I was pretty set in my ways...then I had kids.

+ a billion.

I`m almost Thirty and am still fighting the good fight. I don`t shop at box stores, I buy local whenever possible, I support small business, fair trade and organically grown.
I live in a nice house (rented to be fair), have a beautiful bike, I wonderful girlfriend and a groovy dog....I also live in Canada so I don`t have to worry about paying through the nose if my kid gets sick but the point is if you`re so hell bent on saving a quarter that you`re willing to by all your merchandise from a huge soulless mega corporation then you`re doing it wrong.
I do understand the lack of finances issue (I`m a bike mechanic which = poor) but I`ve discovered that with a little extra effort, you can avoid pandering to walmart and still support mom and pop businesses for not that much extra money.

Wow, sorry `bout the super rant....long day at the office.
Also just noticed that this is ssssooooo off the original topic.

thank you... i'm a bike mechanic too.. working on buying a house within the next year...

just goes to show... work hard and get wut u want. so wut if u take longer to save up for the better bike? it'll last u so much longer than cheaping out on a walmart bike << back to topic!

Actually your post as well as a lot of others have helped a TREMENDOUS amount!! I think there was a pretty good consensus among people who were willing to look at this particular bike (either in person or at least on the web) that the bike would be fine for my purposes, as long as it was properly assembled. It never would have occurred to me to order the bike and have my neighbor assemble it with me, but now that makes so much sense and I'm excited to do it and learn. I actually found out this weekend that my neighbor just started working part time at a bike shop, and he said he'd help me find pedals and whatever else I might need/want for it, so that's even better!

While I do appreciate the general sentiment that Walmart sucks, I don't feel about it as strongly as others do, and it wasn't a compelling reason for me to forgo biking until I can afford a more expensive bike. I did ask the question generally "what's wrong with a Walmart bike" so all of the "Walmart is evil and is killing America" posts were relevant (although maybe not implication that people who shop there are mismanaging their finances and a few other over-the-top comments).

I did give serious thought to buying a used bike, based on several posts, but in the end decided I didn't have the time or knowledge to do that right now.

Anyway, special thanks to Podolak and others who actually took the time to check out this particular bike and give me your thoughts - that was awesome!!!!

That is so true, it ain't funny!

Jerry

So Caroline, it's been several days now since you said you'd ordered it. Has it arrived yet? How do you like it?

I totally understand your frustrations with Craigslist. Everyone told me to buy used (and I eventually did), but it took a couple of months to find one that I was happy with. Everything was either overpriced ($175 for a 25+ year old Panasonic Sport 500 10 speed, really?), junk, or out of my price range. And the very few (think 2) that weren't, were snapped up by the time I wrote the poster 2-3 hours after they posted. Finally, I got lucky and checked the CL 10 minutes after someone put up my "new" bike and got it. It's not perfect, or exactly what I wanted, but I'd gotten tired of letting half the summer go buy while I was still looking for a bike. At least I can ride now, and hopefully you can say the same. Enjoy...

I've read through this entire thread, and am glad you went along with the WM bike, Caroline. Personally, when I start school in the fall, I hope to buy this one: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4990075 or a similarly-priced road bike. Best of luck with your new ride!

i would advise again that bike. i just had one a week old in my shop with a faulty bottom bracket and snapped spokes... just a fyi

Haha, thanks. I still haven't settled on one yet; might just end up going with the cheaper Denali http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3663046 instead, or even a mountain bike. I just need something inexpensive and capable of being ridden for a few miles (class to apartment, apartment to food, etc). I've got some old bikes here at my parents' that are okay, but I'd like to try a newer road bike out (that fits within my limited budget).

how long are u looking for it to last? i had a customer in with a bike very similar to that last one. the bars cracked.. if u look at the close up images you'll notice there are grip shifters... the handle bar is 3 pieces to allow for that... the bar crack from the flexing where they join together. you may be better off on getting a cheap used bike and taking to ur LBS for a good tune up.. may be cheaper in the long run

Actually, I haven't received it yet... Walmart shipped it the day after I ordered it, and then UPS lost it in transit somewhere in Little Rock (I was stalking the package on ups.com). Walmart was very cool about it and immediately shipped another one - it's supposed to arrive on Thursday! I'm excited :)

Get a decent bike from a bike shop. Puzzles me why you're so eager to throw your money away on such junk.

Since I'm not sure if I'll end up having to just walk, pubtrans, or drive, I don't need a long-lasting machine as much as something to test while taking in the road conditions. If I spend $150 and find out it's less of a hassle getting around a different way, I'm not out too much.

