Lamborghini Leggenda

It's comparable to a similarly priced Walmart bike, and what I would expect from a new bike priced at $200. It is a beginner bike meant for relatively casual riding. If you purchase it over the net, make sure the size is right via online bike fit calculators.

I started my adult biking phase on a $99 Walmart bike, so I know where you're coming from. Personally, I would look for some good used bikes in your price range, but only if you have the time and initiative to educate yourself regarding bike quality, proper fit, and bike maintenance. We're here to help if you have any other questions.

Actually the bike your looking at is a tad better then Walmart in that it uses standard Shimano Altus derailleur with a cassette system instead of non-compatible freewheel parts and some off brand Chinese made derailleur. Most bike shops won't even bother to work on most Walmart bikes because of the non-standard parts and problems locating replacement parts.

Actually, the bike you're looking at is very similar to $200 Walmart bikes in that it has a low end Shimano drivetrain. Also, according to the specifications, it has a freewheel and not a cassette. In my experience, most reputable bike shops will work on any bike you bring in.

Scotty_Dog said:

....most reputable bike shops will work on any bike you bring in.

+1.

So this bike would not be easy to find replacement parts for? That would be a big turn off for me as I plan to do the maintenance myself.

Any bikes that would be better at around the $225 range that anyone could recommend? I'm still doing some searching myself but fear I am looking in the wrong places. Ill be calling local shops tomorrow. I do not think I would be able to find decent used bikes in time unfortunately.

It looked to me like a cassette, if it's freewheel you can still get freewheels. In the freakin town I live there is only 2 bicycle shops, and neither will or want to work on Walmart type of bikes. One shop is small and only sells Scott bikes owned by a silent owner who has 3 teenagers operating the store but their nice kids. There other one a very active high volume place that sells mostly...guess...that's right, boring Treks, some Cannondale's, and some Specialized, and the workers there are all snooty and I hate going in there unless I absolutely have to.

But I have heard from other owners of Walmart type bikes that they have had to wait 3 to 4 months to get parts because their not standard parts. And you buy a Walmart bike, you can't take back to them after a month for a follow up inspection.

Here is another forum debating this same issue we are, and their complaints match what I'm telling you: What is wrong with Wal Mart bikes? [Archive] - Bike Forums

By the way, speaking of Walmart, Walmart is experimenting with a new concept of having a bike shop...yes that's right, a bike repair shop inside Walmart! The first one is now open in Highland Village Texas. If this concept catches fire could this doom some smaller LBS's? http://www.bing.com/local/Default.aspx?what=Bicycles&where=Highland+Village,+Texas&cat=12645&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLDP

Thank you for the link Froze. I am well aware that cheaper bike means cheaper quality materials and looser tolerances on mating components both of which shorten the lifespan of the bike. The thread was from 2003 and I'm sure there have been changes in regards to what brands are decent and what to steer clear of.

My main concern is compatibility with higher quality parts. I have no problems paying $200 for a bike that is compatible with current technology; not parts that are or are going to soon be outdated. My thoughts here, and tell me if I'm wrong, are that if and when a parts breaks I will upgrade to higher quality. This both gives me the learning experience and will, in time, build me a rather nice bike.

A cassette vs. freewheel was mentioned and from what I take a cassette is ideal. I'm doing some more research on this as I type.

of the bikes I have listed, 3 have freewheels and 2 have cassettes, I have no problems getting parts for either. Problem that I understand from the Walmart type of bikes is primarily the parts don't hold up to long rides or lots of miles, their great for kids to go around the block 100 times then they become very unreliable. The secondary problem is obtaining non-standard parts as the web site talked about.

I don't know your financial situation, but if by chance you can cough up another $100 (which includes shipping) you can get a bike that wouldn't have any of those issues that either I or the web site talked about. This bike would last you a reasonable time, far longer then the Walmart jobs or the Lambo, and if a part does break you can upgrade if you chose too. See this: Road Bikes - 2010 Windsor Wellington1

FWIW. Here's the other side of the coin ...

If there is a problem with an inexpensive bike like the TONINO it will probably be due to inadequate setup and lack of subsequent maintenance ...
[INDENT]The tires & tubes may-or-may-not be good for many miles ... cloth rim tape may be worth buying, but you could always cheap-out and strap the rims with packing tape ...

700x40 tires are usually pretty robust.
[/INDENT]BUT, based on the laments of some posters (in other threads), I'm not sure that bike shops do much more than remove the bikes from the box & slap the parts on the bike & take the customer's money. LBSes offer a free adjustment after 30 days because they often haven't gone over the bike to ensure that everything is good-to-go + the cables usually need to be adjusted.

