Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Which Bikes Direct would you take

I used to have this tremendous desire to go into Walmart and buy a bike, just to see how poorly it rides and how many miles I could ge before it was completely unrideable. I've never done it, but now that I've read so much about Bikes Direct in the past 5 or 6 months that I've been on this forum, I'm tempted to order one just to satisfy my own curiosity. Not that Bikes Direct bikes are total junk, like Walmart bikes. Although controversial, they clearly are somewere higher up the totem pole of quality...exactly where, I'm not certain.

Care to rank the fixed models? If you hate them all and wouldn't buy one as a matter of principle, just imagine you were getting one for free..which one would you take?

Personally, I like them in this order Dawes (worst), Motobecane, Winsor, Mercier (best, especially the green).

Edit: Darn...I mispelled Win(d)sor in the poll up above...I figure you know what I'm talking about.

none.

Haha, next time I will read before I post.
I like the Black Mercier the best, it's the most subtle.

They're basically all the same.. Esteemed old bike brands bastardized by opportunistic a-holes and stamped on cookie-cutter generic frames. The odd thing is, anybody that'd be into these bikes at first glance due to knowing of the older stuff will see through the ruse instantly. Anybody that wouldn't wouldn't care about those brands anyway, since they won't have heard of them.

They might as well have called them Crap 1, 2, 3 and 4..

haha wasn't there just a post about BD shills posting on here? Let me get it.

Edit, found it:


Since alanbikehouston seems to be out riding these days:

There are millions of Americans who bought the REAL Motobecane's....the bikes made in France. THAT Motobecane was an actual bike company that employed engineers, designers, and skilled builders. That once great name is now owned in the USA by the semi-shady hustlers at BikesDirect.

Here at the Forums there are only about twenty regular members who own the "new" Motobecane's...the bikes imported from Asia by BikesDirect. By "members" I mean those folks who post in threads unrelated to Motobecane and BikesDirect. The people who post ONLY about Motobecane and ONLY about BikesDirect products are obvious not true members, they are simply shills for BikesDirect.

However, those twenty "real" members keep two or three Motobecane threads going on the front page of "Road Cycling" at all times...a lot of work, but they get help. Each month, a BikesDirect employee joins the Forum to post "I just found a bike with a list price of $3,000, on sale at BikesDirect for just $899 including free shipping. It is the bestest bike I ever saw...maybe the bestest bike in the whole world". And, the shill will provide a convenient link to BikesDirect, or to one of BikesDirect E-Bay auctions.

"Bike Forums", two years ago, was a place "newbies" could come for factual, reliable information about bikes. Thanks to the hard work of BikesDirect, and about twenty helpful friends, it is rapidly becoming the "BikesDirect Bike Forums"....factual, and reliable information? No. But we CAN tell you where to go if you want a bike shipped "free", directly to your front door.

Members of Bike Forums ride bikes made by over a hundred different bike companies, purchased from thousands of different retailers. The 20 or so actual owners of "new" Motobecanes represent less than 1% of the total members of Bike Forums. Yet, that tiny group continues to generate almost 100% of the threads at Bike Forums that "steer" members to just one particular bike retailer. Again, Mr. Bikes Direct...why not just start your own Bike Forum (as Schwinn, and others have done), and leave THIS Bike Forum alone?
from http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=2491121&postcount=14

Not the same thing, at least I don' think.

They're basically all the same.. Esteemed old bike brands bastardized by opportunistic a-holes and stamped on cookie-cutter generic frames. The odd thing is, anybody that'd be into these bikes at first glance due to knowing of the older stuff will see through the ruse instantly.


Well Duh...I think we all recongize that by this point.


Oh yeah..you caught me...I'm a big fat BD shill.

You mean that's not the same Windsor that Eddie Merx road?
Damn....

Isn't the Windsor pretty similar to the Fuji Track?

Actually the Fuji shows up on the Bikes Direct web page...this I don't get. Does the real Fuji brand still exist, or is it a faux Fuji, like the others?

You mean that's not the same Windsor that Eddie Merx road?
Damn....

The "Windsor" that Merckx rode was really a rebadged Colnago, which makes the fact that this Windsor is really a rebadged Fuji all that more amusing.

