Well,I can't say for absolute sure, but it seems Kent has taken over qc. my stolen Kent roadtech has good welds, a nice thick, strong frame, and 32mm deep double wall alloy rims with 16ga spokes that had a chronic loosening problem. I will use another Kent for my new 212 build, very likely one of their cruisers. Most of their bikes have caliper or disc brakes, have 21 speeds at most, and use steel frame construction. I will always check welds, and wheels. I will also use their mountain bikes for my off-roaders.
Really, the best candidates have good welds, steel frames, have a low cost, dual wall rims with thick spokes that will actually stay tight, has at least 7 gears, and has disc brakes. For 250, I found twenty bikes online that have disc brakes, 21 speeds, single wall rims, steel construction, front suspension, and diamond frames. What you will not find however, are full suspension steel bikes with disc brakes, 21 speeds, dual wall rims, 12 ga spokes, and a triangle large enough for an engine period.
I have no professional welding experience except for one weld I made at a technical school. I am a self taught bicycle mechanic and I have done my own repairs and replacements for the entire time I've been biking. I started at 6, I'm 21 now. I have done simple adjustments all the way to completely rebuilding a bottom bracket, a headset, and both hubs on a bike with a myriad of loose parts. All moving parts were shredded so badly its a wonder that bike made it to me on its own wheels at all (he rode it to me). I have lost most of my tools at this point, but I don't have any bikes that need the tools I lost at the moment.
I agree with whomever said motor bicyclists should be bicyclists first, but I think they should be bicycle mechanics first,so they know which parts are most likely to fail first,and which should be tightened and replaced/regreased, and at which intervals. Bicycles are like cars in that they need careful maintenance. The main difference is the ease and cost of maintenance.
