Originally Posted by ScottCommutes

I was shopping at Walmart the other day and puttered back to look at the bikes. The featured bikes on the end of the aisle had "Shimano" in big, bold letters on the frame as well as in regular-sized letters on the rear derailleurs. Now I ride with $15 Shimano Tourney derailleurs on my bike, but mine looked pretty darn fancy compared to the Walmart ones.

So what's the deal? I would call Shimano a reputable brand, so I totally understand why Walmart would want to use their logo. The thing I don't get is what exactly is in it for Shimano? Why does Shimano want their name associated with truly bottom of the barrel parts? Doesn't that harm the brand's image?