They review expensive bikes. What's not to like?
You just have to learn how to read their reviews. If they don't say that a bike is "laterally stiff yet vertically compliant" then it's probably flexy and harsh.
They reviewed the Motobecane Le Champion CF a few years ago. I was curious, given that BD consistently advertises in the back of the magazine. They said, "Though the ride quality felt slightly dull compared with similar bikes we've ridden in this price range, it was by no means uncomfortable or stagnant." (Note that "this price range" refers to the fictitious MRSP, not the price BD actually sells the bike for.) The only question I'm left with is whether this is a concession to the advertisers who pay much more for full page ads in the middle of the magazine, a consolation to readers who spend a lot of money on big name bikes or a genuine confirmation that the Bikes Direct frames, while no doubt fully functional and basically good, really do lack the refinement of the big name bikes. |
