Originally Posted by epheme

if you want a better bike for the same (or much less) money than a target bike, why not hit up the thrift stores in your area? i've seen some reallllllly nice bikes (older specialized allez carbon, bianchis, treks, etc). So you have to take it to your LBS to get it tuned up if you don't have the tools/knowhow? no big deal. they need (and deserve, in most cases) the business that you would otherwise have given to target. And when you are done you will have a better bike (not a 1-year throwaway POS) that will last you longer and do right by you.