Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Dissing The Department Store

A lot of people here spend a lot of energy dissing on department stores, yada yada yada, saying you should support your LBS they know what they are doing, the other guys are knobs, blah blah blah.

Well, I saw a long row of new Schwinn cruisers at my local Costco and every single one was professionally assembled. Especially impressive was the front brakes, which I have attached a picture illustrating what a great job they did.

This should finally put this to rest, as you guys are clearly being way too critical.

schwinn cruisers make my stomach turn

That maybe thier new buy one, get one free promo. or should I say, buy one, lose it down a hill, sue , get one free

Buy one, crash, sue, put kid thru college plan......

Now that's what I call the "Sudden Death Special". Does it come with a coupon for an ambulance ride and ICU treatment?

Last time I was at Costco, there were several bikes being assembled by the grease monkeys in the tire mounting area.

Last time I was at Costco, there were several bikes being assembled by the grease monkeys in the tire mounting area.

At least the grease monkeys probably have a clue as to which end of the screwdriver is which....

At least the brakes will not rub if the wheels are a little out of true.

A lot of people here spend a lot of energy dissing on department stores, yada yada yada, saying you should support your LBS they know what they are doing, the other guys are knobs, blah blah blah.
<SNIP>
This should finally put this to rest, as you guys are clearly being way too critical.

I don't think most of us are too clitical. Go to any Target or Walmart and check out the bikes. I can guarantee you that many will have major errors in basic adjustment (especially brakes).

Costco has had a long history of handling stall very differently than other retailers (especially compared the Walmart). They tend to have low employee turn over, etc. If Costco is using their tire mechanics to assemble the bikes, the all the power to them. At least you have someone that has some basic mechanical aptitude assembing the bikes. I am VERY happy to hear that at least one store gets things right.

I have warned people about the dangers of bix box store bikes IF you don't know what to look for. I got my Mom one of the "higher end" Target Schwinn bikes, and it was a perfectly descent bike. I could have gotten the same bike at a local bike store for about $75 more. As I like to tinker on bikes and I knew the kind of ridind my Mom would do I was comfortable with the lack of support. The bike as assembled that brakes that would not have stopped the bike. I spend an evening adjusting everything and then added fenders and a rack. I enjoyed doing that for my Mom and my time was worth the $75 savings. If someone were to not know how to tune up a bike, that would have been a lousy deal as they would have spent that money at a bike store and not gotten any of the other assistance.

Happy riding,
André

my own bike, from a LBS, was badly adjusted when I got it home. Not impressed.

I like the green one.

http://www.feep.org/gallery/albums/random/SANY0096.sized.jpg

I like the green one.

Hey now, that green one is the fancy model with the U turn fork I hear so much about :lol:

my own bike, from a LBS, was badly adjusted when I got it home. Not impressed.


I've seen it too many times myself. When a dude that stocks Oreo Cookies can even come close to assembling a bike like the pro at the LBS, I'm actually impressed.

Main reason why I started doing it myself. First thing I do when walking into an LBS is raise a wheel on a bike and spin it to see how true it is. If it's crooked, chances are the rest of the stock is going to be assemlbed like dept store junk. I've seen it way too many times!:(

Better not bad mouth the department stores too much, we may all be looking for work there soon.

At least the grease monkeys where getting a paycheck...

OMG lol Glad they are reminding us all to wear a helmet!!

Not to worry seagull, if they sell more bikes like that and you work at a nursing home, its like job security!

I am sure you've all heard the rant before, but there is no way that I would ever buy a bike form Cosco, Wal-mart or other such corporatist blight on our otherwise perfect society...I buy all my stuff off of the Internet. :D