Regardless, it takes MORE skill to be a machinist than to set up or maintain a bike ...

As a machinist, you should be able to do anything-and-everything that needs to be done ... including relacing/truing the rear wheel with a different hub if/when the desire strikes you.

Most of what you need to know is available at www.parktool.com + Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary ... and, many other sites. PARK TOOL would like you/(everyone) to buy/use their tools, and the site is form of advertising as much as it is a source of useful information.
[INDENT]You can use generic tools for most of the maintenance which needs to be done on a bike ...
[/INDENT]Cassette/Freewheel tools, Cone Wrenches & BB tools are only available from bike shops (brick, mail order or on-line).

The threaded headset wrench is a bike tool, too.

A chain tool + crank puller are bike tools which you may eventually want to own.

The brand of the tool is not a guarantee of quality, but most Park Tools are well made ... some aren't.

I think that LIFU makes most of other tools ... again, the quality varies, but they are generally good with the obvious exceptions being the cone wrenches & headset wrenches which are made with a soft steel.

IMO, the best (based on cost & efficiency) wire cutter (i.e., stranded steel bicycle cable) are on the HARBOR FREIGHT pliers & dikes which have ORANGE handles -- a set of seven (!?!) costs less than $10 when they are on sale (which seems to happen every few months) ... about 2x as much when they aren't.

The difference between Shimano front derailleurs is mostly in the clamp ... so, a replacement front derailleur is mostly cosmetic unless you change the number of cogs in the rear -- the front derailleur should be matched to the chain that is used ... the chain is chosen based on the cog spacing. The really inexpensive Shimano front derailleurs have a cruder parallelogram mechanism, but the difference in actual functionality will be minimal.

While the particular Shimano rear derailleur on the bike is one of the few which you would not want to buy as a replacement, it will probably last longer than you would like as long as you don't abuse it ... that is, grease & oil, as necessary. The OEM derailleur can be replaced with 90% of the rear derailleurs which Shimano makes -- despite what some people continue to misinform, the 10-speed Shimano rear derailleur does not have the same geometry as the 8-/9-speed Shimano rear derailleur ...

Without seeing a 'frame geometry chart', I reckon the 20" frame will probably be a best-fit for someone between 5'6" & 5'9", but it will be okay for someone who is shorter ... and, the larger 22" frame will possibly be a best-fit for someone between 5'8" & 5'11", but will be okay for someone who is taller.

So, while you may be able to get a USED bike which will probably have better components/etc. for the same money, I say that if 'I' had a limited budget (and, time constraints) + the skill to work on the bike(s) [which I happen to have AND which you should be able to master in a minimum amount of time] then I would not dismiss the Tonino Lamborghini Leggenda bike.
[INDENT]I'm 5'9" and would probably get the smaller 20" frame because I presume it has a 56cm (virtual) top tube [Flat Bar bikes tend to have proportionally longer top tubes ... I would prefer that the frame I ride have a top tube which is between 54.5cm & 56cm, but I can adjust a frame which is slightly shorter or longer to fit me by changing the stem length], and I presume the 22" frame might have a 58cm top tube ...

If I got a Tonino then I would eventually replace the handlebars with Drop bars + some 10-speed (non-QS!)Campagnolo shifters + cantilever brake calipers and a possibly a Road crank.
[/INDENT]You should not expect the saddles to be perfect for either you or your girl friend ... that's true with the saddle on most off-the-peg bikes.

BTW. Lubing the cables will go a LONG WAY toward enhancing the performance of the derailleurs & brakes.

Thanks a lot for the info Alfeng. After doing a lot more shopping around I more or less came to the conclusion that I would end up buying less expensove bikes for 2 reasons. One being to learn and two being that it may be futile to drop $300+ on each bike then find out we either lose interest or mover away from a trail.

So as it sits now I'll be buying the Lambos unless I learn something horrible about then.

So far when I browse for the Leggenda bikes the cheapest I find is the link I provided. Any lesser known places I should look?

pitapizza said:

After doing a lot more shopping around I more or less came to the conclusion that I would end up buying less expensove bikes for 2 reasons. One being to learn and two being that it may be futile to drop $300+ on each bike then find out we either lose interest or mover away from a trail.

So as it sits now I'll be buying the Lambos unless I learn something horrible about then.

So far when I browse for the Leggenda bikes the cheapest I find is the link I provided. Any lesser known places I should look?

