BMX - Sports Authority bikes, complains and advice..

It really seems bike shops have stopped carrying BMX style bikes. I want something cheap, and quickly. All of my other bikes are more or less the right size for me, and being short, that doesn't leave me a lot of room to horse around on them.

This really all came from a desire to improve my bunny hopping. My MTB is "the right size" instead of being a little small. So even with the seat all the way down, I don't get a lot of room to wind up and jump. I can get 1-3" of air. However, I also know a lot of my lack of height, is due to lack of technique.

And I want a bike to learn the technique on.

SO, at the local sports authority there are two bikes.

Sims Torch:
$140
Tubular steel cranks
Machined aluminum front sprocket
Tektro brakes
Gyro, with welded on mount tabs
48 spoke aluminum rims
Pegs
Threadless headset and stem

Iron Horse LZ-1:
$179
one peice crank
Machined aluminum front sprocket
no name brakes
Gyro
48 spoke aluminum wheels
pegs
Threaded headset and stem

The "better deal" is pretty obvious. However, I already have a Iorn Horse MTB. Which I love. And I would love to have another iron horse bike in the stable.

So... since the choice is obvious; what am I here for?

How can I get the iron horse bike for $140 :-)

Out of those two options, get the Sims. The 3-piece cranks and threadless headset and stem are far superior to the 1-piece cranks and threaded setup on the Iron Horse.

That's what I thought. Still makes me sad about not getting an iron horse. The one on the floor had loose front wheel bearings. I'm having them fix that before I pick it up. They charge $25 for assembly.. hah. They didn't even seat the brake cables on the gyro before setting up the brakes..

Why? Iron Horse doesn't make very good bikes.

Not that I would expect Sims to be much better.

They did make VERY, VERY good bikes. The bike I currently own is from that generation of bikes. I'd.. just kinda like another iron horse bike. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

That's what I thought. Still makes me sad about not getting an iron horse. The one on the floor had loose front wheel bearings. I'm having them fix that before I pick it up. They charge $25 for assembly.. hah. They didn't even seat the brake cables on the gyro before setting up the brakes..

Why on earth would they charge you anything for assembly? I work at a Dick's Sporting Goods, and all assembly on purchased bikes is free. It's actually very unusual for a customer to buy a bike unassembled.
Bike quality varies a lot on bikes from sporting goods stores because they care the individual building puts into it varies. Double check the bearings, with the wheels off the bike. There's every chance they wind up overtightening them. And double check the chain tension. 99% of the BMX bikes I build, DB, Hoffman, Nishiki, XG3, etc, come with the chains wayy too tight. And check the handlebar clamp. There's a good chance that won't be tightened enough.

They did make VERY, VERY good bikes. The bike I currently own is from that generation of bikes.

You mean the completes that they made when Whitesnake rode for them in the mid-late '90s? Meh. Meh I say.

what i have itn't a bmx. It's a MT200. I raced it this year for the chicago cyclocross series. It worked well for me. I... don't know who whitesnake is in relation to biking.

On that note, I got the Sims. Actually paid $131 out the door. the price dropped between last week and this.