It's not hard to think about what might make these bikes better?a qualified, certified assembly; a better range of sizes; less cosmetic features and more functional ones.
There are problems in the way of implementing these changes, and they're mainly due to market forces. Mountain bikes look cool, and that's what the mass merchant believes the consumer wants. The uneducated consumer wants everything for nothing, and at the mass merchant level, they won't get much. Mike McGettigan, the outspoken owner of Trophy Bikes in Philadelphia, PA says, "when we attempt to show a person a bike at a reasonable price, say between $300 and $500, we're met with ?I can get the same thing for $139.' To which I say no you can't, it's a B.S.O., or Bike Shaped Object. A $139 bike that you don't ride is a $139 loss." So where should you turn if you don't have a lot of money to spend? As is the case with cars, buying used may be your best bet.
Buying a bicycle shouldn't be hard or painful. But the process of buying and maintaining is worlds away from buying lawn furniture, which is exactly how the mass merchant treats the process. A bicycle is not a toy?it is a valid form of transportation and recreation with moving parts that require attention to detail. That detail is something that an independent bicycle dealer is equipped to provide you with, or to help you find the resources you need to do it yourself.
to them.
