Anyone else want to field this one? Ok, I guess I'm up...

The answer is "no".

That was mighty terse...you may be wondering what I mean.

Well...between two bikes of substandard to dangerous levels of quality, with heavy, cheap and poorly made alloys, and components that at best function poorly and after a while function not at all...$10 is only a difference in the marketing of two bad bikes.

Lesson the first, while we're here. Those bikes are NOT "26"" bikes. THAT, my friend, is a peculiar sizing practice employed by big box stores to distinguish between "children's", and "adult", or "full-size" bikes. They are simply referring to the size of the wheel. A proper bike will be sized by the height of the seat tube, and will come in a wonderous variety of sizes, of which one will be a proper fit. An x-mart bike, if it fits, then you just got lucky, cause they only come in one size.

The componentry, while substandard to start with, may border on dangerous depending on the labor that went into it. You will need to ensure that everything is properly adjusted, and that it functions correctly (or at least as correctly as it is capable of.)

I bought an x-mart bike in my youth...within a month the rear derailleur would only index half the gears, and the front not at all. It would be many many years before I discovered what a proper bike was, and re-learned the joy of riding.

Huffys and the like are terrific for children, and I strongly encourage them for that. Particularly if they are kept simple...one speed, simple parts, etc. They teach children the fun of riding, and get them out excercising. The only unfortunate side effect is that the associations could carry over into the adult mind.