Originally Posted by
acorn54
in my neighborhood there are alot of hispanics that commute to work via 70 dollar walmart mountain bikes. do people on bike forums think these walmart bikes are a viable form of transportation. it seems if they are, buying a bike for more than 70 dollars is just throwing money away.
The quality of the bikes and components are not as important as the way the bikes were assembled. The spokes probably never saw a human hand. The bearings are usually set to tight, shifting is usually abysmal but part of that can be attributed to grip shifters. In my opinion a department store bike could be made usable if someone readjusted it and maintained it. Its funny that usually the cheapest bikes get the most use/abuse and see the least chain lube. Another option is to buy a bike for less from a thrift store, put tubes and a chain on it and now you've really got a good bike for under $100.
PS. It kinda pisses me off that you had to point out what nationality rides the cheap bikes, was that necessary?