The average Bikes Direct bike in a box is likely to have the same level of quality with respect to bearing adjustments and grease as the average bike sold at a local bike store. In fact, bikes in boxes are assembled to a much higher standard of quality than bikes were 20 or 30 years ago. You can read posts from people on this site who say that, for instance, they routinely completely detension and retension the spokes on the wheels of Bikes Direct bikes. Speaking as one who ran service departments in bike stores selling bikes across the entire price spectrum, that's the true hobbyist at work, to put it diplomatically.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, there are plenty of Youtube videos that show you what you need to do, how to do it, and what tools you need to assemble a boxed bike. Figure several hours of reviewing videos and maybe two hours of careful assembly, and you'll be good to go.

Yup. You can buy a decent road bike for not too much money. Stay away from big box store road bikes. They're heavy, come in only one size, have crappy parts and upgrading them is not worth the low price at which they're sold. Spend a little more and you'll get a good quality bike in the size that fits you that you can always upgrade later. BD has some good values in road bikes and what you're not paying for is bike brand advertising and markup costs.

...excuse me, Mr Service Manager, but this hardly addresses the concerns I expressed.
The fact that you pushed 'em out the door doesn't do a whole lot for keeping 'em on the road.

As stated, any bike in a box requires a thorough going over....presumably that's what a full service bike shop you want to use will do.

buy used. if you look on craigslist for a 2-3 weeks, you will have a much better deal + a bike you will be happy with longterm.

This, and make sure you know what size you need.
Good luck.

S