Originally Posted by
stapfam
They seem good bikes- Well specced on group but look a bit deeper and the wheels are not that great- and components are not light. Seems to be whatever was going cheap at the end of line productions to build up a bike with a "Non" descript frame that will not be of the lighter variety. The advert seem to imply "1/2 the price of an equivalent Trek"--or any other make that they wish to name. But it is not a Trek and will not ride or feel like one.On top of that the components are often parts that I would not out of choice fit to a bike.
So given the choice of a BD bike or any other equivalent Known bike- I will not contemplate the BD bike. I would rather pay more for something I can get out and try before I buy- and get a good enough deal on to say that I do not want the BD bike as it will not be worth it. And those deals are out there and the Shops that offer the service to go with it.
OK- you are getting a cheap bike that you can afford- But that is what it is- A cheap bike. I would rather go for say a Giant Defy3 at $750 if I could not afford the Defy 1 at $1300. That way I would have the LBS for setting up and covering problems or warranty concerns that I may have.
We don't have BD bikes over here- but we do have several Retail stores that have a reputation for cheap bikes. One of which is Halfords and their brand is Carrera which are similar to the Motobecane bikes.
So This is my reasons for Not liking BD- even though I have never dealt with them. I don't have to deal with them to see that they are not the bike I want. All I am waiting for is the Full Dure-Ace group to be fitted to a C.F. frame in red and to see it advertised at 1/2 the price of a Pinarrello Dogma. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.
I know that BD bikes are not 50% of what a comparable name brand bike would be, but they are 25-30% cheaper. I will say that from reading the Not Again thread you posted, that you have a great LBS, and an above average rapport with the owner. Most people are not going to be loaned a bike like that Giant TCR Advanced from any of the LBS' I have dealt with.
I haven't made a decision on my next bike. I'm still trying to figure out a bunch of things. I am absolutely willing to give any of the LBS' around me a shot to earn my business. If I buy another bike online it will be because that seems like the best decision for me at that time. I do know that just like car dealerships, bike shops make more of their money on parts, accessories, and service. So wherever I buy a bike from, I know the LBS' will be glad to do business with me if I need parts, accessories and service. These are all things I won't be spending money on if I don't have a bike that I like to ride.
We'll see.