Vilano is an American company, founded in the state of Florida, and is growing in the expanding scene of folding bicycles and trying to gain ground, as it faces tough competition from established companies. It is a proud maker of economical foldables among a huge range of products in categories such as road, children, sports, hybrid, MTB, etc. and the Apex bike is another of the companies take at the entry level product market.
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Rating:
2.70/5.00
Price:
$$$ on Amazon (September 2 2015)
Warranty
1 Year Warranty For Bike And Spare Parts
Pros and Cons:
Very Cheap Very Heavy
Strong Poor Quality
Fenders/Rack Installed
First Impression:
The bike is pretty stylish especially with curve on the frame.
Detailed Review:
The Apex foldable can be bought off Amazon (which has a 58% discount at the moment when this review was written). You will receive the item in under a week for most states, however Alaska and Hawaii residents may have to wait for up to 10 days before getting their hands on their purchase.
The bike comes fully assembled in a sealed box. You need to fix in the pedals and inflate the tires, however, and check it thoroughly for any issues. If you are unsure or are new to foldables, it would be advised to get the bike checked and tuned by a professional mechanic.
The foldable it self is not anything out of the extra ordinary. At best, you can call it an upgrade to the versions sold at Walmart and therefore you should not be expecting anything more than basic features.
The frame is built from high quality steel, however it is not the most durable material and understandably makes the bike heavy. The silver/black colour of the bike looks okay and combines with the black colour of the components very well. While riding you would feel that you are on something super solid and heavy, which can be a good or a bad thing according to what’s on your mind (Hint: portability and security).
There have been concerns about the bike coming with very rugged joints which are hard to rotate and extremely noisy. If your purchase also has this problem you can ask the mechanic to get unscrew the bike all together and put the joints again, after applying lube or grease. Same for the chain and brake discs. This is an issue of quality control and Vilano is aware of it.
This model of Apex comes with a good quality 6 speed derailleur installed which makes riding up or down an incline pretty easy and hassle free. The gear system is made by Shinamo which is a reputable parts manufacturer despite its Chinese origins. The gears are reliable and change seamlessly.
The foldable utilises some plastic parts which are a turn off. There is a plastic chain cover to protect your body and clothes from the oil in the chain. Similarly, there are cheap plastic brake levers as well. It is recommended to get the brake levers changed as plastic brake levers are totally unreliable and unsafe.
The handle bar is adjustable and can feel a bit uneasy to use at the start. Again, if you hear creaking sound coming from your handle bar joint you must oil it.
The seat is okay at best. There have been a number of complains about the seat post which sinks itself and cannot be fixed to a preferable height even if you tighten the latch. It would be suggested to get the seat post fixed from a mechanic if your cycle comes with this problem as Vilano will not be fixing it according to their customer service response.
The tires are 16 inch and great in quality. You can see the thickness and feel the strength of the tires and the tubes, which means you should not be having a lot of puncturing issues or any at all. The tires tread well and have minimal resistance which is great for urban commute.
The Apex can fold and unfold pretty easily and quickly (under 20 seconds). The folding system is the same like most cheap bikes. A safety latch has been provided for keeping the parts from rubbing each other or preventing unfolding of the bike midway, but there are no footings under the cranks to keep the crank gear safe when the bike is folded. This is a really big plus as even premium bikes tend to leave this feature in their bikes. However, the bike is quite heavy and is not to be carried around.
The pedals are good and of the platform style which will keep your feet from slipping. However, if you do not really enjoy them you can get them changed.
Fender and rack are made of steel and pre installed.
Lastly, it’s missing footings under cranks to protect the crank gear when folded.
There are no big pluses or negatives when it comes to this bike. It is just to do its job and is decent at best, but if you comparing it with one from Schwinn or Dalon, it will be put to complete shame.
Specifications:
- Weighs in at 32 pounds.
- Black or Silver as a color
- 12″ x 21″ x 29″ when folded up
- Shifter is a 6 speed Shimano
- The frame is 16”
- The handlebar is adjustable
- Rims are 16” and have double walls
- Shimano 6 Speed Derailleur.
- Both fenders come with this bike and are installed
- Pedals are included with this cycle
- Also comes with a rear rack
- Step has telescope feature
Conclusion:
The Apex 16’’ is a budget bike with some style and durability. It is an okay bike for city commute however is not recommended if you intend to travel for multiple hours every odd day. The cycle can easily be stored in a small space. It is suggested to only buy this bike if you really have to, as with a little flexible budget you can save yourself from some of the issues this bike can provide in time.
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