shopping for a bike.
 

I got this bike from Wal-Mart, I forgot the name, and I returned it. it wasn’t worth it’s weight in raw sewage. (Maybe I’m being too harsh here). The thing that made me not like it the most was the way the axle free-wheeled in relation to the wheel. It wasn’t smooth. I have an old (I think if I’m not mistaken) Murray bike (it’s a pretty good bike – if the shift’s wouldn’t be chopped) and played around with the wheel. You give it a light spin and it goes and goes and goes and then slows down. This bike you give it a spin and its not so freewheeling. It slows down much faster. That’s why when you ride, you have to put allot of effort into riding even on flat ground. You can’t just coast.

Is there a question in there somewhere?

if not for the fact that the wheels weren't smooth, i would have kept the bike. from what i've seen on this site, the other old bike that i have (Murray?) is not considered a quality bike, but it's a smooth enough ride for me. if i could find another bike that has that same quality i would like to buy one, but considering the purchase from wal-mart (which was online - b/c i can't be hassled in person) it seems like it's not so simple.

if that was on a Trek bike would you say there's something wrong with it? (i.e. is the reason why i returned the bike a imperfection that would not be on a good bike?)

Well what is your budget, what are you using the bike for? You can get a pretty descent quality bikes at garage sales, for cheap. You can also check craigslist. If you are patient and shop around you can get a descent bike for relatively cheap.

If I understood you correctly, you were disappointed with the Wallmart bike because you spun the wheel by hand and it didn't spin very long. That could be a minor problem...brakes a little off centre and rubbing on the rim, or axle cones slightly over tightened. When you buy a cheap superstore bike from the store or online, you should take it to a bike store after you receive it and have it tuned up. That's because the Wallmart staff may be rushed or inexperienced and don't always set the bike up properly. Then learn a bit about bike adjustment and maintenance so you can keep it tuned up yourself.

Having said that, it's also true that the Wallmart bike will likely be at the low end of quality and won't hold up to too much hard riding and you'll get better value if you spend more on a better bike from a bike store. Since you're not yet very knowledgeable about bikes I don't recommend a second hand bike for you, but if you do buy used, again it's important you take it to a bike store to be checked (for safety) and tuned up.

when I say I spun the wheel, I did it with the bike upside down and the wheel unscrewd from the frame. It had nothing to do with the brakes. That's what I also thought, but when I loosened the axle the whole wheel just became wobbly, it didn't make it smoother.

But this Murray bike that I have, it's a smooth spin.

It's not uncommon for the bearings to be nearly dry, too. That's why a trip to the shop is recommended if you're not up to doing the work yourself - it will essentially be a complete disassembly/reassembly/overhaul. I'm pretty sure with the proper maintenance the wheels would spin better, but it would still be a wallybike.