Aengus J.

For a decade I have perused the Bikes Direct website ever curious whether those amazing prices for such amazing bikes and top level groupsets are legitimate. I've always been frustrated why bikes are darn expensive when the root technology (a twin triangle frame) hasn't changed in over a hundred years. My hypothesis was that the annual markups are primarily marketing rather than value. After my 20 year old trek was stolen, I decided to pull the trigger with Bikes Direct to test the theory that one can get a great bike with great components for far less (my thinking is that they all come from the same factory in Taiwan anyways). Well, consistent with the positive You Tube reviews I watched, my test supports my hypothesis. I'm thoroughly enjoying my flawless Motobecane Titanium Gravel bike with Ultegra Groupset. It arrived quickly and the setup was both fun and quick.

That said, I did goof the setup. This is my first thru axle bike and I mistakenly threw away one of the front hub end caps along with the protective plastic shipping wheel guard. That front wheel eventually became unrideable. Larry with Bikes Direct's customer service team didn't hesitate to replace the wheel (even though the fault was my own). At my request, Larry also looked into letting me buy a new front wheel (since it really was my fault). He came back with a very fair price and I couldn't be happier.

If anyone else has grown curious about the ever increasing price for new bikes when technology has tended to reduce pricing, I encourage you to consider Bikes Direct.