Originally Posted by
Geo Cruise
I miss the old days when you could see no suspended bikes with descent drive-trains that were quality bikes with little frills.
Actually the bikes of the 1970s were often heavy, clunky department store bikes. Department stores like Sears rather than Walmart... but the idea was much the same. The big difference -- I've repaired both ancient Sears bikes and recent Walmart offerings -- is that the former were pretty bullet proof. Even 30-40 years later, some of the parts are still working. Light they weren't, but they were durable.
One good think about an SS or Fixie is that it does eliminate the shifters, which are often the first thing to go on Walmart bikes. However, the wheelsets are often the worst type of crap. You might get 1,000 miles out of the rear wheel.
No, the extremely low-end department store bikes aren't really worth it, even if you are poor. It's ultimately cheaper -- if you are using the bike for transportation -- to shoot for at least the low end of the LBS offerings.