I'm confused!

All that ultimately matters is that the bike performs the way you need for the type of riding you do. Period.

If someone makes fun of your ride, they are an idiot that needs to belittle someone else in order to evelate themselves. I've been passed by people on Huffy's and Mongoose's that cost a fraction of what I paid for my current bike. I say more power to 'em.

Just ride!

Man, thank you soo much for those words - considering that you actually have a so called "real" bike - / I figure - If it works and doesn't break under NORMAL use,how can it be bad. I can understand if I were racing for competition but i'm not - One time the break pad came loose but OMG guess what I did? tightened it. no bike shop needed -
Don't get me wrong - I can understand that MOST Huffy bikes are cheap but
I was thinking since this was a pro model with some pro parts that it might be an exception for Huffy.(Silver - IronMan Triathalon Pro) - plus it was like $50 more expensive than most other Huffies and being that Huffy probably sells more bikes because of the retail outlets that being the reason they can keep prices reasonable? I mean what will they say is a "Real" bike next? a frame made of nickel?? or platinum. maybe gold.
Just a thought - who won the tour de france? Armstrong or his bike?????
Hope I didn't offend anyone - thanx - Steve. :o

tramontano said:

...How much of a difference in weight could I get with a so called real bike...

Weigh your bike, then subtract 15 pounds (the weight of high quality ultra-light bike) to get the difference.

Regarding your other statements, I'll bet that no one even notices, or cares, that you are riding a Huffy. We have a lot of cyclists in this part of the country, riding Huffy, Schwinn, single speeds, 3 speeds, 10 speeds, etc. I never even notice what another rider is on unless it looks really special -- otherwise it is just a bike. So don't worry about it because I don't think anyone else does.

ok, thanks again - Steve.

The most important thing is that you ride. If you feel that you are outgrowing it just upgrade then. I have seen too many people with very expensive bikes who might only ride 2 or 3 times a year...and that's a waste. Enjoy!

I have had the benefit of working in both bike shops, and working on the highest end bikes out there, and I also worked part-time at Toy'R'Us during high school, which gave me experience working on Huffy's, Pro-Cycles and the like.

Though I agree with other posters, and a lower-end bike that does get ridden is indeed better then a high-end bike sitting in the garage I will say there are things to keep in mind with your bike. Please don't take this like I am attacking your bike, but rather from the logical, mechanical stand point that to make the low price point Huffy's are known for, there are sacrifices that the manufacturer needed to make.

The parts you mentioned are probably NOT the culprits to wearing your bike out, namely you mentioned your frame, V Brakes and alloy rims. The parts that are subject to wear out more quickly on a lower-end bike are the bearings and bushings. Namely bottom bracket, head set, rear suspension bushings, front fork bushings, derailleur pivots, rear hub bearings, probably in that order.

The costs that are cut really come down to the quality of the moving parts and how well they are sealed.

If you are interested in keeping your bike in an acceptable conditions, as a Huffy owner, you are going to have to be a lot more pro-active in your maintenance then the next guy. It is the price you pay to make up for the price you saved. If you choose to ignore this, your bike will wear out exceedingly quickly.

Religiously clean and lubricate your rear suspension bushings. They are made of a soft brass, so if you ride with grit in them, they will quickly develop play. Same for your forks, which you have less room for error, as the lower legs more then likely slide on a platic bushing. Get boots for your front forks, if your bike was not equipped with them. See if you can get creative with an old tire tube and some zip ties to create boots to protect the bushings on your frame.

For the bearing surfaces in your hubs, bottom bracket and headset, there is likely no rubber seal, only a 1mm gap between metal dust seal and the cone. Again, you can easily rig up a headset sleeve out of a old tire tube and some zip ties. A hand-made thick foam washer around your bottom bracket axel (wedged between your crank arm and bottom bracket shell) might help extend the life of your bottom bracket.

Though it may not look pretty, a thick layer of grease around the 1mm gap would act as a barrier to prevent grit from invading the bearings. Just clean the grease when it looks too dirty and replace with new grease. You can do the same to protect the bushings on your frame.

It is a serious no no to use any kind of pressurized water to clean any bike, and it is even more critical for you. Pressurized water will instantly blow the grit you are trying to wash off right past that 1mm gap, and into your bearings. To a lesser extent, so will riding excessively wet or muddy conditions, so avoid them as much as you can.

Good luck to you!

Cheers,
Juba

[font=Times New Roman]Edited for spelling and clarity[/font]

Thanx for replies guys, Xtra thanx to Juba - believe it or not - I think i'm finally starting to come around - I guess you can kinda compare it to getting an RC (radio control) car from Toys R Us or one from Doug's Hobby Shop,Huge difference - Juba while the suggestions you have made I will use for the
Huffy - NOW starting to look at something better - something up to $250 used on craigslist.org - / Mainly because all those zip ties with plastic and grease might look like a "bike bomb" - not to mention the fact that I'll be riding past the Capitol building in D.C. daily 😎 -

Soooo I'll just stick it out with the Huffy until I find something suitable. Thanx Steve.