Comments on: The $99 Bike of Doom http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/ Bicycles in the urban environment. A magazine about urban cycling. Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:00:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: SteveG http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1863 SteveG Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:49:09 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1863 The laborer who manufactures the cheap department store bike is the same one who is manufacturing the price competitive Trek, Giant and other LBS bikes that commuters are being encouraged to buy. I agree completely that one of these junkers is not worth buying unless you've got some mechanical inclination, and I try to make that clear on my blog. The point is, many people ARE buying them. My cheap ass bike sells 50,000 units a year. So what do you say to these people? Get the hell out of cycling? I think it's naive to think that people on a budget, or just getting into cycling, are going to be willing to spend hundreds of dollars on their first bike. The numbers suggest they're going to buy a department store bike, whether it's good for them or not. The majority of Google searches that lead to Bike of Doom are for the model number of the bike I'm riding, suggesting that people have bought one, have run into trouble, and are looking for a fix. I'm happy to provide information that will allow them to squeeze a little more use out of the bike. I agree wholeheartedly, however, that any long term enjoyment to be found in cycling will be in the saddle of a good bike purchased form knowledgeable sales people at a Local Bike Shop, regardless of where it's manufactured. The laborer who manufactures the cheap department store bike is the same one who is manufacturing the price competitive Trek, Giant and other LBS bikes that commuters are being encouraged to buy.

I agree completely that one of these junkers is not worth buying unless you’ve got some mechanical inclination, and I try to make that clear on my blog. The point is, many people ARE buying them. My cheap ass bike sells 50,000 units a year. So what do you say to these people? Get the hell out of cycling? I think it’s naive to think that people on a budget, or just getting into cycling, are going to be willing to spend hundreds of dollars on their first bike. The numbers suggest they’re going to buy a department store bike, whether it’s good for them or not.

The majority of Google searches that lead to Bike of Doom are for the model number of the bike I’m riding, suggesting that people have bought one, have run into trouble, and are looking for a fix. I’m happy to provide information that will allow them to squeeze a little more use out of the bike.

I agree wholeheartedly, however, that any long term enjoyment to be found in cycling will be in the saddle of a good bike purchased form knowledgeable sales people at a Local Bike Shop, regardless of where it’s manufactured.

]]> By: iconoclasst http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1735 iconoclasst Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:12:26 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1735 I'm thinking the "doom" part refers to the fate of the overseas, underpayed, and wholly unprotected laborer who probably manufactured that bike. Interesting site. I’m thinking the “doom” part refers to the fate of the overseas, underpayed, and wholly unprotected laborer who probably manufactured that bike.

Interesting site.

]]> By: seabird fantasy http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1672 seabird fantasy Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:37:11 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1672 I ride a nice bike and enjoy it a lot but I think this an interesting experiment. I don't really think there is any debate as to whether or not a more expensive bike is longer lasting or more pleasurable to ride but I think this kind of stuff sheds light on the fact that you can get around on very little machine fairly efficiently for a quite a while. I had a cheap BMX from Schucks Auto when I was a kid- "Race Line" it was called, and I hammered that thing for years before it finally blew out. I rode that bike harder than any bike I ride now... If you have ever visited a place like SE Asia or Central America you might have noticed that people use bikes of 'the bike of doom' caliber for work, hauling their families, animals, tools, carts, passengers, you name it. Those are some of the cheapest bikes going down there and people use the sh*t out of them for years... with repairs of course. I'm not advocating to run out and buy one of these things, just illustrating the fact that they are useful machines albeit cheap. I ride a nice bike and enjoy it a lot but I think this an interesting experiment. I don’t really think there is any debate as to whether or not a more expensive bike is longer lasting or more pleasurable to ride but I think this kind of stuff sheds light on the fact that you can get around on very little machine fairly efficiently for a quite a while. I had a cheap BMX from Schucks Auto when I was a kid- “Race Line” it was called, and I hammered that thing for years before it finally blew out. I rode that bike harder than any bike I ride now… If you have ever visited a place like SE Asia or Central America you might have noticed that people use bikes of ‘the bike of doom’ caliber for work, hauling their families, animals, tools, carts, passengers, you name it. Those are some of the cheapest bikes going down there and people use the sh*t out of them for years… with repairs of course. I’m not advocating to run out and buy one of these things, just illustrating the fact that they are useful machines albeit cheap.

