[EVNine]

I know, Walmart owned and all, but I can't stop looking at that $3599 price for a Force 1, 1000g-ish gravel frame when most other comparables (except maybe Canyon) are $1K or more above that. Anyone order one and try it out yet? Really looks like a pretty nice bike, plus it has rack mounts, which seem to be pretty rare on the lighter carbon bikes these days. Would probably swap out wheels and cockpit for carbon, but $1K savings over comparable packages from Santa Cruz, Ibis, and Salsa leaves some room to upgrade, and makes the Viathon pretty hard to ignore.

 

[Surfdog93]

Just read a review and sounds like a great package....I especially like the space for 50mm tire on rear. I thought $3599 included Hed carbon wheels ?

 

[EVNine]

The wheels on that package are HED Ardennes LT, which if I'm not mistaken from the HED website, are alu rims. Comparable packages from the others come with alu as well, so still a great deal. The interesting thing is that frame only cost is $2K, which is about the same as some of these others, but there's no way to put together a full Force package with wheel set for $1500, or at least it's not easy. Maybe I'm missing something, but seems like a steal. It's actually $3550, so better yet.

 

[ejj]

How does it compare to buying a Carbonda frameset? I'd say there is no way someone would buy the Viathon frame for 2K.

 

[AtlantaRider]

How does it compare to buying a Carbonda frameset? I'd say there is no way someone would buy the Viathon frame for 2K.

I agree that paying $2,000 for the frameset seems crazy, BUT the complete bikes are spec'd really well and are significantly less expensive than similar ones from well-known manufacturers. I'm seriously thinking about the G.1 Ultegra.

Another good deal: https://ocoeebikes.com/collections/gravel/products/boundary-ultegra

I believe the Ocoee from American Bicycle Group uses the Carbonda frame.

 

[ejj]

Lots of good bikes in the $3K+ range. Kinda depends what you want to spend your dollars on...

Ibis Hakka MX, Otso Waheela C, Santa Cruz Stigmata, Thesis, Salsa Warbird and Warroad, etc.

Do you want the best components and wheels? Do you want a local bike shop and the assembly/service/demo they provide? Do you want better re-sale? Do you want a "better" frame design? Better looks/name? For about $3200 you can have a few, but not all of those.

 

[EVNine]

Lots of good bikes in the $3K+ range. Kinda depends what you want to spend your dollars on...

Ibis Hakka MX, Otso Waheela C, Santa Cruz Stigmata, Thesis, Salsa Warbird and Warroad, etc.

Do you want the best components and wheels? Do you want a local bike shop and the assembly/service/demo they provide? Do you want better re-sale? Do you want a "better" frame design? Better looks/name? For about $3200 you can have a few, but not all of those.

All those are great bikes, but they are all about $1K more when comparably spec'd. You can get a Force equipped bike from Viathon for about the same price as a Rival equipped bike from all of those others. Unless the frames are that much better, it's a pretty nice deal.

As for who would want to buy a Viathon frame, somebody must be buying them since the frame option is sold out. I know we should all love our LBS, but I have no problem buying a bike online, and really don't need an LBS for repairs or service since I do all my own work. I also don't see anything wrong with the frame design, and in fact see some advantages vs. some of the others, such as rack mounts, and it probably doesn't matter since it's most likely made right in the same factory as several of those others anyway.

 

[ejj]

All those are great bikes, but they are all about $1K more when comparably spec'd. You can get a Force equipped bike from Viathon for about the same price as a Rival equipped bike from all of those others. Unless the frames are that much better, it's a pretty nice deal.

As for who would want to buy a Viathon frame, somebody must be buying them since the frame option is sold out. I know we should all love our LBS, but I have no problem buying a bike online, and really don't need an LBS for repairs or service since I do all my own work. I also don't see anything wrong with the frame design, and in fact see some advantages vs. some of the others, such as rack mounts, and it probably doesn't matter since it's most likely made right in the same factory as several of those others anyway.

Like I said--you can have some of those traits, but not all. As you said--no need for a bike shop/demo, then just compare the DTC brands. Thesis comes with carbon wheels on a Carbonda frameset. How about Canyon? If the frames/names are not important, just pick your favorite component mix and order up.

You can't compare the Viathon to a shop bike like the Ibis/Santa Cruz, etc.