Big chain vs bike shop
I'm sure there are countless threads on this.
I've seen some YouTube videos lately and there seems to be a trend on this topic. Walmart and Canadian tire bikes are good... For the money. The problem is assembly. The assemblers are paid by the bike and it shows.
I would like to spend 600-800 on a good road bike. Not a racer. Something whose primary purpose is pavement but that can hit the trails a few times a year. I feel like a $650 Canadian tire bike with a $100 set up is better than an $800 bare bones Trek bike.
Am I wrong? Looking forward to hearing from everyone.