Originally Posted by
bigvegan
Can you explain why you feel this way / what makes the LBS bikes preferable? I own a bikesdirect fixie that's now on loan, and I'm not sure I'd ever buy a road bike from them because I'd rather spend another $100-$200 to have somebody make sure I was fit properly, but I want to hear why BD bikes end up in the rafters.
Sorry for taking so long in answering your question, the two BD bikes fit me very well, but the first bike I purchased has too much flex in the bottom bracket area, along with it's wheels, and the second bike's front suspension is far too soft, even with the adjustment fully tightened. My LBS bikes have little or no flex in their bottom bracket area, and my one LBS that has a front suspension, is far more rigid than the BD bike. Since I can test an LBS bike either in the store or on the road for flex, or suspension quirks, I've now stopped making any further online bike purchases for this very reason.