Re: Rank the Brands--Your Opinion

[Pete]

"Joe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm bike shopping, but after visiting several bike shops (after an
> absence of almost fifteen years), I realize I have no idea what is a
> "good" brand anymore, what is a so-so brand, or what is a brand to
> stay away from.

A coupla years ago, the question was asked in here:
"Aside from the obvious dept store offerings, is there any bike you'd NOT
recommend"

General consensus seemed to be no.
As long as it fits you, your budget, and your riding style, pretty much
anything not from a dept store is OK.

Pete

 

[rick]

> General consensus seemed to be no.
> As long as it fits you, your budget, and your riding style, pretty much
> anything not from a dept store is OK.
>
> Pete


I am far from being a specialist , but I have a problem with the above
statement.

I am 45 , had heart problem weight 230 lbs and I had 350 canadian dollars to
spend on a bike . Nothing available in LBS in this price range different
that what I could find in my local Canadian Tire.

I bought a Can.Tire a Schwinn Santa Monica comfort style bike ( Sierra in
the US) that I use 4/5 times a weeks for a 5 to 6 miles ride , about 25 to
30mn rides. This bike is fits me perfectly and honestly I cannot imagine
something better for my type of utilisation and for the money spent. I am
not convince that the bike costing $5000.00 US is 17 times better !!

 

[Pete]

"rick" <rick @ nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > General consensus seemed to be no.
> > As long as it fits you, your budget, and your riding style, pretty much
> > anything not from a dept store is OK.
> >
> > Pete
>
>
> I am far from being a specialist , but I have a problem with the above
> statement.
>
> I am 45 , had heart problem weight 230 lbs and I had 350 canadian dollars
to
> spend on a bike . Nothing available in LBS in this price range different
> that what I could find in my local Canadian Tire.
>
> I bought a Can.Tire a Schwinn Santa Monica comfort style bike ( Sierra in
> the US) that I use 4/5 times a weeks for a 5 to 6 miles ride , about 25 to
> 30mn rides. This bike is fits me perfectly and honestly I cannot imagine
> something better for my type of utilisation and for the money spent. I am
> not convince that the bike costing $5000.00 US is 17 times better !!

"Not from a dept store" does not automatically equal $5000.

I got a quite serviceable Fuji (can't remember the model) for my wife for
$210. My main bike (Specialized HardRock) was ~$300. Both from a bike shop.

The general problems with dept store bikes is assembly, fit, and after sale
service.

I've seen the exact same bike recommended for a 5'1" woman, and her 6'3"
hubby.
Forks installed backwards, on a bike being wheeled up to the register.
Brakes badly maladjusted
Hubs and pedals with zero lubrication in them.
....and on and on

Buying at a regular bike shop does not guarantee getting the perfect bike,
perfectly assembled, fitted and adjusted. But it does significantly raise
the probability of getting it that way.

Pete

 

[Dave Stallard]

rick wrote:

> I bought a Can.Tire a Schwinn Santa Monica comfort style bike ( Sierra in
> the US) that I use 4/5 times a weeks for a 5 to 6 miles ride , about 25 to
> 30mn rides. This bike is fits me perfectly and honestly I cannot imagine
> something better for my type of utilisation and for the money spent. I am
> not convince that the bike costing $5000.00 US is 17 times better !!

There's never a need to spend $5K unless you want to

There are plenty of decent roadbikes that can be had for under $1K US.
Maybe not race-ready, but so what?

Dave

 

[gds]

"rick" <rick @ nowhere.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > General consensus seemed to be no.
> > As long as it fits you, your budget, and your riding style, pretty much
> > anything not from a dept store is OK.
> >
> > Pete
>
>
> I am far from being a specialist , but I have a problem with the above
> statement.
>
> I am 45 , had heart problem weight 230 lbs and I had 350 canadian dollars to
> spend on a bike . Nothing available in LBS in this price range different
> that what I could find in my local Canadian Tire.
>
> I bought a Can.Tire a Schwinn Santa Monica comfort style bike ( Sierra in
> the US) that I use 4/5 times a weeks for a 5 to 6 miles ride , about 25 to
> 30mn rides. This bike is fits me perfectly and honestly I cannot imagine
> something better for my type of utilisation and for the money spent. I am
> not convince that the bike costing $5000.00 US is 17 times better !!


Yeah! I'd estimate that the USD5000 bike is at least 25 times better.

