The company cited industry data. Its name is Viathon. We decided to give it a test at Outerbike to find out. Viathon Bikes On Sale | Best Walmart Bikes I hit small drops and jumps on multiple runs. A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine If youre after more stability and prefer a bit of forgiveness in your handling, youll be comfortable here. And if you did want a different saddle or bartape, then they could probably arrange that, too (at a cost). Performance or race-ready bikes are not a part of the stock in most Walmart stores or online. Viathon responded, Really positive! It turns out that Walmart bike buyers, as much as theyre dismissed or even ridiculed, include some passionate fans. A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine MTB Podcast | A 54 cm Stigmata offers a 71.5-degree head angle, 74-degree seat tube angle and trail figure of 66 mm (measured with 700 x 40 mm tyres). When compared to its fellow direct-to-consumer brands like Canyon, the price point doesnt really feel that out of the ordinary. But the company would not release sales data. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. Viathon G.1 GRX 800 review - VeloNews.com Viathon's prices include shipping within the United States. Since the news was announced last week, fans have been coming out and saying that this is what theyve been waiting for. Viathon G.1 GRX 800 review Call it a 'Walmart' bike if you must. It can take 650b wheels with up to 2.1-inch tires, or 700c wheels with up to 51mm tires. Walmarts top-of-the-line M.1 hardtail mountain bike has 120mm travel with RockShox components, Stans wheels, Level Ultimate brakes, and Continental tires. A RockShox 120mm fork and speedy Continental tires respectively absorb and grip the ground. Need a Doctor in the LA/SD area who specializes in Endurance Athletes Platelet-Rich Plasma injections (PRP Injections), High Hamstring Tendinopathy Rehab Protocol. Though a cross-country bike, the Viathon gave confidence and control through almost every session on the U.P. And the bikes look good! For Spinhirne-Martin, creating the brandwas about making high-end bikes more accessible to the general public, and Viathon hopes to do that through their price point. And I suspect Viathon isnt relying on a deep tech story to market its bikes for a simple reason: the frames dont seem to offer clear innovation in design or materials. The Zipp Service Course stem, handlebar and seatpost are in the same camp: quality, name-brand components with a proven track record. However, theres also an element of simplicity we quite like. Theres nothing wild going on in the tubing no weird bends, or protrusions. Its a company that gains a pricing advantage through Walmarts huge buying power, and leverages an existing online sales channel to get the bikes to customers while they wait at home. $6,000 Walmart Bike: Box Store Launches Premium 'Viathon' Cycles Two Walmart heirs, Tom and Steuart Walton, are themselves highly enthusiastic riders who have invested in cycling companieslike Allied Cycle Works and Rapha, and they directed the trailbuilding grants that have helped transformWalmarts home base of Bentonville, Arkansas, into a world-class mountain-bikingdestination. The road bike is 200 grams lighter than the gravel bike, with more aggressive geometry, 28c tires, and a stiffer frame. Viathon offers customers choices when it comes to fit. I pitched the idea to my management as a way to more quickly enter the market and change our perception, he said. The terrain varies from flowy cross-country trail to downhill-inspired gravity tracks. Preventing Iliac Artery Endofibrosis - Cycling Overuse Injuries. Viathons G.1 gravel bike requires the same build. shaping their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas into a mountain biking haven. Other numbers are an almost exact copy, too. As it happens, I prefer this kind of steering, which youll commonly find on aero bikes and endurance bikes with longer trail figures. About Us | 1999-2023 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.comReproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com pagewithout written permission is strictly prohibited. . Viathon's G.1 carbon gravel bike is Walmart's attempt to capture some of the high-end, direct-to-consumer bicycle market. The Viathon G1 has been ridden a couple of months now by Andy T, and so we are ready to give the final verdict on this Walmart distributed bike. (But the base R1 costs less than half that price at $2,300.) Walmart will sell bikes under this brand soon with price tags up to $6,000. Singletracks Merch | Sports Hernia/Inguinal Disruption Surgery. The bike arrives 98 percent pre-assembled the customer has to tighten on pedals, install the front wheel, and attach the front face plate over the handlebar. Slowtwitch approved IT Band rehab? Viathon's brand manager is Zach Spinhirne-Martin out of San Bruno, California. Earlier this year, Viathon Bicycles launched with a direct-to-consumer business model and a catalog of high-end carbon bicycles, taking an approach similar to the one Canyon has used. The question is, does a bikes soul matter more than its value and performance? The G.1 RED eTap AXS that is the subject of this review is Viathon's newest gravel model and will be available sometime in September. As is so common with gravel bikes fitted with decently big-volume rubber, there was a small amount of toe overlap present on our 54 cm sample. Viathon is jumping out of the gate with three