But it's easy to say "get a decent bike" when you're not the one spending the dough. If you can find me a road bike for under $200 from an LBS, I'll gladly look into it. Until then, I'd rather try a basic machine out before going whole hog. Personally, I'd rather ride a cheap bike than not have any bike at all, and I'd imagine most people on this site would rather have me as a fellow biker rather than as one more person on a car. Right? :^)

We are not gonna convince anybody. they want good, shiny, new, now, and CHEAP; Something you can just "sit" on and go. You tell them it doesn't exist, but they would rather lie to themselves and believe in that fantasy.

then there's the view that: "used road bikes are usually dirty, god forbid I'd have to clean them. That's like doing some type of work or maintenance or something, besides bicycles are just for FUN."

Let them buy it. They will come in and say how great their bike is and how wrong we were. But their next bike is not gonna be another walmart BikeLikeObject. (assuming they stick with it)

I don't encourage them, but I don't discourage too much either. I just explain the drawbacks. My comments are mostly aimed at the lower end Wal-Mart BLOs Not their higher end ones which are decent but still would require expert assembly, or re-assembly.

Awww Would you like some fries with that? DO YOUR OWN WORK.

I hope you're not talking about me, because I've said several times that I seriously considered getting used... and I never mentioned (or even thought about!) the fact that a used bike might be "dirty" (or that I wanted a new bike because it was "shiny"). That's ridiculous.

The issue for me (and probably for many beginners) is that it is both time-consuming and intimidating to look at used bikes... the CL bikes I posted earlier in this thread come from as far as three hours away from me; I work full time and have a family, which means I don't have six hours to drive somewhere to sit on a bike only to find out that the bike isn't comfortable for me (I mean, I might have six hours one time, but not the 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 times I might have to go looking at bikes before finding one I like). Even more importantly, I just don't know enough about bikes to be able to wade throught CL/classifieds/yard sales to know what's a good deal and what's not - none of those bike brands mean anything to me, and I have no idea how to check an old bike to know whether it is safe or in decent shape. And I have no way to know whether I am getting ripped off.

You're completely right that my next bike will not be from Walmart - my only goal with this bike is to ride it long enough to find out what I like/don't like about it, and save up money for a better one.

By the way Eatmya**, you have made several comments on this thread that kinda make it clear you haven't read the rest of the thread (which I know is crazy long!!) but you might want to do that before posting again...

Caroline, I have read the entire thread and I like your style. I hope you enjoy your new bike and get the same thrill from riding that you did as a kid.

Thanks, I hope so too!! :)

Caroline, I would love to know how things go. Please give us updates as you see fit. I don't know yet whether bike commuting is possible for me, and I waver between spending the $250 on the walmart bike including basic accessories and see how I do (potentially upgrading to a new bike if things work out), or spend 6 times as much and get the Trek Soho 4 and accessories, and just enjoy for 10 years. Anuj

My brother is an engineer and bought a Walmart bike. No problems. I got a cheap KHS Urban X for $329, but even that was a big bite for me. For awhile I was in love with a Breezer for $750 or so, and it was nice, but not TWICE as nice. Don't back down from bike materialists, especially if you are not riding for prize money. Example: I'm getting my 6-year old a 20" upgrade from her 16" beginner bike. Am I goind to plunk down $250 for a nice kid's bike when a $50 at Target will get her down the road just fine and is just as purple*? I don't think so. Of course if you become a hardcore rider you may want to upgrade, but I'd burn that bridge when you cross it, y'know? I'd be more concerned with Walmart's union-busting policies, but that's another rant... Get yer cheap bike and get the wind in your face. That's what it's about. :thumb:
*my daughter's main requirement

Caroline, I hope you like your bike. I just got a new bike from walmart. It's a schwinn skyliner. I love it. It's smooth and easy to ride. I have no complaints so far.

You buy what you want with your money, I'll buy what I want with mine. :^)

To get back to the thread's topic, it's nice to hear of others' experiences with low-cost bikes. Personally, I'm wavering between a cheap mountie and a cheap roadie. Just had a ride this evening on an old bike from high school. Used duct tape to secure the seat padding and inflated the tires before heading out. Rode great.

I know that Caroline has made her decision. I think it was a good one considering how short her commute is, and I hope she is happy with her bike.

Just to be clear to others, it doesn't have to be $250 or $1,500. There is plenty of room in between for many great bikes.

My inexpensive bike is still holding up fine. At 75 miles I had to tune the gears but I'd bought a bike repair stand. The repair stand cost the same as the bike ($200), but I'm glad to have it. I'm looking around for bikes to fix just because I can!