Originally Posted by
MTP55
We would just like to avoid some of the issues with department store bikes if possible.
Yes this. Department store bikes are mostly made in China with heavy steel frames and the CHEAPEST components available.
Years ago I was in my LBS (local bike shop) and a guy comes in with a beat up Dept. store bike and wants it repaired. The bike shop guy takes one look at the bike and tells the guy that they don't work on those bikes because they are cheaply made and are of such poor quality that any repair won't last. He then told him his best bet was to throw that bike in the dumpster behind the shop, then come back inside and start looking at "real bikes" on the shop floor. The guy who brought in the Dept. store bike got mad and said "What a scam" and walked out.
The moral of the story is: You get what you pay for.