Recreational & Family - Department Store Bikes Are Better

i guess i had a little bit better luck then you guys. i have (and still have and ride) a Huffy. i dont exactly remember the inches, but i think its 26". anyways, i've had that bike for about 7 years now. my parents bought it for me to ride to school. they paid 80$ out the door. i have well over 1000 miles on them, because i've done tours and 50+ mile rides with them. i've been off roading with them (because its a mtn bike) and have done some simple gravel trails to some pretty single tracks. the only problem i had with the bike was the pedal. after about 4 or 5 years of using it, the pedals just broke off, so i went to kmart and bought a 20$ pedal and im using those pedals still today. the whole set up was stock, nothing about it is changed, sept for the pedals and toe clip cages thing. yes, the fork sucks, yes the fork is heavy, but for the price we paid, it was well worth it. i havent done any maintaince to it or anything, sept i cleaning the chain a few times cuz so much dirt got on it that it doesnt work anymore. but my cleaning is just blasting it with a hose, i dont lube it afterwards. that bike sits in my garage, and i still use it today when i go mtn biking. i ride the lower seco mtn trails and sometimes im go up brown mtn trail with it, and i make it up to the top okay. but the tires suck, so i have one hell of a time going up, but i make it eventually. but i guess i cant really complain, i've only gotten 2 flast for the 7 years i've had it. i dont know.. but i guess either i was really lucky, or i dont know.. i've never had any problems..

for the record, i ride roads with a 2004 OCR3, and i commute with a 1989 Nishiki Sport. and my current mtn bike is that Huffy, but i am saving up for a Rockhopper. and when i get my Rockhopper, i'll still keep my old huffy and give it to my sister who likes to ride like once a month to go to the market or use it to ride to her friends house.

The knock against big chains is the part that really gets me. If you don't like them thats fine, I don't shop at Walmart myself because of their labor practices but hey thats me. After reading the thread on bicycle mechanics' wages (definitely not a living wage) I'm not so sure I'm happy buying something at an LBS either.

You know, I appreciate you putting those things together because I hadn't... That's a damn good point...

But then again most people on here would call a big car crass consumerism as they pass it on their $3,000 Litespeed...

OK
I have been pretty happy with my mart bike.then saturday I went to my LBS and they let me take out a new Diamond back.my bike is not in bad shape.I left the shop and headed to the closest hill I could find and headed up.now mind you the back tire was half flat and I had to figure out the shift selectors,but once I did that there was nothing to it.I got off the road and into the gravel and just chugged on up.I can tell ya this.if I was on my mart bike I would have had to stop on the way up.when I got back I picked it up and almost threw it over the building.too light.mine ya gotta heft it up.the ride was to short and I had to go to work(bummer)gotta try some other different bikes to see what they are like.
santa guess what I want for christmas?

As a 27 year old just getting back into riding since i was a kid, I'll give my 2 cents. My first MTN bike was a huffy from Toys R us. I destroyed it in well less than a year and i wasnt that hard on it. We're talking Cracked rims, broke pedals, bent handlebars. The next bike i got was a GT talera from the LBS. I rode that bike hard and put it up wet. A few years later i sold it because I got a drivers license. It never gave me a moments trouble. Last year my dad who's 58 bought a mongoose MTB from wally world, against my advice. He hasn't broke it, but he doesn't ride very hard. Every time i get on it i feel like its gonna collapse under me. However i am a pretty big guy, 6'1 bout 260. I decided i wanted to get another MTB because i enjoy the outdoors and I hate doing cardio at the gym. So today I went to the LBS and bought a leftover new 03 Specialized Epic Comp. This thing feels indestructable even under my 260lb self. Of coure the sticker price was 10 times what my dad bought his wal mart bike for. But i felt i needed the quality for a bike to last under me.

In a poll, (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=32976&highlight=poll+huffy) about 75% of folks started on a Huffy or similar.

So the moral of the story seems to be that if you buy a dept store bike, buy it in a box, double check everything, and maintain it well and you will have many years of suitable transportation. If you buy an LBS bike, have the qualified mech. assemble it and maintain it well, you will have many years of potentially more enjoyable transportation.

