I am sorry, I just do not get this whole debate. There are very few differences in quality between bikes. A Tiagra equipped Trek, GT, Giant, Cannondale and etc. are all pretty similar in quality. Bikes are extremely subjective purchases. There are custom bikes that have some advantages as far as Geometry goes but even that is subjective. I happen to love my bike but I do not think that it is any better than a comparably equipped bike made by another company. I may like it better but that does not make it better. I simply do not get the rational behind bashing bikes from BD, on-line, Performance, Nashbar and etc. A good bike is a good bike regardless of where you buy it. If there is a store like Performance or BD that offers you a chance to get that good bike for less than that is a good thing. In addition, those retailers keep the market honest, which means that every buyer gets a better price. If the only place to buy a good bike is at a LBS, than you are at their mercy as far as prices go. I love my LBS and I buy quite a bit from them. I also give them all of my service. This does not mean that I have to dislike the large retailers though. They all have their niche and they fill it well. I frequent Performance quite a bit. They are great for the entry level market. They do not stock as much in the next tier of bikes though. That is where the LBS comes into play for a large part. Either way, Nashbar, Performance, BD and etc. do not "cheapen" any product. A good bike is still a good bike regardless of where you bought it.