I use one speed beach cruisers for short neighborhood trips. Coaster brakes. Nothing to adjust. Just hop on and pedal. I have noticed that most of the boys, aged eight to around fifteen seem to prefer one speed BMX bikes. Tough, reliable, and close to zero maintainance.

K-Mart and Wal-Mart buy in such huge quantities that they could sell one speed bikes of excellent quality for $89.95 or $99.95. Bikes that would give five or ten years of safe and reliable service. Instead, they are selling "dual suspension", 21 speed bikes that provide MAYBE six months of hard riding before problems crop up that will cost more than $89.95 to repair - then off to the landfill.

But, Wal-Mart would defend itself by saying that they sell junk because their customers buy junk. Hard to argue with that logic.