 

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

> I am 45 , had heart problem weight 230 lbs and I had 350 canadian dollars
to
> spend on a bike . Nothing available in LBS in this price range different
> that what I could find in my local Canadian Tire.

The differences between a moderately-priced bike at a general store vs a
bicycle shop isn't going to be in components, but rather in the expertise
that (should) come with a purchase from a business that makes its living
selling only bicycles. You may have been able to do enough research to
figure out the appropriate bike and make sure it fit correctly; many (if not
most) entry-level buyers need a bit more help than Canadian Tire might have
been able to give.

> I bought a Can.Tire a Schwinn Santa Monica comfort style bike ( Sierra in
> the US) that I use 4/5 times a weeks for a 5 to 6 miles ride , about 25 to
> 30mn rides. This bike is fits me perfectly and honestly I cannot imagine
> something better for my type of utilisation and for the money spent. I am
> not convince that the bike costing $5000.00 US is 17 times better !!

Uh, no, the $5,000 bike might be a million times better than what you
bought! Or, it might not be as good. The key is whether the bike is
something that somebody uses. Does the bike have that special something
that begs you to ride it, every chance you get? Is it something you can't
stand seeing in the garage without feeling guilty that you're not out riding
it? If so, you've got the right bike.

The wrong bike is the one that sits un-used, because maybe it's not
comfortable, or something isn't quite right mechanically (maybe the chain
falls off when you shift, or perhaps the brakes rub, whatever), or it's a
heavy mountain bike and all the riding in your area is on roads and you have
difficulty keeping up. It doesn't matter if that bike cost $50 or $5000.
It's a bad deal.

A really good bike shop puts all their effort into putting people onto bikes
that will be ridden. Because that's what it's all about. We get somebody
addicted, and we've got a customer for life. And they're going to convince
their friends that cycling's a cool thing, and maybe somebody knows the city
engineer who might be convinced that there are a few bicycle traffic hazards
that need to be addressed etc etc. None of that happens if we sell a bike
and it just sits & rots away in the garage.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

 

[rick]

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > I am 45 , had heart problem weight 230 lbs and I had 350 canadian
dollars
> to
> > spend on a bike . Nothing available in LBS in this price range different
> > that what I could find in my local Canadian Tire.
>
> The differences between a moderately-priced bike at a general store vs a
> bicycle shop isn't going to be in components, but rather in the expertise
> that (should) come with a purchase from a business that makes its living
> selling only bicycles. You may have been able to do enough research to
> figure out the appropriate bike and make sure it fit correctly; many (if
not
> most) entry-level buyers need a bit more help than Canadian Tire might
have
> been able to give.
>
> > I bought a Can.Tire a Schwinn Santa Monica comfort style bike ( Sierra
in
> > the US) that I use 4/5 times a weeks for a 5 to 6 miles ride , about 25
to
> > 30mn rides. This bike is fits me perfectly and honestly I cannot imagine
> > something better for my type of utilisation and for the money spent. I
am
> > not convince that the bike costing $5000.00 US is 17 times better !!
>
> Uh, no, the $5,000 bike might be a million times better than what you
> bought! Or, it might not be as good. The key is whether the bike is
> something that somebody uses. Does the bike have that special something
> that begs you to ride it, every chance you get? Is it something you can't
> stand seeing in the garage without feeling guilty that you're not out
riding
> it? If so, you've got the right bike.
>
> The wrong bike is the one that sits un-used, because maybe it's not
> comfortable, or something isn't quite right mechanically (maybe the chain
> falls off when you shift, or perhaps the brakes rub, whatever), or it's a
> heavy mountain bike and all the riding in your area is on roads and you
have
> difficulty keeping up. It doesn't matter if that bike cost $50 or $5000.
> It's a bad deal.
>
> A really good bike shop puts all their effort into putting people onto
bikes
> that will be ridden. Because that's what it's all about. We get somebody
> addicted, and we've got a customer for life. And they're going to
convince
> their friends that cycling's a cool thing, and maybe somebody knows the
city
> engineer who might be convinced that there are a few bicycle traffic
hazards
> that need to be addressed etc etc. None of that happens if we sell a bike
> and it just sits & rots away in the garage.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

So Mike, I bought the right bike ;-) since I use it almost every day.

I agree that a retail store is maybe not the best place if you are not
mechanicaly encline. Since I am a mechanic, adjusting my bike was a piece of
cake and yes the brakes weren't aligned properly, the rear derailleur was
derailing too much !! But no big deal . Once again , this is the right bike
for my style of riding.


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