]]> By: unixd0rk http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1663 unixd0rk Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:56:46 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1663 i find that most "department store" bikes are put together VERY poorly. a good mechanic can get one working and keep it working well, but the average person is left with a $100 bike that they would assume they'd have to pay $50 or more to repair after a season of riding once the brakes tear through the sidewall of the tire(s), the hubs unscrew themselves, the headset or stem gets loose, etc. on the bright side, this means more mongoose rockzillas and NeXt BMX bikes for me to rescue from the curb and breathe life into. :] i find that most “department store” bikes are put together VERY poorly. a good mechanic can get one working and keep it working well, but the average person is left with a $100 bike that they would assume they’d have to pay $50 or more to repair after a season of riding once the brakes tear through the sidewall of the tire(s), the hubs unscrew themselves, the headset or stem gets loose, etc.

on the bright side, this means more mongoose rockzillas and NeXt BMX bikes for me to rescue from the curb and breathe life into. :]

]]> By: aubrey J http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1655 aubrey J Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:11:08 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1655 I can't believe this is even a debate whether bikes should be more expensive than 99 dollars. It's completely ridiculous. He's calling it a "bike of doom" for a reason. That's because it's likely that if he didn't have mechanical skills he couldn't keep the piece running more than a week or so. The manufacturing processes it takes to make a quality bicycle(much less the labor and development) are going to cost money to get done correctly-period. The best name for a bike like that is the company Next. As soon as you buy it you might as well get ready to turn around and buy another one-NEXT! Try that for environmental impact. It's an instant landfill item. I can’t believe this is even a debate whether bikes should be more expensive than 99 dollars. It’s completely ridiculous. He’s calling it a “bike of doom” for a reason. That’s because it’s likely that if he didn’t have mechanical skills he couldn’t keep the piece running more than a week or so. The manufacturing processes it takes to make a quality bicycle(much less the labor and development) are going to cost money to get done correctly-period. The best name for a bike like that is the company Next. As soon as you buy it you might as well get ready to turn around and buy another one-NEXT! Try that for environmental impact. It’s an instant landfill item.

]]> By: rick http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1654 rick Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:36:45 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1654 There is a difference between manufactured and final assembly. There is a difference between manufactured and final assembly.

]]> By: Steve http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1651 Steve Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:08:41 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1651 I was curious myself where the $99 Bike of Doom was manufactured. The reply I got came from Raleigh Bikes, who told me it was manufactured in Waterloo, Quebec. With 50,000 units sold annualy it is probably Canada's bestselling bicycle. Full post on the reply I got from Raleigh Canada can be found here: http://www.bikeofdoom.com/2007/09/20/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-the-supercycle-sc1800-mountain-bike-but-were-afraid-to-ask/ The environmental policies/impact resulting from the manufacture of the $99 Canadian Bike are probably no more than those resulting from the manufacture of my Giant mountain bike, which has a shiny "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the bottom bracket and retailed for four times as much. I was curious myself where the $99 Bike of Doom was manufactured. The reply I got came from Raleigh Bikes, who told me it was manufactured in Waterloo, Quebec. With 50,000 units sold annualy it is probably Canada’s bestselling bicycle. Full post on the reply I got from Raleigh Canada can be found here:

http://www.bikeofdoom.com/2007/09/20/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-the-supercycle-sc1800-mountain-bike-but-were-afraid-to-ask/

The environmental policies/impact resulting from the manufacture of the $99 Canadian Bike are probably no more than those resulting from the manufacture of my Giant mountain bike, which has a shiny “Made in Taiwan” sticker on the bottom bracket and retailed for four times as much.

]]> By: Matt S http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1646 Matt S Sun, 10 Feb 2008 04:57:36 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1646 Every 6 months or so, my brother goes to Wal-Mart and buys the cheapest mountain bike they have. He takes it up to trails at the local state park and abuses it. He enjoys destroying it. Eventually, he tacos a wheel, or something major falls off. He spends about $200-$300 a year on bikes, and loves doing it this way. Every 6 months or so, my brother goes to Wal-Mart and buys the cheapest mountain bike they have. He takes it up to trails at the local state park and abuses it. He enjoys destroying it. Eventually, he tacos a wheel, or something major falls off.

He spends about $200-$300 a year on bikes, and loves doing it this way.

]]> By: rick http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1643 rick Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:47:32 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1643 Sorry I did mean Brad. Sorry I did mean Brad.

]]> By: Urban Jeff http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1640 Urban Jeff Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:09:39 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/the-99-bike-of-doom/#comment-1640 Actually, it's Brad who is uploading the photos from the Handmade Show. But thanks for the kind words, none the less. Even on high end bikes, the tires are usually made in an Asian factory where the working conditions are so deplorable that companies can hardly find enough people to work in the offices, let alone the factory floor. Actually, it’s Brad who is uploading the photos from the Handmade Show. But thanks for the kind words, none the less.

Even on high end bikes, the tires are usually made in an Asian factory where the working conditions are so deplorable that companies can hardly find enough people to work in the offices, let alone the factory floor.

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