[firemark]

After digesting tons of info online, and visiting the LBS, ordering and canceling a BD Windsor Cliff 4900, and almost ordering a DB Overdrive 29er that was too big for me, I have been looking at components rather than names.

All things aside, it appears to me now, that component vs. component, the BD bikes in the $400- $500 price range, compare very well, even better than any $400-500 big name brand.

I'm certainly no mark for BD, but, the value is more appealing now. Even if the bike needs assembly or a tune, and you add $50-60 to the price for that, it appears that you still come out ahead.

Yes, I agree that customer service is tops at the LBS, but, my LBSs' are an hour away. I believe that it cannot be difficult to learn to work on your bikes, and, maybe, everyone should know the basics.

I'll get killed here for writing this, but, has anyone else looked at bike vs. bike, and thought the same?

 

[floydlippencott]

Who cares?

 

[firemark]

Are all bike forums inhabited by jerks with distance balls?

Seriously, there are some very helpful folks here, but there are some real jerks too. Is there an age verification feature here, because some of the posters sound like the kids playing Call of Duty.

I sure hope bikers in the real world are much better people than some I have encountered here.

 

[floydlippencott]

Are they all populated by shills whom post the same worn out rerun thread week after week?

 

[firemark]

Are they all populated by shills whom post the same worn out rerun thread week after week?

Are you 12 years old or just an adult jerk?

 

[TruTone]

Alright, here's the deal.

I personally respect riders who ride well on their bikes. It has very little to do with what actual bike they ride.

Get a BD bike, take the time to put it together and tune it yourself, then go out and ride the hell out of it. You'll be way farther ahead than the guy on the $2000+ bike that just goes out once every month or so.

downside with Bikesdirect is you can't tell how the bike will handle or fit before you get it. For that very reason alone I advise against it unless you have a bike to compare geometry and fit with. I also suggest test riding a LOT of different mountain bikes until you get a feel for what you're looking for.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

In fairness this question, in a variety of forms, has been asked and answered very many times. One does not have to be a jerk to notice this or make the comment.

This is a great question for the Beginners Forum.

 

[zebrahum]

How many times are you going to ask the same question? Suck it up and make a decision please. At this point you're going to realize why the people who post here a lot give such curt answers to this question, it literally gets asked by several different people many times a week. You aren't going to get a different answer, you are simply just going to get the same opinions from the same people.

Your bike must fit you if you are going to expect to ride it. What parts are attached to a frame and what name the frame has on the side makes NO DIFFERENCE to the amount that you will ride your bike.