|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
I have recently got into biking and have started commuting to work 12
miles each way a twice a week. My bike is some heavy walmart'ish bike, 18-speed mountain bike, shimano gears. Honestly I have no issues with it, as it is tuned up correctly. However, all the websites say to avoid these bikes, why? I suppose if I spend $300+ I'll get a 10 pound lighter bike, but what difference is that going to make? The weight of the rider dominates the mass of the system, so a 10 lb bike weight reduction should only make you go 5-10% faster? So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes? |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
On Sep 4, 9:50 pm, wrote:
I have recently got into biking and have started commuting to work 12 miles each way a twice a week. My bike is some heavy walmart'ish bike, 18-speed mountain bike, shimano gears. Honestly I have no issues with it, as it is tuned up correctly. However, all the websites say to avoid these bikes, why? I suppose if I spend $300+ I'll get a 10 pound lighter bike, but what difference is that going to make? The weight of the rider dominates the mass of the system, so a 10 lb bike weight reduction should only make you go 5-10% faster? At most the difference would be 5-10% only on significaltly steep hills. Otherwise it would have little effect. So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes? They are often stronger, the individual componets are often more presice and easier to keep in proper adjsutemtn. And the tires and bearings, etc are better such that the offer less resistance. They are usually less squishy as well. So you may be able to ride a given speed with less effort. But as you have no issues with your current bike, there is no reason to expect it won't continue to do just what you need it to do. IMO the price point for significantly better performance is well above $300, so don't bother. Have fun! Joseph |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes?
They are often stronger, the individual componets are often more presice and easier to keep in proper adjsutemtn. And the tires and bearings, etc are better such that the offer less resistance. They are usually less squishy as well. So you may be able to ride a given speed with less effort. But as you have no issues with your current bike, there is no reason to expect it won't continue to do just what you need it to do. IMO the price point for significantly better performance is well above $300, so don't bother. Not true, in my humble opinion. Even a $300 mountain or hybrid bike, purchased from a decent bike shop, is going to be far easier to maintain, and less-costly in the long run (because it will last a whole lot longer). Rolling resistance etc isn't really the issue; durability, ie., TTW (Things That Work) vs STFA (Stuff That Falls Apart) is the key difference. Department stores are *not* made to be repairable, because people don't bring them back to the department store for work. Simple as that. That may incidentally be repairable, but it's not a primary focus. Bike shops loathe things they can't repair, because the customers *do* bring that back when something goes wrong. When we don't like something on a bike because it doesn't last or it's difficult to work on, we let the manufacturer know, and stop selling that particular model. The department stores lack that feedback loop, so they just don't care. Better to sell something that looks like a real bike than actually is. BSOs, or Bike Shaped Objects, is what they're commonly called. --Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
wrote in message ups.com... I have recently got into biking and have started commuting to work 12 miles each way a twice a week. My bike is some heavy walmart'ish bike, 18-speed mountain bike, shimano gears. Honestly I have no issues with it, as it is tuned up correctly. However, all the websites say to avoid these bikes, why? I suppose if I spend $300+ I'll get a 10 pound lighter bike, but what difference is that going to make? The weight of the rider dominates the mass of the system, so a 10 lb bike weight reduction should only make you go 5-10% faster? So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes? There is a difference between "shimano" and "SHIMANO". The "Next" bikes from Walley World are real junk. While they work just fine right out of the store, the more you use them the more you have to keep adjusting them until they end up being a daily adjustment. While you can upgrade them, don't bother. The upgrades will take you into the cost of a decent bike. The Schwinn out of walmart seems to be the exception. There is little difference (except for the name on the frame in plastic) from the 139 buck Walley World Schwinn and the 250 buck Schwinn out of a bike shop. In fact, as pieces break on the walley world Schwinn you do a piece by piece upgrade to the better equipped Bike Shop Schwinn. It's a poormans way of getting a decent bike in time. But if you can afford the 300+ bike at the Bike Shop, you should be able to get MOST of these upgrades right off the showroom floor on it. The pocket book drives these decisions more than anything else. But your 12 mile a day trip, your Next Walley World Special will be pretty much a pain in the tail very quickly. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