model families to start. It has longer, slacker geometry than its road bike cousin and different tube shaping. And when you have fun, you ride more." Everyone knows that Black Friday is this week, but Walmart and Viathon can't wait until then to. I normally would not take the time to write this stuff, but I was really interested in a review of this bike. All three are made of carbon fiber,. [natethomas] Our biggest issues were certainly related to the cabling. Noting the stiffness, and feathery weight of the G1 again, its an excellent climber, and the Shimano GRX 600 worked flawlessly for me. Theyll know youre copying them at a fraction of the price, and if theyre really savvy, theyll know their stuff is marginally better and the reasons why. "Of course, there was some backlash with the Walmart connection,'' said Mark Jordan, whose CrankTank marketing group staged the Viathon launch and was quoted in Yobbi's original article. Change your default forum handle here! Had Viathon hit the market five years ago with this narrative, it would have owned the high-end-value space. It's been just about four months since a line of consumer-direct carbon road, gravel and mountain bikes premiered from a new brand called Viathon, emerging out of the bright Sea Otter sunshine like the goddess Athena springing full-formed from the forehead of Zeus. Its one of the biggest online merchants in the world, No. I didnt expect much from the Bokens, but they were predictable on dirt with a fast rolling speed. When spending upwards of $5,000 on a bike, a decision matrix includes variables from aesthetics to brand affinity. It borrows heavily from both BMC's Teamelite cross country race bike and the Roadmachine to create a. Currently, the bikes are not available in other markets. Viathons goals seem to be crystal clear with the R.1: Build a race-ready road bike for a high-end audience without the high-end price tag. In that sense, Viathon hit the nail on the head.. But Quan is the only person mentioned in a team of top bicycle industry veterans with decades of collective experience. The only other real face behind Viathon is brand manager Zach Spinhirne-Martin, who spent nine years with the online retailer Competitive Cyclist before joining Walmart as its bike category manager. Also what is the complete weight? Viathon G1 Bike: Checkpoint - Riding Gravel Viathon-via-FB wrote: Hello, we are not out of business, our website is down due to some technical issues and while it is down we are taking the opportunity to make some changes. Over mostly flat and undulating terrain, the G1 can actually be a little fun on certain trails, if thats what you enjoy from a gravel bike. All these numbers are pretty well proven, and create a bike that walks the tightrope between controlled and quick. But don't count the traditional players out yet, on either the supply or retail ends of the supply chain. Viathon seems to have taken a conservative aesthetic approach on all of their bikes, including the G1. But it gets the job done. Adult Mountain Bike, 21 Speed Shimano Drivetrain, 26 Inch Wheels, Aluminum Frame, Lock-Out . But the move that really set the cat among the industry pigeons was the Viathon sales strategy, which at least strongly hinted at distribution via Walmart.com. Meanwhile, the rear brake hose, which sits loose inside the down tube, had a tendency to rattle against the frame. The new brand is launching with carbon road, mountain and gravel bikes. $200 Off. The R.1 feels like a high-end bike, except for one minor nitpick: While most high-end race bikes have taken great efforts to hide all cables, the R.1 has all four cables exposed around the cockpit. The XX1 bike is around 21.5 pounds for a size M. The weight is competitive with other hardtail cross-country bikes in the same price range, and the price isnt wildly low. On its own, Viathon strikes me as a modestly interesting enthusiast brand with some solid, value-oriented bikes that feature industry-standard design and technology. Its marketed as one of the lightest, fastest mountain race machines that money can buy, and that claim seemed hard to dispute by the end of my first week. However, there were a few things that stood out to me while cruising through a pretty punchy section of Sun Valley singletrack. Viathon says it wants to bridge Walmart's current low-price offerings to the bike-enthusiast business. Canyons Exceed CF is $6,500 and has a comparable spec. The bikes launched last April, and when word got out that Walmart was quietly supporting the brand, it caused quite the stir. The bike thats getting the most attention is Viathons new hardtail mountain bike, though Walmart is also launching with road and gravel options. The GRX 600 build also has Mercury G3 wheels, with a 25mm internal width, and IRC Boken 700x40c tires, for a setup that should provide a wide footprint. My final complaint is the comment about the 70mm stem feeling twitchy and switching it out to a short stem. I set up the G1 with a quick home fit, and away I went. Without the curiousness of the Walmart link, I wouldnt even be writing about Viathon. Did Wal Mart pull the plug on Viathon?: Triathlon Forum: Slowtwitch Forums Walmart Says Its High-End Viathon Bikes Will Grow Cycling Nov 01, 2020 There is no denying that gravel bikes have taken the cycling world by . With a trendy 25 mm internal width, the welded alloy rims are wider than they are deep. Despite having all the good Shimano shifty bits, the full-length and low-cost Jagwire cables that