The only thing wrong with large department outlet stores are the cheap components that are placed on the bicycle frames and the incompetent component installations performed on their bicycles. Your local bicycle shops have trained mechanics that install higher quality components on their bicycle frames. The frames themselves are just fine. That said, though most of the components are cheap, they are completely functional for the most part, for a finite period of time. Once those components wear out, you then can replace those cheap components with a much higher grade of componentry.

Hi-Tensile steel is not as strong as chromoly steel. It therefore, needs to be "built up", requiring it to have slightly larger tube diameters and thicker tubular walls for greater material strength. This in turn, makes it heavier. Though steel is more tough and durable than all of the other frame materials, other than titanium, in its hi-tensile form, it's not quite as tough and durable as its chromoly version of the alloy. Its because of this extra tough characteristic that chromoly frames can be made with thinner tubular walls with smaller diameters and their tubes can be butted. Butted meaning that the ends of the tubes are generally thicker than the middle portions. This feature allows much material to be shaved off of the tubes that make up the bicycle frame, therefore rendering lighter tubes and subsequently a bicycle with less mass. Less mass, means that your daughter will be better able the exercise greater control of the bicycle both while riding it, and off of it, when transporting the bike to a different destination. Of course, hi-tensile steel is stronger than aluminum but not quite as strong as chromoly steel. It will be harder for your daughter to manuever. Hi-tensile steel bikes are generally made with less quality control. A better, tougher, stronger frame will be experienced with chromoly.

The Haro bike company specializes in BMX bikes exclusively. The major BMX bicycle manufacturers generally cater to the poor and the middle-class BMX cyclist. Of course, not much is required to make BMX bikes, since most are single speed without any suspension system. Therefore, Haro, Diamondback, and Mongoose all sell their lowest hi-tensile BMX at around $200-$300 and they sell their chromoly steel grade bikes which are at the highest or best performance level, at around $600 or $700.

- Slim