Bikesdirect.com-Good quality?
 

Well this summer I plan on getting a summer job, and i may consider upgrading my bike. I clicked on the add for Bikesdirect.com and at first glance it seemed nice.

However, I notice that they seem to carry mostly Motobecane, Windsor and Mercier bikes.
The prices seem good to me, but are they still good quality bikes?

I heard that Motobecane was bought and now makes lower quality bikes? Is Bikesdirect.com a good place to buy a bike or should i try a different route?

Quoth Wikipedia:

As far as I know, they're generally "okay quality" bikes. Not awful, but not stunning, either. A "get what you pay for" kind of thing. I recently bought their single-speed steel cyclocross bike, and it seems to fit that description.

I'm not sure how their higher-priced bikes fare, but probably similarly.

FYI, there are dozens upon dozens of previous discussions of this very topic here on this forum. Feel free to read them instead of asking people to post about it all over again.

oh im sorry, i didn't realize there were other topics, i did search 5 pages

Not so much in the "General" but in the "Roadie" forum, that's been discussed at length.

Could I maybe get a link to one of thease threads?

I can't seem to find them

look in singlespeed & fixed gear

I don't think that you really searched. More like viewed 5 pages worth of threads.

Here's how to search the forums (at least how I do it, anyway):

-Locate the Bike Forums banner at the top of the page
-Click on the 'Search The Forums' link
-Type your keyword(s) into the first box, then hit 'Enter' on your keyboard

Do you know how to do your own set-up and adjustment? If you do, these bikes represent a pretty darned good deal. The frames probably come from some of the same factories in Taiwan that mass produce bikes under a "name" brand. I have never heard of a frame failure with any of the Bikes Direct name plates. The components are often the exact same thing that other name brand bikes come with. If you can't set up and adjust on your own, you may prefer to deal with a local bike shop. I have dealt with Bikes Direct before and had a good experience. I bought my last bike from my local bike shop. They both have a place.

And therein lies the risk--bike is built in Taiwan and put in a box. Box is loaded onto container. Container is loaded onto a container ship. Container is unloaded in California and shipped to Texas. Box is unloaded from container to warehouse. Box is shipped from warehouse to you via UPS.

If anything goes wrong with the bike at any step of the way, you're the first to find out. I bought a bike from them that came with a bent fork, and I was only able to get them to pick it up was when I disputed the charge on my credit card a week after notifying them of the damage.

The last I heard from them, they asked me to remove the dispute so they could issue a refund. My credit card suggested I not do that as I would lose the right to dispute the charge if they didn't issue the refund. Sounded suspicious to me.

The bikes are a pretty good deal if they arrive undamaged (I would have been satisfied with my purchase if the fork hadn't been unusable), but I was disappointed with the service I received when I had a problem.

They won't get my $. I was in the market last week for another bike, and dropped them a line because I was curious how the sizing ran on the Motobecanes. Different mfg's run small/large and just asked them how the sizing ran from their experience.

All I got in return was a totally non-personal cut and paste from their website as to how to size a bike. If they don't want to deal on a personal level i'll find and spend $ (which I did) at a local LBS.

-Roger

sizing and questions
 

"They won't get my $. I was in the market last week for another bike, and dropped them a line because I was curious how the sizing ran on the Motobecanes. Different mfg's run small/large and just asked them how the sizing ran from their experience.

All I got in return was a totally non-personal cut and paste from their website as to how to size a bike. If they don't want to deal on a personal level i'll find and spend $ (which I did) at a local LBS. "

You are dealing with an online seller who has low costs and keeps things simple. You get what you pay for applies to information as well. My guess is if you wrote them back with a question the web site didn't answer they would have responded but they can't deal with all generic questions with limited manpower, and yours sounded very generic.

My experience with them for 3 bikes is that they are generally about 45% less than LBS pricing for relative value - more on a few special situations. Each bike was received in a week or less.

Issues:
-I preferred a shorter stem on the first bike. They offered to exchange it, or sell me a new one for 50% of retail and no shipping. I took the latter deal.
-On the third bike, the fork was supposed to come with rack brazeons, but did not. Apparently they changed to a color matched fork that mated perfectly to the integrated headset, but did not have brazeons. They immediately sent out the old style fork (black with brazeons) with a UPS return label for my fork.

FWIW, I just ordered a fourth bike from BD for my fiancee.

I've tried to e-mail them specific weight questions about their products, and only received non specific, generic, cut and paste from their website, answers.

Yup, very generic. All I needed was a "they run big" or "they run small". We ain't launching rockets here :roflmao2::roflmao2:

try performance bike for price and help with fit and adjustments:
4501 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle Wa Phone: 206-675-0588

Can't speak of the quality of the bikes, but (IMHO) their business model sucks!! Targeting noobs suffering from 'sticker shock at the LBS'...

After reading the success and horror stories of people who bought their bikes, I went ahead an ordered a Moto' Fantom CX. I had no problem assembling the remaining 10% (?) and adjusting the bike. I ordered mine in April '08 when it was still $500.

Not the best nor worst set of components. I am pleased with the bike, service (they replied without "copy & paste") and their delivery time. I will be buying another bike from there in the near future.

It doesn't seem reasonable to expect them to be able to answer that question considering the variety of models and the they would have to be experts regarding other manufacturers' bikes.

If I overheard that in an LBS and the clerk answered, I'd figure that the customer knew nothing about geometry or fit, and that the clerk was BSing him to get a sale.

There is a geometry chart provided on the sales page for each individual bike just like other manufacturers.

Very true. That would require that they know what they're selling instead of taking it out of a shipping container and slapping a shipping label on it.

While I simplified my request of them rather than type it all out here, it was the gist of the question. Didn't mean to rile the BD fanboys.

-R

To answer the original question, the quality is fine. The prices are good to OK. Some do not like the business model and the over-hyping of their product, but it really isn't that much different that the hype on other bike's web pages or ad copy. Be aware that the suggested list prices are a bit inflated.

We bought three of their touring bikes and rode across the US. The bikes were quite satisfactory and I thought the price was excellent. I have since bought a road bike that I am very happy with to replace my old one that was damaged in a crash.

If you want or need support from a local shop maybe buy from a local shop though. Then again some LBS's will happily set up and service bikes bought elsewhere.

I just bought from Bikesdirect.com recently.

I've never put together a bike before, but I consider myself mechanically inclined. I went into this purchase knowing I'd have to guess my own size, put together the bike myself, tune it myself, fit it myself, and inspect it myself. If you're not handy and want to skip the work to go straight to riding, you should consider shopping at the LBS. Your bikesdirect.com purchase should go off without a hitch, but it may not. Can you handle that?

Overall, I'm satisfied with my bike and the service at bikesdirect.com. It's my first cyclocross bike, so I'm not going to notice what I'm missing as far as superior frame technology or whatever. But if/when I'm ready to move up to a high-end racing frame, I'll appreciate it that much more.

Here is my thread I started about a year ago. After a year the I still have had no problems my with it. If you read the threads on the roadie forum you find alot of people disapprove the BD's marketing, also have been complaints about not having a phone number to call for customer service. My experience has been a good one and my bike has held up nicely. I would have no problem buying from them again. But I do recommend them with caution to a new buyer that is unsure of size,fit and assemble it may be better to work with a good lbs then an online dealer.

Good luck and enjoy

If you look in the road cycling forum, you will see a thread where folks post pics of their bikes, I have seen several Motobecanes there. You should p.m. the owners, they seem to love em.