My only experience (that I remember) with a dept store bike is my mother-in-law. She has a Magna mtn bike. The gearing is a joke. The difference between the big ring and the little ring is only like 10 teeth, and the cassette isn't all that great. It shifts like a truck, and the difference in gearing is poor. However, she pretty much only rides around the block with her grandkids, and she got this on clearence for $15. I'd say she got the right bike.

My Magna served me for seven years. It took a lot of fiddling, but eventually I got it adjusted right, and it caused me few problems from then on. It was still a piece of crap, though - I had put about a thousand miles on it by this December, and it really started to go all at once. My front brake got trashed when I was adjusting it, so I swapped the front and rear and used just a front brake for over two months. Then my front hub went, and I developed some serious wobble - about half an inch of play to the wheel. This was doubleplusungood, so I bought myself a used Miyata 210 for $250. The difference is amazing, but most of it is in the components. Yeah, that Magna frame weighs a ton, but it's virtually indestructible. In fact, I am building the old Magna into an around-campus single speed beater. Price? About $25 for a 14 tooth BMX cog, spacers and a new brake. This is compared to the ~$500 I've spent on my new bike and upgrades for it.

That Toys 'R' Us bike may be a piece of garbage, but it has some use left to it. I intend to put some serious mileage on my Miyata, but the toy store Magna gives me a cheap short-range way to get around without risking a multi-hundred dollar loss.

I wouldn't care if Wal-Mart sold a great bike for $53.
An average Wal-Mart with 200 employees costs taxpayers $420,000 in welfare per year. That adds up to $2.5 billion dollars per year for the corporation. The "low prices" are actually artificially low because the company is de facto subsidized. Wal-Mart systematically distributes info to their employess about how to apply for federal benefits in an admission that their wages are absurdly low.

Cheap used bikes can be found in a variety of ways without feeding the beast of cheap chain retailers.

Walmart's evil on many levels...but, dammit...they're so convenient...

Anthony I don't want to start a flame war here or anything, but where does that info come from?

I wouldn't care if Wal-Mart sold a great bike for $53.
An average Wal-Mart with 200 employees costs taxpayers $420,000 in welfare per year. That adds up to $2.5 billion dollars per year for the corporation. The "low prices" are actually artificially low because the company is de facto subsidized. Wal-Mart systematically distributes info to their employess about how to apply for federal benefits in an admission that their wages are absurdly low.

Cheap used bikes can be found in a variety of ways without feeding the beast of cheap chain retailers.

The largest group of employees at a typical Wal-Mart are females working twenty or thirty hours a week for about $7 or $8 per hour. No health care plan. That yields "take-home" pay of about $100 per week to $175 per week...around $600 per month, in towns where rent, heat and water cost more than $600 per month. So, if she is supporting a couple of kids, she will need food stamps and medicaid to feed her kids and to get them to a doctor. Wal-Mart can get women to accept slave wages, because the taxpayers are feeding Wal-Marts' children.

In contrast, the white, male managers at Wal-Mart are paid more than $50,000 per year. Nice pay, if you are one of Wal-Mart's white, male managers. Among the top executives at Wal-Mart, 90% are white males. Of Wal-Mart employees making less than $8 per hour, 70% are female, and about half are minorities. Imagine if the KKK ever got control of the largest employer in America. Not much imagination required.

Last week, the employees of two Wal-Marts in Canada voted to join a labor union. In the USA, Wal-Mart has automatically closed any store where the employees voted to join a union. It will be interesting if Wal-Mart tries the same "thug" tactics in Canada that Wal-Mart uses in the USA.

Some of Wal-Mart's suppliers in communist China have also been complaining. They say Wal-Mart offers them a contract that is enough to make a small profit to convert their plant to a "all Wal-Mart" production line. After the conversion, Wal-Mart cuts the price to something that does not permit paying the workers enough to eat three bowls of rice a day. Wal-Mart is the single largest "organized crime" family in the world. And, Wal-Mart, its owners, and its executives, have become the biggest single source of funding for America's ruling political party.