$200 as the to-your-door-price is tough to beat.

if you want something less try this: Mongoose Cachet Review – $150 Walmart Bike « Urban Velo Of course it's a single speed, but that means less to break and or less to fiddle with; and like you said if your interest in cycling goes up then you can get a geared bike. There's a lot of people that are bikeaholics, meaning they ride a lot, and they use fix geared bikes to ride. A lot of bike folk are taking old geared bikes and turning them into fix geared bikes, but the cost of the conversion would be about the same as the new Mongoose I mentioned. And if you don't take an interest in riding then your out $50 less.

Anyway, just a nutty thought.

Well I went ahead and bought the Leggenda's for me and the lady. We both love them but we definitely need new saddles. Going to be looking around the local bike shops for selection and advice. I did notice the deraileurs can sometimes rub on the chain. I'll also be asking the bike shop about this as I imagine it is a simple adjustment that I need to learn to make. Thanks for all of the input I received here!

pitapizza said:

Well I went ahead and bought the Leggenda's for me and the lady. We both love them but we definitely need new saddles. Going to be looking around the local bike shops for selection and advice. I did notice the deraileurs can sometimes rub on the chain. I'll also be asking the bike shop about this as I imagine it is a simple adjustment that I need to learn to make. Thanks for all of the input I received here!

Pictures of all new bikes are mandatory! 😄

Hello everyone! I had to register and reply because I've owned a Leggenda for about 10 months now (also purchased from abikestore.com - free shipping AND free helmet) and have discovered most all of the flaws and benefits.

First and most importantly, after you put the bike together, take it to a bike shop. If you run into any trouble putting it together (do not remove the front wheel nuts - those are spacers, not for attaching the wheel to the fork - there is a quick release kit in the box with the bike), then put it back in the box and take it all to a bike shop. If not, you'll be one of those people on the internet badmouthing "Wal-Mart" bikes when you could be out enjoying a smooth bike ride. If the guys at the bike shop are snooty about the bike, then take it somewhere else. If you are a casual rider and your bike shop knows that, then they should also know this bike will be perfectly fine for your needs. Also, while at the shop ask them to check the rubber strip inside the wheel to make sure it is covering the spoke holes. Mine wasn't seated properly and I had an avoidable flat after about 100 miles (see below for more on the tubes...).

After I took mine to the bike shop it has been pretty much smooth sailing ever since. I ride anywhere from 15 to 30 miles per day on the weekend days, and just a few miles here and there during the week. The bike is smooth and fast, and the shifters work perfectly.

The only trouble I've had is the brakes start to squeak after about every 50 miles or so, but that is a quick and easy adjustment you can do yourself, on the side of the trail if necessary. But no matter what the squeaking will start to creep back after about 50 miles. Not sure if this is normal or not for other bikes. Also, rocks seem to easily get embedded into the brake pads and make so much noise under braking that I have to stop and pick the rock out. This happens about once per outing. It takes less than 30 seconds to release the brake and get the rock out, but it can be irritating. I'll probably get some different pads and see what happens.

The only really weird quirk that you won't find out until you have a flat tire is that the bike rims require extra-long Scrader valve tubes, which my bike shop doesn't carry and can't get, and the real wheel is NOT quick-release. The tubes are some kind of proprietary Wal-Mart tube. The fix for this is to buy several whenever you see them, or just buy Presta valve tubes with a spacer (Schrader to Presta replacements are also available at Wal-Mart). Although I've only had one flat (and thankfully discovered it while in my garage!), my maximum distance I feel safe travelling from my house or where I've parked my car is about 5-10 miles unless I have a couple of tools and a spare tube or patch kit.

The brake pads making noise like that needs to taken care of as soon as the noise is heard, because pebble caught in the pad will scour the rim, something you don't want to happen. The better fix is to go to the LBS with one of the pads and get better replacement pads that won't trap a pebble.

The tire/tube situation is a Walmart oddity. I almost bought a Walmart Denali bike for my youngest child some years back but they too were using odd stuff that only Walmart sold. And when you buy a bike like that with parts only sold by Walmart and they decide to no longer carry the bike and the parts then your left out to dry. I know Walmart has received many complaints about this for quite some time but they refuse to listen.

