I went to Target this weekend. While I was there, I stopped at the bike aisle. There were several things, and here are the things I found interesting and useful:

mini pump $10
helmets $17-22
U lock $15
headlight/taillight combo $27
wireless computer $20
wired computer $13
wedge pack (for the back of your saddle) $6
aluminum bottle cage $4
bottle with the above cage (combo) $10
bell $5

Really, most of this stuff looked outright decent, and the prices are good!

Tom, I have purchased some of those products in the past.

I found that the (bell brand) mini-pump was not a good product. I spent a lot of time and nearly blew out my arm trying to inflate a kenda tire to 60lbs of pressure. I compared that to a Topeak mini pump a friend had and IMO the Topeak was worth the extra money.

I use the BELL wedge pack and it has been just fine. It looks a big and stupid but it is a much less expensive than most at the LBS.

My wife bought me the U-lock (masterlock brand). You probably won't find rave reviews about it and i'm not sure i'd trust it in a high theft area. Honestly though, where I live it is enough to deter theft.

I purchased one of the headlights about 2 years ago. The LED is brighter than the old generator lights I have on some bikes. Still, I think there are probably far better lights for just a bit more money. They are probably fine for someone farting around the Cul-de-sac late at night. I would rather buy the 5 LED Mag Light for 15 dollars and find a way to attach it.

I haven't tried the computers but I have been tempted by the wireless one. Why not give it a shot right?

I've been buying super-cheap bike computers and been completely satisfied with them. So yes, try their wireless computer.

I meant to say that the U lock didn't look all that good and I wondered about the pump, but everything else looked decent. The water bottle cage looks excellent, and you can't beat the price. I bought a steel one from Niagara which fell apart almost immediately.

The lights may not be super, but you sound like you're saying they're not awful, either.

About your signature: look into google alerts. They tell me about ebay and craigslist sales. I get an email every day.

Yup. One does not always have to go to the LBS for BS(bike stuff). I too have found some good bargains at Canadian Tire and WalMart. C Tire supplies the best wireless computer I have been lucky enough to use and for a fraction of what they cost at a bike shop. The nylon saddle bags sold by CT is also a good deal at six bucks and, with the name removed looks just great on my Sekine SHT270 and on a Sekine SS I built last winter.

WalMart has offered cheap!!! 27" tires but I have never purchased a set because they have a green wear strip on them that looks awful. But I did buy one of their saddle bags once(honey colored leather like round pack) but cannot find it anywhere. The bag cost thirteen dollars and had a definite vintage appeal when compared to the nylon one.

Bought a Schwinn brand floor pump about a year ago from Target...uhmmm lasted almost exactly a year before it blew out some sort of valve on the head so that the air only comes out of the flip out ball inflator cone. Not even worth trying to fix it because the pump was a bear to use with the pump head always resistant to being installed on any tire valve and then blowing off before you hit 100 PSI no mater how well you seat the head on the tire valve. I should have just spend the extra ten bucks and got a better built pump from my LBS! Had higher hopes on the pump becuause if first impressions on it's all steel pump body construction,but I gues I was to optomistic. My Zefal plastic floor pump before it lasted almost 20 years without fail inflating all sorts of tires from my bike to my car and van tires. I guess that's why Zefal have been a big name in pumps for all these years.
I did check out their Bell computers some time ago and they do look promising. The helmets they sell look OK for someone who might not care too much about styling, I guess.
JMOs

Chombi

The wireless computer is no good, don't bother. I bought one and could never get it to read.

Yeah, I don't think the lights are terrible. Someone in the commuting and A&S forum would probably not agree with me on that. I wish they carried presta valved tubes and such but I understand that is not their market.

Thanks for the heads up on google alerts, I will definitely check that out.

I have used several of the wired "Schwinn" branded bike computers sold by Walmart for $10. They work fine.

Got two of the wireless computers. One on the single-speed, one on the Cannondale commuter. There's interference when under large power lines, but other than that they've worked perfectly. One had a dead battery in the sensor when I got it, but had tons of those batteries around - swapped it out and was good to go.

I bought two of those Schwinn computers; one for me and one for my wife. After a ride, I noticed mine had popped loose from the bracket and was gone. I searched for it but never found it. Later, I borrowed the one off my wife's bike, and lost it, too. There must have been something wrong with the bracket on my bike. I replaced it with a Cateye wireless which has worked flawlessly.