I think we should just take the guns away from people's heads and make them stop working at Wal-Mart. Obviously if people had the ability to choose where they worked they wouldn't work there, but we just keep forcing people to work in a place like Wal-Mart. With all their marketable skills, people suffering through a job at Wal-Mart really are wasting away at their many talents.

I move that we take those guns away immediately and stop forcing people to work in such a horrible place. Whaddya say!?

Walmart's evil on many levels...but, dammit...they're so convenient...
No, they are not. They are all located way off in some blighted suburb. Your corner store is convenient -- everything else is a hassle.

Paul

No, they are not. They are all located way off in some blighted suburb. Your corner store is convenient -- everything else is a hassle.

Paul

LOL..They're all located off in some blighted suburb..WHAT A JOKE THAT STATEMENT IS!!!

Alan, I need to state I find Wal-Mart’s employment practices shall we say less than enlightened. And personally prefer not to shop there. I can't argue with your statement on take home pay. I can however confidently say some other things. You made a bald statement about how much each and every Wal-Mart costs in welfare payments via taxes.

So where did you get your numbers for their dependants per person, you certainly can't generalize from the birth records as per how many children each woman in the US has. It changes significantly on where, income level, educational level etc.

As to the pay level of the executives that 50K figure is pretty low pay for mid level executives in state and federal government, banking and real estate (those are the only industries I have either first hand knowledge or very good second hand knowledge.)

As to the funding source for the Republican Party that is patently untrue and spreading rumors as fact can be ruinous to the progressive movement. All ya gotta do is look what happened with Farenheight 911.

I find this discussion both enlightening and interesting because it makes me think about all the bikes of my life and how and why i valued them at the time. Another idea i would like to add to this thread is that, while bicycles are mostly mass produced and their value related to perception, the inherent design of a bicycle supersedes these considerations. What i think people are saying here is no matter what you paid for bike, where it was made, how much it weighs or where you bought it, that a bicycle is one fantastically good deal!... especially if you are using it regularly.

My parents got me a $80 mountain bike from target and I rode it for 2 years as my transportation. The bike sucked hardcore and would creek and make noises from the first day. I greased the bearings and lubed it once in a while but I finaly gave up on it. I now have a 2005 Specilized Sirrus that cost me $570. All I can say is it is way worth the money. I dont feel like a loser ridding around anymore! And I can sneak up on people because it rides so smooth and quite.

My daughter has had her bike 4 years. Huffy. Other than one cracked pedal, never a mechanical problem with it. I rode a $58 Roadmaster bicycle from Columbia SC to Raleigh NC before. Other than one brake adjustment, no problems with that bicycle, and I donated it to Goodwill when I got to Raleigh. Like I've said before, the LBS'es offer nothing that she wants to ride. It only takes a minute to two to check a bike out at Xmart to make sure it is safe and assembled properly. Nearly all the bikes I see being used in the small towns I live near (Saluda, Batesburg SC) are cheap department store bikes. But I see them being used everyday. It is all those people can probably afford. My belief is I rather see them riding a cheap bike than no bike at all. I ride a Dick's Sporting Goods Mongross Hybrid (700x35c).

I highly recommend Dick's if you are going to buy a department store bike. The one I go to has a full time bicycle machanic on hand and yes, they will put the bike on a stand right in front of you and test everything from the brakes to the gears to make it is operating properly before you go out the door and will for one year make any adjustements you need on the bike for no charge.

Cheers & Happy Miles,
Blake


My first decent bike was bought at dicks. I soon learned that what works in the stand will not work on pavement, let alone no one ever told them that paper clips, and rubber bands just dont work in brakes and derailers.

The best thing that came out of dicks, was i learned how to work on my bike.

but diffrent strokes for diffrent folks.

argh..newbie here, well middle aged guy back to being Newly addicted to bikes. I just bought a Mongoose
full suspention aluminum mountain bike ( DXR) from Walmart. Bad move?? I thought Mongoose was a
"ok" bike for low money, orrrrrrrrr...is it just another "Huffy" ??? ...
It's a decent bike, I had one before getting my roadie. Unfortunately, doing serious repairs usually isn't worth it on the bike, quite a few propritary components. When something serious breaks down, get a nice Dakar or something :-)

To echo some of the things that have already been said department store bikes have their place for recreational riders or average size and for kids. Heavy adults or older kids who are doing a lot of hard riding should look to higher quality stuff. Those two conditions will just overtax a department store bike.

