Four years ago I was at a bike race to watch my son. There were about 400 entered and it was a sanctioned race. Several pro riders were there, not to race as much as demo new bikes and stuff. It was a regional race, not a national race. Anyway, one of the pro riders decided he would race a Wal Mart bike. I don't remember the brand but it was full suspension with a big spring for the rear suspension. It weighed about 50 lbs. The race was three laps (27 miles) across tough terrain. I rode it the night before with my son and it was nine miles of rocks, roots and climbs. Anyway, the pro finished 3rd overall. You could argue that the competition was weak. I contend that a crap bike in the right hands can (and did) do well. A cheap watch will tell the correct time. A good watch will tell the correct time and look good doing it.