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| *Vultures Knob>>>Bicycle Shop |
Do they sell bikes at a bike shop for less than $200? |
Cause like...it seems to me everyone says that a good bike can only be found at a bike shop. But, those bikes cost so much! I only have a budget of 150-200...and I mean, are those bikes that they sell at K-mart or some department store really that horrible? I will only need the bike to travel around 10 miles a day, or even less somedays. I mean, would those bikes that are at some department store really suck that much that they wont be able to handle a daily commute to the school or something? First, to answer your question, a few bike shops may sell bikes for less than 200, mostly kids bikes. Now, reasons why you shouldn't buy a cheap bike. The problem with K-mart bikes is their low quality and inexperienced mechanics. The mechanics have to handle all the sections in K-mart, not just bikes. They probably know as much about bikes as you do, so many of the mechanics assemble the parts wrong. Walmart also cannot adjust the bike for you if some parts are off. Most bike shops offer at least one free tune-up after you buy. Also, if you want to get a 100-200 dollar bike, don't expect it to last very long if you are going to ride it daily. It was not made to stand up to that kind of abuse. You get what you pay for. Cheap bikes assembled by unexperienced mechanics will also have sloppy shifting and low efficiency, making it very hard to pedal uphill. The frame weight will also slow you down significantly. Cheap bikes usually come in one size, not very comfortable to ride if you ar to big or too small. If you still want a cheap 200 dollar bike, don't choose one with fancy parts. Those just take the quality out of the important, already cheaply made parts. If you ride mostly on the road, choose a bike with a front suspension or no suspension at all. Don't be fooled by the cheap disk brakes. You won't need it on the road. Without the fancy parts, your bike will have better quality overall, most likely lighter and faster. You might want to get a good deal on a used bike, just don't expect it to last very long. When in the shop, test the bike. Not all Wal-mart mechanics assemble parts wrong, but a lot of them do. Check to see if the brakes and shifters work properly. It will cost money to get it adjusted at a bike shop, and the guys at Wal-mart probably don't know how to adjust it in the first place if it is not correctly adjusted the first time. See if the brake pads rub the bike rims when the lever is not pressed, and check to see if the shifting is smooth to ALL of the gears. NEVER use WD-40 on your bike! It attracts gunk and eats away at rubber. It was not made to be a lube, hence the name WD (Water Displacement). Source(s): bad mechanic experience mountain biker You should check out the garage/yard sales this spring. There seems to be a lot of bikes for sale this year. I ran into a guy today with two of his kids (mid teens) bikes for sale in the range you want. It's probably the same where you live. If all you are needing is transportation, then go to Walmart, and buy a bike. They will get you from A-B, without too much of a problem. BUT...Please take some time to go through it and tighten the handlebars, seat, wheels, and brakes. Doing that will not only give you peace of mind, but also will help your bike last longer. Remember...these bikes were assembled by someone there!! Being a former "wrench" at a bike shop, I've seen old, "cheap" bikes that were properly assembled and maintained last a long time. A little WD-40 on the chain once in awhile won't hurt either. For normal riding to school or work, thosr at K-mart should be enough. But if you want to go for heavy riding, I'd suggest buying those in the shops. Ask the owners on what kind of bike would suit you I agree with aznfatnerd! There is a difference! K-Mart bikes are outrageously heavy, low quality, and they often use non-industry standard parts (meaning that when they break, they can't be fixed) and are generally poorly assembled. Most bike shops carry good quality mountain bikes starting at about $250. Although that is a little out of your range, I promise that the difference between these bikes and the K-Mart bikes is immense. A basic bike from a bike shop will outlast a K-Mart bike by years and years, will be much lighter, and will professionally assembled to shift and ride more smoothly. All of which means that your 10 mile commute will be more pleasant - you will enjoy it and will probably want to get out and ride even more on your days off. Do some arithmetic. How many bikes can you buy at Kmart for the cost of one Trek or Giant? Buy a good used bike at a garage sale. |
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