From my own experience I would stay away from off-brands or store brand bikes. Buying a Schwinn or Huffy from a department store at least gives you a reputable brand that still shows some durability. Also always check any department store bike over very carefully. Ideally buy it unassembled in the box, but I have run into several places where you have no choice but to buy the asembled one. In that case check to make sure all the parts are there -- go so far as to pull out the owner's manual and check lists against parts. Once you get it home, go over every connection and assembly point to make sure things are tight, properly aligned and adjusted, etc. before the first ride. Again from experience I can tell you that failing to do so can lead to embarassing and frustrating problems.

Finally, remember your original intentions when you bought the bike. If you intended it for casual weekend rides but then start using it as a commuter putting on hundreds of miles or off-road biking don't be surprised if it fails to live up to new expectations.

Most department store bikes are not ride-ready when you buy them. In my case, I got a Schwinn MTB from Target. First thing I noticed was that things aren't put on straight (left and right brake levers are set at different angles for example). Later I noticed that both the front and rear wheels are rubbing, so I had to true and increase the spoke tension on both wheels. I then noticed that the cantilever brake pads don't contact the rims at the same time, so had to adjust the tension springs until they're even on both sides. After riding and going through the gears, I noticed that I couldn't shift to the biggest gear on the back. Checked the tension on the shifter, checked the freeplay on the rear derailleur. Changing either of those didn't fix the problem. Looking carefully at the rear derailleur, I noticed that it wasn't quite straight-->the rear derailleur hanger was bent...so had to bring out my big wrench and wrap a towel around the hanger and then straighten it back up. After a few other tuneups it was working perfectly; this was about 3 years ago. The main difference between a bike bought at a department store and one from a LBS is that at the LBS, they would have done all that stuff that I had ended up doing... Of course LBS's typically have bikes that sell for $3xx and up, while department stores have those that cost less than $100, so somewhat non overlapping markets. Besides, when was the last time you saw a Trek 5.9 at Kmart, Target, Walmart, or other such chains?

Sorry, but I must differ on the "LBS will do all that for you" argument. I just bought a new bike at the LBS - The rear brake is rubbing (cantilever springs are not set right), the front brakes were set so tight I couldn't remove the front wheel, the bars weren't at right angles to the front wheel, the seat was adjusted with a significant "nose up" attitude, and the tires came with 20 psig in them. This is a MAJOR shop in this town with three locations and supposedly experienced mechanics. The shop charged me list price for the bike PLUS a $25 shipping fee ("special order"). Of course, the shop is the dealer for almost EVERY brand on the market which makes them "the only game in town" if you want Trek, Caloi, Electra, Giant, Lemond, or many other makes. It wasn't worth taking the bike back for the flaws - I fixed them myself (except for the rear rub, which I'm still fighting), but I won't be buying there again! I'm pleased with my bike - really sour on the buying experience.

Can an LBS "mess up" the assembly of a new bike? I have noticed that some of the larger shops can get frantic in December, and on Saturdays during good riding weather. So, they bring in high school kids and part-timers to help out. The best mechanics are busy with the "hard stuff" and don't have the time to supervise what the kids are up to. Customers on as sunny, warm Saturday want their bike NOW, as opposed to wanting their bike "right".

I have made it my habit to do stuff at the LBS on a Wednesday or Thursday. Especially if it is raining. Business is slower, and the staff has time to do things right. But, even so, I check out a bike in the store, and then I ride it in the neighborhood around the shop for awhile to "road test" it. If something is not "right", I take it back and have the LBS get it right.

And, on a new bike, I have the LBS check it over after about 100 miles, and again after about 500 miles. Cables stretch. Wheels come out of true. Bolts loosen up. A good LBS considers those sorts of "check-ups" to be part of what a customer buys with a new bike.

