Hi everyone! I'm a newbie to this forum but lots of good learning so far... thanks for that!

Like many folks, the current gas situation has inspired me to bike whenever possible and I'm off to a good start; The last two days, I have riden with my son to his school instead of driving. WooHoo

My problem is that my current bike is a very old Univega (?) Land Rover - I love the bike but the shifters are about shot, the brakes aren't the greatest, and it's not real comfortable for daily use. So I'm looking to replace it with something that will be more mechanically sound, and more enjoyable to ride. But budget is absolutely a deciding factor. I have found a Fuji hybrid that seems really nice; I'm going to test ride it to see what I think. I have also found a nice hybrid at Target with an aluminum frame that also seems nice. Sorry but I can't remember the brand name - it's not a Huffy but beyond that???

So... what's the difference between a bike that seems well made from a store like Target and a Fuji from a bike shop? The Fuji costs twice as much... is it worth it?

Hey, thanks in advance for any help ya'll can provide. I really need help with this decision and I don't want to be looking to buy another bike next year, ya know what I mean?