Back in the early 70's when I worked at the bike shop, the pecking order was as follows:
Schwinn/Raleigh/most anything lugged from Europe was top tier - the Schwinns could take a beating way better than the alternatives. Japanese bikes that were starting to show up were in the class, unless it was a C. Itoh. They were garbage.
Columbia's were about a half step down. Cosmetically they were obviously cheaper and a bit cruder, but the quality build was there, so you bought that if you couldn't afford a Schwinn. Sears bikes (non-Puch's) were about the same quality, although there was a bit of varience between the entire line.
Huffy's were another half to a full step down. Obviously cheaper, although they held together. A prime ride for a parent buying for a spoiled bratty kid who wasn't about to take care of it.
Murray's, although they looked about the same as Huffy's were definitely another step down. Now you're starting to deal with maintenance nightmares.
Iverson's were the absolute bottom of the barrel - to the point that no bicycle shop would ever consider carrying them under any conditions. Sold in catalog stores, toy stores and the forerunners of what later became the big box stores.
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Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)