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GUILT: Bought a Huffy

jonnyGURU

jonnyGURU

Moderator <BR> Power Supplies
Moderator
jonnyGURU: Former bike shop manager of seven years, owner of bike shop for one.

I was walking through K-Mart and saw a bicycle that would fit my little girl. Only $19.

It was a Huffy.

Despite knowing better... I bought it. Hell... it was only $19. That's two Westshore Pizzas. Supposedly it was on sale for "half price" (MSRP of $39.99??)

Well, babyGURU is only 3, but she got on that bike and rode it like a bat out of hell... with training wheels, of course. I even had to run to keep up with her.

So now here's my little Huffy Lil' Princess 12" bicycle review:

NO bearings at all. And everything is fitted together with clamps, not threaded lock nuts. So there's play in the headset, the wheels, the bottom bracket. At least the pedals thread to the crank and aren't cotter-pinned on like they are on some tricycles. I greased the HELL out of everything.

One piece seat/seatpost so seat angle can not be adjusted.

Training wheels are all plastic. Not even a metal bushing. I won't have to remove the training wheels for her.... they'll just slowly breakaway by themselves.

The tires aren't pneumatic... which is low maintainence, sure. But they're not even straight. As she rolls down the road, I see the tires wobbling back and forth.

No brakes! Not even a coaster brake (what I would expect up to a 20" wheel bike.) It's a fixed gear. Typically she stops by running the bike into the front door or sticking her legs out until she snags a light pole or trash can.

Huffy has improved, though. Apparently they're made in Taiwan now and not the U.S. The reason why that's better is that every bicycle I've ever seen imported from overseas has a TIG welded frame. Huffy's, Murray's, Roadmaster's... all of those cheap-o, chain store US made bikes of yesteryear were only spot welded. The frame will likely out live any other part of the bicycle. 😀
 
Wow, you can't beat $19. And as much as Huffys weigh, it'll probably help her muscles develop. 🙂

Edit: Tires aren't pneumatic? What are they, solid rubber?
 
I seem to remember on my old bike that trying to pedal backwards basically stopped the bike. No hand brakes on it either, but it was some sorta dirt-bike/BMX thing.
 
I have a Roadmaster and it's pretty sh|tty. I've already had to replace the front wheel bearings and I now need to replace the back. Both wheels wobble, the brakes don't line up properly, and the chain rubs on half the gears. I tried adjusting everything but there is only so much i can do. Also one of the spokes is sharp and poking through the inside of the wheel and has already punctured 2 inner tubes. I taped it up and bought one of those really thick thorn resistant inner tubes online and it's been good so far. I'll just keep riding it until it breaks beyond repair though. For $60 it's to be expected. It has already lasted a year. I'm hoping I can squeeze another year out of it.
 
Originally posted by: Sphexi
I seem to remember on my old bike that trying to pedal backwards basically stopped the bike. No hand brakes on it either, but it was some sorta dirt-bike/BMX thing.
Click to expand...

No. BMX bikes have a hand brake. What you had was a "coaster brake." There's small brake shoes inside the hub, and when you pedal backwards, a cam actuates a spline that pushes the shoes up into the inside of the hub body.

babyGURU's bike is fixed gear. Pedal forward, go forward. Pedal backwards, go backwards. Stop pedaling, legs keep moving because the pedals don't coast.

Originally posted by: mugs
Wow, you can't beat $19. And as much as Huffys weigh, it'll probably help her muscles develop. 🙂

Edit: Tires aren't pneumatic? What are they, solid rubber?
Click to expand...

They're some sort of high density foam. Not rubber, but softer.
 
Originally posted by: jonnyGURU

babyGURU's bike is fixed gear. Pedal forward, go forward. Pedal backwards, go backwards. Stop pedaling, legs keep moving because the pedals don't coast.
Click to expand...

:laugh:
 
Originally posted by: Shawn
I have a Roadmaster and it's pretty sh|tty. I've already had to replace the front wheel bearings and I now need to replace the back. Both wheels wobble, the brakes don't line up properly, and the chain rubs on half the gears. I tried adjusting everything but there is only so much i can do. Also one of the spokes is sharp and poking through the inside of the wheel and has already punctured 2 inner tubes. I taped it up and bought one of those really thick thorn resistant inner tubes online and it's been good so far. I'll just keep riding it until it breaks beyond repair though. For $60 it's to be expected. It has already lasted a year. I'm hoping I can squeeze another year out of it.
Click to expand...

What used to crack me up at the bike shop is when people would gawk at $200 for a bike. People would say, "I'm not going to spend more than $100 on the kid because the bike is only going to last a year."

