Originally Posted by
CrankyOne
Can you be more specific with regard to what components are cheap and what components you would recommend instead and what bikes you'd recommend.
Cheap is offcourse relative. For example: My Gazelle was just a bit more expensive than my Focus. After adding a rear rack, lights and fenders on the Focus they cost about the same (Eu 800). The Gazelle has Shimano Alivio derailleurs, pretty basic wheels and V-brakes. The Focus came with Deore LX derailleurs, hubs and Alex rims and hydraulic disk brakes. And Gazelle bikes are a lot cheaper here than in the US.
My recommendation, if you want a Gazelle, was to buy second hand and replace the relatively cheap parts. With the prices mentioned in this thread (~$999) you could buy the second hand bike and ride it for 100,000 miles. The problem seems to be getting a second hand Gazelle in the US, I wasn´t aware of that. If I want to buy one now here in Zaandam I have several options nearby ranging from Eu 15 to Eu 150, making it an ideal fixer upper.
As for components; I stick with the cheap ones because I can replace them for less than halve I pay for the parts on my Focus. Besides: V-brakes are good enough for most tasks and a lot easier to work on than my fidgety hydraulic brakes. Would I ride it a lot I would get better wheels.
As to the prices, keep in mind that shipping and customs duties alone are $250 - $425 per bike. [...].
I´m not blaming the shops that sell them for those prices. $425 extra on the price of a bike for no added value might just not be worth it. I´m not familiar with US equivalents of Gazelle bikes but that might be a better choice. Or the second hand one should you be able to find it.