You should always carry tools to be able to fix your bike regardless if you ride 5 or 50 miles from home. In my expandable wedge seat bag I carry and so should you: a dozen Park glueless patches; a Park tire boot patch; couple alcohol pads (to clean a tube after roughing it up to put a patch on, or clean the inside of tire to put a boot patch on); 2 Soma tire irons (virtually indestructible); a QuikStik (this removes the tire very fast once you get it started); Park MTB3 mini tool; a very small Leatherman folding pliers with scissors built in to it; photo ID and insurance card. That's what you should carry all the time regardless of how far you go.

Because I ride much further then you, and I ride into remote areas where a cell phone call for help is useless I carry a ultralight (180grm) folding tire; ultralight tube in it's box to protect it from something in the seat bag poking a hole in it; headache and stomach pills just in case I get sick; extra AA bats for my flashers (in case my flashers bats die on a night ride); spare button computer bat (no reason other then it fits taking up no space!); $40 dollars cash folded and stashed inside the Park Mini tool (in case I need food, drink, or parts); cell phone; house key; couple GoJo hand cleaner pads (you can get a lot of grease off your hands by simply rubbing your hands on grass, but I have light colored handlebar tape and dirt shows like crazy so I use the pads after a repair to make sure the hands are clean); small tube of SuperGlue (great for filling in external tire gashes, or fixing something on the bike in a cinch, or even closing a wound!); a minor first aid kit (useless for big problems but you can't fit that kind of kit into a seat bag); and a couple of small ZipTies.

I carry all of this stuff due to how far I ride and I'm the kind of the person who will not call my wife just because I have a problem, she's not my mommy nor do I treat her like one. I've only had to call her 2 times in 30 years of marriage and riding, once because of an accident and I took myself to the hospital and called her from there (before cell phones came along); and the other when I got violent [FONT= 'times new roman']diarrhea and it would not stop even after I took 2 [/FONT][FONT= Arial]Imodium[/FONT] AD's that I carried; and I still tried to ride home and went 8 miles stopping all the time to go, the last stop I made I was too weak and shaking to go the rest of the 19 miles back home so I surrendered and called her on my cell.

You need to be prepared the best you can and know how to fix things when they do go bad. If your not real competent fixing a flat then practice at home, there's even web sites that will show you how, if your not sure of fixing a flat reply back and I can find a couple of good sites with video to show how it's done. Then find an old tube, put a hole in it, patch it, put the tube back inside the tire and mount tire rest of the way fill with air install back onto the bike; then start over, remove bead of tire, remove tube, put small hole in tube and patch, install again. Do this over and over till your competent at patching and the patches are holding, and competent at putting the tire on, and competent at reinstalling the wheel onto the bike. And practice this on the rear not the front because the rear adds the complication of the derailleur, once you can do this the front is simple.

Those are all excellent points. In fact, speaking of not making a particular bike anymore, I think the Leggenda and the Urbano as well are both history now. If anyone wants to check for sure on the parts before buying (if there are any left - I think everywhere is out of stock now), I think they were made by kentbicycles.com and is just a slightly changed version of their 700c hybrid - so they might have replacement parts available (at least for now). From what the two bike shops have told me (one shop set it up, another fixed my flat tire) the wheels/tubes are very unusual but the Shimano stuff, although low-end, appeared adequate for what I was doing with the bike and could be easily replaced. The bike geeks seemed to like the way the bike looked and were all surprised that it was fairly light. They all looked horrified at the non-quick release rear wheel though!

Basically I think I got pretty lucky. After talking with the bike geeks, I'll never blindly get a bike off the internet again. I should have talked to them in the first place. And I'm very certain that 70% of my "luck" here was my wisdom in taking the bike to them to get set up.

I keep patches and tubes in my car, and I park in the middle of town (Raleigh, NC) and then bike up and down the greenway paths. In any given outing I pass by my car at least once! I always carry phone, money, etc. with me though. I'll probably put the patches in the seat bag though to add confidence!

If you want quick release on the rear, you can take the bike to an LBS and have one put in, and it won't cost much but would save the headache of having to reach for a tool everytime you fix a flat. All they do is remove the 10mm (this size could vary) solid threaded axle with a hollow axle through which the quick release skewer will go through; they may have to adjust the bearings; and since your bike may or may not be standard there may be additional things they may have to do to get it to work. The initial process is simple thus not very expensive, even with complications it won't cost much more. If possible, though a lot of times it's not, try to find a matching, or at least closely matching skewer to the front one.

Hi, I've had a leggenda for about 2 years now and, to my shameful neglect, it's falling apart! Does anyone know the spoke size I need for the back wheel? On the rim it says, 'shining etrto 622 x 18 a-320', which is meaningless to me. Any ideas would be welcome. cheers, Ian