looks like you have some good selection on CL in your area. I guess you can look at those first. BD is always going to be there for you and they usually do not run out/restock quickly entry level bikes.

I like BD. They deliver incredible value for your money and helped me get back on a bike in a long time. But the more I get into bicycling, the more their offering seem to lack a "soul" (no heritage, storied past or anything worth chattering about). but they definitely work as well as any bikes, even probably better than the bikes on CL since they have modern components.