Originally Posted by gpsblake
A few years ago, I bought a $58 Roadmaster from Walmart and rode it from Columbia, SC to Raleigh, NC after losing my job. Stuck a cheap rack on the back and away I went. Other than an initial adjustment on the brakes, I had no problems whatsoever with it. It was heavy and slow as molasses but I did the 250 mile ride in 4 days. I donated the bike to Goodwill when I arrived in Raleigh.
In the town I live at, nearly all the bikes I see being used for errands and such are xMart bikes. At two LBS's I have checked, I have yet to find a single bicycle that my daughter was interested in. And I totally understand why. Like it or not, xMart bikes appeal to kids.
I bought my hybrid bike at Dick's Sporting Goods that I use for touring and daily riding where they do adjustments and such for up to one year after the purchase. I have several thousand miles on it and other than one flat,two tires, and cable adjustments, no problems with it. Dick's is above the xMART bikes is that they usually have someone who is knowledgable about bicycles.
What I am saying is cheap bikes do have a market with the poor and with kids. I know on bikeforums.net, cheap bikes get frowned upon. I strongly recommend Dick's Sporting Goods if a cheap bike is all you can afford based just on my personal experience.
Cheers and Happy Riding,
I have to agree with you, some kids and probably a few grownups would not have a bike if not for the cheap bikes at dept. stores. The cheap bikes do have a market with the poor or those unwilling to buy from a LBS. The main complaint with these cheap bikes is poor assembly, if these same bikes were assembled at the LBS, would they be better bikes? One of the local LBS in my town will do a tuneup on a xmark bike for $35 and he told me what he finds is most have little grease. So I guess a person who has some skills at bike assmebly may have a different opinion of cheap bikes than most of us have. After learning more about bikes here and at my local LBS, I will be getting a Lemond soon but I will never forget all the fun I had on the cheap bikes I got thru the years for Christmas from my parents who spent what they could afford for a kid who rode it and did not know any better LOL. A lot of good advice has been given to visitors to this forum who may not have a lot of bike knowledge especially the idea to check Salvation Army stores, etc for used bikes if you cannot afford a LBS bike. While I choose to get a good bike from my LBS, I will never look down on those who ride xmark bikes because thats what I used to ride. Cycling is fun and I hope more people could enjoy it.