Most notable difference - Dept Store Bike and name brand?

[Steven M. Schar]

"Pete" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> The more expensive ones (Schwinn, etc) are not much below the $300
offerings
> at the LBS.

True, but most LBSes do a much better job on assembly. Specialized was selling to department stores
and warehouse stores for a while under the "Full Force" brand, but their bike shop dealers were
understandably upset and the "Full Force" line was dropped. The extra $100 between something like a
Motiv from Costco and a Specialized Expedition from a bike shop is money that is well spent in most
cases, even though the components are lower end on both. A relative of mine bought a bike from
Costco and I had to do some corrections to the assembly, but it was not nearly as bad a bike as the
junk from Wal Mart or K Mart.

 

[Robin Hubert]

"Steven M. Scharf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Pete" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> > The more expensive ones (Schwinn, etc) are not much below the $300
> offerings
> > at the LBS.
>
> True, but most LBSes do a much better job on assembly.

Yes, but they almost all do a ****-poor job at assembling and tuning $200 bikes. By the time they
assemble it and entertain a few customers, they've lost any chance of profit.

>Specialized was selling to department stores and warehouse stores for a while under the "Full
>Force" brand, but their bike shop dealers were understandably upset and the "Full Force" line was
>dropped. The extra $100 between something like a Motiv from Costco and a Specialized Expedition
>from a bike shop is money that is well spent in most cases, even though the components are lower
>end on both. A relative of mine bought a bike from Costco and I had to do some corrections to the
>assembly, but it was not nearly as bad a
bike
> as the junk from Wal Mart or K Mart.
>

Robin Hubert