Well. 'goose. you don't seem upset to me...

I think what you're seeing here is the dividing line between cycling as as an activity or pastime and cycling as a sport. It probably goes without saying that those who see cycling as a sport -- competitive or not -- are pretty focused on the performance characteristics of their bikes. The simple fact is that a $300 department store bike is going to be sadly lacking in performance. The problem is that we expect everyone who's into bike to be into bike the same way and with the same motivations as us. It's sometimes hard to remember that there are plenty of people who just want to tool around town.

I play the guitar, and I've seen the same sort of thing in that world. Few serious musicians will look twice at the bargain brands -- Squier, Samick, Jay Turser, etc. -- unless they're really hard-up for cash. A bargain brand instrument simply doesn't sound as good or as rich as a Fender or a Gibson to the experienced ear; it will probably go out of tune more frequently, and the neck will be more likely to warp; the workmanship will be poor. None of this means that you can't play a brilliant solo on a Samick, only that, at some point, the shortcomings of the instrument will probably get in the way of playing your best. It might be just as good as a Gibson for an average guy who only plays on weekends when he jams with the boys, but it will be inadequate for the serious musician.

Personally, I think you can get a decent starter bike or a utility bike at a department store, but anyone shopping for bikes in department stores should bear these things in mind:

1. The build quality will suck. Department store bikes are almost always assembled by people who know nothing about bikes. And they offer very little after-sales support.

2. The top-end of the department store bike range is the bottom-end of the bike store range -- in quality, though not always price.

3. Department store bikes are ALWAYS overpriced for what they offer. $300 will go much farther at a bike shop than at a department store -- even if you buy new.

4. Bike shops almost always have sticker policies, while department stores do not. You can save 15-20% on accessories at a bike store, allowing you to get more bang and bike for your buck. If you have $375 to spend, at a deparment store, that can be $300 for the bike, $35 for the helmet, $15 for the pump, $10 for the gloves, $15 for the rack; at a bike shop, they might throw in the rack for free, sell you the helmet for $20, the pump for $10 and the gloves for $5, leaving you with $340 for the bike.

The nottom line is that, while you can get a rideable bike at a department store, it isn't the best you can do. None of us look down on inexpensive bikes, it's the cheap bike that cost too much that annoys us.