I agree with you. Cheap bikes are great for commuting. You can leave them locked up wherever you like without worrying. Get stolen? Who cares, it only cost $99. The Canadian Tire SC1800 has to be the most popular bike in Canada. I see them everywhere, and I ride one myself for commuting. If those cyclists could do repairs and maintenance, they'd get a lot of use out of those bikes. On the other hand, if they don't know how to fix a wheel or overhaul a hub or bottom bracket, they could run into problems. Buying one of those cheap bikes is a great way to learn how to do bike maintenance and repair. It's much more fun to ride a bike you're maintaining and repairing yourself.
Originally Posted by
colonel77
i have always bought my bikes at department stores like, wallmart, canadian tire, i have never had a problem with them , except the usual wear and tear, they are good bikes-supercycle, next brand- if you know how to do basic repairs you won't have a problem, and they are at bargain prices, i laugh when i see others with expensive bikes always in the shop paying big bucks for simple repairs/tune ups. People these bikes are great for comuters , you can always modify the bike the way you want, and buy reliable parts, as a former bike mechanic let me tell you that you are getting ripped big time, brands like, giant,trek, kona[are just over priced steel bars] i see you guys pay 7-900 $, and always come in the shop with the same wear/tear as the cheap bikes[at least the cheap bikes can take the pounding of everyday comutes urban living], and the expensive brands can't, save your dough and buy a repair book, or look at repairs on youtube, or anywhere on the net free of charge.Theres nothing worse than having an expensive bike you don't know how to fix, invest in some basic tools, so you can get the job done fast and cheap., you'll thank yourself in the end, trust me.