why can't you buy bicycle wheels/rims at most "Regular" stores?

best bicycle helmets 2011 image

promethium

"Regular" stores refer to places like: Costco,Walmart,Target,Kmart,Sports Authority/Gart Sports,and Big5. most of these retailers SELL bicycles,tires,seats,inner-tubes,racks,helmets,lights,water bottles, bicycle locks, but for some reason, not even one of these places sells the actual rim. why not? why do you have to go to some designated bicycle shop (where of course the rims cost $100+ each). I understand that they have to be strong enough to support the rider's weight. and I get the fact that you definitely want a quality set of rims. but bike shops can sometimes be out of the way, in terms of distance from one's residence. why can't rims/wheels be sold in the above retailers?

Answer
The so-called bicycles they sell in discount stores use the CHEAPEST components possibly found. Many times these parts aren't even listed on the suppliers website. Shimano (for example) makes lots of these no-name derailleurs for Wally World bikes.

On top of that...if you buy in HUGE quantities, you get HUGE discounts. Now - who has more pure buying power - a multi-billion dollar company like Wally World - or the local bike shop? That's another reason.

Reason 3...Discount stores don't want to be bothered with selling individual specific parts. Yeah...they sell tubes & crappy tires & lots of other crappy after-market parts. But they're not going to get down to the nitty-gritty of selling individual wheels, shifters, derailleurs, brake calipers, etc. Too much hassle for their feeble-minded, minimum wage "associates" to handle.

Lastly...the parts you get at a REAL bicycle shop are often twice as good, if not ten times better than the original part! I remember the first time I walked into A&M Bicycle shop in St. Louis. It's a small one-man shop. A customer was picking up a repaired bike & asked Karl, "Good as new?" Karl sarcastically replied, "Nope...(long pause)...better. I don't use those crappy parts Wal-Mart installs on bikes from the factory."

Buy a good bicycle from the start & you won't need any replacement parts.
http://www.raleighusa.com/archive/2011-steel-road/sojourn-11/
2011 Raleigh Sojourn - now well over 2,000 miles on the bike. It hasn't spent a single day out of service. NO flat tires - ever. Not one single breakdown. Total maintenance cost so far? Two new tires when the originals wore out - replaced with the same kind, and an eight dollar bottle of chain oil. Cost of the bike? $1,200 + tax. Worth EVERY single penny!!!

Where's the cheapest place to rent a bicycle for the day in NYC (Manhattan)?

Young Chea

Answer
Depends on where you live and how many hours you want to bike. Here is a list of bike rental place and prices:


A Bicycle Shop
212-691-6149
abikshp@aol.com
349 West 14th St
between 8th and 9th Ave
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30 AM - 7 PM;
Sat 9:30 AM â 6 PM;
Sun 12 PM - 5 PM
Price: $30/day (8 hrs), $5/hr; Does not rent helmets


ANewGen Bicycles
212-757-2418 angr1112@hotmail.com
832 9th Ave
between 54th and 55th St
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM â 8 PM;
Sat & Sun 10 AM â 6 PM
Price: $40/day (24 hrs); $6/hour; Helmet: Free


Bicycle Habitat
212-431-3315
cmcbike@bicyclehabitat.com
244 Lafayette
between Prince and Spring St
Hours: Mon-Thur 10 AM - 7 PM;
Fri 10 AM â 6:30 PM,
Sun 10 AM - 6 PM
Price: $30/day, Special Rates for 2+ days; Helmet: $10


Bike Heaven
212-230-1919
mybikeheaven@yahoo.com
348 E 62nd St (betw. 1 & 2 Ave)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM - 7 PM;
Sat & Sun 10 AM - 5 PM
Price: $30/day (24 hrs); $5/hour; Helmet: $5


Chelsea Bicycles
212-727-7278
info@chelseabicycles.com
156 West 26th St
between 6th and 7th Ave
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 AM â 7 PM,
Sun 11 AM - 6 PM
Price: $35/day, $6/hr; Helmet $5


City Bicycles & Hobbies Inc.
212-563-3373
bikehobbies@aol.com
315 W 38th St
between 8th and 9th Ave
Hours: Mon - Fri 9 AM â 6:30 PM,
Sat & Sun 10 AM - 5 PM,
Price: $25/day, $5/hr; No Helmets


Eddie's Bicycles Shop
212-580-2011
490 Amsterdam Ave
between 83rd and 84th St
Hours: Sun - Fri 9 AM - 7 PM,
Sat - closed
Price: $35/day, $7/hr, Helmet $5

Enochâs Bike Shop
212-582-0620
756 10th Ave.
(betw. 51 & 52 St)
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM â 7 PM;
Sat 10 AM â 6 PM;
Sun 12 - 6 PM
Price: $25/day (24 hrs), New Bikes $60/day, Helmet: $4


Gotham Bike Shop
212-732-2453
gotbik@aol.com
116 W Broadway
between Duane and Reade St
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 AM - 6:30 PM;
Sun 10:30 AM â 5:00 PM
Price: $30/day, Helmet: $5

Hub Station/Pony Pedicab
212-965-9334
517 Broome St @ Thompson St
Hours: Tue-Sun 11 AM - 7 PM
Type of Bicycles for Rent & Price:
Mountain & Cruisers $25/day, $5/hr;
Tandems $40/day, $10/hr. Helmet: Free; Lock: $3/day

Larry & Jeffs 2nd Ave.-Bicycles Plus
212-722-2201
1690 2nd Ave
between 87th and 88th St
Hours: Mon-Sun 10 AM - 8 PM
Price: $30/day (9 hrs); $8/hour; Helmet: Free


Manhattan Bicycles
212-262-0111
manhattancycles@aol.com
791 9th Ave
between 52nd and 53rd St
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM - 7 PM,
Sat 11 AM - 6 PM,
Sun 11 AM - 5 PM
Price: $25/day; $4/hour; Helmet: Free


METRO Bicycles ride@metrobicycles.com
- Canal St. Bicycles 212-334-8000
417 Canal St at Varick St
- Midtown Bicycles 212-581-4500
360 West 47th St between 8th and 9th Ave
- Eastside Bicycles 212-427-4450
1311 Lexington Ave, corner of 88 St
- 14th St. Bicycles 212-228-4344
332 East 14th St between 1st and 2nd Ave
- Westside Bicycles 212-663-7531
231 West 96 St between Broadway and Amsterdam
- 6th Ave. Bicycles 212-255-5100
546 6th Ave between 14th and 15th St
Hours: Call the bike shop for hours
Price: $35/day ; $7/hour. Helmets: $2.50


Pedal Pusher Bike Shop
212-288-5592
rbbicycle@aol.com
1306 2nd Ave. (betw. 68 & 69 St)
Hours: Fri - Mon, 10 AM - 6 PM;
Wed 10 â 7 PM,
Thur 10 â 8 PM
Price: $19.97/day; $5.75/hr
Helmet: & Bicycle Lock: $2.76 each


Toga Bike Shop
212-799-9625
gotbik@aol.com
110 West End Ave
between 64th and 65th St
Hours: Mon-Wed & Fri 11 AM - 7 PM;
Thur 11 AM - 8 PM;
Sat 10 AM - 6 PM; Sun 11 AM - 6 PM
Type of Bicycles for Rent & Price:
Hybrid & Mountain $30/day,
Road $50/day,
Demo (Merlin & Lightspeed - subject to availability);$75/day.
Helmet: $5

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