I also had one of those Schwinn tire pumps and it gave up the ghost after about 1.5 riding seasons. I replaced it with a Blackburn that is still going strong.

+1 never get an xmart minipump unless you have the arms of a body builder. My topeak can put in 90 pounds no problem, but I can barely manage 70 with a bell or similar brand.

As far as the headlight, I have one that I keep aimed about 3 feet in front of me, and then I have another nicer planet bike light for seeing down the road. The combo works great.

The ulock won't keep your bike safe if parked in a dark alley, but I use it to lock my front wheel to the frame so no one rides off while I'm grabbing food. Doesn't stop them from carrying the bike off, but that's never happened.

The wireless computer is ok, definitely don't let it get wet though. Rode through a sprinkler(why do people water the street?) and it fried.

Water bottle + holder is of ok quality. Mine broke after 6 months of heavy summer use, but I used several different bottles over that time so I was always changing the shape to hold the bottle better.

There's a $10 floor pump at Target(don't remember brand), but it works shockingly well. It takes a ton of pumps but it'll pump up 100+ psi without tearing your arms up. Been using it for a month now every day and it still works fine. No gauge though if that matters to you. EDIT: It works on shraeder and presta valves, and the tip is easy to change.

My parents bought me a set and I use them on a bike I ride more than any other. I've been very happy with them, but I don't have any kind of green wear strip on them.

I had a cheap bell pump as well. I don't think it was quite as bad as mentioned earlier, but I don't think it was very good either. It got me home and was cheap, which was what I needed at the time I bought it. Eventually, I broke it, but it was entirely my fault.

I've used a bell headlight/tail light combo for about 2 years with little problem. The tail light is great and got comments about it being easily visible. The headlight was just "ok", though I only used it on flashing mode.

I've used one of the schwinn wired computers for years and it works fine. I bought a Nashbar branded one a few years ago and it is identical to the schwinn one except it has the Nashbar brand. Must be a low cost manufacturer that supplies both companies.

I bought a brown sprung pleather saddle made by bell from Wammart in the spring and it has held up very well. I figured it would start squeaking but even with one ride in the rain it has been OK.

I've used Target's Schwinn-branded grips on some give-away bikes. $4 a pair, if I recall correctly.

Ha! My Brooks squeaks and has never been in the rain. Anybody know how to stop that?

Oil or WD-40 will stop the squeak.

Good to know about the grips, since I fix lots of bikes.

Glad to see the reports on the computers are mostly favorable. I bought one of the wired Schwinns from Amazon but haven't unwrapped it yet. It's handsome.

Most cheap floor pumps are fine, not hand pumps. The one I saw at Target had a head that accepted both types of valves.

But I really want a gauge in mine. I keep one floor pump in my car and one in my basement bike shop. Both have gauges and go over 100 psi easily. They are the expensive, bike-shop type.

I bought a 27" tire at Walmart. I put it on a bike I sold. It was heavy, and I can't tell you how it rode. Slowly, perhaps. No strong opinion on it, but I don't think I would ride one myself. Price was $10 or $15.

I don't have a Walmart near me, which suits me fine. I see Target as a far less evil company.

I was surprised to find presta valved 700C tubes in my local Wal-Mart; maybe it is me is behind the times, but until then, I thought they could only purchased at the LBS.

-James

These are actually pretty good looking saddles.

I bought a Nutcase helmet at a local Target for all of $17 (on sale), far less than any of my LBS sell them, BUT: Target had only a couple Adult-sized helmets in any brand, they seem to regard bike stuff as Children's product. Still, $17 is a good price for a Nutcase whether you're shopping for a kid or not.

i actually just bought the schwinn wired computer the other day because it was marked down from $10 to $6. seems to be working out nice, except i ride mostly at night and it has no "indeglo" light. i have to glance at it when i go under street lights, but for $6 it does it's job well. kinda curious as to how accurate it is though.

I bought a Target "Bell" wireless computer. I was astoundished to see that I was doing 60mph in my driveway!!!!! Bought a Cateye wireles- not problem.

Best regards,

Mike

Wow, that is surprising. How much do the tubes run?

The pumps generally suffer from inferior nozzle ends. Tubes are heavy but work just fine. I don't do computers, so I wouldn't know. I use the cable/housing kits on all MTB repairs, the saddles and pedals for flip bikes and cheap repairs. The helmets are great for rec riding. The Bell CF bottle cage there is $18, and looks fine once you pull the Bell label off.

Probably a result of the Schwinn department-store roadbikes.

-Kurt