How are we bike snobs? I guess im a snob because at 7 my mom bought me a Gary Fisher Mudpuppy that costed around 200$,was ridden hard, and properly taken care of, and I eventually outgrew it. What we are trying to say is that you might as well spend the money on a high quality bike that will outgrow the child rather than a POS X-Mart bike-shaped object that will last for a year tops, even less if not taken care of.