I'll be the one guy: Don't feel badly about your ability to enjoy an inexpensive bike. I've ridden both high-end and low-end bikes. The high-end bike is defi

I'll be the one guy: Don't feel badly about your ability to enjoy an inexpensive bike. I've ridden both high-end and low-end bikes. The high-end bike is definitely a better experience over long distances. On the other hand, I actually prefer my cheap beater (a Retrospec, a little above department store quality but not that much) when exercising on shared use paths, because it keeps me a bit slower around joggers and such. While there is definitely a difference, it really doesn't matter if you get where you're going and enjoy the trip.