You probably have at least 3 times as many avid cyclists in Sussex as we do here. When I was a kid, I lived on my bike. Wherever I was, my bike was there. Not so with kids here today. I don't know why, but that's reality. We've also transformed into a "throw away" form of consumption. Quality comes after function and low price. I can't blame manufacturers for building this junk, or retailers for selling it, because that's what our fickle consumers demand.

Our LBS are generally opened by enthusiasts who like to cater to others who appreciate quality equipment, but there aren't enough to of them to keep the shops in business. So, they also carry lower end stuff to keep the neophytes coming in. Trouble is, they obviously can't compete with the big box store on price, and these low end consumers don't care about quality.

IMO, the consumers really do get what they pay for in a Walmart bike. They're purchased as a kid's first or second bike, which is quickly outgrown, or they only ride at a leisurely pace, once in a while. Even cheap bikes can last for many years under those conditions. Until more people around here take to riding bikes, and our consumers start to care about quality, our local bike shops are going to have an uphill battle.