In comparison, a Wal-Mart or K-Mart sportings goods clerk is seldom capable of correctly setting up a brake on their first attempt, as well as their fifth, or twenty-fifth. Taking a bike back to Wal-Mart for a "tune-up" would be as silly as buying a bike from Wal-Mart in the first place.

This thread has delved into Wal-Mart's nasty business practices ad infinitum, so I won't rehash those, but ya knoe what I think the nuttiest thing is about X-mart bikes? The fact that they could sell decent bikes if they didn't try cramming 30 gears on them! I bought a Mongoose about 10 years ago from Wal-Mart, and it was a steel frame mtb with about 5 or 6 gears, and it wasn't too bad, to be honest. I look at them now and they all have triples and 9 speed cassettes with Falcon(!) brand derailleurs AND crappy suspension to boot. I think it's possible to make a nice, cheap bike, but not with all those features that a real cyclist spends thousands for. If they sold a Taiwan-made "Karate Monkey"-style bike, I probably wouldn't buy one but I'd be sorely tempted!

And, on a new bike, I have the LBS check it over after about 100 miles, and again after about 500 miles. Cables stretch. Wheels come out of true. Bolts loosen up. A good LBS considers those sorts of "check-ups" to be part of what a customer buys with a new bike.

My LBS, the one I bought my Trek from anyway, send out postcards that remind you it's time for your free regular checkup. I think that's the real secret to keeping your bike on the road anyway...

You can get your kids nice bikes, and hope they ride them.
You can get great deals at thrift stores, and Pawn shops if you can be patient.
As for fixing things, let the kids do that, with new or used parts and pieces.
That's how I learned to keep my bikes in shape.
I support the local bike shop when they support me. I had one try to tell me
I should buy a new chain every 6 to 9 months. And the cracks in my Trek crank were supposed to be there. I found another that is straight.
What Furgus said is woth repeating:"I find this discussion both enlightening and interesting because it makes me think about all the bikes of my life and how and why i valued them at the time. Another idea i would like to add to this thread is that, while bicycles are mostly mass produced and their value related to perception, the inherent design of a bicycle supersedes these considerations. What i think people are saying here is no matter what you paid for bike, where it was made, how much it weighs or where you bought it, that a bicycle is one fantastically good deal!... especially if you are using it regularly."

Bikes, are a fantastically good deal, they expand your horizens, health, and outlook.

I have a lot to say about Walmart and Welfare mothers but not here!

Sorry, I'm a little late on the response here, but I thought I might point out one thing about department store bikes (good or bad--depending on how you look at it.) When I worked at Kmart, we had a "certified" Huffy guy come in and assemble the bikes. He wasn't an employee of Kmart. Supposedly he was "trained" to put these bikes together and contracted by Huffy retailers. Does this mean he did a good job, no, I don't really know. He could have been just as qualified as the kid working the cash register as far as I knew. But I'm just pointing out that the kid working in the sporting goods department isn't always putting the bikes together. He is just selling the guns. :)

When I worked at Kmart, we had a "certified" Huffy guy come in and assemble the bikes. He wasn't an employee of Kmart. Supposedly he was "trained" to put these bikes together and contracted by Huffy retailers.

Maybe he was paid a living wage then.

Sorry.

I used to work at a department store as a bike assembler before I started college. When I had the job, I already had alot of experiance working on bikes, and I never let a bike leave the assembly area of the store without every bolt properly tightened, every brake and derailleur adjusted, and every tire aired up to the proper pressure. I even did periodic checks to the store's display bikes to make sure parts were still secure and tires were kept properly inflated. My assembly "partner" on the other hand, was your typical department store bike assembler, a.k.a, dumb as a sack of dead beavers. I don't know how many times I had to correct his mistakes, or tell him he made a mistake. He always just looked at me like "duuuh-did I do bad?" I feel sorry for people who bought bikes from there after I left.

I also assembled bikes at a department store, the only difference is that it was a quality store selling quality bikes and it was a full service shop.Bikes,skis and snowboards all types of services on everything.That was one of my favorite jobs, it was Galyans

No, they are not. They are all located way off in some blighted suburb. Your corner store is convenient -- everything else is a hassle.

