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gadgetnut said:
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LitFuse said:
Don't waste your money, they're junk. Poorly assembled junk to boot.
Visit a local bike shop to get yourself a decent bike. If you're not going off-road, a cross-bike or hybrid would probably be a better option. Expect to pay around $300 (and up) for a decent quality, entry level bike.
Peter
[/ QUOTE ]Gee, that's funny....Me, my wife, and our 11 yr old son each have a Mongoose mountain bike from Wal-Mart. We've had them for three years now and have not had any problems withy any of them. Granted, we don't do any serious mountain biking, so they aren't subjected to any harsh abuse. But for bike trails, rides around the neighborhood, campgrounds and general use, they have been ideal. And, if memory serves me, I think we bought all three for the price of one bike from a bike shop.
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Sorry if I came off as a bike snob, but I stand by what I said.
bigmikey asked about a reliable bike to commute to work on. There is no way that I would consider a Wal-mart bike for this, it's simply not up to the task.
For puttering around occasionally, a Wally bike might be OK, but they are not built for reliability or comfort. They are built for one thing only-- to be inexpensive. So much so, that they're usually not worth making repairs to when they need them, you're better off to start over with a new one.
It's all about yours needs (and expectations) as a rider. If you really want to enjoy your riding, make sure to visit a real bike shop. What they offer is a whole different world compared to a discount store. Once you ride a "good" bike you will find it hard to go back to something from Wallyworld. Dept. stores bikes are not "ideal" for anything. Yes, a "real" bike is more expensive, but it offers value. The cheapies do not, they are disposable.
If you do get a dept. store bike, I would *strongly* suggest letting a qualified bike shop take a look at it's assembly. Most likely they will want to make some adjustments. I worked in bike shops for 15 years, and I saw some really scary "assembly" jobs from the big box stores. Things that could hurt you or your children.
Peter