Bike Shop Quality Bike VS. Wal-Mart Bike?

Question

Besides the obvious that a Bike shop bike is FAR superior then a Wal-Mart bike. What are some "technical" reasons, statements to back that up to the "untrained eye."?

In other words , How would you convince someone who knows nothing about bikes that bike shop is better?

Answer 1

Well the simple answer is that Walmart bikes suck and with hard use some component will fail on you and could get you hurt.  

For casual use around town, nothing wrong with a walmart bike - or a target bike or a costco bike.

Answer 2

I have both a $100 Walmart bike and a $2000 bike-shop bike.  I ride them both regularly, so I can offer a comparison.

The Walmart NEXT bike I got has a real heavy steel frame, and flimsy wheels (the rims get bent easily, and will require truing more often).  When you spin the rear wheel, you can see the hub wobbling on the axle skewer because it has a lower quality bearing.  If you put any force on the pedals while trying to shift gears, the chain will bind up and grind.  The bike weighs 40 pounds and comes only in 1 frame size.  Not the kind of bike I would care to do a Century (100 mile ride) on.

My $2000 Specialized Sirrus LTD weighs 25 pounds, with light Shimano R600 rims that holds its shape real well despite the abuse of a 100kg rider, comes with Ultegra deraillers that work crisply even when you are applying moderate force to the pedals, comes with kevlar-lined puncture-resistant Armadillo tires standard.  The frame comes in a number of different sizes so you can choose one that fits you best.  The fit is so nicely dialed-in that I can take this bike on a Century ride without much discomfort developing.

They both have their uses.  I ride the NEXT as a beater bike when running errands in the neighborhood--  I can leave it locked up against a signpost on the street and be confident that no bike thief will bother to steal parts off it.  I ride my Sirrus LTD when I want to do a nice long weekend fun ride.

My bottom line:

If you just want a casual/errand bike where endurance is not an issue, the $100 Walmart might fit the bill.  If you want to incorporate cycling into your fitness regimen or want to do long recreational rides (i.e spend a lot of time in the saddle), get a bikeshop bike.

Answer 3

Ahh, the difference between my really nice road bike and my ancient "beater" schwinn which, at this point, is probably roughly the equivalent of that Walmart bike?  

I ride both--all the time, although I reserve my "beater" mostly for cruising around town, mostly in the rain, and winter--with all that ice and salt on the roads.  

But rather than all the technical differences, how about the bottom line in terms of actual dollars?  

When I had to take my "beater" in for repairs last year because it was jumping gears, the bearings were worn--and you don't even want to know the rest...Well, the total repair bill was $160--as expected!  Yeah, I pay that kind of repair bill all the time to keep that bike operational.  The guy at the bike shop didn't even want to do it, told me I could buy a brand new bike for far less than what I was paying to repair my well-rusted old beater.  Yeah, no kidding, but I keep that bike because I like the way it rides, has absolute perfect balance, and it's totally theft-proof because no self-respecting bike thief would even give it a second look.  

I put many thousands of miles more on my quality road bike per year--and with the exception of tire tubes, have never had to pay a single penny in repairs.

In the long run, there is no question that my quality road bike costs far less.  The initial price may have been higher, but doesn't come anywhere close to the repair bills I've paid to maintain my "beater".  And no, unfortunately, the parts can not be upgraded--or I'd have gone that route long ago.  

And on my road bike, I can ride twice as fast, 5 times as far--it practically walks right up steep hills, seemingly all by itself!  Pretty amazing, well worth every penny.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

You have to consider the cost of keeping up a bike. Most bike shops offer service with their bikes. This alone closes the gap between the price of a Walmart bike and a bike shop bike. In addition a bike shop bike will be lighter and more enjoyable to ride; and a bike shop bike will be longer lasting: which in the end makes a bike shop bike a better value.

Answer 5

Mtbwacky hit the nail on the head. You have to ask yourself: What does a bike shop speecialize in? Then ask what does Wal Mart specialize in? A bike shop has to be knowledgeable about their product and sell high quality stuff because that's how it stays in business. If a bike shop sold lower quality stuff, it would end up going out of business. Wal Mart can afford to sell lower quality bikes because bikes aren't their business. Bikes are more of a byproduct for them. Even their bike technicians don't know what they are doing half the time. A bike shop bicycle will require less maintenance, better comfort, and many bike shops give you a lifetime service contract. This means you'll never have to pay for a tuneup for as long as you own your bike. Plus many will throw in some cycling gear with your purchase if you ask them. Try that at Wal Mart. They'll laugh at you.

Answer 6

Bike shop bike, with a FAR superior price.

I think if your a pro then yeah get a real bike at a Bike Shop.

But most people don't need to pay $400-$1000 for a bike, and Wal-Mart has a really nice one for under $300.

Answer 7

WALMART IS EVIL

thats all i need to know :)

wow to the person above that had to hurt

Answer 8

I wouldn't be able to, but I have personal/political objections to Wal-Mart and thus refuse to shop there.

Answer 9

All I know is I had a walmart bike when I was 10 well I ran into a brick and the seat broke off and the bar of the bike went bone deep into my thigh. So yea I dont reccomend walmart bikes.

Answer 10

A bike is a mechanical piece of equipment. If you are familiar with the mechanics, or how to fix a bike, a Wal-Mart bike is fine for the recreational cyclist. Here is why I still wouldn't recommend it though:

1.Go to Wal-Mart and walk around the bikes and look at the handlebars. Pull the bike out of the rack and put the front wheel between your knees. Now twist on the handlebar back and forth. Did it move? Think about riding down a very smooth bike path and it turns a bit and you lean to turn and the handle bar slips to the side. Where will you end up?

2. Litigation: As in, why is New Jersey trying to pass a law banning Quick Releases on bikes? Because of numerous incidences of bikes from Wal-Mart and people not knowing how to adjust these properly and having the front wheel come out of the bike resulting in jury and lawsuits for them.

3. A sign at our Wal-Mart stating: "We encourage every bike purchased to be completely checked over by a Professional Bike Mechanic." I encourage this also but add on that a "Check Over" at a pro shop  will cost anywhere from $35 to $60! This "check over" is free when you buy a bike at a bike shop.

Most shops I know have bikes that start around $200 and come set up right away safe enough so you can enjoy your bike. They also come with free adjustments for a while and this will save you money in the long run since ALL bikes have a break in period where they need re-adjustments.

So the real questions is if you want to enjoy your bike for a long time or just a couple times.