jdms mvp

i built my FTP for $1.3k .....

clink83

Lets see, with cut down risers risers you a) can't climb for **** B) cant sprint for **** c) cant get aero and go fast well at all. So pretty much your stuck to looking hella rad riding around downtown to the bars with one hand position. If you want an upright position why not get a mountain bike in the first place?

2new2this

+1

DIRT BOY

So? Maybe he does not want/need those options. Looks like MOST FG/SS bikes here and what I see are mainly city bikes. To each his own.

fiataccompli

++

bigbris1

At the end of it I was into my Hour for about $600 including the price of the bike. Got $400 for it but usage & the price of my new ride offset that cost tremendously.

Rafiki

so much hate

4doorhoor

I don't know where you guys live, but where I am from you can throw all the stock crap onto a dumpstered conversion and sell it for more than the complete kilo....

datlas 

Just my two cents....these bikes are reasonable "stock" and dont require to be pimped up....but since the stock parts are of modest quality it's also reasonable to upgrade them.

My Dawes SST got only two real upgrades, a longer seatpost ($19) and clipless pedals ($39). I also bought a cog and lockring for the fixed side ($16).

So the total cost was about 400 bucks.

pawpaw

i think no matter what bike i buy, there will be something that i would want to upgrade or replace.

when i bought my messenger i dropped an extra $80 on new bars, break lever and bar tape right away.
i just bought new pedals and clips for it for $40ish, so now my $350 bike is getting closer to a $500 bike.
let's say i bought a pista (or any other bike that is ~$500). i would have done the exact same thing.

the bikesdirect frames are just as practical for me as any bike under the $1k mark.

i think most people who buy from bikesdirect expect to upgrade at some point (or have upgrades ready when the bike arrives).
we know that by opting for a cheaper overall bike we can use the money that would have been towards a more expensive bike on upgrades and preferences and still spend less.

jmartinez

+1

I've learned my lesson a few times over. Now I assume that if I'm buying a new bike I should budget $100-$200 for pedals, a saddle, and possibly new handlebars. I prefer clipless, so I'm stuck with that expense as a minimum.

Any spare parts go into the bin and are tend to be used on beater bikes I've put together for friends.

I don't own a BD bike myself, but I figure a lot of people are buying them to get into cycling or as a first bike after a long time away. A few upgrades should be considered entirely normal since it can take a good number of miles and a bit of experimentation to find the right saddle, or to fine tune the handlebar position with the right stem, etc. Getting a bike set up right, either at home or at a shop, should just be considered part of the cost of ownership.

clink83

Which comes back to what I said before, if your going to build a bike with risers IMO an expensive frame isnt needed. I really doubt that people with risers are generating enough power to flex their steel frames. I could be wrong though.

datlas 

I know the pro's/con's of BD have been debated ad nauseum...but I must reply to this...I do own a BD bike and there are tradeoffis....but I would NOT recommend a newbie to get a BD bike. There are too many issues regarding proper fit, setup and maintenance, etc., that make me feel that only somewhat experienced cyclists should go the mail order route. For a first bike, it's worth spending a few extra dollars to ensure that the bike fits and is setup right.

Off my soapbox and back to work.

pawpaw

+1
i've ridden MTB my entire life so i'm very comfortable with risers and once i decided to get into FG i couldn't (and still don't) understand the risers craze (aside from the need to do barspinz).

there's a reason that risers come stock on mountain bikes and not on road/track bikes.