thanks for the link Erik. As I suspected, you can get a high end racing bike for less than $200 in mexico.
On 5/28/08, Erik Ryberg <ryberg@seanet.com> wrote:
I am convinced--though admittedly not for any studied reason-- that many people buy department store bikes because they need cheap transportation, not because they want a cool-looking mountain bike with full suspension and they think they get that at Wal-Mart. Which leads me to believe that there is a market for simple bikes of decent quality that are inexpensive.
When in Mexico City recently I saw a line of bikes that had aluminum wheels, aluminum hubs, aluminum "mustache" handlebars, cheap steel road frames, single-speed freewheels, aluminum platform pedals, aluminum three-piece cranks, and V-brakes. They sold for $75.00 US complete, retail. The bikes looked to me to be completely rebuildable, fairly durable, and pretty efficient to ride.
They seem to be offered as a competitor to the ubiquitous, not-so-good one-speed hundred-dollar Benottos, here: http://www.benotto.com.mx/s_seccion29000/html/elemento.exr?Clave_Elemento=TRHAG12801&N=0
I believe bike co-ops might be the place to start introducing such a bike to the American consumer, at least in places like Tucson where it is flat and multi-speeds are unnecessary.
But how to do it?
Erik Ryberg
info@re-cycles.ca wrote:
Recently I have seen many examples of new department store bikes with
cones TOO tight and some with NO grease in the bearings or anywhere
else.
--
Erik B. Ryberg
Attorney at Law
445 West Simpson Street
Tucson, AZ 85701
phone: (520) 622-3333
fax: (520) 792-6677