Sometimes I am asked what is wrong with department store bikes. I give a whole list of reasons, but I just came across a great illustration of the problem…
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2401233
In case the picture is gone, I’ve included it here… of course this bike is mail-order (assemble it yourself), but I often see assembly work just like this at departments stores that offer “free professional assembly.”
Quickly off the top of my head:
- Fork installed backwards! (Yikes!)
- Handlebars not flipped up correctly.
- Cables all tangled, not of proper length
- Nose of saddle pointing up too much (ouch!)
- Reflectors not properly aligned (won’t provide proper visibility)
- Plastic piece meant to keep the axle from poking through the box not removed
- Sold as a “26 inch frame”, trust me, it’s NOT a 26″ frame… it’s a one-size-fits-few frame
And that’s just what I can see! Were the bearings properly adjusted? Were the wheels properly tensioned? Is the stem binder properly torqued? Is the saddle binding bolt tight? Are the shifters adjusted correctly? I doubt it.