Fuji still exists. You'll find a common theme at Bikesdirect.
many of their road bikes are rebranded Fujis, sometimes off by a model year.

e.g. The Motobecane Le Champion SL is a rebranded Fuji Team SL

So wait, the Kilo is the same as the Fuji which is also a Soma Rush, right? Or am I way off?

Soma Rush is Reynolds 531, correct?

Soma Rush is Reynolds 531, correct?
631

AFIK 531 is not made anymore, and new 531 frames are made from NOS tubesets. 631 is an "air hardening" alloy more suitable to tig welding than 531 was.

So wait, the Kilo is the same as the Fuji which is also a Soma Rush, right? Or am I way off?

way off
Kilo = KHS Flite 100
Fuji = Windsor
Soma = Soma

631

AFIK 531 is not made anymore, and new 531 frames are made from NOS tubesets. 631 is an "air hardening" alloy more suitable to tig welding than 531 was.

Ah, right.
That's what I meant.

They're basically all the same.. Esteemed old bike brands bastardized by opportunistic a-holes and stamped on cookie-cutter generic frames. The odd thing is, anybody that'd be into these bikes at first glance due to knowing of the older stuff will see through the ruse instantly. Anybody that wouldn't wouldn't care about those brands anyway, since they won't have heard of them.

They might as well have called them Crap 1, 2, 3 and 4..

Folks who aren't familiar with old bike stuff and racing history have likely never heard of Dawes, Windsor, or Mercier, but they sound vaguely european, so that might mean something. Motobecane on the other hand were so ubiquitous in the 70s and early 80s, that that brand WOULD mean something. I think non bike folks tend to think Motobecane means good quality french bicycles, much like they think Trek means good quality american bicycles. The bikes sold on the strength of the Trek name at the bikes direct pricepoint are just as poor quality, and likely the frames are even made in the same factory, so the ruse does work

*I don't work for BD, but if they'd like to pay me they can go ahead. PM for account details.

What's wrong with those bikes? **** components? None of this stuff will break under normal use and maintenance within the next 5 years, and would work fine for the majority of bike riders. The geometry is fine, materials are good. Who cares if the names are bastardized, history is the bastardization of one object/idea by another until the current state.

In conclusion, let's ride bikes.

What's wrong with those bikes? **** components? None of this stuff will break under normal use and maintenance within the next 5 years, and would work fine for the majority of bike riders. The geometry is fine, materials are good.


You mind telling that to my friend who stripped his Windsor hub on the first ride?

way off
Kilo = KHS Flite 100
Fuji = Windsor
Soma = Soma

Ah, thanks. Forget it then, I find the KSH Flite to be super-heavy, I'll keep looking for something better than my Colnago Sport conversion.

Ah, thanks. Forget it then, I find the KSH Flite to be super-heavy, I'll keep looking for something better than my Colnago Sport conversion.

the weight is in the cheap-ass components. The frame itself is decently light.
the seatpost alone, I swear, weighs a pound.

Soma Rush is Reynolds 531, correct?

Was 631. Now Tange Prestige.

You mind telling that to my friend who stripped his Windsor hub on the first ride?

probably has more to do with poor assembly

I knew someone was gonna say that.
This was not his first bike, he had built many before buying the Windsor for a "kick around" bike and upon receiving it he made sure to double check cog/lockring tightness, etc...
Not user error on this one.

Actually, I wasn't trying to place the blame on your friend. I've read that BD ships bikes that have been very poorly assembled. I would assume that most of the problems associated with these bikes stem from poor assembly.
The sad truth is that most of these bikes are being shipped to folks who know very little about bikes, or maintenence. For me personally, I could care less how shoddily its been assembled, because I'd want to redo all of it myself anyway. Most of us on this forum could order one understanding that we would be getting a semi-decent frame with some acceptable parts, and some junk components (especially hubs, probably). But most folks don't see a bike by its individual components, like we do. They just want to know if "its a good bike".

Actually, I wasn't trying to place the blame on your friend. I've read that BD ships bikes that have been very poorly assembled. I would assume that most of the problems associated with these bikes stem from poor assembly.
The sad truth is that most of these bikes are being shipped to folks who know very little about bikes, or maintenence. For me personally, I could care less how shoddily its been assembled, because I'd want to redo all of it myself anyway. Most of us on this forum could order one understanding that we would be getting a semi-decent frame with some acceptable parts, and some junk components (especially hubs, probably). But most folks don't see a bike by its individual components, like we do.

