Originally Posted by
delcrossv
The downside of buying a BSO from a dept store is that a kid won't enjoy riding it, won't want to go any distance and just might give up riding. A new hotrock for 2 beans? Go for it- consider it an investment where you'll probably get most of the expense back.
I generally agree with this sentiment, but my experience is that in the kids' bike realm, buying a bike from a major bike manufacturer vs. a department store doesn't necessarily afford the same benefit as an adult bike purchase. After my daughter was comfortable on her Strider, I started her off with a Novara 12" bike that weighed almost 20 lbs, then when she outgrew that without being able to ride the bike more than a block, moved up to the weighty 16" Trek Mystic with terrible geometry. She had the balance and the skills, but couldn't handle the bikes and got frustrated. It was like night and day when we got the Hotrock. With my son, we went from the Strider to a 12" Hot Rock and he was riding a full year earlier than my daughter (I'm sure part of that was older sibling example, but I think the bike made a major difference).
At least in my area, people recognize the superiority of the Hot Rocks and are willing to pay a premium for them on the resale market. So I say yes to Hotrocks, no to other bike shop bikes.