I totally agree.

For $300 (I think they go for $359 now) I was very satisfied with my former BD bike. I was amazed at the quality for the price; Department-store price...but lower-end entry-level road bike quality. And I've always lusted after their TI bikes! I wasn't knocking them in my previous post- just describing the reality of such business models. Even today, I would feel no shame in riding one of their bikes- and wouldn't be surprised if I bought one from them again at some point in the future. They do offer many good deals for anyone- and especially for newcomers to the sport who are looking for a cheap first bike.

And even many of the brand names which didn't get sold, and are still making bikes, are having their bikes made by those same factories in Asia.

Motobecane was French made , Windsor was a Mexican Bike Brand, around 1976,

at that time the company paid Mr Merckx to have the Windsor name on the DeRosa Track Bike Eddy used
when setting the Hour record at the Mexico City Velodrome

that Olympics just finished , and Eddy took advantage of the Lower air density at that altitude , to help go a little further in that Hour.

Colnago, not De Rosa, apparently.

From the terrific page about Merckx's hour attempt at Eddy Merckx and the Hour Record:

"At the last moment Windsor stickers were slapped on Eddy's otherwise unlabeled bike. A distracted Merckx saw this as an acceptable way to thank his Mexican hosts (Windsor is a Mexican bike), but Colnago was infuriated."

It doesn't even have to have to do with reputation. Companies want names that are already ”positioned” in the buyer's mind. I don't think Motobecane bikes from France where very special although I'm certain they made a few special models. They were more or less the Schwinn of French bikes.

Funny how nobody complains that Schwinn sales today are just trading on reputation.

Schwinn has a reputation worth positively trading on??

They certainly did when I was a kid...back in the 1950's....but now?

Apprently Bikes Direct has gone to the trouble of even setting up a Motobecane & Windsor web site to give the consumer the idea, there are real companies behind the brands. Honeslty if the person who stateed this thread doesn't have the answers they were looking for yet.

I would start a new thread with a title like who would recommend buying a bicycle from bikes direct. JMHO

The Accell Group bought Raleigh USA a few years back. With the acquisition of Raleigh USA, Accell got Raleigh, Diamondback, Univega, and Avenir brands. They operate separate business site for each brand.

Honestly the only thing the haters have proved is that if there was any question about whether business practices are understood, the question has been definitively settled. They don't.

Honestly I look real hard last night at their web-site, as this Dura Ace Bike in TI seem like asmokin deal. But I am not in a position to be a 3K bata tester.

Save Up to 60% OFf Shimano Dura Ace DA9000 Road Bikes | Titanium Road Bikes | Roadbikes - Motobecane Le Champion Team Ti

Motobecane is not a bike company anymore, it's just a name on a decal that BD bought the rights for. Kestrel is no longer Kestrel either they were bought out by Advance Sports who makes Fuji

Anyway, Performance is competing against Bikes Direct on that Kestrel, so they cut the price $100 to get people to buy on their website because if you buy from Performance you'll probably buy a bunch of accessories that BD doesn't sell and Performance will make their money back and then some. So you're comment about being a gimmick is not true at all because if the BD price is what your calling a gimmick then so is Performance price on the bike.

I understant that but they have a web-site that I would guess is park of the marketing plan.

http://motobecane.com/index.html

Notice no address, or contact info. So how do you get warranty claims dealt with?

Warranty is handled by BD, remember, BD bought the name rights to Motobecane. Bikesdirect.com Satisfaction and Warranty

As I said I spent a lot of time looking at their web-site. Honestly I can not find out where they are located, they seem to be only accessable by e-mail, or phone.

Honestly I like to know who I am dealing with, and where there offices are.

You can't take the doubt out of doubters.

Try the same at IBM.com. You won't find an address there either. Not that you'd trust IBM.

International Business Machine aka IBM is a public company. SEC Rule make public many thing about the company including a P & L Sheet, Corporate Officers, etc. Most of this is in their annual report, and more.

Contact IBM - - United States

I am not a doubter, I am a person who just likes some transperancy, and I find it strange there is no corporate address on their web-page.

BTW cale have you personally bought from bikes direct? Please share you story if you are a happy customer, or dissatisified one?

Like I said I personally do not want to be a 3K Beta Tester.

