Many owners found the Gateway ‘cute’ and loved it’s retro look.
The faux ‘leather’ seat and handles were appealing finishing touches.
A rack, kickstand and mudguards were included in the Gateway’s package.
A few owners had great experiences with a smoothly shifting drivetrain.
In one rider’s words, the Gateway was sturdy enough ‘to carry an overweight adult’.
Some owners considered the Gateway to be lightweight.

11 reasons not to buy

The Gateway was very heavy, making it a burden to carry up and down stairs.
Occasionally, the Gateway arrived with missing nuts and bolts.
A rear axle snapped on one commuter’s fourth ride.
The handlebar continually loosened for numerous owners, despite tightening.
For one buyer, the bottom bracket came loose on their second ride.
A few buyers received new models with scratched paintwork.
For some owners, the seat loosened continually and was hard to tighten.
The saddle was frequently deemed to be uncomfortable on longer rides.
For one rider, their chain snapped on their fourth day of riding.
Tales of flimsiness: a Gateway on a kickstand was blown over causing the rear wheel to warp. On another occasion, this bike fell over and the rear brake-lever snapped.
One owner’s new Gateway featured a flat spot on the front rim and a rear rim too small for a standard tire.

Bottom line

Owners who had this bike assembled by professionals felt more satisfied and confident than direct-buyers who assumed that it came ready-to-ride. Regardless of whether or not it was assembled by a mechanic, it would a bit of a stretch to call this a ‘quality’ bike. Flimsy parts frequently came loose, fell off or arrived mechanically flawed. It’s really cheap. So you could buy it at a low price and take it to your local bike mechanic, where they could replace all the working parts on the frame. This may give you a reliable ride. Financially, it would almost certainly be cheaper to buy a higher quality bike, outright. Rather than being your passport to a future of fitness, this bike is destined to be a Gateway to cycling disappointment.