Originally Posted by
chas58
I have a bikes direct bike and its great. I was unsure of it, but got in on Craig's list so I could try it out before buying. $400 for a bike that would have cost me $2000 at the bike store was nice. Makes a great commuter.
Components are generally similar, although you may want to upgrade the wheels. For general commuting it was great. I do find that for racing or high effort work, a branded bike will have the latest innovations and can be both more efficient and more comfortable to ride. Not a big deal when commuting though.
Biggest benefit from LBS: FIT. The biggest worry for me buying factory direct is making sure the bike fits and is comfortable. Any LBS will work on my bike, but if it doesn't fit, its just a waste of $$$. I recently bought a high end factory direct bike (canyon), and bought two sizes so I could ensure I dialed in the fit. Fortunately they have a good return policy - so while it was a hassle it worked. Much easier to go to the LBS, try out half a dozen (or more) bikes, and have the experts there ensure it fits you well.
To me its the personal and immediate service. If you need your bike fixed now, no online vendor can match that. I've walked in to my LBS and gotten my bike fixed immediately. My mechanic simply stopped what he was doing and attended to me on the spot while I waited.
Originally Posted by
tclune
I'm not sure that brand names are really much value. A good brand that costs a fair amount will be a good bike. But I got a $300 Specialized bike new, and it wasn't noticeably better than any other $300 BSO. Also, I have had mixed results with different LBSes. If you know enough to be able to evaluate your LBS, you probably know enough to evaluate the bike you want to buy.
I wasn't implying that it was a perfect system, or that generics can't still be good. But a brand name are the easiest way to know what you're getting without a whole lot of work.
Price notwithstanding, would you feel more comfortable purchasing a big ticket item from a company that's been around for 100 years or one that recently opened for business?