Inoplanetyanin

hahahahaha, looks like this forums is trying to start all over.
to respond to this, I could just use copy and paste options ctrl+c ctrl+p

Do you really want me to responde? Paragraph by paragraph?
If you are happy with your opinion, I am not going to worry about changing it as I wouldn't be able to contribute anything positive.

Don' worry, be happy.

Kev

In general most people in this forum do not like x-mart bikes for various reasons mostly because of the quality of the bike and how well it is put together. We all will agree it is better to ride on x-mart bike then none at all, but there is the possibility of not enjoying riding since a badly built cheap bike will have more problems. So this would mean one less cyclist.

So it is up to the individual what he wants to do, some of us like smoother shifting and lighter bikes for the road, and heavier stronger bikes for the mountain with better suspension. Alot won't spend the extra $1000 on a top of the line groupo to get this or extra $1000 on a FS frame, since it is not that important to them others will (also not all can afford it) Similar to buying a car, is it worth the extra $20,000 to get the Cadillac vs. the Chevy? They are very similar in ALOT of ways, but you don't get the extra gadgets and goodies with the chevy that you do with the Cadillac. This might make some seem like elitist etc.. but does not mean they are.

Bigbiker

I still maintain that for starting out I wouldn't spend any more than I have on this bike to get a better one until I get more into the sport. If anything breaks, I take it back. Simple. When I first started hiking I wore the tennis shoes I had on. Now I have a $250 pair of Vasque boots that are awesome and comfortable. I would never have spent that when I first started out.

Even at X-mart there is a selection. Some are, agreeably, crap by sight. I wouldn't get one. I chose the bike I did to fit the style of riding and to fit my budget. It does fit my body size too. My next bike will no doubt come from a LBS and I will know what I want and need from experience and by reading threads on this forum and others.

What it all boils down to is that this topic is a matter of opinion and one should not engage in loud critisism of another's opinion, especially on a subject as trivial as this.

I'm going to ride my X-mart bike all over the place and if/when it breaks I'll get it replaced. There's nothing you can do about it. It's a matter of opinion.

Bigbiker

I am agreeing with you Kev. This one should be about over.

Raiyn

You only proved his point. Now why don't you tell me the logic of buying a 60 lb. steel full-suspension bike at X-mart for $69.99 only to[list=a][*]Ride it in "as assembled" condition which (for a X-mart bike) is usually uncomfortable at best and more likely is MUCH more dangerous due to improper control positioning, poor dérailleur adjustment, poor brake set-up etc. OR[*]Take it in to a bike shop to have a check-up performed (which at my shop will cost you $43.00 MINIMUM Bear in mind this is more than HALF the price of the BSO when it left Wally-world) to then have me practically have to tear the bike back down to the frame to correct the mistakes that some knucklehead made while slapping the bike together .[/list=a]

As anyone who works in a bike shop will tell you bikes made by Huffy, Mongoose, Next, Roadmaster, Pacific, and (sadly) Schwinn take more time and money to repair and maintain than ANY "bike store" brand (ie. Trek, Specialized, Giant, Fuji et al.)

I had a customer today who had purchased a Next full-suspension bike at Wally-mart. I had to adjust the position of everything on the handlebars just to make it safe enough for her to ride. (I felt obligated mainly for her safety and secondly so she wouldn't sue us for NOT pointing out the problems) I bent down to pick the bike up to put it on my stand and was astonished to feel how heavy this piece of garbage really was! It had to be at least 50-60 lbs! To cut this story short she returned about a half hour later having been forced of the road by some moron riding on the wrong side of the street. She didn't have the bike with her however she wanted to know how much it would be to replace both wheels and repair the "major" damage the bike had received from going off the side of the road. Being the inquisitive type I asked where the crash had occurred and had to remain straight-faced as she gave the location of the accident. Why did I have to remain "straight-faced"? Because the area in question has no more than a 2" drop-off from the road way to the grass that lines the side of the road, something any "mountain-bike" should be able to handle with no problem (especially a FULL SUSPENSION) when going up the obstacle much less going off of it as was the case for her. Now she'll have to pay to have the front wheel replaced (side wall folded over inside the rim) the rear wheel at least trued, more likely replaced plus have the bike checked over thoroughly again before she can ride it again. Assuming she goes with the steel wheel option she's looking at $94.00 ($23.00 front whee,l $28.00 rear wheel, plus the aforementioned $43.00 check-over / tune-up labor included) That's $24.00 MORE than what she paid for the bike to begin with.

Yes I suppose she could scrap it and start over but considering that for under $200 I could set her up with a bike that is lighter, more durable, fitted properly to her, and better suited to her cycling needs than any X-mart POS ever could be. Heck I haven't even played my trump card- remember that $43.00 tune-up? She can get her bike tuned up for free for an entire year! If she wanted she could come in to the shop once a month, once a week, once a day, if she wanted and get a professional mechanic to adjust any little thing on the bike her heart desired FREE. At X-mart you pay your money and you take your chances, all the while praying nothing goes wrong during that 30-day highly selective return window. At a bike shop the job gets done RIGHT the FIRST time so you don't have to worry about something going wrong, and if something should go wrong a bike shop will stand behind their product - something X-mart will NEVER do.

The best you can expect from X-mart is a possible refund, a poor view of bicycle quality, and a general distrust for anything bicycle related.

I'm not going to stoop to insulting you on a personal level but I'd HIGHLY suggest that you check your facts before launching into a grand scale diatribe on the merits of socialized mass-market bicycles freeing the masses from the oppression of a name-brand manufactured world.






PS. Ctrl+P = print. A computer guy like yourself should know that.

trmcgeehan

Re: Walmart bikes. They look great in the store, but leave one out in the rain just one time, and you will have a rustmobile.

