I agree with everything you said except one issue. BD frames are made in the standard factories all major manufacturers use. Some of mine have been Kinesis frames. And as you say the components are standard Shimano/SRAM etc.
But the paint job on those bikes I've found to be really bad. I would lean it against a tree and find I had scratched it. Put it against something metallic (ie. just place it) and you'd hit bare metal. So I do think BD cuts corners on painting their bikes
Originally Posted by
Maelochs
BikesDirect sells solid bikes. The frames tend to be about two-four years behind the market, but then, the entry-level bikes from most manufacturers and a two-three years behind their own cutting-edge designs. The components are exactly what they say they are---the same parts on all the other bikes on the market. Generally BD will use an alternate crank set- and brakes --but still name-brand parts (FSA and Tektro, for instance.)
BD does not sell garbage bikes. They sell other-than-name brand bikes (or recycle old brands which people don't know anymore anyway) and don't spend any money on advertising, don't do any research and development,