wally world bikes

[Tim]

Going out to walmart tonight. I actually hate the place but I enjoy looking at he bikes. I like watching how they change things to make them look more "high end". I noticed one had a fork that looked as if it was adjustable but it was just a fake cap/plug. Some are starting to have a front disk brake but you can tell it's not of any quality at all. I think they will eventually get to the point where they can manufacture them cheaper than pull brakes. It will allow them to raise the price making people think they are getting a better product.

[Tim]

That was fun. i think the only bike out there that was worth a crap was a Schwinn comp. Suntour fork was crappy but the frame and bike over all wasn't to bad for it's price range.

There was one mongoose, which is a pacific bike brand as well as Schwinn. It had front disk but the design was horrible. It just looked big and heavy.

I don't sweat the whole real vs dept store bikes. I'm just intrigued
by how walmart can dictate how these bikes are built to keep the cost down. Same kind of power that Toyota has over smaller vendors in town.

Also the branding helps to sell the product.
Schwinn, Mongoose, Shimano. Suntour,etc

It's the low end line of parts, but the average person just sees the name and thinks quality.

[Ben Kaetzel]

Also consider the potato head who is assembling the big box bike versus the trained mechanic at the bike shop who knows how a bike works.
I've been told a story of a lady who brought her kids wal-mart bike to the LBS complaining it was hard to steer. Turns out the fork was installed backwards. What a maroon.

[Tim]

True..

I always tell people to tighten the peddles and handle bars before they let their kids ride them.

Hell, tighten and check everything.