Aldi-LIDL Specials - Megathread!

Just buy the chain cleaner thing on Aliexpress.

Aldi have an actual MTB for e349.99 on 16/05. Only £300 in UK
https://leaflets.aldi.co.uk/view/1010962972/4/
Looks the bees knees too.

Here the Irish leaflet. Less stuff than the UK one, but they'll have workstands for anyone interested

https://leaflets.aldi.ie/view/904646902/10/

CramCycle wrote: »

If they had their 29er in I would pick one up, decent knock about frame from what reviews I have found.

Anyone know if its one size only or multiple sizes?

I don't get the attraction that's more of a BSO than a mountain bike

CramCycle wrote: »

I'd disagree, it is certainly not high end but its not a BSO, and certainly on par with what you would 600/700 for in Halfords, the frames get OK reviews and would be fine for someone like me who doesn't get out as much as they would like too. It will certainly handle most of the trails around South Dublin/North Wicklow with ease but admittedly so can most CX bikes so not a high standard either

As is your right but I'd still say you're wrong. We just have different ideas of trails and mountain bikes. As for the halfords comparison well that kinda speaks volumes

byrnem31 wrote: »

It's an awful looking bike and you could get far better 2nd hand for €300. Yet people will be up at 6am to get one cause they think it's a great deal.

If you know what you're doing, you'll get something decent second hand. If you've no idea what you're doing, there's a good chance that you'll be ripped off buying a second hand POS that has been ripped off someone else.

Aldi would certainly be a better option for those who can't be sure of what they're buying second hand.

Roadtoad wrote: »

A number of years ago (3, 4 ?) Lidl had a really well priced road bike for sale. This forum really beat it up, and must have made it really hard for Lidl to try it again. Please, please don't go there again with this bike. If it gets more people out, its all good.

Has anyone a FIRST HAND report of the Lidl bike with good milage up?

saw a good few around at the time . a lot were bought for the group set if I remember rightly. the frame was heavy . I looked at them myself but couldn't get one so bought a mk2 focus cayo which was my main bike for 11 years

in fact theres a whole thread on it if you care to look

byrnem31 wrote: »

The bike in the supermarket would need some minor setting up so people in general are buying them trying to do it themselves that haven't a clue creating a death trap.

You can buy second hand bikes in shops or off mechanics for example the likes of recycle where the bike will be road worthy and serviced so there is far better value to be had going 2nd hand. If you buy a bike of johnner on Facebook who is 15 and had dodgy pictures up the first time, you deserve what you get. But going to a reputable business like recycle you will definitely get a better bike for the money.

It's better than someone buying a bike in a box off a supermarket shelf with no mechanical knowledge.

I think that's a stretch. Plenty of kids (and adults) going around on so called BSOs, and they haven't died as a result. It's a bike. There's a kid in my estate here on a typical hard tail "mountain bike" as sold in a big store, and the fork was installed the wrong way round. Despite hurting my eyes, he hasn't died yet

The likelihood is it'll be bought for general knocking around for kids/teenagers like my eldest fella. Anyone regularly doing the hardest trails in the GAP or Ballinastoe or wherever, is unlikely to be queueing for it

cletus wrote: »

I think that's a stretch. Plenty of kids (and adults) going around on so called BSOs, and they haven't died as a result. It's a bike. There's a kid in my estate here on a typical hard tail "mountain bike" as sold in a big store, and the fork was installed the wrong way round. Despite hurting my eyes, he hasn't died yet

The likelihood is it'll be bought for general knocking around for kids/teenagers like my eldest fella. Anyone regularly doing the hardest trails in the GAP or Ballinastoe or wherever, is unlikely to be queueing for it

Death trap is just a saying meaning something is dangerous but you have taken it out of context to to try make your point more valid. But you knew what I meant.

I wouldn't t go near them with a bargepole being honest. As stated previously, far better to be bought out there. If anyone is considering buying one, pop up to recycle first and see if they have anything. I need a runaround myself soon so I'll be going up

CramCycle wrote: »

I'm not sure about this bike but their previous MTBs were rebadged Trek Marlins. Having not risen one I figured as a big brand, they'd be grand, not great, but grand for Coillte trails. Better than Halfords but credit where it's due, reading a few reviews, the Voodoo's are probably a better buy but these will be fine on Coillte trails, but then so would most road bikes.

Yeah I'm not a huge fan of Marlin either I'm sure it will be fine for most as you say and I'd imagine most will be left rusting away in the back garden and that fork will patina wonderfully

The shortage of bikes at the moment and the ridiculous price of some of the high end models will no doubt have them walking out the door. I'd imagine they will find themselves a happy home on green ways.

At that price point it would be a better bike with a rigid fork and maybe a slightly wider front tyre.

You are better off in the short and long term with no suspension fork rather than a cheap one, but then it won't have the same appeal to a non enthusiast/regular Joe.

The best place to buy a bike(or most things)is second hand from an enthusiast.

Like most other Aldi specials most of these will rust out rather than rust out so its merits or faults hardly matter

byrnem31 wrote: »

Death trap is just a saying meaning something is dangerous but you have taken it out of context to to try make your point more valid. But you knew what I meant.

I wouldn't t go near them with a bargepole being honest. As stated previously, far better to be bought out there. If anyone is considering buying one, pop up to recycle first and see if they have anything. I need a runaround myself soon so I'll be going up

You used hyperbolic language, I used hyperbolic language. I don't think any of the bikes sold in Aldi, or Halfords, or Smyth's Toys, or anywhere else will be any more inherently dangerous than a bike sold in an LBS.

If someone is buying a second hand bike, they need to know what to look out for to not buy a lemon.If they can do that, they can also safely check over a bike from Aldi.

On the other hand, if they are unable to tighten a wheel correctly, or ensure a seat post is secure on the Aldi bike, they're unlikely to be au fait with bikes to the degree that they could assess a second hand bike as being worthwhile buying or not.

So, yes, I did know what you meant. It's just that I disagree with you

cletus wrote: »

That is exactly the target market here. Nobody considering dropping a couple of k on a bike will decide to go for this instead, but they're two different markets.

I just don't see the point in knocking them, though. Regulars on this forum have enough knowledge to be able to see the differences, and know the market they're designed for. I'd expect to see a few in the bike racks in my school in the next few weeks, given that cycling to school has seen quite an increase (at least in my place), since we came back at Easter. A job for which they will be more that adequate

It's just an opinion which forums are typically full of not a personal attack on this bike. I could well be saying I hate elephants breath and the aldi paint isn't a patch on Dulux or whatever you're having yourself.

Also the Lidl bike stand is far superior to the aldi bike stand :P

cletus wrote: »

You used hyperbolic language, I used hyperbolic language. I don't think any of the bikes sold in Aldi, or Halfords, or Smyth's Toys, or anywhere else will be any more inherently dangerous than a bike sold in an LBS.

If someone is buying a second hand bike, they need to know what to look out for to not buy a lemon.If they can do that, they can also safely check over a bike from Aldi.

On the other hand, if they are unable to tighten a wheel correctly, or ensure a seat post is secure on the Aldi bike, they're unlikely to be au fait with bikes to the degree that they could assess a second hand bike as being worthwhile buying or not.

So, yes, I did know what you meant. It's just that I disagree with you

Edited to add: had to look up Recycle. Not much use if you don't live in Dublin