If you do a "search" of the Forums for those names, you will find numerous threads. Those "names" in the USA currently seem to be part of four or five brands (including "Windsor" and "Mercier" that serve as "house brands" for BikesDirect.com, its parent, the "Cycle Spectrum" chain, and the two or three E-Bay stores that they operate.
Many of their bikes are "old" models, being sold as "new" models, or "new" models that are using components that are a year or two old. For example, right now, they are selling a "2005" Dura-Ace Motobecane bike for just $795. The catch? The bike may be new, but the drivetrain is the older nine-speed version of Dura-Ace. A good buy, for someone who doesn't need more than 18 speeds (which would be about all of us).
Some of their "house brand" frames appear to be made in the same factory that makes some Fuji frames, based on the similarity of the specs. In addition, they appear to be one of the largest volume retailers of Fuji road bikes in the USA.
If you have a "Cycle Spectrum" store in your neighborhood, you might want to buy from them instead of "BikesDirect.com". The Spectrum stores provide "free labor for life". That means that when you have a flat, you just pay for the tube. When a part wears out, you get free installation.
One of the things the BDC/CS operation has done for the road bikes market is to bring back a few models in the $275 to $450 price range. The road bikes in that price range typically have downtube shifters or bar-end shifters (which I love) and cheap wheels (easily upgradeable).
Last edited by alanbikehouston; 04-12-05 at 01:42 PM.