connected them didnt do them justice. GearJunkie Copyright 2013 2023. In that sense, Viathon hit the nail on the head. Those interested in this bike should also take a close look at the Canyon. NAHBS photos: Show winners and their bikes, Cervlo S5 review: A truly exhilarating superbike, Technical FAQ: Mips vs. loose helmet strap, bike weight, hydraulic brakes at altitude, Di2 mix/match. America's low price leader served up a single no-name (and possibly open-mold) model with full mechanical Ultegra group, complete with wheelset, at a very low price point. The Viathon adds mounts at the fork, mounts for a rear rack, and space for an additional bottle cage beneath the down tube. The 70mm stem felt a bit squirrely, and any minor movement was transferred into the handlebars going downhill. Best Bike Trails | Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. But thats not necessarily a bad thing. Heres what it felt like to interact with the R.1. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. $$$ Outdoor & Sporting Goods Company Privacy Policy Photos See all Videos See all 0:11 Basically, just a gravel bike. New MTB Brand Hudski Bikes Launches with 3 bikes, all Based on a Single Frame, 15 Products to Make Riding Gravel Less of a Grind, Moots Updates the Routt Gravel Bike for 2021, Focus Atlas Alloy Gravel Bike Looks Equally Affordable and Well-Equipped for Adventure, Knolly Cache is the Gravel Bike Made by Mountain Bikers [Review]. This is pretty similar to the BMC URS, and realistically those under 5 6 (170 cm) are likely out of luck here. Originally from Northern CA, home for me has ranged from the PNW to a teepee in Grand Teton National Park. And failing. He employs six engineers and designers at his Toronto-based studio. And 2 years ago, the company hired Zach Spinhirne-Martin, a senior buyer at CompetitiveCyclist.com. I have a few issue with this review. Such a purchase sight-unseen typically favours the experienced; those who know their preferred setup on a bike and understand why 10 millimetres here or there is a big deal. Even more interesting was Jordan's underlying premise that at least some of those hundreds of millions of Walmart customers would for reasons unknown and perhaps unknowable leap at the opportunity to purchase a full-dress carbon bike with a price tag northward of $3,000 precisely because they didn't have to go into a brick-and-mortar bike shop to purchase it. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. The Viathon would make for a great training steed, long-distance gravel grinder, or your next ultralightbike packing rig. Statins: experience training and racing on them, Swimming-Related Injuries: A literature review and injury risk screening, New Tacx Neo Smart vs Wahoo Kickr trainers, school me on finding correct pressures with tubeless. Marketing strategy comes out of Sun Valley, Idaho, with the CrankTank firm. This carbon bike is set up for dirt road adventures but doesn't mind how much pavement you mix in. The question is, what sets it apart from other high-end bikes at this pricepoint or higher, if anything? Personally, given the sporty nature of this ride, Id have preferred to see the larger 48-31T chainring combo used. Quan was with Cervelo from 2004 to 2008. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! The impetus for Viathon didnt come from Tom and Steuart Walton, avid riders, Walmart heirs responsible for the trail network in Bentonville, Ark., and investors in Rapha and Allied Cycle Works. Who makes Viathon frames? Walmart is hoping to entice customers to Viathon with a no-questions-asked return policy. That tyre clearance is far, far more generous than the 700 x 40 mm (or 650B x 53 mm) wide numbers that Viathon claim. Managing editor Dean Yobbi told the story in BRAIN's May dead . The R.1 comes off a bit aloof. Dont take this Bad Boy to the Bike Park: Viathons website proudly claims that few bikes carve up singletrack as effortlessly as the M.1. Its certainly no Huffy, but heres what stood out to me: Light as a feather:This thing is nimble. 1 - Walmart didn't buy Viathon. Walmarts immense buying power and pre-existing online sales channel means that for just US$2,298 (shipped, within the United States), this new brand can offer a full-carbon gravel bike equipped with quality components, including a Shimano GRX 600 groupset, Mercury G3C tubeless wheels, and Zipp Service Course cockpit components. . Viathon Bicycles made waves at its launch earlier this year as a premium bike brand incubated under an unlikely source. A torque wrench is included to help the customer tighten screws appropriately. Hardtail race XC bikes seem to be going away in favor of short-travel, full-suspension options. I followed with an opinion column about Viathon's unique formation, business model and value proposition. Earlier this year, Viathon Bicycles launched with a direct-to-consumer business model and a catalog of high-end carbon bicycles, taking an approach similar to the one Canyon has used. As we continue to build out the platform, we welcome other brands, said Spinhirne-Martin. A group of employees gathers around, pecking in to see the Walmart bike thats arrived with measurable anticipation. Per my more enduro-focused background, Id also opt for a shorter stem. At least on paper, the value for money is unquestionable, but a great bike is always more than a sum of the parts bolted to it. Either way, its there as an intended feature. The Viathon G1 is a bike that is a high performance machine with a