PaulMy wal mart is 3 blocks away . I suppose i must live in a blighted suburb. Also Insurance is available to wal mart employees who work full time.

I bet there are a few LBS's out there that would make a bit of money from fixing *mart bikes. My previous bike was a cheap mtn. bike from Target that I had when I was a teenager. I know my LBS had to fix that bike quite a few times, (gears not working, brake failure, ETC,) probably spent more getting the bike repaired than the original cost of it :) .

I understand the anti-Walmart arguments, and I've heard the pro-Walmart arguments before, but I want to just avoid that whole thing..

People are turning this into a sort of, "Rich enough for the boutique LBS vs. Walmart Poor", when they are forgetting a huge market of cheap bikes. USED BIKES!!! Yes, people have mentioned it a few times, but surprisingly little... I too own a "53$" bike, but it is a GT triple triangle w/ Shimano STX parts and mavic rims. It'll tear up any walmart bike. Why was it so cheap? I bought it USED! It was a great bike, served someone for several years, they upgraded and sold their bike to a local used bike shop. It didn't sell because the paint job isn't in good shape (though no rust of course, because its Al), so I bought it for dead cheap.

Cheap bike, but good bike!

My bikes as a kid were the same way, we'd get a quality used kid's bike, use it for a few years, and then sell it when I grew out of it. Because we bought quality used (for the same price as crappy new), the bikes were resalable later.

Look in your phone book for used bike shops, like Recycled Cycles type places. Some LBSs even have 'used' sections. In my neighborhood there are a few people who semi-independently buy and fix up bikes and resell them at good prices. Nice bikes, but still cheap.

There is no reason to support the manufacture of garbage by underpaid people, and sold by underpaid people. If you can afford it, buy a new nice bike, and if you can't, buy a used nice bike. Crappy bike never has to come into the equation.

The only thing Magna's are good for are cutting up and making into 'tall' bikes. :) I'm working on one now made out of a girl's magna welded on top of a boy's magna. Interestingly, while disassembling the frames I noticed a sticker on them... The sticker said, "This bike is not intended for offroad use." And that was on a 'mountain bike' with the name, "Mountain Tamer" in 'hardcore' script on the side. What a joke.

peace,
sam

When I grew up I was happy to have a Huffy. Not all families can afford Trek's and Giant's and mine was one of those families. Yeah, they have their problems, the S-Mart bikes, but it's not always something you should pity or chastise someone for.


If you love your bike it will love you.


NEVER talk to someone under 18 about their bike in a demeaning tone. It may be their baby.

When I grew up I was happy to have a Huffy. Not all families can afford Trek's and Giant's and mine was one of those families. Yeah, they have their problems, the S-Mart bikes, but it's not always something you should pity or chastise someone for.


If you love your bike it will love you.


NEVER talk to someone under 18 about their bike in a demeaning tone. It may be their baby.

My family couldn't even afford a Huffy apparently. Actually i did get one new bike when i was 8 years old. It was a dirt king, presumably made by Huffy or such like it. The rest of the years i got bikes from a place called Clark's fix it shop. He resurected old bikes and resold them for a few dollars.

That was then, but now i am grown up and I don't want no stinking Huffy.

Ahhhh I worked at Walmart for 6 months.....Just say NO!!!

from the backend to the front end

Electronics,Whatever.... come in...unloaders throw it all around...none speak english.....and the Bikes are UTTER crap.

The company is utter crap

the money i made at wallmart i went and bought a Trek 4300 and have not had one problem...i quit wallmart..o wait i just walked out..and went back to Safeway...they dont sell bikes but ....hella better company period :)

Madwack
Calgary,AB,CA

Quality does matter

Walmart doesnt care about you..they just want there $$$$$

I am concerned about the thing being put together properly. Also with good quality components. If you must buy a Wally's World bike, buy one without derailleurs. They tend to be among the most complex bicycle parts. And do away with the (faux) suspensions too.

i too had problems with my deparment store bought mongoose..3 years ago when i was 11 .. the chain fell off several times and the tires were so uneven and shaky my eyes hurt. A few years later i bought a 2003 specialized hardrock pro off of ebay and guess what? no problems

however when i got my first bike from toys r us my dad put it together and it was flawless even until this day

department store bikes are better!

come on guys geee the bike went for 2 years with out any trouble or didnt any of you read it
and any bike should be checked every year for adjustments, sounds like more of a case of poor matainance to me than assembling
Yes but was the bike ridden in the 2 years that is the ?

