It is common that *something* isn't assembled correctly. Most common problems I've personally seen are badly adjusted derailleurs and backwards front forks (which can provide much less stable handling characteristics).

Does it happen all the time? No. But the point is, if you're just getting into (or just returning to) cycling, you may not have the practical aptitude to deal with (or even identify) these problems if they happen on a bike you've bought at a big box store. They say Buyer Beware, but for a buyer to be aware, they need basic information that a beginning cyclist likely does not possess.

I don't think it's exaggerated, but I also think most people don't claim that *every* bike from Wal-Mart is messed up. But a significant percentage of them are.

The other issue I've seen on Wal-Mart bikes is that the mechanicals, particularly derailleurs and brakes, have been decontented to the point where yeah, they work, but they're not going to last very long. For instance, a lot of Wal-Mart bikes have derailleurs where the adjusting screws are self-tapping screws through a plastic derailleur body. Just try to adjust those with any kind of precision.

The flip side is that I know a lot of people that got back into cycling with big box bikes. It's a good way to try it out before you drop serious money on a bike. Even then, most people I know who get one of those Wal-Mart bikes and stick with cycling end up buying a better quality bike from a bike store within the first year.

I asked "What is the hourly rate for mechanical work at that LBS?" because $100 for hour for assembling a bike out of a box(assuming the assembler is slow and really needed a full hour for such an easy job). A "total build up" sounds like a job requiring more technical skill or attention to detail. I believe few people paying for assembly of an inexpensive bicycle expect or are willing to pay for a tear down and "total build up" of a new bicycle; BF OCD-types who expect a bike assembler to regrease all the bearings and tweak every spoke before getting on a new bicycle are outliers.

By "hourly rate for a mechanic " do you mean what the mechanic earns of what the shop charges? Usually there will be a "Bench Fee" for any job whatsoever----if the mechanic looks at the bike, even if s/he doesn't change anything, s/he can charge this fee (though if s/he does nothing, most would forego this charge.)

Many shops have a minimum charge like this, because there is a certain amount of time tied up with paperwork and filing even if the mechanic does a $5 job--plus the employer has to pay the hourly wage, FIAC, insurance, plus all of the shop overhead---and has to make a profit.

it might be that the shop simply doesn't want the hassle of setting up Wal-Mart bikes---if there are parts damaged or missing, for instance, there likely won't be spares in the parts bins, and once the shop takes the bike to assemble, the shop could be held responsible for damaged pieces, even if the Wal-Mart assembler did the damage.

Plus, the customer could get the bike, in the best shape it would ever be, and still be unhappy (after all it would still be a Wal-Mart bike) and complain, then complain online, disparaging the shop because the mechanic couldn't fix something which was inherently unfixable.

The mechanic explains that the derailleur makes noise because it is cheap plastic and bends constantly and cannot be adjusted .... sorry. Buy a real bike next time. The customer, thinking "I spent $122 on that bike! it is Awesome!" then posts complaints about how the incompetent mechanic at shop XX screwed up a brand-new bike---and never mentions it was a total junk BSO.

I could see why a shop might be less than thrilled ....

IMHO if you are able to find a nice Schwinn roadbike at Wallyworld for a reasonable price you're probably getting a decent frame, crank set, & wheels. But, I've noticed that all the chain store bikes are dressed up with bottom of the barrel components. Cheap brakes & derailleurs. If you're mechanically inclined this probably won't be that big a deal. Go riding. Have fun.

I too was keeping an eye out for this bike: First Look: Schwinn Vantage RX1 Adventure Bike | Bicycling

But haven't seen it yet, even though the article stated it should be out in August.

I did contact Performance Bikes asking if they were going to sell it, since they sell many Schwinns, but was told no by their customers service department via email. Hmmm, wonder if I should ask Nashbar.

Just chatted with Nashbar, they don't know if they will be providing this until October. That's when the 2017 models will be out for them.

It's not on the Schwinn website.