good set of components out of the box. In the meantime, Viathon offers the . Now it has a toe in the high-end market and the chance to show that itscapable of making quality stuff. Aint nothing wrong with that! Others are concerned about how this will undercut bike shops. Ok Fishes, here is the interview we were all waiting for!! Any Canadians with/had a hip labral tear here? Viathon M.1 GX Eagle Mountain Bike Review - YouTube Specializeds highest-end hardtailthe S-Works Epiccomes in at a whopping $8,520, whereas Viathons most expensive model starts at $6,000. Filter bikes by year, weight, components, price, and performance. Certainly, there are many Walmart shoppers among us, though likely few who have bought a bike there. Theyve played a monumental role in And yep, the frame can be setup with either 1x or 2x gearing. The Viathon G.1 is the gravel rig of the bunch. Add up the component costs, frame, and build, and budgeting that kind of money might make sense for the committed rider. Hardtail mountain bikes with front suspension, Viathon notes, are the second-largest category, according to NPD. For now, no. New bike brands come and go, but its rare that one makes as big of a splash with its debut as Viathon, a new direct-to-consumer marquee that launched this week. GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. All of our reviews show the quality of our bikes, including frame design, production, and specs.. All this went down in April and May of this year. Viathon is Walmart's latest upscale, digitally native, house brand Many of their arguments I can support, like lower costs and lighter frames, but claiming that full-suspension is often just overkill is a bit bold. It lacks some of that impossible-to-define character that makes a climbing bike inspirational, especially when youre toiling away on a tough climb. Going uphill, the shifting is buttery smooth. All rights reserved, an opinion column about Viathon's unique formation, REI Co-op to Open in Prescott, Arizona in Fall 2023, Declining bike-product demand contributes to Thule's Q1 net sales decrease, NBDA and the League of American Bicyclists Partner to Help Build a Bicycle Friendly America for Everyone, Rad Power Bikes has a 4th round of layoffs. All the frames are carbon fiber, and the gravel and road models fit solidly within current design trends that prize features like disc brakes and clearance for wider tires. I was excited to try out the G1 to get a better taste of what Viathon as a whole has to offer. Privacy Policy Not because its not important, but because Viathons business model is to swap out these components to your preference upon ordering the bike, all with no additional cost. My first takeaway on the G1 was how light and stiff the frame is. Its possible that was done on purpose to appeal more to a wider swath of riders namely, non-racers. The seatstays are thin and dropped, and a 27.2 mm seatpost was supposedly picked for comfort reasons, too. Are Your Trails Ready to Ride for the Season. For the M.1 XX1 Eagle, Viathon dropped its original $6,000 price recently to $4,998. Home; Shop. Turner Bikes - Titanium Mountain & Gravel Bikes Born To Perform Turner Bikes COME SEE US AT THE 2023 SEA OTTER CLASSIC, APRIL 20th - 23rd at Booth B15 & Meet our newest bike - The Scrub! A famous trail, Eh Line, swooped on dirt banks and over gaps. "The negativity starts in-store with reports of forks installed backward. Right now, Viathon sits on the value end of the spectrum, alongside other house brands like Scattante or the now-closed Foundry: perfectly fine, but not particularly compelling. It will be back soon. After spending some time on 1X and 2X gravel bikes, I appreciate the 2X drivetrain, because it covers the spectrum of what a gravel bike will encounter on any ride. While so many of the established brands offer anything from a five-year to lifetime warranty on their frames, Viathons come with just two years of coverage. ''', And indeed they were. He proposed a private-label project, and hes bringing it to fruition. At the end of the day, we bike people live and work in a quirky, parochial and, more than occasionally, incestuous little industry, one with its own set of business realities. Viathon Bikes launched to surprise, confusion and intrigue back in April, offering high-end carbon XC hardtails despite links to Walmart. The writer, Sarah Moore, found the connection when looking up the trademark on the name, which isregistered to Walmart. For anyone familiar with the beer industry, this is like Anheuser-Busch creating Shocktop, not Anheuser-Busch buying Goose Island or Elysian. Kudos to them, but that story stretches back some 15 years and is still far from over. Racers? Thats one of the wonderful things about this bike: You get reliable bike with a great build for less money. Fond of bikes, pow, and dogs. Battle of the frames: Felt IA 10 vs IA 1? Because all XC bikes are light compared to enduro. My time was limited to two hours, so this isnt an exhaustive review. Shop Nitrous Shop Cyclosys QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE Since 1994 these are the words that continue to resonate within us. Where the Viathon differs from the Stigmata is in its bottom bracket height, with the G.1 sitting some 3 mm higher in the air. Viathon "believes that great bikes make riding more fun. Our favourite bikes from the 2020 Gravel Bike Field Test Viathon Viathon bikes are currently 30 percent off at Walmart. The bikes will be available to order within weeks.