Yeah, I have a 2013 Motobecane 650HT which my son rides when he isn't on his new road bike. There's no mystery to BikesDirect bikes. The parts that are heavy on this (at time $400) bike are the wheels and the lower grade components. The bike has a bright and durable finish that attracts compliments, the shifting flawless (as far as the rider is concerned), and brakes are strong. It has a lock out fork, you can flip a knob to lock, which provides more efficiency and steering precision when riding on paved surfaces. It was new and with a warranty at a price that rivals what other folks spend for similar used bikes. Everything was well packed and the assembly was a breeze. I know my way around bikes so there weren't any surprises. Even those unfamiliar with bikes would find the clearly written and illustrated assembly instructions just about foolproof. And if you do stumble, they are available to answer your concerns.

You act as though they are a fly-by-night outfit which is, quite frankly, insulting to those that are proud to own a modern Motobecane. Spreading rumors about trust and such is most unbecoming.

Pardon me I thoink I got you mad point you to the info about IBM you asked for. I made some observations upon loking at their web-site, and a net search for info about said company.

In this country we live in each of us stil have the right to our own ideas and opinions. BTW someone finally posted a thread about their personal GOOD EXPIERENCE with Bike Direct. Other have chimed in. that is a good thing.

I am still on the fence, as I am older than you I would bet, can recall when people did business on a hand shake, and the hand shake was as good as gold.

Well then go pay a lot more money for the equivalent bike from an LBS in town, why go through all this arguing here on this forum if you already know you don't like mail order type of bike places? By the way, almost all custom high end bikes are mail order, most titanium bikes are mail order, so there you have it, don't ever buy a custom or ti bike.

And if this address of Bikes Direct is near you you're in luck if not, oh well,: 4624 Town Crossing Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32246

FWIW. My Motobecane bike was shipped from Mesquite Texas.

If you just can't believe they are as good as the bikes from the LBS, then that is your issue, as that is in fact not the case. Plenty of cases in many areas where you mail order to get the best stuff for the best price. Use to do this with electronics allot. Did and continue to do the same with pet supplies. BD, is nothing different. If you prefer to be parted with more of your money, then by all means.

FTR, I have one BD bike, and two Specialized bikes from the LBS. Both of the Specialized bikes I got for a nice deal, and have no regrets, and one of them is supposedly the only one in the color (Orange) in the entire US as it never went into production. I buy most of my cycling clothes direct from overseas for a fraction of the cost of the LBS. I also have some Pearl Izumi, Cannondale, etc. branded stuff that I got for half price. The stuff I have been buying direct from China. These have been every bit as good as the name brand stuff at 20% the cost, and sometimes less. And guess what, the name brand stuff is made in China (or similar developing country) anyway. I just get to keep the cost difference. Recently I found a US made supplier of bike shorts (through AeroTech), bought a test pair, and happy with the results. They are $5-10 more, but it's not the outright screw job that the brand names try to do.

QT

[Sighing heavily...]

Yes, we all know that the sales office and retail operations are in Florida, and the warehouse is in Texas. And BikeIsland is where scratch 'n' dent returns and floor models get sold, along with some available parts, tools, and whatnot.

Seriously, this topic has been well trodden. BD provides value and quality at a you-choose-for-yourself price point. Many, many happy buyers can attest to that. I see a BD bike about every third trip while out riding in the DC area.

There's also a good reason why their more affordable titanium models sell out so rapidly. And their Kilo fixed gears. And their ladies top models. And their 29ers. Beta tester indeed... [rolls eyes...]

That address is for a retail store that they have in Jacksonville. It is not the headquarters, even though that too is in Jacksonville. I think that the owner of the company resides in Ponte Vedra Beach, which is essentially Jacksonville.
Honestly, I have never understood why so many people get so upset about BD or Performance for that matter. It is almost cult like how people get about those 2 companies and LBS. I did buy a GT hybrid from BD years ago and it was a great bike and a great buying experience. I saved at least $150 from what I would have paid for a comparable one from a LBS.
BD sells good bikes. They have some mixture of components and parts to drive the cost down. No big deal. If you want full groupsets than this may not be the place for you. That does not mean that you have to have such disdain for those that do shop there or their bikes. I see many of their bikes as I reside in Jacksonville. Like any other bike, there are some that look good and some that do not but that is extremely subjective. It's almost like the piss on Ford, piss on Chevy debate.
I do not find their marketing deceiving at all. They are a discount online retailer. You are not going to get a fitting unless you go to their shop. No big deal. That is not part of their equation as far as mail order goes.

Doubt that.


Not likely.

Silly romantic idiom that doesn't relate to internet shopping in any way. non sequitur.

If you want to hand shake with an online retailer go ahead but I think you're missing the point.

I'm 61 and they never did business with a handshake, not even in my dads time and he would have been 93 this year. So unless The Man Show is older than my dad I seriously doubt he did business that way, unless the only business he did was nickle and dime stuff.