wrote in message ups.com... I have recently got into biking and have started commuting to work 12 miles each way a twice a week. My bike is some heavy walmart'ish bike, 18-speed mountain bike, shimano gears. Honestly I have no issues with it, as it is tuned up correctly. However, all the websites say to avoid these bikes, why? I suppose if I spend $300+ I'll get a 10 pound lighter bike, but what difference is that going to make? The weight of the rider dominates the mass of the system, so a 10 lb bike weight reduction should only make you go 5-10% faster? So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes? This Walmart bike is good: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5751042 |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
On Sep 4, 2:15 pm, "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®"
wrote: This Walmart bike is good:http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5751042 Dunno if it's good, but it's overpriced for its spec and level of dealer support. For similar levels of support, you can get a 105-equipped bike from Bikesdirect.com for $700-$800. For the same price as the Walmart one, you could get an Ultegra-equipped one. For most people though, who will need service after the sale, a similarly equipped one could be had for a similar price from an LBS. That would be the way to go. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
On Sep 4, 3:10 pm, "Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote:
So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes? They are often stronger, the individual componets are often more presice and easier to keep in proper adjsutemtn. And the tires and bearings, etc are better such that the offer less resistance. They are usually less squishy as well. So you may be able to ride a given speed with less effort. But as you have no issues with your current bike, there is no reason to expect it won't continue to do just what you need it to do. IMO the price point for significantly better performance is well above $300, so don't bother. Not true, in my humble opinion. Even a $300 mountain or hybrid bike, purchased from a decent bike shop, is going to be far easier to maintain, and less-costly in the long run (because it will last a whole lot longer). Rolling resistance etc isn't really the issue; durability, ie., TTW (Things That Work) vs STFA (Stuff That Falls Apart) is the key difference. Department stores are *not* made to be repairable, because people don't bring them back to the department store for work. Around here, you can get $200 bikes at the Altus level or therebouts from Target, Wally World, and Dicks Sporting goods. Dialed in right by somebody handy, they're much better than the $79 specials. Heck, I even recommend that students at Uni around here pick up a beach cruiser from a big box store for campus cruising because of theft. That said, my LBS understands that there is a need for bikes at a low price point, so they sell Schwinn 26" path bikes, dialed in very nicely for $250. They sell the snot out of those, proudly, because the shop cares about getting folks on bikes in the first place. Amusingly enough, people now come into the shop to buy 500 dollar and up bikes, as "it seems everybody in the neighborhood rides a bike now." That's an LBS run right. They treat us home wrenchers right as well, never overcharging for minor parts or even making much at all from cables and ferrules, and get the best word of mouth advertising in the world because of it. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
On Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:56:36 -0700, wrote:
They are often stronger, the individual componets are often more presice and easier to keep in proper adjsutemtn. For anyone unfamiliar with cycling jargon, adjsutemtn is a clear, viscous liquid (named after an ancient Dutch recipe) in which your bike's components should be kept when not in use. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Walmart bike good enough?
Are you familiar with Craigslist, the web page? I did a quick search for a
used bicycle [s]. There were hundreds of high quality road, mtn, old, really old, not so old... heck, I got myself interested in a couple of them. Why ride a Wally World piece of **** when you can buy a really nice second hand bicycle on Craigslist. ================================================== ======================== PS.. once you start riding to work on the light-weight old road tour model you paid $100 dollars for? You will be riding to work more than twice a week! [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ wrote in message ups.com... I have recently got into biking and have started commuting to work 12 miles each way a twice a week. My bike is some heavy walmart'ish bike, 18-speed mountain bike, shimano gears. Honestly I have no issues with it, as it is tuned up correctly. However, all the websites say to avoid these bikes, why? I suppose if I spend $300+ I'll get a 10 pound lighter bike, but what difference is that going to make? The weight of the rider dominates the mass of the system, so a 10 lb bike weight reduction should only make you go 5-10% faster? So what are the real benefits of expensive bikes? |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Walmart bicycles | Michael Press | Techniques | 23 | September 5th 07 03:42 AM |
Walmart Road Bike | [email protected] | Techniques | 62 | June 10th 05 12:18 AM |
Costco Road Bike, the opposite end of Walmart! | Steven M. Scharf | Techniques | 3 | May 10th 05 05:21 PM |
Walmart Mongoose XR-200 | Dave | Mountain Biking | 27 | May 29th 04 03:39 AM |
Walmart Mongoose XR-200 | Dave | Marketplace | 23 | May 29th 04 03:39 AM |