The Pros And Cons Of My Huffy Experience

My Huffy Cranbrook 26 inch cruiser.

In the spring of 2013, a little more than one year ago, I bought my Huffy Cranbrook single speed cruiser to pedal around town, ride to work, and get some exercise. Before I bought it, I read all the product reviews I could find and decided this bicycle could adequately serve my purposes. There is much to like about the Huffy Cranbrook, but there are also some things I don't like. Bear in mind, my tastes are simple and my criteria are not necessarily the same as yours.

Rear View Of My Huffy

Huffy offers the lowest price I found for a basic bicycle. Mine was $95 at Walmart. The caveat is that you will need tools and a little technical ability with Huffy because they do not adequately prep the bearings at their factory. I learned this early by reading the internet reviews, so the first thing I did was take the bike apart. The wheel bearings came lightly greased, but not nearly enough. The crank and steering bearings came completely dry. None of the bearings were properly adjusted. Had I paid for bearing service instead of doing it myself, I might just as well have bought a different brand bicycle because Huffy's price advantage would have been long gone.

I do prefer the all-steel frame even though it weighs about 38 pounds assembled. For a few dollars more I could have had an aluminum bicycle weighing 10 pounds less, but I thought steel would better carry my 215 pound weight. And after all, this bike was meant for exercise, not for racing, so the weight would also benefit my workout.

I Like Huffy's Thicker Painted Spokes

I also appreciate the extra strength of Huffy's thicker spokes, even though they initially caused a minor problem. The wheel magnet for my Sunding speedometer wouldn't fit over the larger spokes. I had to replace it with a Sodlon speedometer that came with a better magnet mounting system. The spokes came painted black and they still look good, as does all the paint on this bike. Huffy apparently uses good paint.

Overall, I like this cruiser. Nostalgia aside, it has a big comfortable spring-mounted seat  and wide tires for a better ride. The gear ratio is 44:19 (2.31) which is a little short of the 2.50 ratio considered ideal for cruisers. Maximum sustainable cranking speed gives me around 13 mph without hills or headwind. I've hit 22 mph coasting down hills and it still handled very well.

So what else have I discovered riding a Huffy this last year? Here's a few cons:

Some cruisers, mine included, have only a coaster brake in the rear wheel. This has to be taken into account by responsible riders. Locking the brake at excessive speed or with extra weight will eventually drag you to a stop, but don't expect miracles. I believe that the various manufacturers' weight restrictions on these bicycles has more to do with braking ability than with strength of the frames.

Next, the stock tires on my Huffy were crap. They cracked between the treads and one blew out within three months. I replaced them with good Kenda tires, including vinyl tire liners, and have had no flats or other tire problems since then.

Early Rust On My Huffy Cranbrook

Rust is showing up too soon on the shiny parts, including the handlebars, stem hardware, fender braces, cranks, and kick stand. This shouldn't be happening. I was caught in the rain a few times, and I store it in a carport rather than a garage, but it's never been left outdoors in direct weather. I began waxing the shiny parts this year hoping to slow the rust down, but it may be too late. Huffy should consider painting those shiny parts, too, or get better quality parts.

Spacing the seat post with a pipe nipple.

Huffy's quick-release seat post kept sliding down under my weight. The post itself has a smooth finish with no knurls or grooves to help grip the inside of the tube.  Rather than notching or over tightening it, I took the post to my local hardware store and found a pipe nipple that has the correct length and diameter to serve as a spacer. It's ugly but it's hidden under the seat and it does the job. The pipe nipple has started rusting too, but I can paint it.

Drill Pedal Lube Holes For  Longer Life

My Huffy came with plastic pedals. They began binding within two months and split soon after. I needed replacements quickly so I bought another plastic set, but this time I invented a way to lube them. I drilled holes in each pedal, one near each end of the shaft housing, just large enough to inject some clingy wax-based chain lubricant into the pedal. These cheap replacement pedals are still spinning freely one year later.

Our New Schwinn Needed Prep, Too

In fairness to Huffy, it's possible to have problems with other bicycle brands purchased from department stores. As an example, I just purchased a new Schwinn for my wife. Not because I hate Huffy, but because she liked the looks and color of the Schwinn. I prepped it at home the same way I had with my Huffy and found the stem bearings to be encrusted with something hard and orange that wasn't good grease. All the bearings needed adjustment, too.