On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:39:38 -0800 (PST), tim wrote:

I've dispaired at the cheap bike options available in Australia for
years. BTH's good experiences with his BigW bike are refreshing, but
the fact remains - ultra-cheap bikes are very low quality and
generally unsuitable for their target and actual use. It makes no
sense to fit knobby tyres on a bike with the generic "not for off-road
use" sticker, for example.

It's called a market and economies of scale. All the local kids are riding
to school in my area on $1500 downhill bikes with knobbly 2.5'' tyres
because they are cool. Of course they have to stand on the pedals to ride
along the flat at more than 5km/hr.

You can get a decent MTB for $500 and fit it out with slicks though.

dewatf.