department store bikes include twist shifters.
With Performance Bicycle, the nation's largest bicycle retail shop going belly-up, I think Performance's in-house, store-brand tire makers (their "Gotham Crosstown" tires) just found a bike to mount their excess stock to. They're VERY tough and dependable tires, especially for the cost. I ran them for years with no flats on my commuter.
The shim that makes the stem grab is there so you can upgrade the handlebars to lighter, more modern units if you want without having to replace the stem.
You could also have a bent derailleur hanger- if it's shifting unevenly halfway through but well at the other half, it indicates a bent hanger.
Am i weird if i say i am liking this bike based on kevs presentation? I liked how it rode through the bumpy road and on the asphalt as well. I didnt see the twist shifters position as a challenge and i like how it was set up. I would just remove the stand and tilt the handle bar a little bit forward. Over all, this is an A+ video, about the bike and how kev presented it 👍 great job sir. Would buy that bike if given the chance 😁👍
Lawrence Donal if you’ve ever tried climbing up a 15% rocky trail on a gravel bike, having proper brifters ( brake/ gear shifter combo) at your fingertips is a god send. Not having to move your hands from the hoods to change gears really does help.
I regularly ride mountain bike trails on a gravel bike( not a $179 one) but I’d never cope with twist shifters
Darren Elbrow hi bro, i agree with you about the shifters positioning but this one, i judged on how kev used it and where he did it. Not really a fan of twist shifters but this bike, as cheap as it is, is equipped decently. If its a thousand buck bike then it should be better lol 😊
I have that exact bike. I basically stripped it down to the frame and replaced the handle bars , quill, wheels and swapped out the group set for some used sram apex components and turned it into a decent 1x for gravel and adventure riding
Grip shift did start out on track bike just so you know 😆 love your work
"Gravel Bike" OooK; Except for the Twist grip shifters, color and vintage, This looks like my Ted Williams Free Spirit 10 speed I purchased at Sears in 1977. It was HELPLESS in gravel!! Yes, different "Road" tires; but, the same geometry (visually). I can see the advantage in the levers with friction adjusters on the stem on my piece of history for shifting. It was common practice to snug them up every half-hour or so of riding -- no biggee. A friend has it now; and, I might see if I can get it back. It's not the kind of bike I'm interested in; but, I did buy it new, years ago.
I also didn't need to drop down to operate the brakes. The Free Spirit had levers that I could apply the brakes from the bars where the twist grip shifters are.
Really like the paint job. Seems 80's retro to me. Still riding in Street shoes?
Also, the Kent NAZZ seems similar to this, but old school lever shifters rather than grip. Makes me rethink hating the grip shift.... as we functioned fine with those for forever.
I have the Kent Nazz, which to me seems to be one of the best bikes you can get at wal mart for the $248 it costs… only issues getting it already assembled is the front wheel is out of true and the derailleurs could use slight adjustment I will work on.
This would be a perfect bike to buy microNEW brifters for. They cost about 45 dollars and are a great addition to bikes like these. I recently bought a Gravity Avenue (bikesdirect road bike) for 125 as a scratch and dent model, and upgraded the bike with new bars, brifters, and a quill to threadless stem adapter for under 200 dollars total. It is one of my favorite bikes because I don't care about locking it up or getting stolen.
Wait,...deliverance,...banjo,...😲😂🤣🤣🤣
A lot of cross/gravel/touring bikes with drop bars have bar-end shifters (think Kona Rove or Surly Cross Check) -- same kind of distance as the twist shifters. You get used to it :-)
Thanks for the great video kev. Would love another giveaway (make sure to include canada)
my bikepacker has twist shifters on a butterfly trekking bar and i luv em! not too sure paired with drops though lol
I wonder how much extra investment would be involved if Kent partnered with Microshift for a low end R8 groupset which would allow them to do a 3x8 and shifters that are more acceptable instead of the twist shift.
Another good review by KC. Always seem fair and balanced to use a news term. Shimano wont put a Mega on all their bikes because they would llse an after market sale then.
Lose
The handlebar is actually split into two halves. That's how they get the twist shifters on, because they don't fit around the drops. Kind of scary to think about, because the shims that are providing strength to the bars (preventing them from folding like a taco) are reliant upon the stem's faceplate.
