Trek and Specialized bicycles... Whats the big deal?

Question

I have aquired two bicycles from my girlfriends dad and we love riding them. Everyone keeps telling us that they are really nice (and expensive) bikes.

So my question is... what makes Trek bikes and Specialized bikes so "nice". What makes them better than the Shwinn bikes you can get, with more features, from walmart, for less than $200?

Would I be stupid to sell them and get cheaper shwinn bikes with more features?

Answer 1

You get what you pay for. Trek and Specialized will both have good frames. The Walmart jobbie will probably have a steel frame that has been moulded in two parts and welded down the middle. Very heavy and suitable for very fast downhill (Throwing off a clif). Trek and Spec will have lighter, stronger and generally better frames. (Getting the geometry right can make riding a pleasure/pain.)

An MBR test took a budget bouncer around Coed e Brenen (Damn, hate having to spell Welsh names). Other than the poor quality frame, they also found that the components were so nasty that they kept bouncing out of true, needing constant re-adjustment or even coming loose. It was found that, as well as being unpleasant, for the most part the ride was bordering on dangerouse.

The Trek and Spec components are good quality, branded names. They will perform smoothly and constantly only needing the usual maintenance, rather than constant tinkering.

So to answer your question, you might get cheeper bikes, but your riding experience would drop considerably. Bikes, like computers are items that you should buy the best that you can afford in order to get the best performance/enjoyment.

Luck

Answer 2

He Ron, There are FAR too many variables to answer your question objectively. I am in agreement that the first order of business would be to find a good bike shop to work with. The benefits far outweigh any savings you might realize by shopping online. But PLEASE... Don't ask a shop to try and compete with an online retailer. There is usually a very small profit margin on the bike. You'd do better asking about which accessories could be discounted. A good shop can help you find and set up a bike that best suits your needs and they usually offer some kind of service after the sale. Most times it's free adjustments and/or service for a specified time. You won't get that from an online retailer.

Answer 3

I work in a shop, and get crappy bikes that that all day long. Guess what, they suck. The parts are heavy, they break too easily (can you say cheap plastic?), and they're hard to work on! Your paying for a bike worth no more than 30$, where as if you shell out 1000$ for a Trek or Specialized, your paying for a bike worth more of 700-800 dollars, the rest goes to running the company. Come on dude, use your head. If someone throws a brand new Porsche at you worth 100 grand, are you going to sell it to buy your neighbors 10 year old civic, because its still a car that drives? And what more features are you looking for? The crappy disc brakes that dont stop worth a damn, or all those fancy shimano stickers thrown all over the bike? Take it to a real shop, and ask the same question...

Answer 4

i can testify to the quality of Specialized bikes, i own an Epic- they rock. treks make some sweet bikes too. the difference between these bikes and a walmart bike is the quality of everything used in the building of the bike.

-lightweight, strong frames, made from a combination of metals and engineered by really smart people to make the best for you. walmart bikes are made from a bunch of thick aluminum tubing welded together, they're fairly strong, but weight as much as a small motorcycle.

-better components means better performance and longer life span of the bike. these parts are genuine shimano or SRAM components that are designed to make you ride as smooth and hassle free as possible. walmart bikes use a bunch of plastic to change the gears, they clunk, and click for the rest of their life.

-soft suspension. good bikes come with adjustable suspension. whens the last time you saw an adjustable fork on a walmart bike? good forks come with things like adjustable preload, positve and nagative air chambers, rebound, compression, lockout, etc. s oyou can set the ride to how you want it. they are made with high quality coils with oil damping, or even air catridges (the best!), not like that coil and elastomer crap at walmart.

you can actually et replacement parts for these bikes, down to the bolt. walmart bike break , and you have to buy entire new parts instead of just the one piece you need.

do not sell these, yes it would be stupid. people look at you and say "wow, Trek. wow, Specialized." they see a schwinn and its no biggie.
have fun!

Answer 5

Go to the Walmart and heft one of those bikes. Note the surprisingly high weight for a relatively small bike.

Also note they only come in one size - small. If you're more than about 5'5", it won't fit you the way a bike should.

Then, if they'll let you, take it for a test ride. Or at least, spin the wheels, squeeze the brakes, run the gears thru the shifting range. Notice how poorly adjusted everything is, how the fit and finish is low-grade.

Then if you're still not convinced, shell out $200 and try to ride it regularly for the summer. See how well it holds up, how it performs.

So to answer your question, in one word, it's quality.

Scott

Answer 6

Which more features?

It's quality that makes the difference, not quantity. Specialized and Trek spend more in desight than Schwinn or other Wallmart Specials.

In part, the frame geometry is important. Also, which fork and wheelset they use, and in part brakes.

Cheap disc equiped full suspension bikes are really junk if you ride them in the mountain. The suspension really doesn't work (it doesn't absorb shocks while keeping you in control, it's just like a pogo stick), and cheap disc brakes are just heavier than V brakes, and maybe even not as good.

Answer 7

In cars it would be like shwinn being Kia's or Daewoo's and Treks being like Acura's.
Theres nothing wrong with the Kia, just the Acura performs better and has better parts and breaks less
I hope that made sense

Answer 8

amazed that I found this topic already answered! Its like you've read my thoughts!