Originally Posted by
tjspiel
These road bikes from Bikes Direct are $259
They might not be exactly what you were looking for but to me at least they're a notch above the Denali. I wouldn't compare them to a entry level road bike from a bike shop though.
I'll edit my original post because I forgot to mention that bought the Denali a year ago, and this bike wasn't available on BD. For that I apologize. I also look at like this. When you buy a bike from Walmart, Amazon or BD you are not only paying for the bike but you are also paying for the costs of getting the brakes, and gears adjusted, some lights and maybe a helmet. Some people may only have a budget of $259, and all of the added stuff has to fit into that budget. I am not begrudging the BD you showed. The BD is a step above the Denali and it looks like a great bike.
I also stated that I have reason that are different from the mainstream. Many people are living hand to mouth, and maybe they are only able to afford a Denali.
What's your main issue with the Denali aside from the ones that are commonly listed?