I think that you do get what you pay for. DS had an $80 12 inch bike which served it's purpose but it is way heavier than the brand name ones and after two years we had replaced the peddles and a few screws here and there. He got a Mongoose 16 inch for his 5th birthday and I expect it will last him at least a couple of years because he isn't that big. DD got a mongoose 12 inch and it is much lighter than DS's first one.