Read this if your child is getting a bike

[Oilit]

And if an American company built a bike with a plastic stem the product liability lawyers would swarm them like flies. How do the Chinese get away with it?

 

[SirMike1983]

Remember that in the big box world, your bike may be assembled by someone with very limited experience and limited desire to do a first-rate job.

 

[Ernbar]

Not sending that thing off any sweet jumps. Of all things to be plastic....the thing keeping you from rough dentist appointment

Yep. Have a spare metal one to swap.

 

[cyclingday]

Have no fear, there are still plenty of bikes from China just sitting off the coast waiting to be unloaded.

In contrast, this 80 year old American made gem is still rolling strong.

 

[kostnerave]

I worked for three different bicycle shops over the course of twenty years. I stocked shelves, unloaded trucks, assembled bikes, serviced bikes, sold bikes, set up exercise equipment, delivered bikes and packed bikes for shipment. All three of the shops I worked at stressed careful assembly of bikes from the carton and bikes were individually adjusted for test rides and once again before the final sale. We would ask the customer for feedback and how everything felt to them. It didn't matter if it was a 12" sidewalk bike or a high end road bike, they were all equally important to us. Most of you here are bike savvy so if you buy a bike from a big box store, tear it down and rebuild it. You'll thank yourself.

 

[tacochris]

I worked for three different bicycle shops over the course of twenty years. I stocked shelves, unloaded trucks, assembled bikes, serviced bikes, sold bikes, set up exercise equipment, delivered bikes and packed bikes for shipment. All three of the shops I worked at stressed careful assembly of bikes from the carton and bikes were individually adjusted for test rides and once again before the final sale. We would ask the customer for feedback and how everything felt to them. It didn't matter if it was a 12" sidewalk bike or a high end road bike, they were all equally important to us. Most of you here are bike savvy so if you buy a bike from a big box store, tear it down and rebuild it. You'll thank yourself.

More of a joke really but some truth to it: Most of us are bike savy enough to not buy a bike from a big-box store in the first place. haha (no offence to those who do)
I traded my way into an SE Lil Ripper for my sons first "big boy" bike and he leaves me in the dust on my 70 year old rust buckets!! Plus its nice when your kids bike actually GAINS value!

 

[3-speeder]

The neighborhood kids stop by my place to get their bikes worked on. EVERY one of their bikes had brakes that weren't working. Mostly cheap plastic brake levers busted when the kids let them fall as they park 'em. Certain parts shouldn't be cheap plastic. I can't believe plastic stems. What the.....??? I loved laying rubber with my good old Bendix hub when I was a kid. The only plastic on a bike back then was the number plate on the handlebars of a BMX bike.

 

[ricobike]

Don't forget to add grease. They are usually short on grease.

 

[J-wagon]

Past weekend my job was to inspect assembly and safety of donated bikes. Many big box or Amazon. Church sponsored gift mart for local families. Tool with most action was air pump as low 5psi in all bikes

 

[Rusty McNickel]

Interesting topic, one I've pondered in the past. I worked at two bicycle shops for a few years and have been personally asked to revive plenty of new bought big box bicycles. In my experience, and I still don't know why, all but the very high end units had all bearings over-adjusted (think ratchet) which bugs me to no end. I was known for taking too long to assemble because of bearing adjustments which should not be a part of the retailer process but the fact was I couldn't bring myself to putting a bicycle on the floor in that condition.

As far as the big box bicycles are concerned, you get what you pay for. Not only are the bearings over adjusted, but all other adjustments are off and you can spend hours on junk and still not get it right.