Originally Posted by mwrobe1
Are you saying that, if someone...like CigTech or myself for that matter (wife, 2 kids, another one on the way, mortgage, dog, etc) who cannot drop $600-$800 on a suitable road bike, one that will not be used for racing, but for commuting and perhaps a metric or century ride or 2 during the course of the year...AND are mechanically inclined (i.e. can adjust/replace/repair components on such a bike)...that a department store bike can be worth it/"meet the need"/serve our purposes and then some? Or what about a craigslist Schwinn Varsity/Continental/Le Tour to be had for $75-$150? Does the same theory apply?
I'll take that one up. I suspect that this bike will prove, with competent mechanical looking after, to be servicable. It wouldn't surprise me if a major bearing wore out in the time of the test, but hey, a BB is what, $20? So, does that mean it's "worth it"? I suppose, if you live in an area where there are no decent bikes on ebay, yes it does. On the other hand, you also speak of $75-150 bikes, second hand. These usually WILL be worth it, more so than the Denali. I've said this before, but I'll say it again. One of my commuters was free. The second cost less than $50. My road bike cost less than $50 as well. These are all 531 framed bikes with high end Shimano or Suntour kit (105, 600, Suntour Cyclone/Superbe). They would take the beating that Cigtech is putting on his bikes better than the Denali would.
So, if you're wondering, can I get a useable commuter for less than $800, the answer is yes. If the next question is, should it be the Denali, my answer is "probably not".