Not big on twist shifters either. Did find a way to go cheaper on not having a brake/shifter combo some years back... Friction MTB shifters near the brake levers then a bar re-taping. If this thing wasn't so rough I'd try that as an upgrade but those welds are a deal breaker.
Great video about poorly constructed bike. Those welds would be a real deal killer since you can't fix them, even if there were no other issues. It is this kind of frame that steers me towards vintage steel frames that can fit wide tires, except for that key issue of old bike versus brand new. Maybe good for someone just starting out with nearby empty gravel roads after a decent LBS checkup?
“Oh, so you say you can weld one-handed while drunk?! Well, hold my beer, Bubba.”
Love thsese vids
I know this bike is getting a lot of grief here, but disc brakes and wide tires with drop bars for $180, at the very least this is a step in the right direction. I have been thinking about getting a budget drop bar bike, gotta admit this may make it to my short list.
Those welds look dangerous
Those are two piece handlebars
If you like it. Buy it.
Hi Kev. I will be buying the Kent eagle Ridge for and upgrading to a higher groupo and re-work those welds. I'd like to see you max out your eagle Ridge. The again for your review.
This isn’t a bike I see as worthy of upgrading, so don’t get your hopes up 😊
@@KevCentral just for the "shitsandgiggles" to see how it role all upgraded. Hey click bate,lol.
It's surprising that Kent didn't inspect the welds better before sending it to you knowing that you would be doing a review on it.
Then again points to them for transparency
That was probably the best one.
That is one funky brake levers position. Try rotating the handlebars so the bar ends in the drops are in line with the top of the handlebar when looking from a side, this is going to put the levers in a much more ergonomic position. This is going to help a lot and then adjust the levers by putting them when it feels best for riding with your hands on the hoods, it's usually around the positioning in which hoods/levers make a straight, horizontal line with the handlebars.
I purposely have them there. Comfort is variable - especially for someone that doesn’t like drop bars.
Where were you rising @5:00? Looks like an amazing ride!
Ever tried starting upgrades on a road bike??? I would love to see that especially on the 179$ bike
A little Gunwaleford grind! By the way, that "unknown burn pile", I believe, is piles of manure the farmers use for fertilizer. Not sure why it's burning though?
Those spacers are there because in order to get the grip shifters on they have to cut the bar in half. So they arent just spacers they are clamps. Otherwise I think they would have just gone with a smaller stem. The GMC Denali uses the same system.
Can you do another vid on the mongoose fat bike? Have the same one and would like to see maybe suspension upgrade and some other ones too.. maybe some trail riding😁
For $180 I'll just buy an old mountain bike and fix it up and install the dropbars.
Gravel bikes are completely different... they are more similar to road bikes (after being off my bike for a year, I averaged 19.2 to 20 mph round trip on a decent ride, that average includes snack breaks, oh yeah, and that was on large slippery gravel.... Done with my road bike, 700c by 23mm Cayotee tires, did great, though I was speed limited because it was super thick slippery gravel that slid around a lot and a few times I went into the ditch from just sliding around so much, but those slowdowns are still within the 19.2 to 20 mph average). I tried on a cheap mountain bike, and I think with the same effort I must have been doing 8, but it honestly felt more like 5... it was really discouraging, lol...
So, don’t think a mountain bike will give you anything similar to a gravel or road bike, it’s an unbelievable speed difference. It’s amazing how such a small geometry and wheel change can do!
Jake Garrett I’m pretty sure he’s talking about older mountain bikes, which have pretty much the same geometry of a vintage road bike and are fully rigid. I’ve converted old vintage mountain bikes into pretty capable gravel bikes, by just adding drop bars and larger wheels.
I have a 93 giant iguana that fits that mold. I will say, upgrading to drops can be more expensive than this bike. I just added drop bar ends and it seems to be a good cheap option.
@@lsche35 Hmmm, might be, I haven't paid attention to the super retro MTBs older than 20 years, the style on road bikes is much better than my dad's old vintage bikes, so it makes sense the modern MTB would be way different than the old ones.
