Another Direct to Consumer Bike Brand

onetracker

Well-Known Member
Not planning to support direct to consumer bike brands personally. But this may be the the only option in the future; who knows. Heard about this on the Riding Gravel podcast... Viathon owned/backed by the Walton (e.g. Wal-Mart) family. I hear that these can also be purchased on walmart.com. What do you think?

 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Viathon has been around for a year or so now. I haven't seen any in person yet, but I would imagine the frame is like any Far East produced frame - heavily depends on the brand's QC. In theory, the Walton family have the resources to have it done right.

Best comment on Pinkbike:
"We dentists don't shop at Walmart. Waiting for Whole Foods to offer MTBs"
 
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Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I don’t know the whole story but this started because some of the younger generation Walton’s got into mountain biking and were embarrassed by the term “Walmart bikes.” They also dumped a ton of money into the trails in Arkansas and put them on the map as a destination bike spot. Not a bad thing at all.
 

Cassinonorth

Well-Known Member
I don’t know the whole story but this started because some of the younger generation Walton’s got into mountain biking and were embarrassed by the term “Walmart bikes.” They also dumped a ton of money into the trails in Arkansas and put them on the map as a destination bike spot. Not a bad thing at all.

They also own Rapha too. Pretty into the cycling community from what it seems.
 

GreenMachine

Well-Known Member
Competition is good - direct consumer bikes are getting stellar reviews.

Bearclaw & Knolly ( qasi direct) make two of coolest gravel rigs I’ve seen.
 

tonyride

Don't piss off the red guy
The Walton's poured literally millions of dollars into their local community. They're the ones who built up the trails in Bentonville, Arkansas.
 

GreenMachine

Well-Known Member
Knolly makes a mean 29” full suspension too if you ask me...
I love this rig the Cache:
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
I love this rig the Cache:
For some reason I can’t get excited about gravel bikes, but then again I thought I would never ride anything else then a 26er...if they only made a steel or titanium hard tail...
 

onetracker

Well-Known Member
I agree that the Walton’s have invested a ton into trails in Rogers and Bentonville AR. Very positive. That was a backwater when I first started going down that way in the late ‘90’s.

Not sure how I feel about about their foray into bike manufacturing.

Rapha, meh. Seems like a vanity project targeted at rich white dudes. Seems like they use nice fabrics.
 

goldsbar

Well-Known Member
I love this rig the Cache:

That video they have running makes me want to buy one...until I remember that the type of stuff they're showing is very limited around here. Maybe if I lived closer to Six Mile, but in general, I'm much happier living closer to the rocky NNJ trails where that bike would struggle.
 

GreenMachine

Well-Known Member
I would agree - Not many great gravel trails around me to justify that bike purchase.
I still want it lol

The Beaux Jaxon from bearclaw looks awesome as well .
Absolute tank -
 
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