My response was always, "Umm... Maybe it's only going to last a year because it's a crappy bike?"

Unfortunately, I don't know what the good brands are anymore! Especially for kid's bikes.

Schwinn, Mongoose, GT/Dyno... They all got bought up by that crappy "Pacific" company and now they're all sold at Wal-Mart and use fairly crappy parts. I mean, they're way better than Huffy or Murray ever was, but they're not like the Schwinn, Mongoose, GT/Dyno of 10 years ago.

What the hell happened to the industry while I was gone!?!?!

 
Keep the frame and replace the rest with higher quality components.

Aslo, ditch the training wheels. Makes it harder for the kid; they become dependent on them instead of developing their balance.

Best way for them to learn, is for Dad to get some exercise.

Find a small down slope (easier for you) and run along side the bike just bairly touching the seat to help the bike stay stable.

You can actually start by walking and then as the child develops confidence and skill, increase the speed.

Soon (in one afternoon), the child will be moving without you..

Think of it as advanced 15 year ESP.:evil:

/voice of experience
 
I bought my 3 Y/O son a Specialized bike for $70 on sale at Supergo before they became Performance. The tires are schrader valve pneumatic, the wheels are true and the bike is near silent when being ridden unlike the bike my neighbor bought for his son for $40 at Toys-R-Us.

The headset is tight as is the bottom bracket. The crankset it a one piece forged design but it works fine. The seat is adjustable as is the handlebar. The training wheels are metal with solid rubber "tires" and they do not spin on bearings but they are adjustable and removeable.

This bike will probably last him another year or two and then I'll probably be able to sell it for $50-60 easily.
 
Performance bought Supergo????

Damn.. That shows how long I've been out of the industry.

And Eagle, thanks for the advice. I'm aware of the advantages of no-training wheels. I learned without them. I just got her the bike this weekend and didn't have time to go walk with her after I put it together.

She's only three and I was proud when she just got the forward rotation motion thing correct. Steering came next, which was good because she was just going straight until she hit something. 🙂 But now that she has those basics down, the training wheels will come off as soon as I get back from Taiwan in June.
 
After hearing Supergo was gone, I had to go check and see...

Colorado Cyclist is still there.

But Aardvark is gone. 🙁 I loved Aardvark!! They always had the odd ball Mt. Bike stuff! Bought my Answer shoes, Ritchey Pedals and a pair of Continental Baja's there! 🙁 🙁 🙁
 
I had a Huffy for my first bike back in the 80's. I beat the crap out of it but never had a problem with it. For a kid's bike, it seems pretty much perfect; why spend money on a great bike when you know the child will beat on it anyway?

I will say this though, at least mine had a brake.

ZV
 
i know they're a lot more expensive than you're probably willing to spend, but i have a Trek bike and i couldnt be happier with it. the cheaper Trek bikes are made in China, but the more expensive ones are made in the company headquarters in Waterloo, WI.

then again, my bike was a heck of a lot more than $19.....
 
Originally posted by: drpootums
i know they're a lot more expensive than you're probably willing to spend, but i have a Trek bike and i couldnt be happier with it. the cheaper Trek bikes are made in China, but the more expensive ones are made in the company headquarters in Waterloo, WI.

then again, my bike was a heck of a lot more than $19.....
Click to expand...

and it wasn't for a 3 year old...
 
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Originally posted by: drpootums
i know they're a lot more expensive than you're probably willing to spend, but i have a Trek bike and i couldnt be happier with it. the cheaper Trek bikes are made in China, but the more expensive ones are made in the company headquarters in Waterloo, WI.

then again, my bike was a heck of a lot more than $19.....
Click to expand...

and it wasn't for a 3 year old...
Click to expand...

I love it when people skim the post, don't you? 😉
 
Originally posted by: Sphexi
I seem to remember on my old bike that trying to pedal backwards basically stopped the bike. No hand brakes on it either, but it was some sorta dirt-bike/BMX thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I remember like 20 years ago when I got one of those "BMX" bikes for x-mas. I thought I was the shi*! All the other kids laughed though cause their parents could afford Mongooses and such.
 
Originally posted by: fitzov
Originally posted by: Sphexi
I seem to remember on my old bike that trying to pedal backwards basically stopped the bike. No hand brakes on it either, but it was some sorta dirt-bike/BMX thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I remember like 20 years ago when I got one of those "BMX" bikes for x-mas. I thought I was the shi*! All the other kids laughed though cause their parents could afford Mongooses and such.
Click to expand...

I had the one with the plastic fenders to make it look like a dirt bike, hell yeah.
 
I can't believe that Mongoose has gone to ******....I had one for many years as a kid and was extremely rough on it and it never broke down!
 
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