Pete Clark

You see, even if it's an old thread, we cyclists like to sit around like old veterans and talk about how much we hate these kinds of bikes. I know I love to!

Anyway, to add another log to this lovely bonfire: these bikes may have found their niche alongside products like Bic lighters.
Imagine the genius of it--disposable bikes!

When one rusts out, just go out and buy another.



But really, I just want to help newbies make good decisions. I don't want to insult anyone who buys one. That would be adding insult to injury.

They will have problems enough of their own, soon enough.

One of my main objections is that people actually think they are saving money.

tomkatz

re:Raiyns last post above.....I will nominate this post for "best post in this thread", he makes points that are "real world" examples of why you should spend more money and get a good bike at a bike shop, or at least buy a good quality used bike that is strong and worth fixing if something does break or wear out.
I have seen no good reasons listed here to buy the x-mart bike. Here in the U.S., thankfully, we are free to research and develop our own informed opinions, and I encourage everyone who reads this to really think before you go plunk your hard earned cash down on a "throwaway" bike........tom

Inoplanetyanin

Nobody has even a SLIGHTEST chance to check the quality as NOONE BUYS THEM!
They don't buy it BECAUSE OF THE STEREOTYPE...

how hard is this to understand********************??

Inoplanetyanin

One of the MAIN reason people choose to buy the bicycle from the bicycle shop is because THEY TREAT THEMSELVES GOOD...

geez, people, you close your eyes on reality... Everyone should visit Europe, to understand where you are living!

Inoplanetyanin

Did you ever own a Wal Mart bike. Did anything break. Did you compare it to another bike? Whatr broke???
You only speak from you believes, fears, and other p[eoples opinions (SALESMEN) that push it down buyer's throats.

You don't have any reasons, or rights to call Wal Mart bike a "throaway bike". At least you have not provided ANY information supporting your statement!

fubar5

How do you freaking know???? Do you want me to search this thread and give you the link to all the posts where people have said they had a x-mart bike before???? For crying out loud, I've had several and they were all crap, my brothers have them and they are all crap, I work on them and they are all crap..So I say they are all crap.

You open your eyes to reality.

Inoplanetyanin

You missed the point, mister. It is not about the quality of the bikes, that I meant by that sentence, but about THE EXPECTATIONS. YOU people, here in US take a lot of things for granted, and don't understand the value of things.

"your party official has decided ........"


this is the biggest sterotype americans have about the rest of the world. I will spend no more efforts to let you see another view.

fubar5

Why should we have to visit Europe???

I totally disagree that the "MAIN reason people buy from a bike shop is because THEY TREAT THEMSELVES GOOD"..

We buy it from a shop because we know that the bikes from wal-mart will stand up to the use we give them. We have been riding for years, we work in shops, we ride thousands of miles a year, a month..We ride multiple days a week, we race..

You are the one who needs a reality check.

Inoplanetyanin

Example. Would you say that celery at the EXPENSIVE restaurant any better than at WAREHOUSE GROCERY STORE???? Yet, it is bought from exact same place! The celery is the same!
Do you think toothpaste at Wal Mart is worse than one sold at dentist office? Or socks??? Or towels?

Or how about washing detergent? Will you spend 60$ for a bottle of Tide ( or other brand,)that cost 5.99 at Wal Mart, because this supper "Detergent Specialized Store" sells better things???

Or how about socks? At this special store, they are higher quality. The fabric actually lets the air through. They are MORE durable! I had such a bad luck with Wal Mart socks. They don't fit my size good, they are very undurable, unadjusted, lowe end , Wal Mart socks.
LET"S GO TO SUPER SOCK STORE AND BUY A PAIR FOR ONLY $699 and tell everybody on the board how GREAT the socks ARE!...........

fubar5

Total BS dude.


We do understand the value, that is why we are against wal-mart bikes. YOU don't understand the value.

fubar5

I have psoriasis on my feet. I can tell you defenitively that wal-mart socks suck.

fubar5

Inoplanetyanin, if America is so bad and no one has a grasp on reality, why don't you go somewhere else??? Move to Vietnam or something.

Inoplanetyanin

In order to understand something, you have to see different!

If you live in a close house all your life, and only see yourself in the mirror, how can you make judgments of womens beauty, lets' say....

Kev

Inoplanetyanin why do you have such a believe against things that cost more? Yes there is a difference in socks some last longer and breathe better.. yes there is a difference in laundry detergent ask anyone with allergies.. yes there is a difference in toothpaste some has more sugar in it. Sometimes you will run into cheaper brands are better sometimes more expensive. Look at any campy vs shimano debate on here and you will see us debate on which is better value etc. If cheapest was always just as good why would there be a consumer report?

You instantly dismiss everything more expensive as being the same and not better, when that is not always true.

Inoplanetyanin

Fubar, you again started PERSONAL ATTACKS.
I was talking about bikes, about stores, about market, about stereotytypes and so on, but you attack ME...
therefor you will be ignored from now on. All the best to you.

fubar5

Well, in the case of bikes, I have seen different!!!! AS have many of the people who have posted here..It is You who hasn't seen things different, as you are not as experienced with bikes as the people giving you advice.

Inoplanetyanin

Bikes in Wal Mart are GREAT VALUE for that price compared to OVERPRICED bike shops bikes...


THAT"S THE ONLY POINT I AM MAKING>>>

fubar5

Personal attack my butt. I was asking a question. You just don't want to confront confrontation.

Inoplanetyanin

Can of coke, 50 cents near grocery store.
$2 in the movie theatre.

Pop corn, 50 cents in the store.
$4 in the movie theatre.

Is one better than other?