I got my son’s bike at Toys R Us three seasons ago, and opted to put it together myself. The bike has been great; I just picked up a 7 year old Schwinn road bike for him this spring. It is an outstanding bike, and he loves to ride it, but he still will not part with his Toys R Us mountain bike. He rides it off road a lot, and very hard, and it keeps coming back for more. Other than normal maintenance it is an outstanding bike, with good quality parts. (except the kickstand) So I would be hard pressed to say anything bad about the bike, which only leaves the “put together man” to ruin a good ride.

IMO the greatest bikes ever were the Schwinn Stingrays of yesteryear.

Remember the tall sissy bar, the flared rear fender, the slick in back and don't forget that nut-buster 5 speed shifter!

Buy what your wallet allows and most importantly ride what you buy!

Walmart doesnt care about you..they just want there $$$$$

I get that feeling whenever I'm there, which isn't very often (gf buys some cosmetics there).

On the topic, I bought the gf a Schwinn Cruiser SS a few years back and she loves it. She wanted a "grandma" bike, replete with wicker basket in front and loud-a$$ bell (it now needs fenders (chrome, of course) and a rack) . Is the Cruiser a real Schwinn? (it was purchased at the LBS).

There is one scenario in which a Wally's world bike is better... if you're going to leave it locked somewhere. Next to Treks, Giants and Cannondales, your friendly neighborhood bicycle thief may not want a Wally's world bike.

Look at it another way. If you're going to college, and you live within biking distance of it, then you can save on your bus/train fare by buying a bike. A Wally's World bike pays for itself in a couple months. After that its just gravy -- great if it works, no big deal if it does not.

If you were to buy a decent $400-500 bike, then you would have to worry about it endlessly when it is parked in the bike rack at school.

There is one scenario in which a Wally's world bike is better... if you're going to leave it locked somewhere. Next to Treks, Giants and Cannondales, your friendly neighborhood bicycle thief may not want a Wally's world bike.

Look at it another way. If you're going to college, and you live within biking distance of it, then you can save on your bus/train fare by buying a bike. A Wally's World bike pays for itself in a couple months. After that its just gravy -- great if it works, no big deal if it does not.

If you were to buy a decent $400-500 bike, then you would have to worry about it endlessly when it is parked in the bike rack at school.
Exactly my thoughts. My son had a Trek 4300 mtn bike stolen 2 weeks ago. He's heartbroken, This was his first Bike store bike. He rode that bike about 25-35 miles everyday. He locked it up beside another Trek that was also locked up. He went into a cafe and returned about 45 minutes later. His bike was gone. He filed a police report but they will probably never find it.

He's going to purchase a brand new specialized hardrock or another Trek 4300. He's going to use the New bike only for riding. He won't be leaving it unattended. He's also going to invest about $53.00 For a new Roadmaster bike from wallyworld. He will be running all his errands on the Roadmaster. If it gets stolen... Big Deal. I'm going to do the same. I own a Trek 7100 hybrid and live in a small town, about 5000 population. The Roadmaster will be taken anywhere I have to lock the bike up. The 7100 will be only for riding.

I know everyones needs are different, but I think it is insane to leave a expensive bike locked up where someone can possibly steal it. I'll take a $53.00 loss anytime over a $400 loss. Cheap department store bikes do have a purpose imo. I have a neighbor who has owned a Roadmaster for about 3 years. The only problem he has had with it is flats. He gave $80.00 for the bike brand new. Just my 2 cents.

Kryptonite, among other lock manufacturers, has insurance on their higher-end locks. I sure as heck wouldn't drive a Yugo just because I'm afraid a decent car will be stolen, when there are steps I could take to increase security.