I've seen you on instagram, facebook, and youtube now! Always with a good take haha
Does the Megarange freewheel work with that derailleur? I'm thinking of making the upgrade, but I haven't been able to find the capacity specs for it.
there’s so many choices for walmart bikes under $200.
Putting some info here, the twist shifters on the tops were also implemented on the GMC Denali road bike. Twist shifters on a road bike isn't a good idea, but it's still better than the downtube and stem shifters of older bikes (and that one Kent RoadTech you reviewed just over a year ago). Integrated brake/shifters are the standard for drop bars now, they're often called brifters.
If you have any interest in it, there are brifters for 3x7 drivetrains, but they're a bit pricey. Shimano makes ones for their Tourney range, but they're ~$80 new on Amazon. MicroNew has one on Amazon for $53, but I've never seen these in person. Could be worth a try though?
I have micronew shifters on my gravity avenue (bikesdirect.com) bike and they have been fantastic. I was able to get them for 45 dollars off ebay as well.
@@lifeonbicycles || Thanks for the info! I have been watching them for use of a little project of mine but I was waiting until more people reviewed them. I think I might try them out then
I honestly thing the downtube and stem shifters are better than twists on a bike like this. Especially _cheap_ twist shifters.
Think about who this bike is for. Think about the amount of force needed to change gears on a twist shifter in your average joe's barely-maintained walmart bike. Now add on the balance from having the hands at different positions, or the lack of braking ability when trying to change gears. The old style lever shifters would probably be cheaper and safer, if brifters or bar end shifters are too costly for the price point the company is hoping to hit..
@@Aubreykun || Mechanically, yes, they're superior. My thing is though, downtube shifters will be so far out of the way for the inexperienced people that buy these, that it would be more of a safety issue than normal when they try to shift (as they have to move their hand so far away from the brakes when they lack experience). I personally think bar end shifters on the drops would be the best cheap setup.
Bar ends would be best, I agree. I think it also has to be more costly to use the weird split handlebar (even if it's just to run through twisty stock) than the small stem or downtube shifters. But I think the risks of shifting the twist shifters is worse. You can control both levers with one hand, so it's less complicated and easier for someone to get accustomed to than having to take both hands off the brakes to shift while balanced or flip flop..
Kev, how about you test the new Kent Nazz? They call it a gravel bike, but it uses 700Cx38 tires. Disk brakes with two levers on each side, so you can have quick brake access holding the bars by the flats. Shifters are mounted above the steering head instead of on the middle of the bars. It is a 14 speed, so has a 2x7 gearing. Looks interesting, and I may get one. Love to see you test one. They ate $262 at the Hilo Hawaii Walmart, but would be less at any mainland store.
Thanks for the suggestion
I recently just got the Kent Nazz fully assembled for $248. It could use wheel trueing on the front wheel and maybe derailleur adjustment if there is such a thing as some gears the chain rubs the derailleur slightly. Otherwise the Nazz seems to be a very handsome and capable bike with reasonably good quality components. Funny thing that day I first bought a Hyper Mountain bike for much less money… and realized it was less ideal and too small so I returned it and upgraded to the Nazz, which is far nicer. But store it indoors, as the design is very similar to the Eagle reviewed here with the exception that the Nazz brake handles and shifters are better than the Eagle reviewed here.
I’m looking at getting the Nishiki Ananzi from DPS. There aren’t a lot of videos online of people reviewing it. I was wondering if you could so I could get a good professional opinion.
Serious question: how do you actually get the shifters on the drop bars? Do they come apart somehow? Seems like they wouldn’t be able to slide around the bend
They're 2 piece drops.
They have these horrible split cam that holds the two piece bars together, all of it pig iron steel
Hello, new subscriber. Kinda off subject, I'm an old bmxer looking to get into mountain biking. Was wondering if you have an opinion on a mongoose blackcomb as a starter? Also really liking your hyper form videos. Tks for the great work! Keep Rockin! Any advice would be helpful. Again Tyvm for your work
Thanks for being part of the channel! I have seen a blackcomb in person and the frame is fairly small, so factor that in.
