Originally Posted by
themp
My first bicycle was from Walmart and I rode it all summer/winter no problems. By Spring time I was ready to buy a better bicycle. I went to my local LBS and bought a $1000 dollar bicycle. On my first ride it would not shift into the smallest chain ring all the time. Five miles in, the handle bars released from the stem(it was never tighten down correctly). I almost crashed. I took the bicycle back and returned it. Went to another LBS and had success. So, mistakes are made and it can happen to any business. After the fact I brought this up with the mechanic at my new LBS and he said that the Spring rush was on and many bicycles had to be put together and they usually hire people off the street to help in the assembly.
That sucks. however, it's
extremely rare to have a bike shop that allows bikes assembled so poorly leave their property that way. bike shops like that would get a poor reputation and go out of business in less than a year. big box stores don't care because they make money selling so many other things. people expect bikes to be crappy when they pay minimal prices for them. if you got a bike that held up that well for an extended period, consider yourself lucky.