I gotcha.
Didn't mean to be defensive, it's just that "user error" is always the main justification for BD bikes failure by many.

My MAIN objection to BikesDirect has to do with their use of hugely inflated, imaginary "list" prices, and their attempts to imply that even their cheapest bikes are directly linked to the best bikes sold thirty years ago under the same names.

But, BD DOES provide one valuable service to the cycling community. There is a gap in both price and quality between the $79 bikes sold at Wal-Mart and the $700 road bike that may be the cheapest bike available at a good LBS. There is a need, especially among young riders, for a decent $300 or $400 road bike. To the extent that BD fills that need, they are performing a good deed. I just wish BD would advertise "this is an okay bike well worth $300", rather than saying "This bike lists for $1,100 and is on a BIG, BIG sale today for just $300".

The Schwinn Varsity was the first road bike for a lot of young riders in 1965. Not fancy, but reliable. Nothing wrong with selling affordable bikes, as long as no customer is misled about what they are getting.

I'm looking to replace my Bontrager RaceLite road bike this year. I've had it since 94 (back when Bontrager meant something) I know if I hold my breath long enough, Trek will sell the name to BD and I'll have my dream! A NEW Bontrager road bike. By my math that baby will only put me back 40 or 50 bucks! WITH RECORD!!! Keith would be so proud.

Because it is usually the reason of bicycle failure...

I have a motobecane mirage that I bought for like $325 when I first started riding again and was poor as hell. I've upgraded it since the stock parts were crap but the frame is still kinda heavy. even so though it was still a nice bike to start on and the frame is still pretty decent.

I have a motobecane mirage that I bought for like $325 when I first started riding again and was poor as hell. I've upgraded it since the stock parts were crap but the frame is still kinda heavy. even so though it was still a nice bike to start on and the frame is still pretty decent.

In my opinion, that Dawes bike is the fugliest of the 4, by far. Monstrous ugly fork ends...

The Kilo has a nice looking fork. I'm curious what the Windsor fork looks like too.

For those of us that simply just don't know, what is wrong with a bike like this one:
"Motobecane" (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/msg06_big.jpg). And do note that I put Motobecane in quotes.

does anyone know where to go to look and see what bike companies are still "real"? does that make sense? Like, I know Fuji is still fuji, trek is trek.. what other companies are still out there putting out good quality ****?

Excellent question Moximitre.

I have been riding a fixed gear folder (some of you may laugh, I am cool with that) for about 5 months now. It was my cheap way of testing out the concept and using my folder which I needed. Now that I am hooked on the fixie, I am looking to get a normal sized one.

I would like to make sure it is not like some of the junk we get warned about on this forum, but at the same time I don't want to break the bank. I know I probably have to give somewhere in either quality or price, but hopefully a good middle ground can be found.

Speaking of walmart i went in there today on a whim and i saw the 53 dollar roadmaster with the horizontal drops and they have a single speed coaster brake bike with curved top tube, unfortunately its aluminum, for like 85 bucks i think.

I have been looking for a replacement frame for my aluminum cruiser that is about beat to crap and i was thinking of taking one of those 53 dollar roadmasters and pulling everything off it, dropping my parts from my cruiser including the 3 speed onto it and driving down the road. But then i thought even better to find one of those 53 dollars roadmasters in a dumpster someplace. How hard could that be?

Hey,
If you go to the bikesdirect page you'll find only the Winsor and Motobecane listed. The other bikes are on ebay. I recently purchased a Motobecane messenger for my son. If you can true wheels and set cones the bike is a good value. I put a 42 tooth rocket ring on it to get the gearing into a range that is street friendly. I'm not certain that paying over $500 for any of the brand bikes really buys you that much. Toodles,Frogge.

i got no problems with my mercier. i've traded out everything but the frame at this point...but i like the frame

none of the above

i'd go with the windsor the hour. i'd like to "beat eddy's time."

does anyone know where to go to look and see what bike companies are still "real"? does that make sense? Like, I know Fuji is still fuji, trek is trek.. what other companies are still out there putting out good quality ****?