Kev, do the two-piece drop bars have a maker's name on them, or any kind of I.D.? I'd like to get one -- or should I say a pair? -- for a bike I have here which came with a twist shifter on a straight bar. I'd like to replace the straight bar with a drop bar, but fitting a twist shifter over the drop bar's bends is of course impossible. I'm having no luck searching "two piece drop bars", but somebody must make them! Can you help me please with a clue about the maker, or any way to track down and buy such a bar? Thank you! --Joe / Tucson ARIZONA
Can you look on same DECATHLON bikes???? Rockrider 340? 720? 720 S?
hello kev, i’m a new to your channel and i’m from the philippines. i’ve seen some of your reviews of the huffy mountain bikes, maybe you could do a review of the huffy 26” scout men’s hardtail mtb with dual disc brakes body frame sizes and specs. thanks man looking forward for more videos. keep up the good work.
Can you try the Kent 700cc Nazz Bike...looks similar but slightly different and 10 dollars cheaper!
The handlebars are looking up at the sky like "why was I created god????"
I liked the video 👍👍
What is with the cable on the left brake? I would lose my mind looking at it.
change the neck could arise bar on there and she can put some knobby tires on there then try to take it for a ride again
This one is an easy hybrid conversion, just pop on some straight or hybrid handlebars, move the existing shifters and brake levers on...boom, hybrid. I'd prefer that to drop bars. This bike is basically a hybrid with drop bars.
Cam you do reviews on the hiland branded bikes?
Might be a little janky but for $128 at Walmart I’m excited to give cycling a try! I bet it will be easy to recoup the expense on Facebook marketplace when I’m ready to upgrade
Pretty early on in the video, the handlebars (and by extension, the brake levers) are rotated back quite a bit back -- was this done by you or was it assembled that way?
By me. Desperate attempt to make drop bars more comfortable
KevCentral || makes sense. Drop bars aren't for everyone. Maybe a shorter stem would help with the comfort, but on the flip side, it might just be an unnecessary investment for a bike you won't ride much.
Makes me wonder if getting this as a cheap frame and add actual expensive components like Shimano 105 is a good idea
Kent juzz is same bike its got an upgraded trigger shifters sand tires I've been eyeballing one for a while now but kind of went off into my project element 2.0 so far up rated new tires new brakes Shimano Tourney XT derailleur new rim on the back with a 8 speed cassette rear disc brake very much as I put into it I could have bought that bike but the element is handling like a dream still need to replace the front forks friends kind of leaning towards solid Forks low maintenance longevity thing
Those aren't spacers on the handlebar. I had a cheap GMC Denali bike that had the same thing, when I took it apart I found out that the handlebars themselves are two halves that fit into each other with those black brackets holding the whole thing together haha
that bike isnt worth more than $50 new. probably cost a whole $10 to make.
I really want a gravel bike nowadays!
great review as always!
What about the dented fork next to the brake rotor?
I have never seen this bike on the rack
at Walmart, but they typically have in
stock a GMC bike like this that may have
rim brakes on it
You should do a review on the releigh candent 2
The bar set up is too far angled upwards, could be either the brakes are in the wrong position or the bars too much of an upward angle. The reason they have the spacers is because the bar screws a part allowing the twisters to mount on to the bar, something I wouldn’t necessarily trust. But as always a great review
Its a beautiful bike
Good review. Seems OK for $179 if it wasn’t for those welds. Twist shifters aren’t great, but does seem like a better option than the other Kent road bike you reviewed with stem mounted shifters. Guessing this is 30+ lbs?
34.8lbs
Could you review the 99$ mini bmx bike from Walmart? It is called the Genesis Transit
Schwinn Kempo owns this category at Walmart after the demise of VILANOS hybrid bikes. Which were gravel bikes with cassette.
'this may be a sign of the apocalypse'
ALL OF 2020: so YOU did this!
😂
Remember down tube shifters kev? Would you prefer those to the grip shift? Either way this would be a no go for me. Id rather a second hand fixie than this crapper.
GrinderMagee to some of us, having literally ANY alternative to grip shifters OR drop bars would be better. I have literally turned down offers for free bikes because of parts like that.
Thats why I started building my bikes by myself. In stores you only have the option between garbage and expensiv. Get a good old frame, buy some used and some new parts and you have a good bike for low money. Watch my last Video where I show my self build gravel
1:22 think it was the orkan that had brakes of the same brand as on this bicycle.