SOMEONE ASKED 👇
What upgrades can i add for my V2100 Genesis Mountain Bike?
HERE THE ANSWERS 👇
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You stated – “Thanks bc, i feel like returning the bike.”
If it was me, that’s exactly what I would do. If the bike is still within the exchange or return policy of Wally World – take it BACK — NOW! Get a full refund. Terrible commuter bike. Sorry to be blunt. Just stating the obvious. See 1st link down & the bad reviews. I’ll just number things…
#1) A real full squish (full suspension) bike starts at about $1,500. 2nd link.
#2) The extra suspension parts alone weigh the bike down. A heavier bike takes more effort than a lighter bike.
#3) Suspension parts also eat away or detract from the rider’s efforts. With every turn of the pedals, part of YOUR energy is absorbed into the bike & into the suspension parts instead of going to the rear wheel. This is why a pure road bike & most performance hybrids have no suspension.
#4) On a cheap full suspension bike – you bounce down the road more than ride down the road.
#5) As soccerref pointed out – knobby tires vs. smooth tread tires.
I could go on & on…
At your height & weight, if you want a bike with suspension, I would suggest the Marin San Rafael Hybrid Bike on R.E.I.’s outlet web site. Got one of their stores in your area? MUCH better ‘commuter’ bike. Wally World does not sell real bikes. If other R.E.I. stores are like the one closest to me – excellent shop & service.
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Genesis V2100 Upgrades
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Bob
The only thing that makes sense is to change your knobby tires for thinner, smoother, road type tires. If you have a suspension system, lock it out, Such systems really ꜱᴜcκ the energy out of each pedal stroke!
Other upgrades are expensive and do not solve the basic problem. The mountain bike is very heavy compared to a road bike. The mountain bike is geared for steep mountain trails, not smooth roads.
Lastly, you need to know how to properly ride. You need to know how to ‘soin’, and not ‘mash'[ the pedals. Spinning properly will make all the difference in the world. If you do not know what spinning is her are the basics:
The right hand gears control the rear (wheel) cogs. The larger cogs are easier (lower) and the small ones are the harder (higher) and faster gears. The left hand controls the three gears (chain rings) attached to the pedal. You use the smallest one only for going up steep hills. You use the larger two for the flats and down hills.
On a mountain bike I would almost always be in the biggest chain wheel (controlled by the left hand) and I would use the right hand gears to keep my spin rate and pedal pressure. SEE BELOW
Pedaling is the most important part of riding. You spin the pedal at a high cadence of 70+ rpm with moderate pedal pressure. You use the gears to maintain that same cadence and pedal pressure through out your ride, on all terrain. Do not ‘mash’ the pedals…. pedaling at too slow of a rate in too high / hard of a gear.
Read up on spinning and shifting, or ask in this forum. It is the key to your being able to ride distance, with speed, without fatigue.
Soccerref
Soccerref
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If you want to go faster, you chose the wrong bike for your commute. Lower priced full suspension bikes are notoriously slow and inefficient, even if you switch your tires to narrower smooth tread road tires. The suspension soaks up pedaling energy, and the much heavier weight of the full suspension frame further slows you down. These things combined with the low gearing on the bike designed for slower off road speeds make this bike very slow for commuting on paved roads. For the type of commute that you describe there are several better choices, none of which needs ant suspension at all. Touring bikes, cyclo cross bikes, and non suspension hybrids make very good commuters. Any one of those would be much faster on the road than your mountain bike.
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For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/oeYpB
If you’re sure it came without parts, take it back for a refund. It’s a piece of junk anyway. But, if you insist, I can tell you a place to find brake pads. At a bicycle shop…tomorrow morning. You’ll need to go there anyway. Walmart sure as heck doesn’t carry disc brake pads. Take the bicycle shaped object with you so they can see. Get ready for a few snickers.
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A full suspension bike like that and at that price range will be terrible on the road. The tires and cheap shocks will eat up way to much energy I would return the bike and get your money back. I would look at something like this instead.
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You can put lipstick on a pig and it’s still a pig. Take it back for a refund and get a good used shop quality hybrid bike instead.
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