Manuel, Jason M.

September 03, 2009

C32 Draft 3: Compare and Contrast

Customized vs. Ready – Made: Which One Is Better?

Bicycles, commonly known as bikes, are vehicles that have two wheels and are man –

powered. They are one of the things that most people wanted especially by boys. They wanted to

have these because they can be used for transportation, exercise, exhibitions, pastime, or as show –

off. When buying bikes, it is very important to remember some guidelines like what to buy, where

to buy, how much money should be allotted, and which one is better. Bicycles can be bought in

two ways, it is either partially buying the parts (customizing a bike) or it may be already assembled

(ready – made bikes). In choosing whether to purchase partially the parts of the bike or an

assembled bike, it is better to opt in buying the parts of the bike because customized bikes are

better than ready – made bikes in terms of its cost, durability and its features.

The first thing one should consider in buying is the cost. For customized bikes, buying the

parts can make one be able to save money because there are lots of cheap parts to choose from like

parts made from China and some from US. If a person wanted a well – known brand, it would be

more a little bit expensive but not as expensive as other branded bikes. Some of these branded

bikes are made from Japan Australia, and some are also made from US. There are also some parts

that are made locally which is also cheap and of good quality that can be bought. On the other

hand, ready – made bikes may also have the same price with the total cost of all the parts bought

separately but some of its parts are not of a good kind and also easily broken. There may be

expensive ready – made bikes, which looks good and durable but their parts could just be as good
as the cheaper ones. There may also be ready – made bikes which costs lower but they may not last

long when used. Aside from that, ready – made bikes have much difference in cost when its parts

were bought separately and it might be because of the cost of installation service that was added in

the original cost of the bike. That’s why buying customized bikes have more advantages over the

ready – made in terms of cost.

The second thing to consider is the durability between customized bikes and ready – made

bike. Customized bikes are more durable than ready – made because the user will be able to see

whether the parts acquired are original or a duplicate. These duplicate parts are obviously not that

well – built and of a good quality compared to the original one. This can be avoided when one

bought them separately. Moreover, parts of a customized are more durable because they are

capable of maintenance. Some parts are subjected for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades which

makes them more sturdy and long – lasting. In contrast, ready – made bikes have parts that are

easily damaged or broken especially the handles, the brakes, and the pedals because these are the

parts that are commonly duplicated. Even if the buyer knows that some parts of it are duplicated,

he won’t be able to change its parts because it is already part of the set. And if the parts are

damaged, the user will be forced to either replace it or buy another set of bike because most ready

– made bikes can not be disassembled or can’t be easily disassembled for repair. Another

important thing for ready – made bikes is that their durability is not that strong compared to

customized bikes because some of their parts are not compatible with each other. It might be that

the wheels are not compatible with the built – in rims. Unlike in customized bikes, the user can

choose parts that are best and test it whether it is compatible with the bike or not. By choosing

compatible parts for the bike, the user will be able to manage its performance and its stability.
 Lastly, it is also important to look on the features of customized bikes and ready – made

bikes. Ready – made bikes, when bought, are just ordinary – looking. Since most of these bikes are

hard to be disassembled, they are not capable of being upgraded. There are only few add – on that

can be seen. If there is any, these bikes are already the expensive ones. These bikes are usually just

used for traveling and transportation purposes. On the other hand, customized bikes are capable of

being upgraded or improved in order for the user to design his/her bike by adding accessories to it.

He/she can also attach gears and protectors to the bike so that it will look good. Adding these gears

and accessories will make your bike look unique and cool compared to other bikes. Most of these

kinds of bikes are used in exhibitions and displays but they are not advisable for some activities

such as mountain biking.

In looking which one is better between customized and ready – made bikes, it is important

to consider its cost, durability, and its features. Customized bikes are capable of being detached,

designed and upgraded with different gears and accessories. The parts can be bought at low or high

price depending on what kind of bike you wanted to have. On the contrary, most ready – made

bikes are already assembled but hard or not able to be disassembled. Even if most of them are low

– costing, their quality is not that good. They are just mostly used for transportation. For those who

wanted to buy a bike, it would be better to opt for purchasing the parts partially instead of buying

immediately a ready – made one because the maintenance of the bike would not be difficult

compared to ready - made ones and also it would take long before one need to repair it. In

customizing your own bike, you will how to assemble it and repair it by yourself. What's more is

that you will be able to know what to add in your bike and what to do to maintain the good

performance of it.