Virtually no company, bike or non-bike, that has been around for long is still "real" in the sense that companies, company names, rights to this and that, get bought and sold all the time. So at what point does some brand name cease to be "real"? There are a great number of bike companies that used to manufacture in the USA or Europe, but now do all their building in Asian factories made, obviously by totally different people. These are no less "real" than anything BD is selling?
Redline, for instance, sold out the Seatle Bike Supply years ago, and some (or perhaps all?) of there stuff is manufactured in China...but its still Redline and no ones screaming that monocogs and 925s are not "real" Redlines. Its not that different from what BD is doing with Mercier, Motobecane, etc. If you understand this all that really matters in the end is getting something that is priced right for the level of quality, and, if you have principles, that was manufactured ethically. Who really cares what name is stamped on it? Brand names are basically artifical constructes, and often have little to do with who is actually making the products.

If you get the one with the MESSENGER decals you gain 5mph top end.

e.g. The Motobecane Le Champion SL is a rebranded Fuji Team SL
I knew it!!! When I bought mine the shop owner adamantly refused that fact; he said that the frames were totally different, but they are obviously the same
btw, it's a pretty good bike, but I don't have a whole lot to compare it to
and, no, I am not a shill, I just wanted to get a lot of bike for my $

Speaking of walmart i went in there today on a whim and i saw the 53 dollar roadmaster with the horizontal drops and they have a single speed coaster brake bike with curved top tube, unfortunately its aluminum, for like 85 bucks i think.

I have been looking for a replacement frame for my aluminum cruiser that is about beat to crap and i was thinking of taking one of those 53 dollar roadmasters and pulling everything off it, dropping my parts from my cruiser including the 3 speed onto it and driving down the road. But then i thought even better to find one of those 53 dollars roadmasters in a dumpster someplace. How hard could that be?

Or, you can build it up to a time trial machine ;)

http://www.teamroadmeister.com/

fwiw, the windsor has the same horrible quando hubs as the fuji has, so that might account for the guy whose friend stripped the hub.

the thing i dont get is, what's wrong with buying the BD bikes just for the groups and kits? it's not like the parts are used or anything. aside from that, the frames are made in taiwan by 10 year old slaves or whatever, same as the fujis and almost anything lower-end put out by the majority of mainstream bicycle manufacturer. where else is a person without connections going to get an ultegra 6600 group, shim r550 wheels, and ritchey cockpit for $1200? the frame is just, like, a freebie that comes with it. i'm not saying that sort of componentry is the bee's knees or anything, but that does seem like a good price for ppl who want such things.

i'm certainly not shilling for BD. i think the whole thing smells of deceit, and i recomend that anybody who lives near a decent local bike shop should feel duty-bound to support that shop whenever possible. but, it's not like BD is selling absolute garbage that is bound to break on ya. they're selling the same garbage as the local fuji dealer is (or, was last year) but without the service or the benefits to the local economy. i work at a shop on weekends, and i tend to razz guys who come in with a 'motobecane', but the bikes arent really that bad.

-rob

i would buy a kilo TT or a windsor hour. but, hey, i ride a langster comp...

who cares? just ride the bike. if you can break it, you need better parts. the end.

I'd get a Kilo TT, Clockwork, and SST in that order

Wal-mart mountain bike test courtesy of Dirt Rag:

http://www.dirtragmag.com/print/article.php?ID=657&category=features/

Kinda tired of people bagging on Bikesdirect. They offer decent bikes at a very good price. I say that's not bad. In fact, it's good: it allows people to enter into cycling without going over a tight budget. Make sure the bike is assembled well, if not, correct it. Then go ride and be happy.

I own 2 Kilos and love the one that is built up and have just the frame of my second sitting around waiting to be built. Great bikes for the price.

It would be a tremendous relief to everyone, if at the stroke of mid-night on New Year's eve, Bikesdirect gave up the pretense, and started calling their bikes the BD Hour, BD Messenger, etc.

And it would be an even greater relief if they would stop slathering their bikes in the pretentious decal-age and give up the ruse of "different companies."

A simple new logo for Bikesdirect, attached to one discreet place on the bikes. Period.

BD has earned it's own respect here, like it or not. They should realize this and step up to the plate.

Nice zombie thread, sport. :rolleyes: