Warning about BikesDirect.com

They sell faux bicycles made in china with brand names from the past with nothing to do with original brand names and have very little if bloody any of the quality of the real original brands,who produced top quality bicycles.cyclist should be bloody warned so they don't get bloody nicked.!!!!!!!!! No worrys the local bicycle shop is best, they have real people to help you get things started or sorted . "if seems bloody to good it usually is" save youself from worrys and hassles. Regards. 1 straight line

 

Most bikes that you would buy in a bike shop that cost less than $1500 are made in China, including Trek, Specialized, Scott, Fuji, Raleigh, . . . you get the idea. The brands that BikesDirect bought--Mercier, Motobecane, Windsor, and Dawes--were legally acquired, and I can remember some pretty lousy bikes made by all of those companies. Some damned nice ones, too, of course. On the other hand, Dawes Cycles is still doing business in UK, marketing bikes made in Taiwan and China, and this does create some confusion with BikesDirect's Dawes USA.

Having built up many BikesDirect bikes for customers (at $60 a pop), I have to say the drivetrains are brand-name and non-proprietary (like Bontrager), the wheels can be sketchy, and the ergonomics and frame designs are unquestionably from the trailing edge of innovation. I would say buy online only if you know what you're not getting by buying at your neighborhood shop.

 

A reply that exemplifies ignorance. The brands sold by Bikes Direct are not related to the original companies, but those brand names are rightfully owned. Moreover, the reviews and tests of the bikes sold by Bikes Direct are good overall, perhaps even excellent. No one gets "nicked" buying from Bikes Direct any more than they get "nicked" buying from their LBS. The downside to buying from Bikes Direct is that the assembly done by Bikes Direct is often enough a bit lacking. That however is easily overcome by either tidying up the assembly yourself or taking it to an LBS and having them set the assembly straight.

As for where a bike is made, it only really matters to people with a political agenda or some other vested interest. It has no bearing on bike quality. Poorly manufactured products can come from anywhere, including the US, and likewise, properly manufactured stuff can come from anywhere, including China and Taiwan.

 

I bought a beautiful orange Moto Sprintour. A fantastic bike. All Ultegra except for Ritchie wheels and seat post and a Cave Creek stem. Carbon forks and stays. Handles and looks great, everything just works.

i was in the bike biz for a long time, and I have my own shop so I set it up myself. Yeah, I had to touch up the wheels a bit, but I had to do that on every bike I ever assembled. New seat and Flight Deck was all I needed. Unbelievable price. Not for everyone, but if you know what you want and they have it, you can’t beat it.

And, as others have mentioned, most all bikes are made in just a few factories to order. So who cares what name is on it? Unless you just need to look good.

 

Well, most all bikes aren't made in just a few factories. That's an oversimplification of a complex industry. Moreover, being made in the same factory doesn't mean bikes are identical.

Did you buy your bike from BD online, or did you buy at the shop in the Oro Valley Marketplace, at Tangerine and Oracle?

 

i bought a motobecane CX .
great price for an intro bike.
their customer service was helpful in sizing and other questions
bike arrived without defects.

i had zero problems. very pleased.

dave

 

If Motobecane is out of business then you are out of a warranty, plain and simple. The retailer cannot honor the warranty. This would be true no matter if you got the bicycle bricks and mortar or mail order. So you will have to fix the bike yourself and eat the cost. I got a major brand carbon fiber (read: "disposable") frame bike and the rivnuts in the downtube are already loose after only 500 miles. They will warranty it but I gotta send the whole bike back for a month. Sometimes it's easier just to live with the problem so I bought a seat-post double bottle carrier and will worry about the rivnuts some other time. I would rather ride than jump through hoops.

 

If Motobecane is out of business then you are out of a warranty, plain and simple. The retailer cannot honor the warranty. This would be true no matter if you got the bicycle bricks and mortar or mail order. So you will have to fix the bike yourself and eat the cost. I got a major brand carbon fiber (read: "disposable") frame bike and the rivnuts in the downtube are already loose after only 500 miles. They will warranty it but I gotta send the whole bike back for a month. Sometimes it's easier just to live with the problem so I bought a seat-post double bottle carrier and will worry about the rivnuts some other time. I would rather ride than jump through hoops.

 

If Motobecane is out of business then you are out of a warranty, plain and simple. The retailer cannot honor the warranty. This would be true no matter if you got the bicycle bricks and mortar or mail order. So you will have to fix the bike yourself and eat the cost. I got a major brand carbon fiber (read: "disposable") frame bike and the rivnuts in the downtube are already loose after only 500 miles. They will warranty it but I gotta send the whole bike back for a month. Sometimes it's easier just to live with the problem so I bought a seat-post double bottle carrier and will worry about the rivnuts some other time. I would rather ride than jump through hoops.

 

Thanks for posting the same thing three times in a row. I guess that's one way to try and emphasize your point.

 

I bought a mottobecane from BikesDirect and I was and still am very happy. They were honest and fair and prompt. To buy a bike that was comparable locally would have cost me double the price I paid at BD . Thank god for BD. I tried to buy a bike locally and went to 4 shops and I felt I was being taken at all 4. The bike I bought from BD had a front shock that came installed on the bike this shock alone at my local bike shops was priced as high as the complete bike from BD. Sorry , but I think these complaints against BD are suspicious.

 

I had a great experience with BD too. Super Strada road bike and I love it! Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

I think that guy is probably right. Pity I'd a crap shoot. I have a friend who scored a vent noir and had s great experience, so I figured I would give it a shot. It got me a better kit of components than I would have gotten locally. I hate not buying local, but reality is, the frame I can afford is made in the same factory in Taiwan regardless of where I get the thing. Components too... Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

You new guys know that this thread originated from a dubious complaint posted in 2003, has been refuted by several posters who were either satisfied customers or who had other experience with the company and its products, and has been essentially dead for six months.

I'll reiterate my position on the products. The MSRPs listed are pure bunk because BikesDirect is the only distributor of the products they design and import. The actual prices reflect the value of the bikes fairly, even after you factor in the cost of having a professional bike mechanic build the bike. The quality is good, the customer service appears to be good. There are several cost saving factors the buyer should be aware of. The frame designs and ergonomic features of the bikes are a bit dated. The quality of components and workmanship in the wheels often reflects cost cutting.

Regarding Motobecane warranty processing, the Motobecane you bought from BikesDirect can only be warrantied by BikesDirect. Conversely, the Grand Jubilee that somebody bought in 1979 and you converted to a fixie cannot be warrantied by anybody.

 

I just want to put in my 2 cents about this ... I bought a Titanium XTR mountain bike then a Carbon Durace roadbike from BikesDirect and am very happy with the bikes I am now riding. I was scared initially because the haters of the company would write bad things about them and the bikes. I only had a small problem the way the Durace derailleur was installed on the roadbike and it had to be adjusted ..... then you should go through the whole bike and make sure it is tight .... Bingo they are Great for me. I had a 35 yr old beautiful DeRosa and wanted the newer technology ... and I got them. I did have a problem and contacted them at once and they told me how to fix it. Had 2 friends ride them and they were impressed. I bought Ultegra and Durace pedals and a carbon handlebar ..... and am very happy with these bikes and they get me riding and staying healthy.................. my brother-in-law is going to buy one now to start getting in shape ...........